Basic Us School Questions

[g4m3r2]

Hi guys,

I read a few threads regarding applying to US schools, but couldn't find some of the information that I am looking for. Your help would be greatly appreciated

 

So I am a third time applicant to UBC med, and after being rejected for 2 previous years, I've been put on the waitlist as an IP student. I have not tried applying to other Canadian schools yet. My expected stats for this year's cycle are:

 

cGPA: 82-83%

aGPA: 84-85%?

Prereq: 83%

MCAT: 34 (11VR/12PS/11BS)

NAQ (from last year): 36. I am a pharmacy student.

Publications (new this year): 2 as second author

Volunteering at a crisis line (new this year)

One award (new this year)

 

My questions are:

1. As a Canadian applicant, how hard is it to get into an American medical school compared to Canadian medical school? While the intuitive answer is that it's harder to go to the States, I have a few friends who go to school in Australia and Ireland after being rejected from UBC. 

 

2. I've been looking up average GPA and MCAT for the schools in the States using this website http://premedusa.blogspot.ca/2014/06/US-Medical-Schools-for-Internationals-Updated.html, but I wasn't sure whether those stats apply to In-state/Out-of-state (but American) students or they apply to everybody. Based on this information, I was planning to apply to UNC Chapel Hill and downward (if you sort the schools based on GPA requirements by clicking on the column labelled GPA).

 

Thank you

 

 

[jebelali]

I would go to SDN and see from there. I think your stats are ok for some schools in the states. Better to invest in MSAR now (30$ or something) and see the data they give. That website was not very helpful for me but the MSAR was. Good luck.

[NotASerialKiller]

The MSAR (I think it's $15?) has stats about how many international students actually matriculate at each school. You should use this, and the commonly quoted SDN rule of only applying to schools where you're at or above their median GPA and MCAT individual scores. Also use SDN as a resource to see what they're looking for in applicants. There are some huge differences, like their giant emphasis on clinical experience and shadowing. No one cares about this in Canada, but if you apply without either in the US you're likely to get rejected from every school.

[JohnGrisham]

Hi guys,

I read a few threads regarding applying to US schools, but couldn't find some of the information that I am looking for. Your help would be greatly appreciated

 

So I am a third time applicant to UBC med, and after being rejected for 2 previous years, I've been put on the waitlist as an IP student. I have not tried applying to other Canadian schools yet. My expected stats for this year's cycle are:

 

cGPA: 82-83%

aGPA: 84-85%?

Prereq: 83%

MCAT: 34 (11VR/12PS/11BS)

NAQ (from last year): 36. I am a pharmacy student.

Publications (new this year): 2 as second author

Volunteering at a crisis line (new this year)

One award (new this year)

 

My questions are:

1. As a Canadian applicant, how hard is it to get into an American medical school compared to Canadian medical school? While the intuitive answer is that it's harder to go to the States, I have a few friends who go to school in Australia and Ireland after being rejected from UBC. 

 

2. I've been looking up average GPA and MCAT for the schools in the States using this website http://premedusa.blogspot.ca/2014/06/US-Medical-Schools-for-Internationals-Updated.html, but I wasn't sure whether those stats apply to In-state/Out-of-state (but American) students or they apply to everybody. Based on this information, I was planning to apply to UNC Chapel Hill and downward (if you sort the schools based on GPA requirements by clicking on the column labelled GPA).

 

Thank you

1. The states(USMD) is definitely much harder than australia and ireland. US takes few(but growing number) of Canadians, whereas Aussie and ireland generally take a fair amount of canadians for the purpose of subsidizing their own domestic students, usually anyways. 

 

2. The US has two schools, USMD(confer MD degree same as Canada), and the USDO degree, which only the US confers, and for most purposes are considered analagous. USDO has political limitations, mostly for Canadian residencies, as unlike the USMD, you are not considered in the CMG stream, due to different accredidation bodies. In the past USDOs also participated in the same stream as CMGs/USMDS in CaRMS, but due to politics, they have now been moved to the IMG stream in most provinces. Except in BC, they remain in the CMG stream.

 

3. You are going to want to ignore most online lists outside of Pm101 and SDN, as they are not international/Canadian focused. Even within this category, Canadians generally have more options than internationals from outside of North America, because we have a trusted and comparable education to US undergrads. So some US schools will consider Canada as Out-of-State, kind of like Canada was the 51st state.  Use the search tool and craft your list based on other Canadian users posts on PM101.

 

4.ALSO, what will be important is your year by year breakdown of GPA. You may be able to apply to OTHER Canadian schools, Canadian schools should always be considered OPTION #1, with UBC obviously being your best bet in most circumstances, due to IP status and the fact you've reached the interview stage before, and even more so because you were wait-listed, thus meaning you are EXTREMELY CLOSE.

 

5.Definitely re-apply to UBC, but broadening your horizons to USMD and USDO schools, after appropriate research can be a very good idea. Don't forget to consider finances BEFORE You apply, so that you don't end up with a US acceptance(and all the money that went into applying and interviewing etc) but no way to pay for the education.

