Hey I'm new! ...and have a question...

[cure4cancer]

Hey, I'm currently doing my first undergrad year at UBC right now, incase you guys don't know, its a Canadian university in the province of British Columbia.

This is an american forum right?

But anyway, I noticed the chances of me making it into the medical school is from slim to none at my school, or at any Canadian University for that matter.

I'm just wondering if it is any easier to go down to an American University to study medicine?
And if you guys could provide average ( competitive ) GPA's and MCAT scores, that would be awesome too

And also, I know for most Canadian Universities they require some autobiographical essay, do American Universities need this too? or do they just look for the GPA and MCAT scores?

Thanks in advance
Vince.

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[docbill]

Vince...

As a first year student.. you are starting off bad.

You have not even finished your first semester at UBC and you are already thinking of going south to do medicine. That is a shame.

Let me make something clear to you.

1) You should work on getting good grades and not give up from now.
2) UBC is not out of reach for you or anyone starting off.
3) Don't worry about medicine as of yet.
4) Take the first two years to take courses that interest you (with pre-req).
5) Enjoy yourself.
6) Volunteer and Participate in things you actually enjoy.
7) Plan to do the MCAT at the end of your 3 year... if you are still interested in medicine at that time.



If you don't you will be dissapointed.

Your undergrad years are for you to mature, grow up and become independent.

 

[cure4cancer]

I agree, I should be starting off slack and not trying as hard in school as I am right now.

But the thing is at UBC, they count ALL my grades that I'll ever have completed during my undergrad, every course that I will fail, and every course that i will re-take to make up for the failed course.

For me it isn't as other universities where emphasis is placed on 3rd and 4th year. For me the stress began the day I stepped foot onto the campus.

 

[docbill]

Look man... I know what UBC is like. My sister is 3rd year there and she is having a tough time. That doesn't mean she is giving up.

YOU SHOULD READ YOUR POST.. you are already predicting your failure.
If you don't like UBC... cause it is bloody competative.. then consider changing schools. SFU or UVic are more enjoyable and less Kamazaki students there.

STOP COMPLAINING AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR NOSTRAMOUS PREDICTIONS.

UBC.. will look at your undergrad... and prefer seeing either a great improvement year to year or grades from the beginning. THey do look at the last 60 credits as having more weight.

Every school looks at every class. repeater or not.. some due weighted.. but at the end it is all the same.

GO AND SEE A COUNCELOR.. and GET HELP SO YOU LEARN HOW TO STUDY. NOTHING TO DO WITH MEDICINE. IF you are fresh out of HIGH SCHOOL... YOU NEED TO ADJUST TO THE CHANGE.

I am sorry but that is my advice. I will not respond to any more negative, unproductive posts.

 

[Doc Ivy]

I agree, I should be starting off slack and not trying as hard in school as I am right now.

But the thing is at UBC, they count ALL my grades that I'll ever have completed during my undergrad, every course that I will fail, and every course that i will re-take to make up for the failed course.

For me it isn't as other universities where emphasis is placed on 3rd and 4th year. For me the stress began the day I stepped foot onto the campus.

Why are you so convinced you are going to fail??? You are in a beautiful siutation, the slate is still clean you're first year undergrad--I bet you haven't even had a midterm yet. You can still kick ass in all of your courses, if you need a tutor swallow your pride and get one, target the smartest people in your class and study with them, ask them what they do, be consistent-- this isn't high school anymore, you HAVE to study EVERYDAY, it's not how smart you are, it's how diligent you are. Go to profs' office hours with intelligent questions, this serves two purposes you'll go into exams without any unanswered questions and the profs will get to know who you are so that when you actually apply to medical school, you'll have decent letters of rec. Ask your profs if they do research, volunteer to help out in their labs. It's not too late for you...

 

[docbill]

Exactly.. it is not too late at all.. it has not even started.

 

[thatuvicguy]

Hey, I'm currently doing my first undergrad year at UBC right now...

But anyway, I noticed the chances of me making it into the medical school is from slim to none at my school, or at any Canadian University for that matter.

And also, I know for most Canadian Universities they require some autobiographical essay, do American Universities need this too? or do they just look for the GPA and MCAT scores?

Dude, that's way too defeatist. I wish I was in your shoes. Take it from someone who bungled their first couple of years, finished a degree and THEN REALLY decided "hhhmmm, i think i'm a good fit for medicine." Went back, did a SECOND degree to up my grades and finish prereqs (mainly for UBC) and now can finally apply.

