Does doing my undergrad and most of my ECs in canada hurt my chances?

[FredAstaire]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello everyone,

I am a canadian citizen where I did my entire undergraduate degree and most of my ECs in teaching/tutoring/clinical volunteering/research in Canada (Alberta). The only thing I did in USA was shadowing.

I am now a green card holder in a U.S. state (Nebraska), and is just wondering does the medadcoms in American Medical schools view the fact that I did most of my ECs + education in canada rather than U.S. negatively?

Thanks for your feedback.

My stats are 3.7 cGPA, 3.63 sGPA, 35 MCAT.

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

Yes, unfortunately Canadians have very different diseases from Americans, so it's all useless down here.

Just kidding 🙂

I can't see why anyone would care!

 

[the duck]

I doubt it will make any difference. Canada and America have basically the same education system. Nice MCAT by the way! But why would you choose to go to school here, it way more expensive? I'm hoping to go to school in Canada, seeing as it so much cheeper ( I'm a canadian citizen).

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

I don't think it would matter much. You have good stats. I've seen McGill, Toronto, Dalhousie (spelling?), and other Canadian schools represented among US med school matriculants. The number is low, but I'd assume that is due to a much lower number of applicants (citizenship, cheaper schools, or whatever other reason(s)).

 

[Mithril]

.

 

[WingedOx]

Yeah, Canadian students who couldn't get into schools at home have a tendency to spill over into US private schools.

/so in med school terms, Canadians are like Californians, but better a hockey.

 

[MCATism]

Yes, and while we're on this topic, knowledgable Americans plz hook us up with all of the US MD schools who will take our money and help us become hockey doctors.

Allegedly adcomms give us a harder time (reflected in higher average GPAs/MCATs for accepted Canadians than Americans) so I'm craving a green card. My parents live in the States but I never have, so I think I'm screwed.

I know a guy with 4.0 GPA, 44 MCAT, great personality, strong ECs/volunteering/research who didn't get into Canadian med school. I'm not even going to apply here; resistance is futile.

 

[Mithril]

.

 

[Musclemass]

Not many Canadians apply to American schools in the first place because many schools require you to show your line of credit or the funds to pay for tuition.

Seats are limited and the schools don't want to waste a spot on someone who either can't or won't pay.

Can you suggest a better approach for schools to use?

 

[MCATism]

Gee, your friend couldn't possibly have been lying.

Hahaha, that's what everyone else (including me) thought, too!

Then he brought his transcripts to dinner and the rest of us died.
Mostly of jealousy.

Now we have a circle of inadequacy where we study for the MCAT and spend time planning for conquer Antarctica if we don't get into med.

 

[MCATism]

Seats are limited and the schools don't want to waste a spot on someone who either can't or won't pay.

Does this give any kind of competitive advantage for the people who can?

I know that my school here prefers international students because they pay higher tuition fees.

I imagine medical school as more fair than that though, but who knows??...



+ sry for double post 🙂

 

[Musclemass]

Does this give any kind of competitive advantage for the people who can?

I don't know but I wouldn't think so. If anything it's the opposite, most private schools don't bother with Canadian/international applicants. I'd assumed it was because it's not worth the extra work (payment arrangements as discussed, visas) for just a few. Nothing personal, but Canadians really don't offer any diversity that we don't already have here. I'd heard that many of the ones that want to come to the US are themselves immigrants to Canada. I'm not sure what that's all about, maybe just immigration to the US via a stop in Canada?

Most domestic students use, in whole or part, loans prearranged by the schools that international students don't qualify for.