Medical WAMC as a Canadian Applicant to US Medical Schools

[gyngyn]

Hi! I am a Canadian applicant who is hoping to apply to US medical schools, both DO and MD. Here are my academic stats:

cGPA: 3.82 - poor 4th year, dealt with some substantial family mental health issues
sGPA: 3.76 - the bulk of my degree involves pharmacology courses, which don't count as science

MCAT: 518 (131/129/130/128) - completed September 12, 2020

Here are my ECs:

virtual shadowing - 20 hours (2 months, currently) *2 hours per week*

medical first responder course - 88 hours (3 months, completed) 2

volunteer:
clinical volunteering - 119 hours (2.5 years active, 1 year on hiatus due to COVID-1, currently)
research experience - 800 hours, no publications (2 years, currently)
soccer coach volunteering - 160 hours (3 years, currently)
STEM summer camps - 110 hours (1 summer, completed)
food bank - 3 hours (1 month, currently)

leadership:
community league board of directors - 150 hours (1.5 years, currently)
soccer team player/leadership - 600 hours (4.5 years, currently)
environmental sustainability advocacy - 600 hours (6 years, currently)
education outreach - 46 hours (2 years, currently)

employment:
grocery store employee - 170 hours (4 months, completed)
programming coordinator at seniors activity & outreach center - 300 hours (1.5 months, currently)

I applied quite late this year, so I've only applied to my provincial schools as well as a few DO schools.

I really do like the osteopathic philosophy and so I don't see applying only DO as a detriment, though it might be in terms of overall chances at medical school provided. For the next cycle, I plan on applying to every US MD and DO school for which I am above their average accepted GPA and MCAT.

I was considering continuing my emergency first responder training, but I am really enjoying my new position as programming coordinator at the senior center. I have already been offered a full-time position, and I think the reference I could get from the executive director would be invaluable for future cycles. Without considering the satisfaction and happiness of this job, this position requires significant leadership, management, and professional skills so I think it would look amazing for future cycles. However, I also think paramedic on-the-job experience would look amazing. Also, I'm concerned that I wouldn't be an excellent paramedic, only an okay one, or perhaps even mediocre/terrible. In that case, I would've given up a great job for no reason.

Anyways, if anyone can provide some solid advice I would really appreciate it! If you need any more information or a TLDR, let me know! I'm happy to provide whatever.

There are 57 US MD schools that consider Canadians. Start there, but eliminate the mission-based schools (where you don't fit the mission) and those that matriculate only one or two (they are likely internal candidates).

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[AlteredScale]

Hi! I am a Canadian applicant who is hoping to apply to US medical schools, both DO and MD. Here are my academic stats:

cGPA: 3.82 - poor 4th year, dealt with some substantial family mental health issues
sGPA: 3.76 - the bulk of my degree involves pharmacology courses, which don't count as science

MCAT: 518 (131/129/130/128) - completed September 12, 2020

Here are my ECs:

virtual shadowing - 20 hours (2 months, currently) *2 hours per week*

medical first responder course - 88 hours (3 months, completed) 2

volunteer:
clinical volunteering - 119 hours (2.5 years active, 1 year on hiatus due to COVID-1, currently)
research experience - 800 hours, no publications (2 years, currently)
soccer coach volunteering - 160 hours (3 years, currently)
STEM summer camps - 110 hours (1 summer, completed)
food bank - 3 hours (1 month, currently)

leadership:
community league board of directors - 150 hours (1.5 years, currently)
soccer team player/leadership - 600 hours (4.5 years, currently)
environmental sustainability advocacy - 600 hours (6 years, currently)
education outreach - 46 hours (2 years, currently)

employment:
grocery store employee - 170 hours (4 months, completed)
programming coordinator at seniors activity & outreach center - 300 hours (1.5 months, currently)

I applied quite late this year, so I've only applied to my provincial schools as well as a few DO schools.

I really do like the osteopathic philosophy and so I don't see applying only DO as a detriment, though it might be in terms of overall chances at medical school provided. For the next cycle, I plan on applying to every US MD and DO school for which I am above their average accepted GPA and MCAT.

I was considering continuing my emergency first responder training, but I am really enjoying my new position as programming coordinator at the senior center. I have already been offered a full-time position, and I think the reference I could get from the executive director would be invaluable for future cycles. Without considering the satisfaction and happiness of this job, this position requires significant leadership, management, and professional skills so I think it would look amazing for future cycles. However, I also think paramedic on-the-job experience would look amazing. Also, I'm concerned that I wouldn't be an excellent paramedic, only an okay one, or perhaps even mediocre/terrible. In that case, I would've given up a great job for no reason.

Anyways, if anyone can provide some solid advice I would really appreciate it! If you need any more information or a TLDR, let me know! I'm happy to provide whatever.

How late did you apply?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Always apply early with a complete application. No exceptions.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Very fair! I was also wondering, is it worthwhile applying to schools for which I'm just barely above their average accepted GPA and MCAT (considering I'm a Canadian applicant and already at a disadvantage)?

How many schools would you apply to that you aren't barely above their average of matriculants? You need to be smart picking your schools.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Very fair! I was also wondering, is it worthwhile applying to schools for which I'm just barely above their average accepted GPA and MCAT (considering I'm a Canadian applicant and already at a disadvantage)?

Your school list needs to have some reason to it. Throw in a couple reaches but the majority you need to be competitive at.

 

[GoSpursGo]

In case you don’t get in this year you should definitely get more clinical experience. 119 hours is pretty low.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Shoot for AT LEAST 150 hours of solid clinical experience.

 

[PerioDont]

Good luck!