Got accepted to Queensland Medical, but have already accepted MSc in Canada...

[hullio]

Hi guys,

 

I just got accepted to University of Queensland for the MBBS program; however, I have accepted an MSc position here in Canada.

 

My issue is that I'm not sure if it's worth throwing away an MSc position in a great/highly regarded lab (which I can get at least 3/4 publications and a great reference letter from my supervisor who is an MD/PhD), or pursue the Queensland option.

 

My MCATs were bad (8/9/9), my GPA isn't great (~3.4/4.0). My plan before was to go into the MSc program, re-do my MCATs, and then apply for Canadian Med. schools if my score is good. However, still in the end, I'm afraid my GPA just won't cut it...

 

The way I see it is the following:

- If I decline UQ, I will enter the MSc program, hoping to do better on my MCATs, but still at risk not getting into a Canadian Med. school due to my poor GPA. Therefore, I'll probably just end up re-applying to Australia and/or other abroad schools after spending two-years in the MSc program.

- Or, I accept UQ, and then go through the headache and stress of getting a residency position in either the US or Canada

 

Basically, my end-goal is to do medicine and practice either in the US or (preferably) Canada.

 

Thoughts?

[FutureGP789]

Do the Master's, sounds like a great opportunity. I wouldn't even think about becoming an IMG until you have applied 5+ times - it is a HUGE risk, both financially and in terms of your time.

 

Hopefully the Master's will only take you 2 years and in that time, you can apply to a couple of med schools (your application will only get better and more polished the more times you apply), repeat the MCAT, get some publications, do some TA'ing, and hey, maybe make a 'little' money from the grad program all at the same time.

 

You have lots of time for medicine - I think the Master's right now sounds like a much better option.

[Clover_236]

As it stands your GPA is not competitive in Canada, though there are other important bits of info that you need to consider.

 

-U of T is arguably the only school for which having MSc is tangibly favoured, however realistically you’ll be competing with a lot of grad applicants that have 3.7+ wGPA. So do you qualify for wGPA? And if so what would your wGPA be?

 

-For Queens and Western, assuming that you"ll get a nice balanced MCAT, your GPA breakdown for each year is important, what is your GPA in each year? Do you have at least two years in 3.7-3.8 range?

 

-Ottawa gives more weight to your later years, so if you did significantly better in your last years, you could benefit from their weighting formula, depending on where you live, your Ottawa weighted GPA should be 3.85-3.9 to meet the cut off and be competitive.

 

-Also, what province are you in? Look into the schools that have geographical preference for their own student, if you have residency anywhere other than Ont.

 

Its hard to tell, there is a reasonable possibility that by the time you’re done school in Australia, it’ll be very difficult to come back to North America. If your current annual GPA breakdown doesn’t cut it for Queens and Western, and if you are really serious about making sure that you can practice in Canada, imo doing a second degree and applying in Canada would be your best option. A MSc can only help you if your undergrad GPA is already somewhat competitive.

 

Good luck!

[hamham]

Hi guys,

 

I just got accepted to University of Queensland for the MBBS program; however, I have accepted an MSc position here in Canada.

 

My issue is that I'm not sure if it's worth throwing away an MSc position in a great/highly regarded lab (which I can get at least 3/4 publications and a great reference letter from my supervisor who is an MD/PhD), or pursue the Queensland option.

 

My MCATs were bad (8/9/9), my GPA isn't great (~3.4/4.0). My plan before was to go into the MSc program, re-do my MCATs, and then apply for Canadian Med. schools if my score is good. However, still in the end, I'm afraid my GPA just won't cut it...

 

The way I see it is the following:

- If I decline UQ, I will enter the MSc program, hoping to do better on my MCATs, but still at risk not getting into a Canadian Med. school due to my poor GPA. Therefore, I'll probably just end up re-applying to Australia and/or other abroad schools after spending two-years in the MSc program.

- Or, I accept UQ, and then go through the headache and stress of getting a residency position in either the US or Canada

 

Basically, my end-goal is to do medicine and practice either in the US or (preferably) Canada.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Here are simply my thoughts:

 

The biggest problem you are facing is that GPA. Your GPA will eliminate your shot at all Canadian schools, except U of T (only if you complete msc) and McMaster. For U of T, you really need to excel in your msc with pubs and excellent ref. Judging from what you said about your supervisor, it seems you are good, but putting all your eggs in one school is never a wise option. For Mac, you need to get the VR score up and destroy the Casper, both of which are no easy feats.

 

If I am not wrong, many IMGs in Australia find it hard to get residency. The Aussie govt won't increase the number of residency spots for their sake, and many Aussie MDs find it hard to find residency in even in the US, let alone Canada. Plus, going to UQ will get you in deep financial debt.

