still_tryin88 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Hey guys I'm looking for some advice on US MD and DO schools to apply to. Here are my stats: 1st Undergrad: cGPA: 3.34 (2.48, 3.03, 3.92, 3.93) - Really stunk it up in my first year and even the start of 2nd year, but man did I learn how to drink like an idiot. Thesis Masters: 3.78 GPA, worked on 2 projects, neither have been published yet (hopefully this summer) 2nd Undergrad: cGPA: 4.0 (4.0, 4.0 - expected) MCAT: VR (11), PS (12), BS (11) - Total 34 ECs: -Kinesiologist (2 years during Masters - 1000hrs) -TA (2 courses, 2 years) -Research assistant (1.5 years, no pubs, 1 poster presentation) -Lots of poster presentations at various "smaller" conferences (from my MSc work) -Hospital volunteer - assisted dietitians in surgical inpatient ward, also involved in elderly patient visitation program (1.5 years - 250hrs) -Hospital volunteer - waiting room patient supporter (8 months - approx 90hrs) -Stroke survivor rehab (80 hrs) -Physiotherapy clinic volunteer (90hrs) -Small little volunteers here and there: Habitat for Humanity (20hrs), Relay for Life (20hrs) -Student mentor (1 year) -Student course union VP (1 year) -Public health outreach group (30 hrs) -Intramural sports, charity runs -4 scholarships/awards, mainly for academic achievement ($3000, $600, $500, $125) Thanks for taking the time to look at my info - Really appreciate any feedback/suggestions you guys have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 With your strong upward trend of 5 years worth of strong grades, and a strong MCAT; I would apply broadly to all USMD schools that take Canadians - if you can afford it, If you're not wanting to waste money, drop off the top-tier ones and focus on low-tier and mid-tiers. But you never know, your upward trend could get the eye of an ADCOM at one of the more tough schools, so its worth the extra 50$ for a shot if you can. Get the MSAR and start figuring out where you want to apply and where it is realistic to apply, with a few reaches for the "never know" factor. For USDO schools, apply to the 8-10 Canadian friendly ones and i'm sure you will get at least 3 interviews.Once you make your USMD and USDO lists, I can help critique and revise.I hope you are applying to Canadian schools as well? You should have a decent shot at the schools that look at best 2 years, last 3 years, etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Also, get some physician shadowing if you can to round out your application to US schools. Overall your ECs look okay, keep being involved in things you enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted February 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Thanks very much ubc, I appreciate the feedback. Yup, I will definitely be applying in Canada again next year (no interviews on this past cycle) - hoping for Queens or Ottawa. I've got MSAR and would love to get your feedback once I've narrowed down a school list. One thing that's a bit of a curveball is I got a 51 in 1st year chem, and from what I've read a lot of the DO schools have a requirement that all prerequisites be at least a 2.0 or higher. I'm trying to contact them individually to see if they can overlook that requirement due to my upward trend in GPA and decent MCAT, but not sure what they will say. If not, I'll probably try to retake it somewhere this summer. Have you ever heard any stories of schools overlooking a low prereq grade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Thanks very much ubc, I appreciate the feedback. Yup, I will definitely be applying in Canada again next year (no interviews on this past cycle) - hoping for Queens or Ottawa. I've got MSAR and would love to get your feedback once I've narrowed down a school list. One thing that's a bit of a curveball is I got a 51 in 1st year chem, and from what I've read a lot of the DO schools have a requirement that all prerequisites be at least a 2.0 or higher. I'm trying to contact them individually to see if they can overlook that requirement due to my upward trend in GPA and decent MCAT, but not sure what they will say. If not, I'll probably try to retake it somewhere this summer. Have you ever heard any stories of schools overlooking a low prereq grade? Edited for Error: All USDO schools require your pre-req to be at least C standing. Exceptions can be made i'm sure if you have upper levels in that subject perhaps. I would contact individual schools and find out for sure. But the good news is, if you do need to retake it, you do not need to have it done before you apply, just before you can matriculate. I would however try to get it done during the summer - if that turns out to be the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Thanks very much ubc, I appreciate the feedback. Yup, I will definitely be applying in Canada again next year (no interviews on this past cycle) - hoping for Queens or Ottawa. I've got MSAR and would love to get your feedback once I've narrowed down a school list. One thing that's a bit of a curveball is I got a 51 in 1st year chem, and from what I've read a lot of the DO schools have a requirement that all prerequisites be at least a 2.0 or higher. I'm trying to contact them individually to see if they can overlook that requirement due to my upward trend in GPA and decent MCAT, but not sure what they will say. If not, I'll probably try to retake it somewhere this summer. Have you ever heard any stories of schools overlooking a low prereq grade? Look into your options at Univ. Calgary, i know they drop your lowest year. So you would have 4-5 years of good grades and the 3.0 in your 2nd year. Your 11 vr would make the cut-off i believe for OOP. Your ecs seems decent and diverse, so can't hurt considering that school! You might get lucky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Thanks UBC! I'll look into retaking that chem course this summer while I apply to the US. I had only applied in Ontario before, which mostly don't have course prereqs (except Ottawa - I'll have to check with them if they are OK with my super low chem mark) Unfortunately, for Calgary it looks like they are only accepting the new MCAT. I'm planning on waiting to see how the others schools will handle the old MCAT before I decide if I'll retake that beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted March 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Hey UBC (or anyone else who wants to chime in) - still up for giving me some feedback on my school list? Here's what I'm thinking right now (in order of how many internationals they interviewed last year, according to MSAR): US MD Dartmouth Penn State Wayne State Boston Case Western Reserve Albert Einstein Georgetown U of Virginia U of Kentucky Thomas Jefferson SUNY Upstate VCU NYMC Oakland Rosalind Franklin Howard U of Colorado George Washington MSU Meharry US DO MSUCOM NOVA COMP LMUCOM CCOM Appreciate any thoughts you guys have on that list (too many reaches?) based on my states above! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
