Advice on Second Degree

[Ly1001]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello fellow SDNers,

I am hoping for some advice on what to do in my situation.

I am a mature applicant who graduated in 2014 with an abysmal GPA in psychology. I worked for a few years and co-founded my own startup, and realized that medicine is the career path I want to be in. (I 100% know it's being an MD that I want, and yes I am prepared to work for it, so please no lectures in that regard). I am planning on applying to schools in: Canada, US, Australia, Ireland, and the Caribbean.

My question is, whether or not I should be pursuing a BSc degree in Biology, or another BA in Human Rights studies (which is highly interesting to me), and take some basic science courses in conjunction. I am planning on writing my MCAT in Jan 2019. I understand that Canadian medical schools don't favour any programs, but my concern is that I may need the science courses for international schools. Any advice on which program I should be pursuing would be greatly appreciated, (or even general suggestions on what I should be doing). The only disadvantage I can think of with pursuing a BSc Biology degree would be that it is much harder to maintain a 4.0 GPA with a full load of science courses. Alternatively, I wonder if schools would place emphasis on that fact.

Thank you all in advance!

 

[MusicDOc124]

What is your current GPA, and where are you from? With all of those locations specified, do you plan on residency/working in the US?

 

[Ly1001]

What is your current GPA, and where are you from? With all of those locations specified, do you plan on residency/working in the US?

My GPA in my previous degree was a 2.0. My current GPA (after taking some extra undergrad courses) is 3.85, I'm not sure how different international schools factor this in.

I live in Toronto, but am open to relocating elsewhere for med school and residency (although preferably in Canada).

 

[MusicDOc124]

My GPA in my previous degree was a 2.0. My current GPA (after taking some extra undergrad courses) is 3.85, I'm not sure how different international schools factor this in.

I live in Toronto, but am open to relocating elsewhere for med school and residency (although preferably in Canada).

Your overall GPA or GPA at your current institution is 3.85? Mathematically to get an overal GPA of even a 3.0 from a 2.0 would mean a 4.0 in an equivalent number of credits initially taken for the 2.0. For instance if it took you 120 credits for your psych degree with a 2.0, you need another 120 credits at a 4.0 to average out to an overall 3.0.

Having a 3.85 is fantastic, but don’t forget that common apps (at least for the US) combines all coursework you’ve taken, be it yesterday or 20 years ago, regardless of how many institutions you may have attended.

 

[Ly1001]

Your overall GPA or GPA at your current institution is 3.85? Mathematically to get an overal GPA of even a 3.0 from a 2.0 would mean a 4.0 in an equivalent number of credits initially taken for the 2.0. For instance if it took you 120 credits for your psych degree with a 2.0, you need another 120 credits at a 4.0 to average out to an overall 3.0.

Having a 3.85 is fantastic, but don’t forget that common apps (at least for the US) combines all coursework you’ve taken, be it yesterday or 20 years ago, regardless of how many institutions you may have attended.

So do you think my only shot of medical schools would be the Canadian second degree friendly schools?

 

[MusicDOc124]

I dont know much about anything outside of the U.S. schools except a little bit with the Caribbean, which is mostly from this site anyway, but being from outside of the US, you will likely have a hard time applying into the US with an overall GPA lower than a 3.0.

I know in the US, we have post-bacc's and SMPs which usually have linkages, and some with guaranteed acceptance if you have a minimum MCAT requirement met and a minimum GPA met within the program itself, which might be similar to a "2nd degree" in Canada?

 

[Ly1001]

I dont know much about anything outside of the U.S. schools except a little bit with the Caribbean, which is mostly from this site anyway, but being from outside of the US, you will likely have a hard time applying into the US with an overall GPA lower than a 3.0.

I know in the US, we have post-bacc's and SMPs which usually have linkages, and some with guaranteed acceptance if you have a minimum MCAT requirement met and a minimum GPA met within the program itself, which might be similar to a "2nd degree" in Canada?

Thanks very much for this advice, I will look into the linkage programs. I'm only afraid that my GPA won't be up to par for those as well :S. Oh well, it's worth investigating.

 

[Shotapp]

I am planning on applying to schools in: Canada, US, Australia, Ireland, and the Caribbean.

Good luck.

 

[Ly1001]

Good luck.

Not sure if you were being sarcastic or not, but thank you.