Co-op program in undergrad = no med school

[aznboy]

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I'm a Canadian student in an Ontario university who is currently in a science (Biology, Health Science) program with co-op.
I plan on applying to many US med schools.
However, my program has a very weird schedule.

Year 1:
Fall - Semester
Winter - Semester
Summer - Co-op

Year 2:
Fall - Semester
Winter - Co-op
Summer - Semester

Year 3:
Fall - Co-op
Winter - Semester
Summer - Co-op

Year 4:
Fall - Semester
Winter - Co-op
Summer - Semester

Year 5:
Fall - Co-op
Winter - Semester
Finally graduate

My program is setup so that my co-op jobs are research & analysis, clinical, lab work, therapeutic rec, instructing or business

I've been reading many other message boards and heard that medical schools do not favor people who take summer schools. However, I'm not taking a summer school. It's just that my semester is in summer time during year 2 and year 4.

I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could tell me if my weird semester schedule affect my chance in any way of getting into med schools in US.
If I can't, I have to transfer to a different university immediately.🙁
Thanks eh 🙂 😀

 

[IndyZX]

i dont think your scheduling will cause you any problems.

 

[aznboy]

I hope so. 👍

Btw, if I were to call or E-mail AMCAS about this, would they know the answer?

 

[VienneseWaltz]

AMCAS can't tell you what adcoms are going to think. If you are really concerned, talk to an admissions officer at a US med school. But I really don't think you will have problems--if anything, I think the co-op program will make you stand out and seem more valuable b/c you've had more real-world work experience.

Oh, and I took both semesters of orgo in the summer and no one seemed to care.

 

[hamedn]

I attended a co-op school for undergrad (Northeastern U). In my experience taking summer classes did not hurt at all. Actually, I think have the co-op program helped because it gave me great research experience. If you are really worried about it then mention something in your personal statement regarding the co-op program.

 

[SunnyS81]

I had to take summer classes to fit the premed and engineering classes. Don't worry about it. My school has a huge (the largest in US?) co-op program, and plenty of my friends in the program have gotten into good medical schools. Not amazing schools, but I have a feeling that is attributable to other variables.

 

[MeowMix]

I went to Waterloo as an undergrad (and I am guessing you are there too). For AMCAS, this is a trimester system (I asked the UW registrar; AMCAS said they could not give me an answer), so we never have to check "summer".

I am just going ahead and filling out my AMCAS. I am a little worried that people don't really understand what the co-op system means, so I am trying to include a brief phrase in my personal statement that explains.

My bigger concern is whether AMCAS will correctly convert an 85% to an A instead of a B.

 

[dankev]

Originally posted by aznboy
I've been reading many other message boards and heard that medical schools do not favor people who take summer schools

Why would adcoms look down on summer classes? Summer classes are awesome. They're a great way for motivated students to get ahead.

 

[aznboy]

co-op really complicates things 😡