McGill - Anatomy & Cell Biology

[tyrannitar]

I am a high school graduate from BC going into the Cell Biology & Anatomy major program at McGill, with my hopes set at getting into a medical school somewhere in Canada, preferably at UBC, as getting into McGill med is virtually impossible. I have indeed checked the required courses and have a general idea of the courses that I'll need to take over my 3/4 years of undergrad.

I was just wondering if there are any advantages of staying in the anatomy program, particularly the honours stream. Do medical schools really care that I didn't opt to do something like immunology or physiology? I've heard that in terms of the life science programs, anatomy is one of the "easier" ones, which should have a positive effect on my GPA. I know that difficulty is relative, but I think that a general consensus can be reached in terms of evaluating the relative ease (or lack thereof) of certain programs.

Would there be any benefits for me if I were to switch into the Interdepartmental Honours Immunology program at McGill? Would it be significantly harder and thus have a negative effect upon my GPA? I consider myself a rather able independent learner, and I am aware of what the IHI program would entail in terms of research and courseload.

Also, would medical schools look favourably upon a candidate doing a non-life science minor alongside a life sciences major? I'm considering minoring in Urban Systems at McGill, if it will work for my schedule.

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[bravotwozero]

Though there does seem to be a slight predilection towards the sciences, most schools don't really care about your specific major. GPA and MCAT reign supreme as the exclusionary criteria. Do not risk those variables to enter a seemingly more challenging and prestigious program. It's not worth it.

Do whatever major it is that you think will not only enjoy, but EXCEL in, and which will also allow you to complete all the pre-reqs in time (otherwise it's a huge hassle, speaking from experience). Aside from that, a research course or a summer research fellowship could be the icing on the cake of your application.

Also, make sure you have a thorough understanding of your first and second year sciences, such as biology (particularly physiology and genetics), chemistry (general and orgo), and physics. This will help your gpa, and your MCAT score tremendously. If you can develop rapport with professors in those courses and land a good letter, all the better.

I wish you all the best. You will face some stiff competition.