Applying to US med schools

[fairy]

Are the GPAs higher for Canadian applicants? If so, by how much, roughly? Also, anyone know how the whole URM thing would work out if you're a canadian URM? Any experiences regarding applying to US med schools would be appreciated

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[docbill]

it is the same as applying to OMSAS.

The GPA and MCAT req are, in general, lower... but that depends on the schools.

GO to AAMC.org website.. and see the 100+ school on the list. Make sure you pick private schools.. cause most public school don't accept Canadian applicant.. unless you have dual citizenship.

3.5 or better.. and 28 or better would be a fair guess I would say... again.. it depends on the school. If you apply to an ivy school.. then you will not get in with that.

Don't forget medical school applications look at more then just your grades and GPA.

Volunteer .. Extra Cur activity... letters... essay... personal interview.

It is also more expensive then up here.

 

[osjx-82]

I attend UBC....does anyone know what a 3.5 average is in UBC-ese?

Thanks.

 

[cure4cancer]

wow cool! a fellow ubc'er!!
4.33 = 90+
4.3 = 89
4.2 = 88
4.1 = 87
4.0 = 86
3.95 = 85
3.9 = 84
3.85 = 83
3.8 = 82
3.75 = 81
3.7 = 80
3.6 = 79
3.5 = 78
3.4 = 77

 

[DubZteR]

Are the GPAs higher for Canadian applicants? If so, by how much, roughly? Also, anyone know how the whole URM thing would work out if you're a canadian URM? Any experiences regarding applying to US med schools would be appreciated

In general, I think if you're a Canadian trying to get into a US school, then you'd have to have a higher GPA to compensate for the fact that you're not a US citizen/Permanent resident. As for the URM classification, you have to be a US citizen/Perm resident in order to have it count towards your application from my understanding. I'm currently applying to US schools and so far it's been a positive experience. Let me know if you have any more questions?

 

[DubZteR]

it is the same as applying to OMSAS.

The GPA and MCAT req are, in general, lower... but that depends on the schools. 3.5 or better.. and 28 or better would be a fair guess I would say... again.. it depends on the school. If you apply to an ivy school.. then you will not get in with that.

That's not true! Successful Canadian applicants who do not hold US citizenship/permanent status generally have higher GPA's and MCAT's then US applicants. I would say to be competitive at a US school, you need to have at least a 3.70 GPA and a 30+ MCAT score.

GO to AAMC.org website.. and see the 100+ school on the list. Make sure you pick private schools.. cause most public school don't accept Canadian applicant.. unless you have dual citizenship.

Again speaking from experience this is generally true but not set in stone. I'm a Canadian citizen with no US citizenship/perm res. status and I have an acceptance from a public institution.

It is also more expensive then up here.

It sure is!

 

[docbill]

That's not true! Successful Canadian applicants who do not hold US citizenship/permanent status generally have higher GPA's and MCAT's then US applicants. I would say to be competitive at a US school, you need to have at least a 3.70 GPA and a 30+ MCAT score.

Again speaking from experience this is generally true but not set in stone. I'm a Canadian citizen with no US citizenship/perm res. status and I have an acceptance from a public institution.

Thanks for the correction. I guess it is true greater then 3.7 and 30mcat.
I should of said if you have a graduate degree or lots of exper then may be able to get away with a lower score.

Good job on getting into a state school. Which one are you at.. and I guess you have to pay extra.. Oh well it is all good. I am still looking for advice on student loans/funding I start in Aug.

Thanks

 

[gue_ASYL]

Thanks for the correction. I guess it is true greater then 3.7 and 30mcat.
I should of said if you have a graduate degree or lots of exper then may be able to get away with a lower score.

Good job on getting into a state school. Which one are you at.. and I guess you have to pay extra.. Oh well it is all good. I am still looking for advice on student loans/funding I start in Aug.

Thanks

How do you enter the courses on the application? I think the way Canadian schools count credits is different. For example, in U of T 1-term course would be 0.5 credit but here one of those course is like 3 credits.

 

[docbill]

most Canadian universities one course that lasts one semester, without a lab.. like English for example, would be given 3 credit hours (UBC, ULaval, SFU). At UofT that would be 0.5 course credits at UVic 1.5 credit units. If the course lasts the whole year.. then most universities would give that 6 credit hours and UofT would give it 1.0 credits, and UVic would give it 3.0 credit.

I believe the US system would give a 1 semester course 3 semester credit hours.

NOWWWWWWWWWWWW that said... science courses are difficult.

UVic and UBC (i think) don't give extra credit for science labs. Whereas others do.

Eg. General Chemistry 101 at X University is one semester there is also a lab component just like any other university... but the number of credits allocated to Lecture + Lab = 3 semester hours. Whereas at other University that lab will be listed under an additional course number and given 1 credit hour extra. Eg. SFU does this. So you actually get 4 credits for a science course with lab rather then 3.

The US system has Lecture = 3 + Lab =1 for a combined total of 4 credits per semester course. That is why they say you require 8 credit hours in Chemistry, 8 credit hours in biology, physics etc...

Since I went to UVic I had to say the US equivalent was 3 credit hours per semester.
BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT if you take 2 general chemistry at UVic that equals 6 credits.

Some schools may tell you that you do not meet the requirements... since they require 8 credits hours, but some others are aware of this difference... so they will just accept it.

I was lucky since I tooooookkkk 4 general chemistry courses, 3 Organic Chemistry, 3 Physics and manyyyyy BIO.

Hopefuly this helps and doesn't confuse things...

And if I am mistaken please do correct me.

BAir

 

[cure4cancer]

UVic and UBC (i think) don't give extra credit for science labs. Whereas others do.

The US system has Lecture = 3 + Lab =1 for a combined total of 4 credits per semester course. That is why they say you require 8 credit hours in Chemistry, 8 credit hours in biology, physics etc...

Just a quick correction, UBC does give extra credit for science labs,
3 credits for a lecture and 1 credit for lab

 

[Smooth Operater]

Hey Guys! I am studying in UBC too...I am asking this for my buddy.

Is it easier to get in private med school in US than Canada's med school?

 

[docbill]

Just a quick correction, UBC does give extra credit for science labs,
3 credits for a lecture and 1 credit for lab

Thanks for the correction... when I was in undergrad... UBC had only 6 credits for science courses (1st year) going from Sept to April. There was talk of changing it.. but I never really followed up.

OK... regarding second question. Well it may be easier to get into a US private medical school. YES.. but that depends on the person. There are stories of people who get in with a B+ average, but they have great experience and pre-req grades and other stuff. Than there are some that have an A average and don't get in.

 

[driedcaribou]

Just a quick correction, UBC does give extra credit for science labs,
3 credits for a lecture and 1 credit for lab

Back in my day, UBC never gave credit for science labs.

We had 1st year chemistry labs every week- none of this alternating weeks bull****.

And we actually had labs with our Microbiology classes.

It's nice to see how education is degrading.

 

[cdh86]

Out here (Acadia University in Nova Scotia), we get 3 hours for basic science courses -- with our without labs...

My 3 Hour Chem course also has a 3 hour lab component (3 hour lecture, 3 hour lab/week). Same for Bio, and many upper year courses in those schools.

Physics and math tend to have a 1.5 hour studio component.

Either way, it's a required part of the course. So for my 6 hours of labs per week (3 Bio, 3 Chem), I get nothing -- it's part of the requirement to get your 3 hour bio and 3 hour chem credit.

CH