Although I (like 80% of my 1st year, straight-outta-highschool classmates) talked about how I was going to "go into medicine" when I was in 1st year, I didn't really have a clue. Finding this kind of online resource in your 1st year puts you ahead of the game and I think your in good shape if you really take the time for some introspection on whether medicine is good for you.

BUT, like other posters have said, chances are you're still young (pardon me if you're an older student now deciding to go to university) and thus have lots to experience and lots to learn. Have fun and learn lots while developing good work/study habits that will serve you in whatever you decide to do. Above all else, BELIEVE that you can do what you set your mind to, which at this point in the game, includes matriculating at UBC Med School.

PS - First year everywhere kinda blows goats, and in addition to studying lots, you do kinda have to learn to "play the game"

Best of luck,
thatuvicguy

 

[cure4cancer]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I'm not taking any of this stuff that you are saying towards me negatively at all, I really appreciate this "support" and advice you are providing me with.

I guess I'm just scared about University, I saw the grade requirements for entering into medicine a couple days ago ( after going to a Pre-med seminar )
and I was like, "Whoa, I didn't even do that well in highschool."

Sorry, I am a real pessimist (sp). I guess I should change my views on things and start believing in myself like you guys said.

Thanks a bunch =)

 

[scared sh*tless]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I'm not taking any of this stuff that you are saying towards me negatively at all, I really appreciate this "support" and advice you are providing me with.

I guess I'm just scared about University, I saw the grade requirements for entering into medicine a couple days ago ( after going to a Pre-med seminar )
and I was like, "Whoa, I didn't even do that well in highschool."

Sorry, I am a real pessimist (sp). I guess I should change my views on things and start believing in myself like you guys said.

Thanks a bunch =)

Hey dude, I'm a little late in this post, but like the other peeps here feel like I want to enourage you along. IN a weird way, because we have all gone through this, I guess we feel a kind of kinship. Probably we all want to give you advice because it is a long hard road, especially when you screw up your first few years like I did.

I screwed up my first two years at McGill (GPA: 2.32) improved years 3 and four (cum GPA, over 4 years = 3.0!) did a master's degree, applied to med schools three years in a row and finally god into a decent US med school. I;m about to graduate and match in neurology. (that's what I'm scared sh*tless about)

When I applied, US Med schools had no clear GPA barriers.. the average GPA was lower, and it seemed like a 3.3 gave you a pretty good shot.

I think they key is to make that road a spiritual road.

Some people climb a mountain in flip flops and eat a diet of worms. For you, if you choose to do medicine, it will be getting in.

In the process of finishing my med shcool degree I moved a bunch of times, broke up with my girlfriend, gave away my cat, adopted a dog, met the woman of my dreams got married, lived in Italy, got to play jazz festival with other med students etc...

The one thing I wish I could back and do is this:

I love history, anthropology, languages, and music. But I studied hard core molecular biology in undergrad because I thought it was 'more serious'. Then I found out all these music majors were getting into med school on their first application. and I had to apply three times.

Being serious isn't what you study: it's how you apply yourself.

Find something you love and just do it for four years, and do it as well as you can.

If you asked me the right way to get into med school?

First of all, give yourself more than just the 'four years' of udnergrad. Yes some nerds get in first time because all they do is study and get like a 3.9. These people spend these crucial youthful yeras cooped up with a bunch of nerds, maybe hating what they spend their time doing, and end up becoming shallow and bitter physicians (granted, this is my opinion).

If you love archaeology, do that for four years, go on a dig and try to even have some research to your name.

Then, take a full year, or maybe two.. to just f-ing NAIL the MCAT... then you prove to them you can do it.

So some admissions dean sees 'archaelogy, hmm..:'

'He went to mesopotamia for a year, wow...'

'And look: he got a 35 on the MCAT! So he can do medicine! I really want to meet this person!'

It won't work on all med schools, but it will on the ones that count (i.e. the ones you would be happy at).

getting into med school is a long part of your life. Then doing it, and doing residency is even longer. You have to enjoy the process. Make it your quest, make it enjoyable. Then you will undoubtely succeed.

First year pre-med is ass, man. My heart goes out to you. Don't let the darkness in the hearts of your classmates envelop you. Instead use the university to bring out the best in you and challenge you to be a better human being.

Again, just an opinion.

it's your life.

P.S. I think it's totally worth it, by the way, ,becoming a doctor. But then, I'm chillin out this year...

 

[docbill]

Great Advice.

