Canadian: tackling low GPA and MCAT

[DrRedBug]

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Hi all,

Finally making my post today after having read your boards for a while.

I'm a Canadian student, just finished undergrad (Biochemistry Honours) with cGPA 3.4 and a similar science GPA. Wrote the MCAT twice so far: 26 (1st: 9P 6V 11B) and 29 (2nd: 10P 8V 11B). Planning to rewrite it and feel confident that I can score much higher on the new MCAT, because I will have more study time.

For EC's: I have a bucketload of research experience since 2nd year in two labs: volunteered, did paid work in summer, did a year of internship, and also completed an Honours thesis project. My EC's also include other diverse leadership experiences, including tutoring, volunteer manager, several roles in a local hospital including ER work, and a lot more. Comes up to about 2400 hrs.

For my next steps, I'm putting in a couple applications in the current cycle (4 Canadian schools and 3 American MD) but not counting on it too much (mostly hoping to see if local med school takes me). We don't have post-bacc up here, but I will be taking a full course load this September under the "non-degree student status" to study various medicine-related courses, ace each one, and hopefully get my cGPA up to 3.6 if all goes well. I will write the new MCAT in Jul-Aug 2016. I think this should set me up nicely, as I will also continue some of my most rewarding and significant EC's throughout this time period.

My question to you all is: Is there any value in continuing to do more research this year? Or would it be alright if I solely focused on my courses this September and that way cushion up my GPA?

Conversely, what would your thoughts be for pursuing a Master's degree starting Sept 2016? I know many Canadian schools (if not all) require you to complete your graduate degree before matriculation. So for me that would mean adding another 2 years before matriculation - I would only want to do this if it would actually help. There are certainly benefits down the road when applying for residencies and also later when I want to include research in my clinical practice, but research can be pursued during med school as well (over summers etc), so I want to be really sure that having a graduate degree as a premed will aide me in getting into medical school.

Please advise in terms of a comparison of continuing to take undergrad-level courses to push up my GPA (as non-degree student in local Canadian university), VS doing a Master's degree in a med-school affiliated university. If you advise taking just undergrad-level courses, what are your thoughts on continuing research as a volunteer/summer job, given that I have some considerable experience already, apart from having another solid reference?

Thank you if you've read this whole post! Really appreciate any thoughts and feedback at all. 🙂

 

[gyngyn]

Generally speaking, Master's degrees have little influence on MD admissions decisions.
Everyone is expected to get A's in them, so they they can still hurt, though.
Your biggest challenges are a low gpa and a series of low MCAT scores.
You might want to look into the DO schools that accept international applicants.

 

[DrRedBug]

Generally speaking, Master's degrees have little influence on MD admissions decisions.
Everyone is expected to get A's in them, so they they can still hurt, though.
Your biggest challenges are a low gpa and a series of low MCAT scores.
You might want to look into the DO schools that accept international applicants.

Thanks for that. So in your opinion, would it be wiser to do a second bachelor's degree with a stronger GPA? There is an option for me to do another 3-yr BSc program that aligns nicely with my medical interests down the road - if I get accepted to an MD program midway I'd be happy to leave it unfinished and begin medical studies.

Also, as a follow-up question to this: does a partially completed BSc program (due to acceptance to MD) harm an applicant's chances for residency positions later on?

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks for that. So in your opinion, would it be wiser to do a second bachelor's degree with a stronger GPA? There is an option for me to do another 3-yr BSc program that aligns nicely with my medical interests down the road - if I get accepted to an MD program midway I'd be happy to leave it unfinished and begin medical studies.

Also, as a follow-up question to this: does a partially completed BSc program (due to acceptance to MD) harm an applicant's chances for residency positions later on?

Residency decisions are essentially entirely based on Medical school performance.
Completing another bachelor's degree is probably unnecessary for MD and entirely unnecessary for DO. Some significant remediation would be necessary, though. About a year's worth of A's in upper div sciences, for example would suffice. A real problem is presented by the multiple low MCAT's. Even a stronger new score is weighed down by old MCAT's.

 

[DrRedBug]

Hmm I think for Canadian med schools it might be different, as many of them only consider your best score. For American schools... I guess I'll just have to push my stronger grades trend and EC's in addition to the improved MCAT score to try and overcome old ones.

Thank you so much for your prompt responses today! 🙂

 

[gyngyn]

Hmm I think for Canadian med schools it might be different, as many of them only consider your best score.

Yes, this is a difference.