canadian student looking into the US

[blowe46]

Hi

I am a Canadian student looking to enter the US. I am a Canadian citizen but I am also a landed immigrant of the united stes. I am currently attending the University of Toronto and i have a 3.44 GPA.

now, ideally I would love to enter a Canadian medical school but they are so GPA oriented that I don't have a shot. As a result, I wanna take advantage of my green card and go to an American school and come back to Canada for residency.

I would appreciate some advice about student loans and the like.. ..

Ideally, I would like to a small American town and study medicine there. The university of michigan really had me interested. However, I am open to any suggestions

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[GuyLaroche]

You will be treated just as any American citizen would. You have a greencard and thus have no problems. Just do well on the MCATs and you can apply to any school you want. You are in a much better position than those with F-1 visas. Good luck.

I quite like the Canadians. You have a very sensible prime minister.

 

[CanuckRazorback]

Hi there!

I am also a Canadian citizen with a green card. On the financial aid issue, you are eligible for all US loans (stafford, etc.) Also, if you are interested in rural medicine, a lot of schools have special scholarships. You have to commit for 2-4 years of practice in a rural community, but you can do your residency in Canada if you would like. Feel free to PM me with any questions. Good luck!

 

[antissa]

What if you have no green card/F-1 visa? Do changes decrease severely? I've heard that the private schools do not discriminate based on geography, but the number of foreign premeds accepted is surprisingly low, and does not seem to support this

 

[VPDcurt]

What if you have no green card/F-1 visa? Do changes decrease severely? I've heard that the private schools do not discriminate based on geography, but the number of foreign premeds accepted is surprisingly low, and does not seem to support this

Geography means within the US, not throughout the entire world.

 

[CanuckRazorback]

What if you have no green card/F-1 visa? Do changes decrease severely? I've heard that the private schools do not discriminate based on geography, but the number of foreign premeds accepted is surprisingly low, and does not seem to support this

They do not discriminate, but you have to have a REALLY impressive app to get in. Also, you need proof that you will be able to pay for 4 years of tuition. Usually schools require that enough money for 4 years of tuition be put in an escrow account

 

[blowe46]

thanks

do you know the GPA converstion for the University of Toronto to AMCAS? I am currently an immunology student here ? does program really matter? in Canada, they couldn't care less what program you're in and that makes no different in the Adcom's minds.

 

[leaft]

to the OP,
go for an american school, but don't plan on getting back into canada for a residency. the present regulations make that really difficult (unless you are from quebec, in which case it is a bit easier, but not much).
these restrictions are rapidly changing because canada is in need of docs. so... there is a good chance that by the time you graduate med school you could get a canadian residency...but... i wouldn't count on it.
despite being a canadian citizen, graduates of american med school are considered International Medical Graduates in the canadian hospital system, and IMGs often have a very hard time getting residency positions.

ps. i have done a lot of research on this b/c i am canadian, and most likely going to a us school next year. i have interviews at the canadian schools, but think i would prefer to stay in the us for now. however, i know that i might be sealing my fate to stay in the us for good.

 

[blowe46]

Wow, I didn't know US med students count as IMGs? that's incredilous.

 

[antissa]

They do not discriminate, but you have to have a REALLY impressive app to get in. Also, you need proof that you will be able to pay for 4 years of tuition. Usually schools require that enough money for 4 years of tuition be put in an escrow account

Is the reason why I need to have a really impressive app. because such schools are more competitive in general?

 

[antissa]

to the OP,
go for an american school, but don't plan on getting back into canada for a residency. the present regulations make that really difficult (unless you are from quebec, in which case it is a bit easier, but not much).
these restrictions are rapidly changing because canada is in need of docs. so... there is a good chance that by the time you graduate med school you could get a canadian residency...but... i wouldn't count on it.
despite being a canadian citizen, graduates of american med school are considered International Medical Graduates in the canadian hospital system, and IMGs often have a very hard time getting residency positions.

ps. i have done a lot of research on this b/c i am canadian, and most likely going to a us school next year. i have interviews at the canadian schools, but think i would prefer to stay in the us for now. however, i know that i might be sealing my fate to stay in the us for good.

Wow. But what about after completing residency, couldn't you come back then? This sucks, one of my reasons for wanting med school was because I thought this was a highly mobile profession

 

[dopaminophile]

Hi

I am a Canadian student looking to enter the US. I am a Canadian citizen but I am also a landed immigrant of the united stes. I am currently attending the University of Toronto and i have a 3.44 GPA.

now, ideally I would love to enter a Canadian medical school but they are so GPA oriented that I don't have a shot. As a result, I wanna take advantage of my green card and go to an American school and come back to Canada for residency.

I would appreciate some advice about student loans and the like.. ..

Ideally, I would like to a small American town and study medicine there. The university of michigan really had me interested. However, I am open to any suggestions

Wow, I've never heard of people using US med schools because they didn't feel they could get into foreign schools with their GPA. Funny. All the best!

 

[antissa]

thanks

do you know the GPA converstion for the University of Toronto to AMCAS? I am currently an immunology student here ? does program really matter? in Canada, they couldn't care less what program you're in and that makes no different in the Adcom's minds.

Hey blowe, I'm at U of T too - hats off for braving immunology
The AAMC GPA conversion is actually the same as U of T's GPA scale (which is better than OMSAS's, at least!)

 

[blowe46]

it's not so much that Canadian school are much better than american ones. In fact, I think American schools have better facilites. It's just that Canadian schools happen to be heavily GPA oriented.