Im a Canadian elec. engineering graduate and will be applying to med schools in the fall. I really dont know which ones are good/which ones I should apply to. I would like to apply to a few relatively easy uni's and a few good ones. Im also open to the DO path. I have a 3.75 gpa in the last two years of engg and the first two were really bad (cumulative 3.2). I also did an extra year of science prereq courses, I think its what you guys call postbacc to bring up my GPA. Anyway, if anyone has any advice/any information on what schools I should apply to in the US it would be great.
The admissions committees will consider the difficulty of your program and improvement in the last two years, but a 3.2 cumulative GPA is going to close a lot of doors. Apply
early (e.g., July) and
broadly (e.g., 30-35 schools). Keep in mind that some schools have quotas for international applicants, while other schools require permanent residency or citizenship.
Schools that accept international applicants often say they have the same academic requirements for us, but realize there are lots of international applicants applying for very few spots.
You need to be way above the average matriculant to be competitive. It is a different game for us.
Wayne State University, Rosalind Franklin University, Medical College of Wisconsin, New York Medical College, Albany, University of Vermont, Tufts University, Creighton University, St. Louis University, Albert Einstein, George Washington University, Jefferson, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Wake Forest University, and Boston University are some of the MD schools you should consider. Wayne and Rosalind Franklin have a history of accepting a decent number of Canadians every year.
I don't know what kind of extracurricular activities you have, but unless you won an Olympic medal, saved a burning orphanage, found the cure for Cancer, graduated with a Ph.D. in four years, or did something ridiculously awesome, most MD schools will reject you outright. The first point of screening is often the GPA and MCAT, and if your numbers are not competitive the game is over. The DO schools tend to view applicants more holistically and are generally more flexible, I strongly encourage you to apply.
Also, there is no dichotomy between "easy" low quality schools and "good" high quality ones. American med schools are all accredited by the LCME and meet standards for education and training. Depending on your lifestyle you might prefer one location (e.g., suburban) over another location (e.g., inner city). Some schools have better "reputation" but I don't think that matters too much.
Regardless you should be grateful for any acceptance, anywhere.
Also, I am also a bit concerned about timelines as I will be writing the MCAT in July, and Im planning to leave the country till December. Are the interviews held before December?
Interviews are held from October until April. Unless you absolutely have to leave the country, I recommend you sit and wait.