 

Summary: If you really want to practise in North America, both the MSc and UQ are bad options. Best way is to re-do the undergrad and MCAT. But medicine is still well-respected, regardless of where you go, and if you think you really want medicine to the extent that you wouldn't mind practising meds in Asia (where most Aussie IMGs find residency), do the MBBS at UQ.

[Edict]

Here are simply my thoughts:

 

The biggest problem you are facing is that GPA. Your GPA will eliminate your shot at all Canadian schools, except U of T (only if you complete msc) and McMaster. For U of T, you really need to excel in your msc with pubs and excellent ref. Judging from what you said about your supervisor, it seems you are good, but putting all your eggs in one school is never a wise option. For Mac, you need to get the VR score up and destroy the Casper, both of which are no easy feats.

 

If I am not wrong, many IMGs in Australia find it hard to get residency. The Aussie govt won't increase the number of residency spots for their sake, and many Aussie MDs find it hard to find residency in even in the US, let alone Canada. Plus, going to UQ will get you in deep financial debt.

 

Summary: If you really want to practise in North America, both the MSc and UQ are bad options. Best way is to re-do the undergrad and MCAT. But medicine is still well-respected, regardless of where you go, and if you think you really want medicine to the extent that you wouldn't mind practising meds in Asia (where most Aussie IMGs find residency), do the MBBS at UQ.

 

You can't tell him to re-do undergrad that would take way too long. Go to UQ honestly your GPA and MCAT are too low even with a masters you still aren't really that competitive.

 

Both aren't great options but if you go to UQ and do great in school and redeem yourself you will definitely have a shot in North America. UQ is a 2nd chance the MSc probably won't get you in.

[hamham]

You can't tell him to re-do undergrad that would take way too long. Go to UQ honestly your GPA and MCAT are too low even with a masters you still aren't really that competitive.

 

Both aren't great options but if you go to UQ and do great in school and redeem yourself you will definitely have a shot in North America. UQ is a 2nd chance the MSc probably won't get you in.

 

I'm not asking him to re-do all 4 years of undergrad. Some schools will consider the 2 most recent years (eg. Queens). Others will consider the best 2 years (Western). If OP has a good MCAT score, he can apply to these schools.

 

Going to UQ will instantly sink OP into deep financial debt, with no guarantee of residency in North America. Bankruptcy may be inevitable if OP cannot find residency or money to pay off that huge bank loan. Unless OP's family is rich, or OP doesn't mind practising outside of North America, he should not go to UQ.

[Edict]

I'm not asking him to re-do all 4 years of undergrad. Some schools will consider the 2 most recent years (eg. Queens). Others will consider the best 2 years (Western). If OP has a good MCAT score, he can apply to these schools.

 

Going to UQ will instantly sink OP into deep financial debt, with no guarantee of residency in North America. Bankruptcy may be inevitable if OP cannot find residency or money to pay off that huge bank loan. Unless OP's family is rich, or OP doesn't mind practising outside of North America, he should not go to UQ.

 

Redoing 2 years of undergrad doesn't make things any easier. When there are new candidates with 3.8/9 GPAs and 33 MCATs coming up every year and you have this long road who are the medical schools going to take? not to mention that doing a second undergrad is not cheap either in terms of real cost and opportunity cost. Both routes are difficult but if OP has no funding then it might be better to take the masters.

 

A high GPA from masters, with multiple pubs will give you a shot. McMaster does accept a few 3.4s every year.

 

Theres always the option of just giving up on med. The canadian government is not going to swoop in and save anyone. Canada seems to have enough physicians to go around and any current physicians groups would lobby hard to stop Canada from increasing the number of physicians because they want to protect their salaries.

[Slashsev]

you wont get in with an MSc

[Real Beef]

Why dont you bump up your MCAT and apply to US DO schools. Not sure why people look international before considering DO schools !? This has been said many times. Agree with the rest of the posters both options are risky .... I doubt the MSc will do much for you. Lots of applicants have MSc's nowadays, it doesnt make one that unique. I would concentrate on getting into a US DO school if I were you.

[WtsupDoc?]

I hate to say it but a couple more years of undergrad is probably the way to go if you want to practice medicine in Canada. I had a higher GPA (3.7) and an A average in my Master's and still only secured one interview (out of the 5 Ontario schools I applied for). You might have luck at U of T, like others have said, if you are very productive with your research. The unfortunate truth is that your undergrad GPA still counts for so much.

 

But, you could always try out the Master's and give med school apps another shot. All it takes is one interview to show them you have what it takes.

[rswim]

Agreed -

 

 

As someone who spent a few months at UQ before coming back to Canada - It is not a good option and gets worse every year. If you want to practice in Canada do what you can to beef things up here and apply at least 3 or 4 times before considering alternatives.

 

Good luck!