Medical School Application Suggestions

[ambitiousMED]

Hi,

I will be applying to medical schools this summer and I was wondering if y'all have any suggestions on where to apply. I am a Canadian citizen but I hold degrees from the US with a 3.98/4.00 GPA and a Master's degree with a 3.68/4.00 GPA in Engineering. My MCAT score is 502 (128/121/123/126) 60th percentile. I had a lot of extracurricular activities during my undergraduate years. I also worked in the health care field for 6 months before doing graduate school. Anyways, please let me know if you have a particular list of medical schools that you believe I have a greater chance of getting into. I am interested in both MD and DO medical schools all over the country.

Thank you.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[wanderingorion]

Buy an MSAR subscription and research schools within your stat range.

 

[xffan624]

Hi,

I will be applying to medical schools this summer and I was wondering if y'all have any suggestions on where to apply. I am a Canadian citizen but I hold degrees from the US with a 3.98/4.00 GPA and a Master's degree with a 3.68/4.00 GPA in Engineering. My MCAT score is 502 (128/121/123/126) 60th percentile. I had a lot of extracurricular activities during my undergraduate years. I also worked in the health care field for 6 months before doing graduate school. Anyways, please let me know if you have a particular list of medical schools that you believe I have a greater chance of getting into. I am interested in both MD and DO medical schools all over the country.

Thank you.

I have little to contribute, besides to consult the pre-med forums (this forum is for current medical students). I just wanted to say as a southerner it's awesome to see a Canadian citizen using "y'all".

 

[Lucca]

Moving to Pre-Allo. While pre-medical students can post in the Allopathic forums, they should only create threads in the Pre-Medical sections. Medical students, residents, adcoms all frequent the pre-medical forums and you will still be able to receive sound advice.

 

[ambitiousMED]

First off, would you say that a 502 is a competitive score for MD schools? I know SDN has a pretty high MCAT score stats in general but I am just curious how it is outside of the SDN world... What do you guys think?

 

[ambitiousMED]

Moving to Pre-Allo. While pre-medical students can post in the Allopathic forums, they should only create threads in the Pre-Medical sections. Medical students, residents, adcoms all frequent the pre-medical forums and you will still be able to receive sound advice.

Thanks! I didn't know about that. Sorry for the inconvenience.

 

[gyngyn]

The median MCAT for successful internationals in the US is the equivalent of a 514. A SD below that is the equivalent of 508-509). Your score is almost 2 SD below the median.
There are 57 MD programs that consider internationals. Most take 3 or fewer.
You would therefore be a much stronger DO candidate based on scores and matriculant data.
Is that your only MCAT score?

 

[Lucca]

First off, would you say that a 502 is a competitive score for MD schools? I know SDN has a pretty high MCAT score stats in general but I am just curious how it is outside of the SDN world... What do you guys think?

502 is pretty low for MD. The average accepted MCAT was a 508.7. According to last year's tables, students with a GPA like yours (3.8+) and a 502 had a 33% acceptance rate overall. So, while an MD acceptance is not impossible, it will depend very strongly on other things like URM or veteran status, state of residence, the strength of the rest of your application, etc.

As an international (Canadian) applicant, and assuming the rest of your application is average (to be safe), I personally would recommend a retake of the MCAT. A score above 508 might be enough, but the higher the better. I don't know much about how Canadians fare the in the US MD cycle, however.

edit: @gyngyn 's advice is better than mine.

 

[ambitiousMED]

The median MCAT for successful internationals in the US is the equivalent of a 514. A SD below that is the equivalent of 508-509). Your score is almost 2 SD below the median.
There are 57 MD programs that consider internationals. Most take 3 or fewer.
You would therefore be a much stronger DO candidate based on scores and matriculant data.
Is that your only MCAT score?

Yes it is my only MCAT score. I took the old MCAT but that expired few years back. Thanks for the input.

 

[gyngyn]

Yes it is my only MCAT score. I took the old MCAT but that expired few years back. Thanks for the input.

All scores are seen. Even scores that are no longer useful will be considered. How many old MCAT's do you have? Score?

 

[ambitiousMED]

502 is pretty low for MD. The average accepted MCAT was a 508.7. According to last year's tables, students with a GPA like yours (3.8+) and a 502 had a 33% acceptance rate overall. So, while an MD acceptance is not impossible, it will depend very strongly on other things like URM or veteran status, state of residence, the strength of the rest of your application, etc.

As an international (Canadian) applicant, and assuming the rest of your application is average (to be safe), I personally would recommend a retake of the MCAT. A score above 508 might be enough, but the higher the better. I don't know much about how Canadians fare the in the US MD cycle, however.

edit: @gyngyn 's advice is better than mine.

I have been in the US for 10+ years. I am in the confusion of how medical schools will be looking at my application. Yes, I am international but most of my years I have spent in the US volunteering, shadowing, working in the medical field just like any of the US-premedical students.

 

[ambitiousMED]

All scores are seen. Even scores that are no longer useful will be considered. How many old MCAT's do you have? Score?

I have two old MCAT scores. I believe it was a 21 and a 23. Extremely low. Since you seem to be in the administration, do you mind looking at my previous post regarding my years in the US. I am not sure how the schools will be considering my application. I am international but I also have spent majority of my years in the US serving the communities around me. Thank you.

 

[gyngyn]

I have two old MCAT scores. I believe it was a 21 and a 23. Extremely low. Since you seem to be in the administration, do you mind looking at my previous post regarding my years in the US. I am not sure how the schools will be considering my application. I am international but I also have spent majority of my years in the US serving the communities around me. Thank you.

Without a green card there is no duration of residence that significantly changes your status, I'm afraid.
I don't know of an MD school that will consider an international with 2 (or 3) MCAT scores below their 10th percentile.
Rarely, an applicant who strongly fits the mission of a mission-based school might be considered in this situation.

 

[ambitiousMED]

Even if you were here for 50 years, not having a green card or a citizenship makes you an international applicant which means you have lower chance compared to the others. International students are supposed to have better stats and EC because of how hard it is to get in.

I would redo the MCAT because it's low and having taken it 3 times with low scores even reduces your chances. Study well this time and retake it only if your full length practice scores are good.

Also, are you going to apply in Canada ?
What about DO schools?

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I will apply to DO schools and Canadian schools. Although, I believe Canadian schools are more competitive than here and I also have family in the US. It's a bit more difficult to have to move back.

 

[ambitiousMED]

Even if you were here for 50 years, not having a green card or a citizenship makes you an international applicant which means you have lower chance compared to the others. International students are supposed to have better stats and EC because of how hard it is to get in.

I would redo the MCAT because it's low and having taken it 3 times with low scores even reduces your chances. Study well this time and retake it only if your full length practice scores are good.

Also, are you going to apply in Canada ?
What about DO schools?

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Do you believe I have a shot at Canadian medical schools?