Canadian 28 years old, looking for a career change! Looking for advice!

[OldManPY]

Hey fellas!

Long story short, after much self-reflection, I am considering getting a MD or DO. I am a Canadian, I did my undergrad in Canada, and got a lab job where I've been working as a lab monkey (haha) for the last 4 years! After meeting some very wonderful doctors during a work collaboration a few years ago and after spending some time with them, I find myself really enjoying the environment and the work they commit themselves to.

I have no friends with relevant experience, no superiors I can ask, so I'm hoping I can squeeze a few answers out of you guys. I've done research, but I'm still confused on some aspects.

1. My undergraduate grades were subpar. I think my sGPA was ~3.3-3.4. I've seen a lot of "post-baccs" and "SMPs" being tossed around here, but I don't think these are available in Canada or targeted towards Canadians. Am I even allowed to enroll in an American post-bacc? I'd love to go back to school just to freshen up, but I'm not sure if this is a good approach to it (or if it's valid at all). I'd love to do a DIY post-bacc, but I have no idea which courses to take at all, and how much time I should dedicate to it. I'm 100% sure my work ethic has improved and I can do much better a second time around.

2. Reference letters... I have none! I'm 100% sure none of my undergraduate professors and supervisors remember me after all this time. It seems like I should do some shadowing/volunteering in healthcare related facilities. Are these places where I can squeeze references out of later as well?

3. MCAT... never wrote it! I never seriously considered being a doctor until much reflection over the last 2 years. Is self-study doable these days, or should I consider a course? I do great in the lab where I work, but my physics/etcetera may not be up to par.

With all my thanks,
An old man looking for new adventures in life!

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[pms_testosterone]

1. You can do a DYI post-bacc anywhere, but make sure to enroll in full-time studies, as many med schools will not include part-time studies in your GPA. Don't repeat courses you've already taken; rather, take the next level up.
2. Use your employer as a reference. And yes, you will need to volunteer. Use your volunteer coordinators as your other references.
Shadowing is not usually possible in Canada due to privacy regulations.
3. Self-study is more than doable. The MCAT requires superficial knowledge of a large number of topics. Don't worry about lack of in-depth knowledge of a particular subject area.

It's worth investigating Canadian med schools, as some will drop your worst year or consider only your best two years. https://afmc.ca/publications/admission-requirements-canadian-faculties-medicine

 

[OldManPY]

Thanks pms_testoterone for the insight!

1. "Don't repeat courses you've already taken; rather, take the next level up." So there's no need to re-take the courses I did poorly on back when I did undergrad 5 years ago (physics, physical chem come to mind)? I already finished my undergrad program - how do I "take the next level up"? Am I supposed to enroll into a program, or just freelance courses? Sorry if this is beyond the scope of information you are able to provide, I'm just a bit lost here. Is that what DIY-baccs are? I just enroll in my local university and take 200-400 level courses?

Unfortunately, given my track I do not think it's a viable solution for me to apply to Canadian med schools (I am lacking grades and E.C.s as this was not my original plan back when I was 21 years old).

 

[pms_testosterone]

Right, take courses you've never taken before. For example, if you took an 100-level chemistry course, don't retake it (assuming you passed the first time). Take the 200 level instead. The reason for this is that some schools will only count the first attempt of each course towards the GPA. (This policy may vary between schools, so it wouldn't hurt to clarify with the admissions staff at the programs you intend to apply to.)

I understand you're currently a weak applicant for Canadian schools, but some of the schools' policies on dropping bad years are quite generous, so the document I linked to is worth a look.

 

[OldManPY]

Thanks pms_testoterone. I'll check my local universities.