Canadian Applicant - Chances

[JMaxwe11]

Hi, I would appreciate any feedback on my chances for applying to US MD schools (Location is irrelevant).

cGPA: 3.85 (I scored a D/C+ in Chem during 1st year summer, bit worried it'll raise a red flag... but since then, I've had practically 4.0 GPA's every year... strong upward trend)
sGPA: 3.74

MCAT: 34 - 11 VR, 12 BS, 11 PS (only taken it once)

ECs: 1000+ hours volunteering at a hospital, volunteer research assistant at two hospitals, paid clerk positions at a hospital for several years, tutoring, leadership responsibility at a religious institution, sports, class representative (smaller things).

Thank you.

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[NotASerialKiller]

As good as any of us. When/where did you apply?

 

[JMaxwe11]

As good as any of us. When/where did you apply?

I haven't applied this year, I plan on applying the next year. I'm taking a 5th year to meet all the prerequisites of American Medical schools. Honestly, I've been second guessing my choice to do this because I've felt that my chances are small; however, it seems that I have a decent chance?

Thank you.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

I haven't applied this year, I plan on applying the next year. I'm taking a 5th year to meet all the prerequisites of American Medical schools. Honestly, I've been second guessing my choice to do this because I've felt that my chances are small; however, it seems that I have a decent chance?

Thank you.

US MDs don't do grade replacement but there's a possibility that some might have a minimum requirement in pre-req courses. I've never looked into this, but it's something you might want to check out with your school list in case you have to retake that semester of chem. Apart from that you only need to have pre-reqs don't prior to matriculation so you'll be fine.

I don't know if decent is the word I would use, it's really hard for all internationals, but at the very least it'll give you a better chance than just applying to Canadian schools if you're in Ontario.

 

[gyngyn]

"In 2014, 1,901 foreign applicants applied to M.D.-granting programs in the United States and 409 of those applicants were accepted. Of those accepted, 300 matriculated into medical school." https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/303912/applyasaninternationalapplicant.html

Buy the MSAR.
Identify the 62 MD schools that accept applications from internationals.
Eliminate those that matriculate less than 4.
Eliminate mission-based schools (unless you fit the mission).
Pre-write answers to the secondaries for the rest.
Apply early.

 

[JMaxwe11]

US MDs don't do grade replacement but there's a possibility that some might have a minimum requirement in pre-req courses. I've never looked into this, but it's something you might want to check out with your school list in case you have to retake that semester of chem. Apart from that you only need to have pre-reqs don't prior to matriculation so you'll be fine.

I don't know if decent is the word I would use, it's really hard for all internationals, but at the very least it'll give you a better chance than just applying to Canadian schools if you're in Ontario.

Great, I appreciate the feedback. I've been looking into re-taking that CHEM course for that specific reason. Honestly, the %'s of internationals applying, who are granted interviews for US MD's are similar to that of Canadian's applying to Ontario schools. I figure the more schools I apply to, the greater my chances are, which is all I can ask for in this admissions process.

"In 2014, 1,901 foreign applicants applied to M.D.-granting programs in the United States and 409 of those applicants were accepted. Of those accepted, 300 matriculated into medical school." https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/303912/applyasaninternationalapplicant.html

Buy the MSAR.
Identify the 62 MD schools that accept applications from internationals.
Eliminate those that matriculate less than 4.
Eliminate mission-based schools (unless you fit the mission).
Pre-write answers to the secondaries for the rest.
Apply early.

Thanks for the feedback - those stats are pretty eye-opening. I'll definitely follow those guidelines when applying.

Btw, is the sGPA calculated using only the science requirements of the specific school? Or, is it calculated through any science course that was taken during the undergraduate degree. For instance, I've taken many Physiology and Nutrition courses that don't have the "BIOL" prefix in front of them; however, they are 100% science-based and equivalent to any other nutrition/physiology course.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Great, I appreciate the feedback. I've been looking into re-taking that CHEM course for that specific reason. Honestly, the %'s of internationals applying, who are granted interviews for US MD's are similar to that of Canadian's applying to Ontario schools. I figure the more schools I apply to, the greater my chances are, which is all I can ask for in this admissions process.

Exactly, it's awful for us no matter what. The only difference is that it's infinitely more expensive to apply in the US and they don't look kindly upon re-applicants, so you'll likely only give it one go whereas people often apply 2-3 years in a row in Canada before getting in.

 

[JMaxwe11]

Exactly, it's awful for us no matter what. The only difference is that it's infinitely more expensive to apply in the US and they don't look kindly upon re-applicants, so you'll likely only give it one go whereas people often apply 2-3 years in a row in Canada before getting in.

Exactly. I had no idea that US schools will look unfavorably re-applying to schools...That's crazy.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Exactly. I had no idea that US schools will look unfavorably re-applying to schools...That's crazy.

Well it's because most Americans who are decent applicants will get in somewhere, so if you don't schools are left to wonder why. In Canada schools know exactly why you didn't get in last year, it's because there were hundreds of other applicants with 3.96 GPAs, NSERC-USRAs, tons of volunteering and you just didn't win the med school lottery.

 

[gyngyn]

Btw, is the sGPA calculated using only the science requirements of the specific school? Or, is it calculated through any science course that was taken during the undergraduate degree. For instance, I've taken many Physiology and Nutrition courses that don't have the "BIOL" prefix in front of them; however, they are 100% science-based and equivalent to any other nutrition/physiology course.

Physiology would be BCPM. Nutrition would not.
https://www.aamc.org/students/download/181694/data/amcas_course_classification_guide.pdf

 

[GrapesofRath]

My advice when trying to fill out courses according to the AMCAS guide is always when in doubt to fill out a course as part of the BCPM GPA if you did well in it and there is a case for it/its a borderline situation. As gyngyn alluded to above physiology will count towards your sGPA no questions asked.

What I've found scrolling through many posts on this site and many people I know who've gone through the process is that alot of these borderline courses like "Econometrics", Psychology courses with a clear science component in their title like Sense and Vision, some other courses with a clear focus towards medicine or physiology in their title etc AMCAS will let you get away with whichever distinction you classify it under. I've seen people list upper level psych courses or classes like Econometrics as non-science GPA that they got B's in and get away with it. I've also seen people use these same type of courses as part of their BCPM GPA to try to enhance it and have gotten away with it as well.

So yes, there is a good chance nutrition will get changed by AMCAS. And I wouldn't list nutrition courses where there is no application or possible reference to medicine in the course title as BCPM. I suspect if you list all your nutrition courses as BCPM, AMCAS will change all and you won't have the chance to get the ones that might have a decent application in medicine to count. You gotta be a little strategic. But if you have a few with a focus that has a application in medicine in their title I would say go ahead and try listing those as science courses.

The worst that can happen is AMCAS changes it. The guidelines of "if anything is under the PSYCH, ECON etc Dept it automatically isn't BCPM GPA" that you'll hear people say on here is not true. And no ADCOM is going to go through each course you took and say "well this shouldn't have counted towards the BCPM GPA so I'm going to dock their GPA in my estimation".

As for where you stand, gyngyn hit it on the head. Focus on how he told you to pick schools and it'll leave you 15-20. Your GPA is fine. If your MCAT was a couple points higher it would help you but I could see you potentially having success with some lower tiers like say Wayne State this cycle.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

As for where you stand, gyngyn hit it on the head. Focus on how he told you to pick schools and it'll leave you 15-20. Your GPA is fine. If your MCAT was a couple points higher it would help you but I could see you potentially having success with some lower tiers like say Wayne State this cycle.

OP isn't applying until next cycle, and I'm sure it'll be in nice and early like a good little international.