Need to Finish Second Bachelors?

[Setto]

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I have a B.Sc in Exercise science. I wasn't able to get into medical school for fall 2013 so I figured the that responsible thing to do would be to work on a contingency plan. I've decided to re-apply to MD and DO schools this summer and finish up my Mechanical engineering degree come September.

I figure it will take roughly 2.5 years to finish my engineering degree so I was wondering: will I be considered for an interview for fall 2014 entrance if I am currently mid way through a second bachelors? Canadian schools generally have a policy that you need to finish a certain amount of credits (or completely finish) in your second undergrad and I can't seem to find a clear-cut policy for AACOMAS and AMCAS.

I don't want to end up pursuing my second passion (eng) if it just steps all over my first (med).

The closes thing I could find was this thread for dent:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=170390

And for the record here's my academic profile:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=981876

Thanks!

 

[TriagePreMed]

What's your GPA on the real 0-4 scale? If it's anything 3.3+, you will not need to do/complete a second bachelors given your 31 MCAT. However, if you do put it in your application and your acceptance is contingent upon finishing it, you will have to do it.

 

[Setto]

My University GPA comes out to roughly 3.56/4 (with very strong upward trend). My issue is that I'm getting tired of rolling the dice hoping that I'll get into medical school and at one point I need to do what's best for my family. So I figured I would start engineering for something to fall back on. I'm turning 26 in May and need to start making some responsible decisions lol.

 

[darklabel]

A 3.56/31 is a very good combo for AACOMAs, but I wouldn't bother with AMCAs. Internationals have a very hard time getting into USMD (very few schools only reserve a few spots for internationals and they usually have much better stats than the average matriculant and/or a great story).

Do you have any ties in the US? I would focus on that before doing a second bachelors, which isn't necessary for either school. Also engineering is difficult and may keep your GPA steady which is worse than increasing.

 

[Setto]

Very sound advice 🙂

No ties to the US.

My plan was:
-re-write MCAT in april.
-Complete primaries as soon as I can and submit (AACOMAS, you're very right about AMCAS) (early summer).

So if i were to get back into engineering next fall, my transcripts would have already been submitted and my grades wouldn't really affect my application. If i were to get an early interview I could even drop engineering before the drop-day!

This is my final push for medical school. If I'm not in by 2014 I will move onto another career, hence why I figured engineering would be a good field. Therefore my grades next year wouldn't really have much of an impact on my medical school career (please correct me if I'm wrong).

I know it sounds like I'm giving up, but I don't think of it that way at all. Life is too short to be worried about getting into medical school all the time. I can help people in other ways (ex: biomedical engineering). Having said that, I would greatly consider trying to get into medical school again after a few years of engineering practice. haha...it's an addiction!

 

[darklabel]

Very sound advice 🙂

No ties to the US.

My plan was:
-re-write MCAT in april.
-Complete primaries as soon as I can and submit (AACOMAS, you're very right about AMCAS) (early summer).

So if i were to get back into engineering next fall, my transcripts would have already been submitted and my grades wouldn't really affect my application. If i were to get an early interview I could even drop engineering before the drop-day!

This is my final push for medical school. If I'm not in by 2014 I will move onto another career, hence why I figured engineering would be a good field. Therefore my grades next year wouldn't really have much of an impact on my medical school career (please correct me if I'm wrong).

I know it sounds like I'm giving up, but I don't think of it that way at all. Life is too short to be worried about getting into medical school all the time. I can help people in other ways (ex: biomedical engineering). Having said that, I would greatly consider trying to get into medical school again after a few years of engineering practice. haha...it's an addiction!

I don't see it as you giving up, I know our brothers up north have it more difficult than us (you have what, 12 medical schools?). Anyways, I'd say go for it then. Apply everywhere for DO. If I were you, I wouldn't retake the MCAT because if you go lower, that will be the end.

Have you tried shadowing some sort of doctor? Especially a DO..

 

[Setto]

Thanks!

DOs are few and far between up here and the docs that I spoke to said it would be unethical for me to shadow them unless I was currently in school (graduated last may) or currently volunteering. I plan on volunteering at the general hospital and maybe show a couple of docs how hungry I am for a shadowing position!

I am very confident that I can do better on the MCAT considering I went in last time with totally self-taught biology. Having said that, it is a very time consuming study-process so I'll keep what you said in mind.

Thanks a lot for the help!

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

A 3.56/31 is a very good combo for AACOMAs, but I wouldn't bother with AMCAs. Internationals have a very hard time getting into USMD (very few schools only reserve a few spots for internationals and they usually have much better stats than the average matriculant and/or a great story).

Do you have any ties in the US? I would focus on that before doing a second bachelors, which isn't necessary for either school. Also engineering is difficult and may keep your GPA steady which is worse than increasing.

Where'd you get his stats? And if those are his stats, then that is horrible advice. Apply broadly to MD as the average int is like 3.7/33. He'd have more than a shot and plenty of MD schools do accept some internationals.

 

[Setto]

My stats were in the first post

I'm gonna apply to a couple schools for MD so long as I get a better MCAT. But I really don't mind DO schools based on the research I've done and the advancements for the degree in Canada. Not much stigma up here where people are falling over one another for doctors. I will be applying to both.

 

[darklabel]

My stats were in the first post

I'm gonna apply to a couple schools for MD so long as I get a better MCAT. But I really don't mind DO schools based on the research I've done and the advancements for the degree in Canada. Not much stigma up here where people are falling over one another for doctors. I will be applying to both.

My apologies, you did say this is your third time so at this point, I believe MD schools think you are missing something critical on your app. If you want to apply AMCAs again then go for it, but I don't know how a 3rd time will work out for you if there's no significant difference between apps.

I think he's a shoe in for DO and is probably missing something like shadowing, ECs, etc

 

[Setto]

I should have been more specific. My application history is the following:

Year 1: Canada, Ireland, USMD. I was complete for US in late November (LoR writer had health issues). I never really had a shot applying that late as an international in a rolling admission. Interviewed and accepted to Ireland.

Year 2: Moved to Ireland but decided last minute not to attend the school. I have an EU citizenship so residency isn't really a problem, I just had a dilemma and chose to move back to Canada. This was early September so once again I was lagging in a rolling admission. I decided to wait until next year (2013) to apply. Compared to year 1, I have additional research assistant hours as well as last years grades (roughly 3.9 GPA full time).

Year 3 (next year): I will apply to MD (for the second time, with better GPA and all pre-reqs done), D.O. and Ireland (just in case).

Note: I will not be applying to Canadian schools because I'm all sorts of bitter after what happened to me last week. I was granted an Interview at McGill Medical School and then at the very last minute they withdrew my interview and refuse to tell me why (most likely a stronger candidate!). Once I cool down over the who fiasco I'm sure I'll toss my hat in that ring one last time lol.