Weird question - Boston MAMS vs Wayne State BMS ?

[Meester Doge]

Hi everyone, first off thanks for any replies. Appreciate any input!

I have ~3.4 GPA and a 515 MCAT, didn't get any MD interviews last cycle. Was deciding between Aussie schools and an SMP, but I think I'll give a master's a try and probably go DO before australia, we'll see next cycle. Anyway, I have been accepted into both BU and Wayne State for their SMPs starting this fall. I am a Canadian from southwestern ontario so I get in-state tuition at Wayne State (I believe its about $20k, compared to $55k at BU), and my sister is a recent wayne state medicine grad.

I'm wondering if you guys have any input on which school to choose, and if BU (having a more reputable program) is worth the extra tuition cost. My sister also completed the Wayne BMS program before getting into medicine there, so it seems like a safe bet, but I hope not to fence myself too early by turning down BU. This is especially true if schools will really look at my GPA (from what I've heard, Wayne will be an easier program for my GPA). I'm not sure if Canadian schools will care which school I go to, but US schools might. Thoughts?

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[ConfusedChemist]

Don't be stupid. Your GPA, 150K (realistically, 200,000$+ after interest), and an actual accredited MD are 100x more important than the school name. Take your pride, swallow it, and go to Wayne if you're lucky enough to get in with a 3.4. Canadian schools don't use SMPs anyways, and a 3.4 is way too low for any school here, so unless you did another undergrad you're SOL in Canada

 

[torontopharm]

Some things to consider..
Wayne's BMS costs 27k USD in tuition with our discounted tuition.
You don't necessarily need Wayne's BMS to matriculate into Wayne's med school. You can do any science masters anywhere, and after 20 credits, Wayne will replace your undergrad GPA with your science GPA. People generally do well in Wayne's BMS so they end up just applying to the same med school for convenience.
Canadian schools don't care about where you did your SMP from, nor will they consider how you did on it. Yeah some schools will give you that 0.1 GPA boost for your graduate work, which won't help given your current GPA. To get into a Canadian school, you basically have to do a 2nd undergrad.

The best option for you is to skip all of this and apply to DO schools directly with your current stats. Your stats are fine for DO schools and SMP isn't even necessary if your goal is DO. If you must do a SMP i'd do Wayne's just because costs really add up when you're going to school in the states. Wayne will let you skip on buying health insurance if you're commuting from Windsor, which in my mind is a big advantage. 55k for a SMP for us Canadians who aren't even able to apply to many US med schools is a horrible idea in my opinion.

 

[Meester Doge]

Thanks for the input guys. Really appreciate it!

I should add that the in-state tuition is only for the Masters program - I will have to pay the full out of state tuition at Wayne if I get in. I didn't know Wayne replaces your uGPA after a masters, good to know!

Maybe you guys are right and the cost difference isn't worth it. I was thinking that spending the extra $30k now on the BU SMP might give me a good shot at getting into BU medicine, which will have a similar tuition compared to Wayne medicine in the long run. I wanted to give the MD cycle one more shot after my SMP, and apply to DO schools At the same time.

Really appreciate your thoughts though, it's been a tough decision for me.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Thanks for the input guys. Really appreciate it!

I should add that the in-state tuition is only for the Masters program - I will have to pay the full out of state tuition at Wayne if I get in. I didn't know Wayne replaces your uGPA after a masters, good to know!

Maybe you guys are right and the cost difference isn't worth it. I was thinking that spending the extra $30k now on the BU SMP might give me a good shot at getting into BU medicine, which will have a similar tuition compared to Wayne medicine in the long run. I wanted to give the MD cycle one more shot after my SMP, and apply to DO schools At the same time.

Really appreciate your thoughts though, it's been a tough decision for me.

See I 100% disagree with the person above, because there's a HUGE difference between MD and DO if you ever, ever want to work in Canada again.

MD=MD. Done.

DO=IMG. Probably good to stay in US for residency (can only apply for the IMG spots/ second round leftovers in Canada) OR you apply to US residencies, as both a Visa-needing non-US citizen (=$$ the school needs to pay to have you)+ you're a DO, which is less ideal than MD for most residencies.

Point is, DO means you're very, very, very unlikley to end up in anything but primary care/very rural locations. If that's fine, apply DO. But if you think there's a chance you want to do surgery, or anything competitive, then you're kissing that goodbye in a DO school (as a Canadian).

30K is a lot, but you're spending a ton at a US med school anyway, and if you'll make that back very quickly later

 

[Meester Doge]

See I 100% disagree with the person above, because there's a HUGE difference between MD and DO if you ever, ever want to work in Canada again.

MD=MD. Done.

DO=IMG. Probably good to stay in US for residency (can only apply for the IMG spots/ second round leftovers in Canada) OR you apply to US residencies, as both a Visa-needing non-US citizen (=$$ the school needs to pay to have you)+ you're a DO, which is less ideal than MD for most residencies.

Point is, DO means you're very, very, very unlikley to end up in anything but primary care/very rural locations. If that's fine, apply DO. But if you think there's a chance you want to do surgery, or anything competitive, then you're kissing that goodbye in a DO school (as a Canadian).

30K is a lot, but you're spending a ton at a US med school anyway, and if you'll make that back very quickly later

I would actually agree with you on all your points. Being a Canadian and needing a visa come residency time can actually make a difference, especially as a DO. As it stands, I'm not sure if I want to go into primary care or anything more competitive.

So do you think the extra 30k is worth going to a better SMP? I feel that going to the Wayne BMS will get me into Wayne medicine, but if that doesn't work out I'm SOL. With the BU SMP, maybe doing well will give me a few options?
Also, people have said that Canadian schools don't look at your SMP grades, but my sister actually only received interviews at canadian schools (Queens, UBC) after completing the Wayne BMS program. She had a similar uGPA to me; granted, this was close to 5 years ago.

 

[canucanoe]

Some things to consider..
Wayne's BMS costs 27k USD in tuition with our discounted tuition.
You don't necessarily need Wayne's BMS to matriculate into Wayne's med school. You can do any science masters anywhere, and after 20 credits, Wayne will replace your undergrad GPA with your science GPA. People generally do well in Wayne's BMS so they end up just applying to the same med school for convenience.
Canadian schools don't care about where you did your SMP from, nor will they consider how you did on it. Yeah some schools will give you that 0.1 GPA boost for your graduate work, which won't help given your current GPA. To get into a Canadian school, you basically have to do a 2nd undergrad.

The best option for you is to skip all of this and apply to DO schools directly with your current stats. Your stats are fine for DO schools and SMP isn't even necessary if your goal is DO. If you must do a SMP i'd do Wayne's just because costs really add up when you're going to school in the states. Wayne will let you skip on buying health insurance if you're commuting from Windsor, which in my mind is a big advantage. 55k for a SMP for us Canadians who aren't even able to apply to many US med schools is a horrible idea in my opinion.

Wish me luck. I am a Canadian. I want to go to Medical School and I will be attending BU's MAMS program come September 2016. The fact that I would have to do a 2nd undergrad degree (because of a lower GPA in my first undergrad) to get into a Canadian Medical School is depressing. Penury is depressing too...Oh well, here goes...off to Boston.