 

[Dino_D]

If I had to do it all over again I would have taken an easier major than Biochemistry. The only reason I took Biochem was it had all of the requirements for dental school, however, I found it was also one of the tougher majors (at least for me). I think I would have done better if I went with a straight chemistry degree since I tended to do better in that sort of thing. Anyways, it was a bit frustrating to see people with higher GPA's who were taking the "booster" courses. So take a major you enjoy and think you'll do well in and supplement it with "booster" courses to get your GPA up. I know people that got into dentistry from music majors! Not that there's anything wrong with that. Besides, it's not like you can do anything with a Bachelors degree these days anyways.

I got put on the waitlist at UBC dental school and was rejected 3 years in a row. That 3rd year of applications though I bit the bullet and applied to U.S. schools. I interviewed and got accepted into NYU and Northwestern, got waitlisted at BU but then got in. I even got into Howard without an interview. After talking to my orthodontist I went with Northwestern and had an awesome 4 years there but am paying for it in student loans . It's funny though because the year after I got into Northwestern, UBC changed it's dental program to problem-based learning which I'm assuming may have turned off some applicants. I had a friend who applied to UBC and U.S. schools that year and got into UBC but none of the U.S. schools (Northwestern included) and his GPA was lower than mine.

I would definitely try to stick with a Canadian school from a financial standpoint but I will never regret meeting all the wonderful people at Northwestern and am grateful for the great education I got there. Plus, downtown Chicago is not a bad place to be studying for 4 years - always lots to do, even more to do if you have $$.

 

[cure4cancer]

whoa, that is great advice from dino d and scared sh*tless.
thanks alot

 

[Dino_D]

Scared has a very good point too. If you're an interesting person and your interviewers are interested in you as a person and not as a number then you will do well at that interview. When I was interviewed at UBC I had 3 people who all had pens and writing pads. They each took turns asking me very serious questions (e.g. What is your greatest accomplisment? What do you regret most in life?) that were very to the point. Basically a one sentence question. After they asked me the question they would just look down at the pads and jotting notes based on what I said. No interaction at all during the interview. They would just sit there and let me talk. During all of my interviews at the other schools (i.e. US schools) they were asking me specific questions about my life outside of school, what I did for fun, they would even share their own stories and I just found them to be more personable. I don't know, maybe they had to do this at UBC b/c it was so competitive to get in so they had to standardize everything. A lot of the U.S. schools that take foreign applicants are usually private schools and cost more to attend, so they probably want you to go there anyways.

 

[scared sh*tless]

Scared has a very good point too. If you're an interesting person and your interviewers are interested in you as a person and not as a number then you will do well at that interview. When I was interviewed at UBC I had 3 people who all had pens and writing pads. They each took turns asking me very serious questions (e.g. What is your greatest accomplisment? What do you regret most in life?) that were very to the point. Basically a one sentence question. After they asked me the question they would just look down at the pads and jotting notes based on what I said. No interaction at all during the interview. They would just sit there and let me talk. During all of my interviews at the other schools (i.e. US schools) they were asking me specific questions about my life outside of school, what I did for fun, they would even share their own stories and I just found them to be more personable. I don't know, maybe they had to do this at UBC b/c it was so competitive to get in so they had to standardize everything. A lot of the U.S. schools that take foreign applicants are usually private schools and cost more to attend, so they probably want you to go there anyways.

Hey Dino it sounds like we had kind of the same experience... it's true that the pricey US education affords them the luxury to 'get to know' their students, and it makes for an overall more pleasant environment. Dental and medical school takes a lot of time and the last thing you want to do is be miserable with a bunch of drones...

I totally would adivse those coming up to TAKE SOME EASY COURSES... I felt I didn't want to waste my precious education with 'The art of Listening' (Clapping for Credits, we called it) so I would take like ' advanced neurophysiology' and get slammed... Takign one or two easy courses /semester just means you will get more out of your other courses... You will get to learn all the hard core stuff later....

Ahh, stuff I wish I'd known...

But then, there is some master plan to all this, I'm sure of it....

 

[tupac_don]

I agree, I should be starting off slack and not trying as hard in school as I am right now.

But the thing is at UBC, they count ALL my grades that I'll ever have completed during my undergrad, every course that I will fail, and every course that i will re-take to make up for the failed course.

For me it isn't as other universities where emphasis is placed on 3rd and 4th year. For me the stress began the day I stepped foot onto the campus.

You do know that Western Ontario in Canada looks at your two best years.
The thing with them is that they ask for a high writing score on the MCAT like a Q. Best of luck.