advair250 Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 Hey UBC (or anyone else who wants to chime in) - still up for giving me some feedback on my school list? Here's what I'm thinking right now (in order of how many internationals they interviewed last year, according to MSAR): US MD Dartmouth Penn State Wayne State Boston Case Western Reserve Albert Einstein Georgetown U of Virginia U of Kentucky Thomas Jefferson SUNY Upstate VCU NYMC Oakland Rosalind Franklin Howard U of Colorado George Washington MSU Meharry US DO MSUCOM NOVA COMP LMUCOM CCOM Appreciate any thoughts you guys have on that list (too many reaches?) based on my states above! USMD list looks fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 Hey UBC (or anyone else who wants to chime in) - still up for giving me some feedback on my school list? Here's what I'm thinking right now (in order of how many internationals they interviewed last year, according to MSAR): US MD Dartmouth Penn State Wayne State Boston Case Western Reserve Albert Einstein Georgetown U of Virginia U of Kentucky Thomas Jefferson SUNY Upstate VCU NYMC Oakland Rosalind Franklin Howard U of Colorado George Washington MSU Meharry US DO MSUCOM NOVA COMP LMUCOM CCOM Appreciate any thoughts you guys have on that list (too many reaches?) based on my states above! Any rhyme or reason to your USDO list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearded frog Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 US MD Howard Meharry Are you of African heritage or demonstrated involvement in the African-Canadian/American community? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD2B2019 Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 I will trade Boston for Emory, the odd for you at Emory is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev Posted March 29, 2015 Report Share Posted March 29, 2015 I doubt gtown will look at you or penn Expand the list, add Vandy too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted March 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Any rhyme or reason to your USDO list? Thanks for following up UBC... MSU is a no brainier with the Canadian Initiative, the others I selected based on the "Canadian friendly" list provided on the applying to DOs sticky. I also have a prereq I need to retake, when I called KCUMB they told me I would need to have it complete before I applied, whereas the others were fine if it was complete prior to matriculation (I'll be taking it this summer). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted March 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Are you of African heritage or demonstrated involvement in the African-Canadian/American community? Nope, but I do have some volunteer experience working with undeserved communities. You're right though, these might not be the best option for me - got a little caught up looking at their lower GPA cutoffs. I will trade Boston for Emory, the odd for you at Emory is better. The stats on MSAR for them were pretty similar, and I love Boston, so that was what boosted it for me - thanks for the feedback though, I may add Emory back into the list. I doubt gtown will look at you or penn Expand the list, add Vandy too Vandy is a tough one for me - my sGPA will probably be around 3.55 due to that brutal first year, so that's what kept them off my list. Thanks all for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Thanks for following up UBC... MSU is a no brainier with the Canadian Initiative, the others I selected based on the "Canadian friendly" list provided on the applying to DOs sticky. I also have a prereq I need to retake, when I called KCUMB they told me I would need to have it complete before I applied, whereas the others were fine if it was complete prior to matriculation (I'll be taking it this summer). I think someone at KCU told you wrong, I would definitely apply to them. You dont need it done before you apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 creighton etc...i think u gotto apply all out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2015 I think someone at KCU told you wrong, I would definitely apply to them. You dont need it done before you apply. You're right. I double checked my notes, and it was UNECOM that told me I needed it done before I apply, not KCUMB, so I'll definitely add them to the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted April 1, 2015 Report Share Posted April 1, 2015 You're right. I double checked my notes, and it was UNECOM that told me I needed it done before I apply, not KCUMB, so I'll definitely add them to the list. Good call KCU is a very solid school, the new dean is going to make them even better with respect to board scores etc (which are important for Canadians studying in the US). They interview quite a few Canadians as well and COA is one of the lowest - total package haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
still_tryin88 Posted April 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 ALL US(MD and DO) schools require your pre-req to be at least C+ standing. I'm fairly sure this is the same thing for any Canadian schools that require pre-reqs? (I know for sure for UBC) So yes, you will have to retake that for every US school that requires it(Which is 99% of them). But the good news is, you do not need to have it done before you apply, just before you can matriculate. I would however try to get it done during the summer. FYI Gohan, most of the USMD schools I have contacted on my list are telling me that they don't have a minimum grade requirement for their pre-reqs, it seems to be mostly just the DO schools. In terms of Canada, UBC also told me they have no minimum requirement for the pre-reqs. Good news for me . Just figured I'd let ya know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 FYI Gohan, most of the USMD schools I have contacted on my list are telling me that they don't have a minimum grade requirement for their pre-reqs, it seems to be mostly just the DO schools. In terms of Canada, UBC also told me they have no minimum requirement for the pre-reqs. Good news for me . Just figured I'd let ya know. Thanks for pointing that out!!!!! - I have edited my original response to remove that misinformation. First off my apologies, that typo should have said "C" - but I suppose you're right it was only universally true for USDO schools...which is odd, since I know friends in the US and Canada in dentistry that have said the "C" minimum requirement for pre-reqs. I assumed medicine programs would be the same. As for UBC, I was told indirectly that they wanted a "C" in pre-reqs, and wrongly assumed that was correct! (I mean, why would anyone lie about that haha). You are correct that it is not a universal stance for MD schools, for example, Manitoba wants a C for their biochem pre-req, but other Canadian MD schools don't make statements on it. It could only help you though to retake it, but you'll have to make the calculated risk and decide for yourself. Nonetheless, boy, do I feel silly!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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