Canadian wonders which schools?

[PanPan]

Hi,

(For those who look on canadian premed site too, sorry for the double post).

First post, so off the top, sorry if I post in the wrong place, ask something that I shouldn't or any of the other things that irritate people on forums.

Applying for next entry (2010) as a CANADIAN citizen.

I have not written the MCAT. I am writing September 2009. I know that this makes it difficult for you to make any predictions. If that makes my applications non starters at some schools, then please let me know; otherwise I would really appreciate any advice you have. Or, you could say: 'If you get >x,y,z then bla bla bla'.

Academic/Research
-cGPA: 3.66
-UBC Honours Physics with Co-Op (2008)
-Multiple Research Jobs throughout university
-1 'real' (aka career) type research job after I graduated
-A few awards
-1 Abstract

ECs:
-Member of Canadian Junior Men's Ultimate team
-Captain of UBC Men's Varsity Ultimate team (I know frisbee may not have the best reputation, but it included travelling ~8 times a year all over north america and training/practicing ~25 hours a week).
-Volunteer assistant coach with BC Provincial Junior Ultimate Team
-Volunteer bike patrol (ski patrol but in whistler bike park)
-lots of other sports stuff, but not 'quantifiable'

-Have observed surgery

From the other links in various forums, I've identified the following schools that regularly admit/interview canadians and that I would like to attend:

Stanford
UCSF
Virginia Commonwealth University
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Duke
Wake Forrest
Einstein
Dartmouth
Harvard
Boston University
Hawaii
Georgetown
George Washington
Yale
Columbia
Sinai

I know these schools are all very competitive. Its mostly based on where I would want to live. No offense meant to people applying/going to other schools. I don't think I'm some kind of superstar. If you tell me that I'll get rejected by all of them, fair enough, I'll take that into account.

I believe that's 17 schools. I need to narrow that number down, or at the very least try and prioritize, and then get to schools lower on the list if I get the chance.

So if anyone has any recommendations, based on probability of acceptance, quality of med school (both education and quality of life), or stuff specific to me (eg. 'you have no hospital volunteering, so don't try schools a,b,c') I would love to hear it.

And go for it, be brutally honest, I can handle it. Honestly, if the answer is 'you won't get into any of those schools', that may save me a lot of time and money. If you don't want to look like a jerk, then please feel free to pm me.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance for any help!

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[blowe46]

Guessing by your post, you went to UBC. While it's a good school, no one in the US has heard of it. In fact U of T is only somewhat recognized with McGill being the only school with a reputation. Unlike Canada, the school's reputation is taken into consideration.

Just seeing your EC's, I dont' see any clinical exposure. This will be difficult to explain as American schools emphasize such experiences.


Your grades are good, and I don't know why you haven't considered UBC for medicine.

 

[PanPan]

Guessing by your post, you went to UBC. While it's a good school, no one in the US has heard of it. In fact U of T is only somewhat recognized with McGill being the only school with a reputation. Unlike Canada, the school's reputation is taken into consideration.

Just seeing your EC's, I dont' see any clinical exposure. This will be difficult to explain as American schools emphasize such experiences.


Your grades are good, and I don't know why you haven't considered UBC for medicine.

I did yes. I have been wondering about UBC's reputation, and that is good to know. No offense taken.

I am applying to UBC.

For clinical exposure, given that I have a few months in which to obtain it, would you recommend shadowing, or clinical volunteering.

 

[FredAstaire]

I did yes. I have been wondering about UBC's reputation, and that is good to know. No offense taken.

I am applying to UBC.

For clinical exposure, given that I have a few months in which to obtain it, would you recommend shadowing, or clinical volunteering.

I am from University of Saskatchewan and transferred mid-way to University of Kansas for undergraduate.

And let me tell you, CANADIAN SCHOOLS ARE WELL RECOGNIZED IN HIGH REGARDS in the U.S.! When I applied to U of Kansas at Lawrence, the admission counsellor told me that all canadian provincial schools are considered to be top quality and equivalent of a top 30 ranked public school.

I can tell you that U of Kansas at lawrence is inferior interms of research, facility, and faculty to U of Saskatchewan.