Should I do an SMP or go for DO? Job problems afterwards.

[Chromatic543]

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cGPA: 3.32
sGPA: 3.02

Basically I have really messed up my GPA as I went through a lot of family and social problems, but ultimately blame myself for letting things get to me. I am currently in the Spring Quarter of my Junior year of undergraduate studying Biochemistry, and I will be taking my MCAT this Summer. After I take the MCAT in September, I am planning on applying to an SMP. Then next Summer before the start of the SMP, I want to apply for MD and DO just to see what I can get. The issue here is the timing, and where my job will be if I can get a degree in Medicine. If I get into a DO or an MD (haha yeah I wish), I will have to wait a whole year!

Timing Issue:

1. MCAT (September 2016)
2. SMP Application (October 2016)
3. MD and DO Application (Summer 2017)
4. 2017-2018 School year will be SMP, but if not SMP then I will have a gap year.

So is there a way to eliminate this GAP year or am I stuck there? Do you think it's better to do an SMP in this case, with respect to time?

Why I am against the D.O degree (Job Reason):

It is not because I believe that I won't get a job or get any patients, or that no hospital will hire me. The only problem is that I want to reunite with my family in Canada, but I don't have a permanent residency or citizenship there. However, my dream was to always go back to the Province of British Columbia to practice medicine. I heard that the D.O degree is considered an IMG (international medical graduate) in Canada, which makes it EXTREMELY difficult for me to work there. I am not sure about British Columbia specifically. Getting a US MD would make the transition a lot easier. If I absolutely have to, I am willing to work in Washington State and live in British Columbia, if possible with a DO, but obviously working somewhere near where I live would be a lot easier, aka the MD. What do you think about this? I really want to do Primary Care!! I am not planning on specializing.

😀 Thank You

 

[Goro]

Given your career goals, SMP.

You'll need to ace it, and the MCAT.

 

[tropicalzed]

If you don't have permanent residency or citizenship in Canada, you cannot just go and work there willy nilly.
If you do have Canadian permanent residency or citizenship, you would qualify for first iteration residency match in BC and Quebec (no where else though) as a DO graduate.
If you do have Canadian permanent residency or citizenship, you should do your residency in the states, and then return to Canada to work.

The IMG classification only matters when you want to get a residency placement.

US MDs cannot simply walk over the border and start working. Same goes for Canadian MDs. The TN visa does not extend to clinical physicians, only research/teaching physicians.

http://studentdo.ca/

 

[Chromatic543]

If you don't have permanent residency or citizenship in Canada, you cannot just go and work there willy nilly.
If you do have Canadian permanent residency or citizenship, you would qualify for first iteration residency match in BC and Quebec (no where else though) as a DO graduate.
If you do have Canadian permanent residency or citizenship, you should do your residency in the states, and then return to Canada to work.

The IMG classification only matters when you want to get a residency placement.

US MDs cannot simply walk over the border and start working. Same goes for Canadian MDs. The TN visa does not extend to clinical physicians, only research/teaching physicians.

http://studentdo.ca/

Thank you for that information. So I am not very familiar with residencies, so if you can further help me, I would really appreciate it. Firstly, if I go ahead and do a D.O degree, should I complete the degree, do a three year residency in the US, and then do another residency in BC (if I have a permanent residency) ?

So what do you think I should do, in your opinion? What would be your advice to me in this case? Do you think working in Washington state and living in BC would be a bad idea?

 

[tropicalzed]

You must live and work in 1 country. You do not need to do another residency in Canada if you have already done an ACGME accredited residency in the states . Just go become a DO - if you get admitted.