Canadian Medical school-- I have a deep connection, but still wonder.

[miniman]

Hey y'all!

So, I was looking around at other schools out there and was talking with my dentist (NO I don't want to be a dentist) and he said he went to school in Canada and moved down here. So, I am sure I am beating a dead horse, but still...

I have a deep connection to Canada, and under some of their immigration laws I am a citizen(ish)... (my mother is a citizen and thus, under some of their laws I am too... despite not being born there.) My entire maternal side of the family is Canadian and thus I have a deep connection to there (some still live there). Would something like this make it worth my while to apply to Canadian medical schools? I know they are hard to get into, but still I do want to try. I want to practice in the US-- hopefully in the upper south, but yeah. Is it hard to match residence in the US from a Canadian school?

I don't know if I am over weighing the connection aspect of schools and I am willing to stand corrected. (be nice though... no jerks needed here, I have had enough for today at work.)

I am a dreaming Junior, so give me a break, I have not taken the MCAT I have a GPA in the mid/high 3.7 range. I am not a URM nor am I coming from a place of hardship. I grew up poorer (<27,000 PY with three kids... dad, I don't know how you did it... wow) and now am in the upper 80% nationally... 75% locally (I am first gen college and first in the family as well... not much to me, but still...).


Thanks,

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[ndafife]

1. Are you a citizen or not. Citizen-ish means nothing.
2. How much time have you actually spent in Canada? Have you lived there? - "entire maternal side of the family is Canadian" is not a deep connection.
3. If you want to be a doctor in the US, go to a US med school. If you want to be a doctor in Canada, go to a Canadian medical school.

 

[miniman]

1. Are you a citizen or not. Citizen-ish means nothing.
2. How much time have you actually spent in Canada? Have you lived there? - "entire maternal side of the family is Canadian" is not a deep connection.
3. If you want to be a doctor in the US, go to a US med school. If you want to be a doctor in Canada, go to a Canadian medical school.

1.Ok. Do I have papers saying I am a citizen no.
2.Ok. Not a deep connection. Other posts I have read stated that this was pretty deep connection point. But ok.
3. Why?

 

[P0ke]

Canadian schools are LCME accredited just like US schools, so matching into a US residency from a Canadian school is not a problem. I believe that Canadian schools are harder to get into though, especially if you aren't a Canadian citizen.

 

[pms_testosterone]

You are not a competitive applicant to Canadian med schools, but several do consider applications from international students. Please see this document for details:
https://afmc.ca/publications/admission-requirements-canadian-faculties-medicine

 

[ndafife]

1.Ok. Do I have papers saying I am a citizen no.
2.Ok. Not a deep connection. Other posts I have read stated that this was pretty deep connection point. But ok.
3. Why?

1. Then you really aren't a competitive applicant.
2. Its really hard to get into a Canadian School without being a citizen or a permanent resident. You having family there isn't going to matter.
3. From 2013-2017 there were only 13 Active applicants to US Residencies from Canadian Medical Schools. Only 7 of those matched for a 53% rate. Over that same time frame there were over 18,000 US Allopathic applicants with a 94% match rate. If you want to do a US residency, go to a US school.

 

[P0ke]

1. Then you really aren't a competitive applicant.
2. Its really hard to get into a Canadian School without being a citizen or a permanent resident. You having family there isn't going to matter.
3. From 2013-2017 there were only 13 Active applicants to US Residencies from Canadian Medical Schools. Only 7 of those matched for a 53% rate. Over that same time frame there were over 18,000 US Allopathic applicants with a 94% match rate. If you want to do a US residency, go to a US school.

I can't really see going to a Canadian medical school as a detriment for US residency since they're LCME accredited. I found that they can apply to both US and Canadian residencies, but only match into one, so maybe the ones who didn't get US matches got Canadian residencies. We'd need more specific data to know for sure.

 

[ndafife]

I can't really see going to a Canadian medical school as a detriment for US residency since they're LCME accredited. I found that they can apply to both US and Canadian residencies, but only match into one, so maybe the ones who didn't get US matches got Canadian residencies. We'd need more specific data to know for sure.

There have been 7 people who matched into a US residency from a Canadian medical school in the last 4 years. That's less than 2 per year. Do not go to a Canadian School with the plan being to go back to the US for residency. Period. Whether being a Canadian graduate is a detriment or not can be debated. And its up for debate because there is so little data about Canadian medical graduates matching into US residencies, because there really are only 2-3 applicants per year.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

If you're not a Canadian citizen don't waste the money applying, you'd need as strong an application as you'd need to get into Harvard, at which point it would definitely be in your best interest to go to Harvard.

If somehow through your mother's side you find out you do hold citizenship, you could apply but it would still be as tough as getting into an upper-tier US med school with future disadvantages if you want to do residency in the states.

I can't really see going to a Canadian medical school as a detriment for US residency since they're LCME accredited. I found that they can apply to both US and Canadian residencies, but only match into one, so maybe the ones who didn't get US matches got Canadian residencies. We'd need more specific data to know for sure.

This is true, but taken at face value might be a bit misleading. You wouldn't be at a technical disadvantage, but if you're doing all your rotations at Canadian hospitals you're not going to make any connections at US institutions. It's not fatal, especially for specialties that aren't ultra-competitive, but it should definitely be a significant disadvantage. Unless your spouse is living in Canada or something like that, it just wouldn't be worth it, and that's if you're lucky enough to get in in one cycle.

 

[caramilk222222]

Unfortunately, Canadian medical schools do not accept many (if any) international students even if they list so on their websites. You would have to pay international fees, which, granted is still a lot cheaper than US tuition. The average GPA for Canadians with acceptances is standing around a 3.9 (For example, the 2017 average GPA for successful applicants at University of Ottawa: 3.93, University of Toronto: 3.95). https://afmc.ca/sites/default/files/documents/en/Publications/AdmissionRequirements_en.pdf As an international applicant, it would be beneficial to have stats above this. Sadly, the schools that accept internationals are those that typically have higher GPA averages. I believe the MCAT average is standing near a 515 as well. To do residency in the US you would have to take the USMLE extra, which is not a part of the Canadian medical school agenda. If you are set at trying in Canada, I suggest trying to figure out more if you can get permanent residency or citizenship with your connections.

 

[Money4MyHoney]

If you want to do a US residency, go to a US school.

ndafife is right. Study where you want to practice.

 

[738177]

This is true, but taken at face value might be a bit misleading. You wouldn't be at a technical disadvantage, but if you're doing all your rotations at Canadian hospitals you're not going to make any connections at US institutions. It's not fatal, especially for specialties that aren't ultra-competitive, but it should definitely be a significant disadvantage. Unless your spouse is living in Canada or something like that, it just wouldn't be worth it, and that's if you're lucky enough to get in in one cycle.

Agreed.
I think even for US grads matching to Canada, the match rates aren't favorable (usually hovers around 50%).
It's just a safer bet to go where you wanna practice.

 

[bearded frog]

As a Canadian MD graduate watching some classmates try to take the USMLE for US residency and fellowships:

/!\ Do not go to medical school in Canada if you want to do a US residency /!\

Its easier to get in to USMD, you will get a better USMLE score because they teach to the test, unlike in Canada, and doing electives at US programs will be much easier.

 

[Money4MyHoney]

As a Canadian MD graduate watching some classmates try to take the USMLE for US residency and fellowships:

/!\ Do not go to medical school in Canada if you want to do a US residency /!\

Its easier to get in to USMD, you will get a better USMLE score because they teach to the test, unlike in Canada, and doing electives at US programs will be much easier.

I agree Canadian MD does not teach to pass the USMLE