Canadian applicant: Unsure if I should apply to US med schools this cycle

[striders02]

I'm a Canadian applicant heading into my final year of undergrad and I'm uncertain of whether I should apply to Canada and US med schools this year, or just apply to Canada this year and apply to the US (and Canada again) the following year if this cycle doesn't work out.

I have strong academic stats (4.0GPA, 131/127/131/128 MCAT), good overall extracurriculars and a moderate amount of clinical volunteering/patient exposure experience. However, I do not have a Science prof who can provide a reference, which really shortens my American school list.

In Canada, my admission prospects are hurt by the 127 CARS - due to a combination of CARS + living in Ontario, I'm only a strong contender for 3 or 4 Canadian medical schools. So my lacklustre Canadian prospects have me interested in applying to the States.

In the US, due to not having a Science prof who could write a reference, there are only seven schools that I am both interested in applying to and am eligible for:

• Columbia
• Dartmouth
• Georgetown
• Hawaii
• Oakland
• Vanderbilt
• Yale

It seems like I don't have great chances in Canada due to CARS, but I'm not sure if it's worth applying to the US this cycle since I'm eligible for so few schools. I could get at least one Science prof to write me a reference for next cycle, so I would be better-positioned for American schools then (and equivalently-positioned for Canadian schools, since they don't require Science prof letter writers and CARS is my limiting factor in Canada). I'd prefer not to do a gap year which is maybe making me overly anxious/eager about applying to the US this year.

If anyone could let me know their thoughts it'd be greatly appreciated - thanks!

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[benjamin94559]

Could you elaborate a bit on how/why you don't have a science professor who can write you a letter? Even an old organic professor from a few years ago could potentially write you a solid or good enough letter. Did you major in a non-science?

The schools you've listed are all selective enough/low yield that they're somewhat crapshoots as individual schools, though I dont know much about Hawaii and Oakland. Do you have research experience? I think Columbia and Yale are pretty big on having that but the rest I dont think care as much. If I were you, I'd apply assuming you have the money and time to commit to them.

 

[seren1051]

Mind giving rough estimates of your 'moderate' clinical hours?

Statwise you're fine, but getting into Columbia, Vanderbilt, and Yale (with MCAT medians at 519, 521, 521 respectively) is tough. Do you have research experience? I'm kinda guessing you won't have a robust amount of it, given that you dont really have a science letter..and these schools really, really like them.

Dartmouth is fine, but keep in mind that it's a small school that favors non-trads (out of college for longer period). Gerogetown gets a million apps a year, making it the super low-yield. Oakland won't accept Canadians starting next year. Do you really want to go to Hawaii??

You can apply, although your chances will be much greater with a science letter by next cycle. Good luck!

 

[striders02]

Hey, thanks both for weighing in, much appreciated!

Reference letters:

Could you elaborate a bit on how/why you don't have a science professor who can write you a letter? Even an old organic professor from a few years ago could potentially write you a solid or good enough letter. Did you major in a non-science?

I'm majoring in immunology. Unfortunately over the first three years I didn't make close connections with my profs, so I don't have a science prof who could comment on my academic abilities beyond listing my mark and maybe that I went to office hours a couple times.

It probably seems (and in fairness is) a bit crazy that I don't have a single science prof I have a good relationship with, so just to explain a bit: prior to getting 127 in CARS I had my eyes set on Canada and didn't really look through US med school reference requirements, just figuring that they'd be similar to Canadian ones. In Canada science prof LoRs are not required, and since I have good letters from other people I didn't put in much effort to reach out to my professors.

Research experience:

Do you have research experience?

I have 2 summers of clinical research experience (worked at the same place) and can get a strong reference letter from my PI. I'm doing clinical research at a new place this summer and will do a thesis project in my upcoming year of undergrad so for next cycle I'd have two additional research letters.

Do you have research experience? I'm kinda guessing you won't have a robust amount of it, given that you dont really have a science letter..and these schools really, really like them.

See above - 2 summers of clinical research experience which I can get a good letter from. And for next cycle I'll likely have 3 research letters, two from summer jobs and one from a thesis project.

Clinical hours:

Mind giving rough estimates of your 'moderate' clinical hours?

For sure: 70 hours of volunteering in a hospital-affiliated retirement home, 80 hours of shadowing (30 cardiology, 10 hematology, 40 anesthesiology).

And thanks for the walk-through of schools later on in your post. (Fair point about Hawaii, just included it because given my LoR constraints I can't be too selective about the schools that I still am eligible for!) It does seem like this year might be too early for me to apply to the States - but I'd definitely be interested to hear your thoughts given some of the additional info above

 

[seren1051]

Keep in mind that not all schools will take the 'PI you worked with' as a writer for a science letter. Some schools will explicitly state: "science letter from a faculty who taught you" (aka BCPM course profs), and PI letter won't get through them. Even if you didn't make connections with your profs who taught you back then, you can try visiting them and discuss with them if they'll be able to write you a letter - perhaps provide them with a copy of your resume, PS, and reasons why you want to go to med school, etc. Average letter shouldn't hurt too much if you have other good letters, and it's to satisfy a requirement.

Your clinical volunteering hours falls on the weaker side of moderate-ness (ie. Americans are applying with good 200+ hours of them in clinics, hospitals, hospices, etc). If you do plan to apply next year, be sure to devote more time in both clinical and nonclinical hours.

 

[striders02]

Thanks for the info! I'll prioritize clinical volunteering hours and reaching out to non-PI professors as well. Regarding my PI, in addition to advising my thesis project he did also teach a standard, didactic lecture course that I took as well. Given that, do you know if it would be generally okay to use him as a science professor letter? Particularly if he mentions in the letter that he taught me in that course?

 

[seren1051]

Thanks for the info! I'll prioritize clinical volunteering hours and reaching out to non-PI professors as well. Regarding my PI, in addition to advising my thesis project he did also teach a standard, didactic lecture course that I took as well. Given that, do you know if it would be generally okay to use him as a science professor letter? Particularly if he mentions in the letter that he taught me in that course?

That sounds fine! I did that as well actually haha, and it worked out. Good luck.

 

[benjamin94559]

Are you not taking any science courses at all this year? In any case, I feel in your case getting a generic science letter from an old prof to check the box, assuming the rest of your letters are good, would open alot of doors as your stats and ECs are competitive for a lot of schools to the point that a single weak letter probably wont screw you.