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So I'm a little bit lost as to where to go for grad school. I'm the first person in my family to try to go to medical school and they don't really have much advice for me or seem to understand how hard it actually is to get into a medical school in Ontario (I live in Canada). Anyways, I have a pretty underwhelming overall undergraduate GPA of 3.4. My first year of uni was absolutely brutal. After changing my program ,my grades increased dramatically and I brought my GPA up to a 3.9 in my last two years. I have always been involved in unique extra curricular activities, played on soccer and worked throughout all of uni. I have also done a ton of research (worked on two undergrad projects & won an award for the highest grade achieved in these classes) & have a publication as a third author. As such, I thought it would be best to complete an MSc or potentially a PhD to bring my overall GPA up a bit.. Also I'm writing my MCATs for the first time in August so I won't know my score for that until September. So I have been accepted to McMaster University, Calgary University & Western for grad school. If you're still reading this bless you! I have a lot to say. All of the programs I was accepted to are in relation to cancer research, I'm just not sure which to pick.
McMaster:
- great lab in hospital
- advisor has multiple papers in Nature & I will have an opportunity to have multiple publications
- 3/5 grads have gone to med school at Harvard
- theres an opportunity to participate in rounds at the hospital for every department
- animal research working with knockout mice, similar to what I did in my undergrad so it won't be as steep of a learning curve
- I can apply to Macs med school with a reference from faculty at the school (not sure if this really that important though)
- Downsides: I have to move to Hamilton, the advisor isn't a doctor so its not as good of a reference & I have to TA which takes away time from focusing on school and bringing up my GPA.
Calgary
- really nice lab mates (when I went to visit they took me out for sushi & shopping)
- also a great lab in a hospital
- advisor is an oncologist = great reference
- animal research but focuses on animal surgery which is very interesting and as close as I can get to doing actual surgery for now...
- If I go here I have the option to apply to two extra medical schools as the GPA lowers to a 3.3 for Alberta residents.
- Calgary's med school only looks at best three years so I would actually have a competitive GPA for applying.
- I don't have to TA so I can focus on bringing up my GPA.
- Downsides: Calgary is incredibly far from my home town (London) & rent is going to kill me financially
Western:
- great advisor who is a clinician = great reference
- I can live at home = save $24 000 in rent money compared to Calgary
- in a lab in a hospital with opportunity to participate in oncology rounds
- animal research focusing on knockouts, similar to research I have already done.
- Don't have to TA so I can focus on bringing up my GPA
- Lots of opportunities to apply for external scholarships!
- Downsides: unfortunately with my GPA I can't apply to Western's medical school so I'm not sure if its a bad idea to go to grad school somewhere I can't even apply to their medical school at?
ANY HELP would be greatly appreciated. I feel terrible keeping all these schools waiting for me to make a decision. I think I would prefer to just stay at home but Im very worried I'm missing out on applying to two extra medical schools in Alberta if I don't go there. Any thoughts on my chances of getting into med school somewhere in Ontario? Sorry this post was so incredibly long!
McMaster:
- great lab in hospital
- advisor has multiple papers in Nature & I will have an opportunity to have multiple publications
- 3/5 grads have gone to med school at Harvard
- theres an opportunity to participate in rounds at the hospital for every department
- animal research working with knockout mice, similar to what I did in my undergrad so it won't be as steep of a learning curve
- I can apply to Macs med school with a reference from faculty at the school (not sure if this really that important though)
- Downsides: I have to move to Hamilton, the advisor isn't a doctor so its not as good of a reference & I have to TA which takes away time from focusing on school and bringing up my GPA.
Calgary
- really nice lab mates (when I went to visit they took me out for sushi & shopping)
- also a great lab in a hospital
- advisor is an oncologist = great reference
- animal research but focuses on animal surgery which is very interesting and as close as I can get to doing actual surgery for now...
- If I go here I have the option to apply to two extra medical schools as the GPA lowers to a 3.3 for Alberta residents.
- Calgary's med school only looks at best three years so I would actually have a competitive GPA for applying.
- I don't have to TA so I can focus on bringing up my GPA.
- Downsides: Calgary is incredibly far from my home town (London) & rent is going to kill me financially
Western:
- great advisor who is a clinician = great reference
- I can live at home = save $24 000 in rent money compared to Calgary
- in a lab in a hospital with opportunity to participate in oncology rounds
- animal research focusing on knockouts, similar to research I have already done.
- Don't have to TA so I can focus on bringing up my GPA
- Lots of opportunities to apply for external scholarships!
- Downsides: unfortunately with my GPA I can't apply to Western's medical school so I'm not sure if its a bad idea to go to grad school somewhere I can't even apply to their medical school at?
ANY HELP would be greatly appreciated. I feel terrible keeping all these schools waiting for me to make a decision. I think I would prefer to just stay at home but Im very worried I'm missing out on applying to two extra medical schools in Alberta if I don't go there. Any thoughts on my chances of getting into med school somewhere in Ontario? Sorry this post was so incredibly long!
