Best DIY post-bac for career changer (Canada or USA?)

[Chronotopes]

Hi everyone! My case is weird and complicated but I hope someone here has some advice.

I'm leaving a career in architecture at 30 to pursue medicine (no kids/family). I'm American but also have Canadian permanent residency. My undergrad was a BFA in architecture (3.45), and my M.Arch (3.5) was from an arts school, but I graduated with prestigious award given to single best design thesis in the school. The only pre req's I have are a few physics credits (A's and a B) therefore I don't think I'm a perfect fit for the formal post-bac programs. But given my arts background I think taking two years for a DIY post bac makes sense. Not that it matters a lot at this stage but I'm mostly interested in either pathology or plastic surgery.

Also, I want to start this fall 2015!! So my plan is to enroll as an independent student very very soon. My options are very limited at this point, but so far I've found two viable options:

1. Harvard Extension School - independent student for the first year 2015-2016, get the required grades, and the be accepted into the formal Premedical Program for the second year 2016-2017.

Pros: great support and resources, financial aid available, potential committee recommendation.
Cons: I have zero connections in the city, medical or otherwise. I worry about this being an issue for finding relevant medical experience. I'm a good researcher and a great computer/3d modeler so maybe my arch skill set could be useful to some research labs even without connections or a medical background?

2. Concordia University in Montreal - true DIY post-bac, independent student for both years.

Pros: My ex husband and close friend is a neuropathologist in Montreal. He's well respected and has great connections. Since (as of right now) I'm most interested in pathology, I feel like this is a great resource to have that I shouldn't underestimate. Also, I ultimately want to do med school at McGill and return to practice medicine in Canada. Since I'm a legal resident of Quebec, tuition and living expenses are DIRT cheap. Less than 5k for tuition a year and rooms in cool neighborhoods can be found for 300 bucks.

Cons: Not great name recognition if I end up going to an American med school. Not great in terms of support for my particular path or linkages etc. Although it's cheap, I don't want to take out Canadian loans so I'd actually be more strapped for cash at Concordia.

From these two options what seems like it would offer me the best chances of getting into med school? Specifically Canadian? (If I do med school in the USA I lose my Canadian residency!)

Also can anyone else suggest other options available to me that are still open for enrollment for fall 2015?

Thanks in advance everyone!

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[chewy2008]

Hi everyone! My case is weird and complicated but I hope someone here has some advice.

I'm leaving a career in architecture at 30 to pursue medicine (no kids/family). I'm American but also have Canadian permanent residency. My undergrad was a BFA in architecture (3.45), and my M.Arch (3.5) was from an arts school, but I graduated with prestigious award given to single best design thesis in the school. The only pre req's I have are a few physics credits (A's and a B) therefore I don't think I'm a perfect fit for the formal post-bac programs. But given my arts background I think taking two years for a DIY post bac makes sense. Not that it matters a lot at this stage but I'm mostly interested in either pathology or plastic surgery.

Also, I want to start this fall 2015!! So my plan is to enroll as an independent student very very soon. My options are very limited at this point, but so far I've found two viable options:

1. Harvard Extension School - independent student for the first year 2015-2016, get the required grades, and the be accepted into the formal Premedical Program for the second year 2016-2017.

Pros: great support and resources, financial aid available, potential committee recommendation.
Cons: I have zero connections in the city, medical or otherwise. I worry about this being an issue for finding relevant medical experience. I'm a good researcher and a great computer/3d modeler so maybe my arch skill set could be useful to some research labs even without connections or a medical background?

2. Concordia University in Montreal - true DIY post-bac, independent student for both years.

Pros: My ex husband and close friend is a neuropathologist in Montreal. He's well respected and has great connections. Since (as of right now) I'm most interested in pathology, I feel like this is a great resource to have that I shouldn't underestimate. Also, I ultimately want to do med school at McGill and return to practice medicine in Canada. Since I'm a legal resident of Quebec, tuition and living expenses are DIRT cheap. Less than 5k for tuition a year and rooms in cool neighborhoods can be found for 300 bucks.

Cons: Not great name recognition if I end up going to an American med school. Not great in terms of support for my particular path or linkages etc. Although it's cheap, I don't want to take out Canadian loans so I'd actually be more strapped for cash at Concordia.

From these two options what seems like it would offer me the best chances of getting into med school? Specifically Canadian? (If I do med school in the USA I lose my Canadian residency!)

Also can anyone else suggest other options available to me that are still open for enrollment for fall 2015?

Thanks in advance everyone!

I don't know much about Canadian medical school admissions, but it sounds like option 2, staying in Canada, would be best for you if you ultimately want to practice medicine in Canada. You said yourself that you would lose Canadian residency if you do medical school in the US. You would also be saving a lot more money. From what I've learned, you'd have to do very well in your courses (3.7 GPA+) and score well on the MCAT to get admission into a Canadian school. Good luck!

 

[deleted648172]

I'm leaving a career in engineering at 30. I am Canadian, and I live in the US.

- It is harder to get into medical school in Canada than the US. There are fewer schools, and more applicants up North.
- Whereever you end up doing medical school is likely where you will end up practicing. In the US, you would take the USMLE and go into the US match. In Canada, you would take CARMS and go into the Canadian match. Although possible, you could school in one and do residency in the other, but this is difficult.
- No matter where you want to go to medical school, you need to do well on your post-bacc - near 4.0 and MCAT.
- you have an advantage for getting into med school wherever you establish residency (Quebec, or a US state).
- don't worry about money and loans. Time is more valuable to you at your age. If you lose a year, you lose hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost future income. Plus, you are losing your ability to be a resident. I would rather work sleepless nights when I'm 35, than when I'm 39.

- I would focus on getting excellent grades, and a great MCAT, in the country you wish to live in. A formal post-bacc may be very beneficial to you in terms of giving you focus, and expediting you through the process.

good luck!