disadvantages when applying as a graduate student?

[Guest slapHappy]

Hi there.

I know all of you here have read questions like these ad nauseum, but I can't really find a definitive answer to this question.

 

I'm considering on applying only after I'm in graduate school. My g.p.a. isn't as competitive as I would like. I'm hoping to do extremely well on my third and fourth year, and apply only after these marks are out. This would put me well into my first year of graduate studies (masters). I was planning on applying for a masters anyways, med school would simply be icing on the cake.

 

I've read from previous posts that medical schools tend to wait until after you get your graduate degree. So applying during my grad years might make me less competitive. So is this plan less advantageous than say, applying on your third undergrduate year? Or should I still keep applying anyways (assuming I don't get in) even when I'm doing my masters?

 

Thanks.

[Guest aneliz]

Here is the UWO take on Grad studies:

 

1. Doing a grad degree will not erase your undergrad years...meaning that you will not be considered in a different applicant pool and you must still meet ALL of the undergrad GPA, pre-req and courseload requirements.

 

2. There is NO consideration of your graduate work (ie your coursework, GPA in grad courses, the fact that you even are a grad student, etc) at UWO

 

3. Your chances are not statistically better as a grad...in fact they may be worse although this is not the official word...my class has 4 people with an MSc and ZERO with a PhD in a class of 133....very interesting...

 

4. You must have COMPLETED the requirements of your grad degree before you will be allowed to register at UWO...which means that you will NOT be eligible to apply during the first year of your master's (they will not grant you a deferal to complete the MSc)....you will have to wait until you are within sight of the finish line....

 

I would recommend that you only start a grad degree if you truly want to do it....it will not increase your med school acceptance chances at UWO and will significantly delay when you are able to apply...

 

Good luck!

[Guest slapHappy]

Thanks.

 

I'm just curious from other people though...is this really true? That I'm squandering my chances of getting in by waiting after my master's?

[Guest fox]

I don't think you're decreasing your chance of getting into medicine by doing a Master's. I just finished my Master's program in January and got into med school this year. In fact, U of A gives you extra points on your app when you have COMPLETED your Master's or PhD. However, during the process of doing grad school (especially in first and second year) you are likely to be refused because most schools require you to prove you have finished your thesis and defended before they will accept you (I believe some schools won't grant interviews to first year grad students). Last year (2002) I only had one interview and this year I received five interviews. Whether this was due to the completion of my Master's or not, I will never know, but I certainly believe it was a factor. From my experience, I would really recommend only going into grad school if it's REALLY what you want. Research is extremely difficult, especially basic science, and things don't always end up working out as planned. It took me over three years to finish my Master's due to many annoying factors (problems with my committee, lack of support from my supervisor, products I had used in experiments were re-called by the company etc, etc, etc). If you are going into a Master's program as a back-up until you get into med, it probably is not going to help you in the long run. I can safely say my graduate degree and publications will have no bearing on the rest of my life. Just another paper to hang on the wall. It is actually fairly depressing seeing as my friends I graduated from undergrad with are now doing their residency, and here I am, the same amount of time later, with a 150 page book and just starting med school! But, as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20!

[Guest peachy]

I have a friend who didn't get a U of T interview as a 4th year student, and then did get an interview as a grad student, with the same application otherwise. I think that how the grad degree impacts on your application varies a lot from school to school. If you're thinking about it, make a list of all the schools you want to apply to, think about which ones you most want to go to, and read about the specific criteria for grad students vs undergrads at that school.

 

I strongly agree with fox - do a research-based masters only if you actually want to! There are lots of other options for things to do when spending a year reapplying if you don't want to do research.

[Guest aneliz]

My point was not that "doing grad school decreases your chances"...it was more that "going grad school is not necessarily a back door in and it may not erase your undergrad record".

 

Each school views grad work very differently...some give you bonus points, some don't care. Either way though, a grad degree is a lot of work and should not be looked upon as the 'giant pause button of life' that I have heard some people refer to it as. If you don't have any interest in grad work, don't do it. There are plenty of other ways that you can 'fill in time' after your undergrad and while you are applying. Also, it is important to note that some schools, like UWO, they will require you to finish your grad degree before you will be eligible for admission. So, don't start any degree that you have no intention of finishing....it may come back to bite you! And, given the emphasis on finishing your grad degree before starting, it will delay the time when you can start med by 1-2 years.