3rd Year Canadian Acceptance versus High Tier School U.S.

[DarkMage]

I am a Canadian citizen and just had a few questions in mind. Say I got into medical school (Canadian) as a 3rd year applicant with the following:

What I'm hoping for:
MCAT:
37-40 (Balanced)

What I have currently:
cGPA:
3.99

ECs:
Around 6 years of clinical experience (including 3 years of palliative care)
Programmer, web developer for an international organization (6 years)
Languages teacher (5 years)
Programmer for another famous organization
3 Years of Research (should have 1 publication soon, 2nd author)
Awarness project raising $3K for schools in third-world countries

Some others but not too significant.

Awards:
Silver medalist and Deans all throughout highschool + 6 other awards
Deans throughout university + 5 other awards

(Note: We don't really have shadowing oppurtunities)

Would it be worth waiting for 4th year and applying for top tier U.S.medical schools. Would it be worth the risk/wait? I don't mind the cost; thats not an issue. The MCAT is only the hypothetical issue and hopefully my GPA doesn't drop either. However, I think converting Canadian marks into the AAMC format results mostly in 4.00 for a GPA above 3.90.

Top-tier I mean:
Harvard
Stanford
John Hopkins

Just a few examples.

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[Ravizzle]

Stay in canada if u want to practice in canada. Tuition is super cheaper. Alsoo, do not count your chickens before they hatch. First take the mcat, get an acceptance then worry about this situation. So many variables in play, so best to focus on what you can control vs contemplating the hypothetical.

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[Taranis]

I don't understand, why are you worrying about this if you haven't even been accepted, or even taken your MCAT for that matter?

If you want to practice in Canada, go to a Canadian school. If you want to practice in the States, a top-tier American school would be preferable.

 

[jjesque]

What is the point of this?? Why would you apply in third year to Canadian schools with the intention of deferring -- why not just apply in fourth year, concurrently with your American apps? What's the advantage to applying in two different years? This plan really doesn't make sense to me at all.

 

[docmayer]

Are you going to med school for prestige like 90% of Canadian premeds? Or are you going because you want to be a doctor? Take the friggin acceptance and go.

 

[Jamie561]

I am a Canadian citizen and just had a few questions in mind. Say I got into medical school (Canadian) as a 3rd year applicant with the following:

What I'm hoping for:
MCAT:
37-40 (Balanced)

What I have currently:
cGPA:
3.99

ECs:
Around 6 years of clinical experience (including 3 years of palliative care)
Programmer, web developer for an international organization (6 years)
Languages teacher (5 years)
Programmer for another famous organization
3 Years of Research (should have 1 publication soon, 2nd author)
Awarness project raising $3K for schools in third-world countries

Some others but not too significant.

Awards:
Silver medalist and Deans all throughout highschool + 6 other awards
Deans throughout university + 5 other awards

(Note: We don't really have shadowing oppurtunities)

Would it be worth waiting for 4th year and applying for top tier U.S.medical schools. Would it be worth the risk/wait? I don't mind the cost; thats not an issue. The MCAT is only the hypothetical issue and hopefully my GPA doesn't drop either. However, I think converting Canadian marks into the AAMC format results mostly in 4.00 for a GPA above 3.90.

Top-tier I mean:
Harvard
Stanford
John Hopkins

Just a few examples.

So would it be worth deferring a 3rd year Canadian school acceptance and waiting out to your final year and applying to American medical schools in the hope of getting some acceptance from a top-tier medical school in the states? Also, is it worth going to one of those schools over a Canadian school?

US schools are much more preftigiouf than Canadian schools.

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[DarkMage]

I should have made myself a bit more clearer. I was just wondering would I even have a shot at those top-tier medical schools? Is it something I can even consider? What difference does it make if you go to a top-tier medical school in the states versus a mid-tier? What oppurtunities open up for you if you went to a top-tier versus a Canadian?

 

[jjesque]

I should have made myself a bit more clearer. I was just wondering would I even have a shot at those top-tier medical schools? Is it something I can even consider? What difference does it make if you go to a top-tier medical school in the states versus a mid-tier? What oppurtunities open up for you if you went to a top-tier versus a Canadian?

Of course you have a shot at these schools; did you really think you didn't? Your last question is impossible to answer, I think. What opportunities do you lose if you go to a Canadian school vs a top American one? None, if you want to practice in Canada. If you are okay with practicing in the US, feel free to apply to American schools. Going to a US school simply to return to Canada to practice is not advisable.

 

[DarkMage]

What about research oppurtunities?

 

[TheMightySmiter]

For god sakes, man, stay in Canada!!!!!!!

 

[DarkMage]

For god sakes, man, stay in Canada!!!!!!!

Looks like it definitely is a better choice to stay in Canada. I guess sometimes you just need someone to knock you in the head and tell you.

 

[candav]

I'm Canadian, did my undergrad in Ontario and am now heading to the US for med school. I applied to both US and Canadian schools at the same time and faced a similar decision as you. It really came down to where I want to practice (NY or SF, eventually ) and the kind of career I envisage for myself - I want to work in public health research and health policy and the opportunities in those areas in Canada can only be described as fledgling. To put it into perspective, the public health school at U of T only opened, like, seven years ago.