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- Aug 25, 2016
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Hi guys,
I've been lurking on this site for about 2-3 years now, and have always valued the interest members have in helping each other and in offering advice. As such, I finally summoned the courage to post my own case here in the hopes of getting some much-needed advice.
To make a long story short, university was a bit of a rough ride for me and included several regrettable decisions that now account for my sub-par stats. I graduated with a double-major in biology and psychology from a Canadian university, with an overall GPA of ~3.2 and an MCAT score of 507. This was not my 'best' effort, and I do truly believe I could have improved both stats. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, I cannot hold off for another year in order to boost my chances. It is now or never.
As such, I was wondering which medical schools in the US I should bother applying to (with understandably unfavorable odds). Here I should also mention that although I took physics in highschool and in preparation for the MCAT, I have not taken a formal physics course in university. I know this is a prerequisite in most American universities. So far, I have narrowed my (Canadian-friendly) US options down to CMU, Columbia (willing to complete 1 sem of physics by enrollment if accepted), GW, Keck, Stanford, Tulane and Virginia. Because some of these don't have specific GPA or MCAT cut-offs online, it is difficult to know whether they are realistic options for me or not (please forgive my ignorance).
Because of the highly-competitive nature of medical schools in both Canada and the US, I feel I am obligated to consider other international options as well. Of those, I am seriously considering the Atlantic Bridge program in Ireland, and SGU of London - Nicosia. If anyone out there hails from either of these schools, especially SGUL - Nicosia, please weigh in or send me a message! After much research (and perusing many older threads on this same site), I am still on the fence with regards to Caribbean schools. I would choose to apply to SGU or AUC over the others - though both require physics as a prerequisite... Which means my only alternative options at the moment would be Saba or maybe Ross - both of which are rather infamous with regards to their attrition rates (scary stuff). Ultimately, the goal would be to achieve residency and/or practice in Canada or the US for family/internal medicine.
Can anyone advise me based on my stats and the options listed above? What are the red flags (besides my stats 🙁)? Are there any possible schools missing here that I would do well to consider? Cliché though it may be, this truly is my dream, and I don't want to give it up before I give it a try.
I've been lurking on this site for about 2-3 years now, and have always valued the interest members have in helping each other and in offering advice. As such, I finally summoned the courage to post my own case here in the hopes of getting some much-needed advice.
To make a long story short, university was a bit of a rough ride for me and included several regrettable decisions that now account for my sub-par stats. I graduated with a double-major in biology and psychology from a Canadian university, with an overall GPA of ~3.2 and an MCAT score of 507. This was not my 'best' effort, and I do truly believe I could have improved both stats. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, I cannot hold off for another year in order to boost my chances. It is now or never.
As such, I was wondering which medical schools in the US I should bother applying to (with understandably unfavorable odds). Here I should also mention that although I took physics in highschool and in preparation for the MCAT, I have not taken a formal physics course in university. I know this is a prerequisite in most American universities. So far, I have narrowed my (Canadian-friendly) US options down to CMU, Columbia (willing to complete 1 sem of physics by enrollment if accepted), GW, Keck, Stanford, Tulane and Virginia. Because some of these don't have specific GPA or MCAT cut-offs online, it is difficult to know whether they are realistic options for me or not (please forgive my ignorance).
Because of the highly-competitive nature of medical schools in both Canada and the US, I feel I am obligated to consider other international options as well. Of those, I am seriously considering the Atlantic Bridge program in Ireland, and SGU of London - Nicosia. If anyone out there hails from either of these schools, especially SGUL - Nicosia, please weigh in or send me a message! After much research (and perusing many older threads on this same site), I am still on the fence with regards to Caribbean schools. I would choose to apply to SGU or AUC over the others - though both require physics as a prerequisite... Which means my only alternative options at the moment would be Saba or maybe Ross - both of which are rather infamous with regards to their attrition rates (scary stuff). Ultimately, the goal would be to achieve residency and/or practice in Canada or the US for family/internal medicine.
Can anyone advise me based on my stats and the options listed above? What are the red flags (besides my stats 🙁)? Are there any possible schools missing here that I would do well to consider? Cliché though it may be, this truly is my dream, and I don't want to give it up before I give it a try.