Some Questions, Thanks!

[TristanJ]

Hi! My second post here! I am currently an Electrical Engineering student at University of Calgary with "grand ambitions" to apply to med school. I hope to complete a bioelectrical engineering masters degree and then apply to medical school (most likely UofC or UofA). Here, then, are my questions:

1) I am currently on a 1 year paid internship in Switzerland for electical engineering. About 25 students a year are placed overseas at my university. I am curious if having international work experience will improve my chances of acceptance.

2) I have a single F grade, and immediately retook the course (Vector Calculus at 8 in the morning, ugh) and passed. Since then my marks have definetly been trending upwards. Will this be a huge liability?

3) I have no prereqs yet, and although canada has a couple of universities that accept med school students without prereqs, I am going to try to fit in courses to get myself these requirements. What would people recommend?

4) I have already started studying for MCATs (3 years away probably) and find physics, verbal reasoning and the essay to be straightforward. However, my method for studying biology, chem, and org. chem at the moment is by using the Princeton Review. Has anyone been successful at learning these topics almost from scratch using review books? Does anyone have any other advice?

Thank you very much for your time, and best of luck to everyone.

Tristan Jones

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[jochi1543]

1) I am currently on a 1 year paid internship in Switzerland for electical engineering. About 25 students a year are placed overseas at my university. I am curious if having international work experience will improve my chances of acceptance.

Yeah, it'd look good, but you need to know how to spin it on the app, since many other people have international experiences.

2) I have a single F grade, and immediately retook the course (Vector Calculus at 8 in the morning, ugh) and passed. Since then my marks have definetly been trending upwards. Will this be a huge liability?

Well, it'll be a liability, but no one knows how big...

3) I have no prereqs yet, and although canada has a couple of universities that accept med school students without prereqs, I am going to try to fit in courses to get myself these requirements. What would people recommend?

U of C doesn't have a list of pre-reqs, but has "recommended courses," and word is that completing them increases your academic evaluation score. U of A has an extensive list of pre-reqs. You might benefit from visiting these 2 schools' websites.

4) I have already started studying for MCATs (3 years away probably) and find physics, verbal reasoning and the essay to be straightforward. However, my method for studying biology, chem, and org. chem at the moment is by using the Princeton Review. Has anyone been successful at learning these topics almost from scratch using review books? Does anyone have any other advice?

I'd take the pre-reqs then take the MCAT. A lot of people take the MCAT without pre-reqs and then end up bombing it. It's geared towards people who've taken these classes.

 

[TristanJ]

Yeah, it'd look good, but you need to know how to spin it on the app, since many other people have international experiences.

How would you spin it? I'm working on getting a volunteer placement at a hospital over here, or a clinic, so hopefully that would make it more applicable. I'm also working on founding an Undergraduate Research Journal at my university, is this sort of thing run of the mill for ECs, or will it stand out a bit?

Well, it'll be a liability, but no one knows how big...

Always a liability I'm hoping though that since medical school probably doesn't draw *too* much on Vector Calculus that it won't be held against me too much.

U of C doesn't have a list of pre-reqs, but has "recommended courses," and word is that completing them increases your academic evaluation score. U of A has an extensive list of pre-reqs. You might benefit from visiting these 2 schools' websites.

Taken a look at the websites, I will have to see which of my engineering courses can count as prereqs for physics and english. Besides, doing the prereqs means I'll have more grades to bring up my undergraduate GPA before grad school.

I'd take the pre-reqs then take the MCAT. A lot of people take the MCAT without pre-reqs and then end up bombing it. It's geared towards people who've taken these classes.

Thank you! Furthermore, do you know if Alberta schools combine your scores between undergrad and graduate? Will strong grad school GPA offset a slightly weaker undergrad GPA?

Thanks for your time!

Tristan