 

6. Lastly if you are intending no applying to US schools this cycle for August 2017 start date, you NEED TO GET WORKING ASAP ON YOUR AMCAS/AACOMAS applicatons, as the rule of thumb is you have the best odds of being admitted if you apply early due to rolling admissions. I believe the applications are either open or very close to being open now.

 

7. Edit: Also, your MCAT is strong - but unless you've taken it more than once, it may be "expired" for US schools, as you've indicated you've applied to UBC 3 times..meaning it would be 4 years old for consideration in the current US app cycle. I believe many schools want the MCAT to be within 2 or 3 years of matriculation.

 

 

Hopefully though, you will be pulled from waitlist this year, or be accepted next year!

 

 

[g4m3r2]

Thanks everyone for their input!

 

Just a few follow-up questions though:

 

1. I have like 10 hours of shadowing a psychiatrist and even that had to be kind of done under the radar because it is a heavily frowned upon practice in Canada (unless you're a medical student). But would my clinical experience during my rotations as a pharmacy student in both the community and the hospital make up for this? At the hospital, I pretty much worked alongside doctors with the pharmacist. 

 

2. Yep I'd really prefer Canadian schools as well. Definitely reapplying to UBC. Commons, thanks for your input about AUS and Irish schools, it makes a lot more sense now. I was wondering though how difficult getting into OOP schools in Canada would be compared to schools in the US. The AUS/Ireland point were actually examples of how one would think getting into schools in one's own country is easier, but this may not always be true. My MCAT is from Aug 2014 btw, I took it twice with the first score being 28 (school + mcat =/= good mix)

[NotASerialKiller]

Some shadowing is better than none! Your clinical experience is good though, anything that has you in contact with patients counts. That's probably more important than the shadowing anyway.

Also just so you know US schools look at all MCAT attempts. Shouldn't be much of a problem because your first one isn't that bad, but just know that it'll be weaker than if you just had a 34.

[JohnGrisham]

Should be a non issue for mcat. Just make sure schools will still accept it given time span.

[JohnGrisham]

Your pharmacy clinical experience will.be more than enough and likely much more than most premeds have.

[_ _]

Thanks everyone for their input!

 

Just a few follow-up questions though:

 

1. I have like 10 hours of shadowing a psychiatrist and even that had to be kind of done under the radar because it is a heavily frowned upon practice in Canada (unless you're a medical student). But would my clinical experience during my rotations as a pharmacy student in both the community and the hospital make up for this? At the hospital, I pretty much worked alongside doctors with the pharmacist. 

 

2. Yep I'd really prefer Canadian schools as well. Definitely reapplying to UBC. Commons, thanks for your input about AUS and Irish schools, it makes a lot more sense now. I was wondering though how difficult getting into OOP schools in Canada would be compared to schools in the US. The AUS/Ireland point were actually examples of how one would think getting into schools in one's own country is easier, but this may not always be true. My MCAT is from Aug 2014 btw, I took it twice with the first score being 28 (school + mcat =/= good mix)

Why haven't you applied to Western before? Do you meet their courseload requirements? 

 

You'd likely get an interview based on your MCAT, which gives you a >50% chance

[bearpuppy]

I will just add that I agree you should be looking into multiple Canadian schools and not focus so narrowly on one school. 

 

You will likely do well in the US also, but beware that it is a very very expensive endeavour and you will not be able to receive all the money you need to study in the US from a Canadian bank. It doesn't matter who cosigns. If you are very fortunate you will be able to get some scholarships and will need to supplement with money from parents/family. Most schools that will accept Canadians have a total cost of attendance (tuition, minimal living, etc.) above $300K USD. 

[g4m3r2]

Wow! Thanks for all your advice everyone

I really should have applied to other Canadian schools. But I wanted to wait until I could raise my GPA no more. This year, my GPA should be like 82% unadjusted and 84 adjusted, which I wasn't sure is good enough for other Canadian schools OOP.

[g4m3r2]

Hey guys,

Just have a quick question regarding a few things:

1. On MSAR, it says primary applications are accepted June 7th, but if you go onto each schools' websites, it says application opens on June 1st. So when can we actually submit the app?

2. I read somewhere we can submit the primary without needing to wait for all the LORs. Is this true? If so, can we still make changes to the LOR section after submitting?

Thanks!

[bearpuppy]

Hey guys,

Just have a quick question regarding a few things:

1. On MSAR, it says primary applications are accepted June 7th, but if you go onto each schools' websites, it says application opens on June 1st. So when can we actually submit the app?

2. I read somewhere we can submit the primary without needing to wait for all the LORs. Is this true? If so, can we still make changes to the LOR section after submitting?

Thanks!

1. Whatever AMCAS says. There is a specific date that AMCAS allows you to submit, and there's a specific date they start transmitting files

 

2. Yes. It's true - use it to your advantage because verification can take some time. You can add LORs and assign them after the fact, but I think you have to submit some to at least one school (can't remember tho). You definitely need to apply to at least one school to submit the app.