On Wednesday, May 8th, just two days from now, I will be able to start my AMCAS application. This is the summer where I officially apply to donate the rest of my life to the practice of medicine, to the art of healing. I'm almost more scared of what will happen if I do get in than if I don't, and if I get into an American school, and not a Canadian one.
Most Canadian schools (or the ones I am applying to at least) drop your worst academic year. The University of Calgary drops your worst year if you have completed 3 full time years (yippee for me!), and UBC will drop your worst year if you have 120 credits (ie, you have completed 4 years). This is where the problem begins. I am in third year, so uCalgary will drop my worst year, but UBC will not. My best chances for admission are at UBC (if I had my worst year dropped, ie the year I spent in the hospital), which would only happen if I applied in the NEXT cycle, not this one.
So, if I complete my AMCAS application, and I apply to the 10-12 schools I have a chance at in the US, and I get into one of them, but not a Canadian school, do I go, or do I wait a year and reapply? If I wait a year, UBC will drop my first year and my GPA will increase (likely) to above admission averages, but my GPA alone won't guarantee me admission. But UBC has a large rural assessment component to the application (which is very much in my favour as I grew up in a town of less than 4000 people), and my extra curricular activities will only improve with the addition of one more year on my application. So, my application, if I were to apply in the 2014/2015 cycle would likely be much stronger, and my chances for admission are higher.
Back to the dilemma, do I submit an AMCAS application? If I get in only to an American school, do I go? My intentions for the past year was that I would apply to US schools, but that was on the thought that UBC would be dropping my worst year, and now that they won't be, I am second guessing. I want to cover all of my bases in Canada, and ensure I have the strongest application possible submitted to Canadian schools before I hop across our southern border.
I want the best chance possible at becoming a doctor and I don't want to miss an opportunity to fulfill my dream, but waiting one more year and getting in to a Canadian school would mean that I would be at least $200,000 less in debt and be able to get a residency spot in Canada. (Plus, I don't have to write step 1, or go through the silly basic science courses that US medical schools force you to go through.)
WHAT DO I DO??? I just want to be a doctor! (Preferably in Canada, and if not Canada, Washington or Oregon state because they are the most similar places to Canada other than of course Canada itself and New Zealand.)
Oooooo! That sounds like a difficult decision. However, I do believe you will end up where you were meant to be. I love Canada and understand wanting to stay there. I am counting down the days until my trip there this Fall!
ReplyDeleteAs always, I am so happy to have you linking up with us for Medical Monday! Thank you!
Thanks for linking up today! I am in absolutely no position to offer advice on this topic, I wouldn't know where to begin. The only universal advice I have is follow your gut. Most of the time it works:-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a very legitimate reason for having a bad year -- many schools take that into account if you can explain it in your application, even if they don't officially drop a year! So that might not hurt you as much as you think :)
ReplyDeleteHaving said that -- I took more than the usual amount of time off between undergraduate and medical school, and I found it to be EXTREMELY valuable. I would encourage anyone and everyone to take some time off to explore the "real" world. You've spent many years in school, and you're going to spend many more in medical school in residency. I think having some time off to gain a broader experience enhances your ability to connect with patients who have not spent their entire lives in academia.
Just my two cents! Good luck with your applications!
I feel like if I take a year off, I would end up just doing a masters or starting a PhD program to improve my application. But honestly, 85% of me wants to start medical school straight out of my undergrad, 10% of me wants to go to Nepal, and the other 5% wants to go graduate school...
DeleteYou really want to go to med school in Canada, and it seems you have a pretty strong chance of getting in especially if you wait a year. Here's the question: can you financially afford to do something else for a year? If so, I say wait by all means! I kind of wish I had waited a year before med school. You have a heart for service, so can you find an affordable way to do something you enjoy for a year before applying? If you can, I think you should.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to spend a few months in Nepal and/or go back to Ghana. I could probably work for a few months back home after I graduate in a bike shop or something to make some money to travel and volunteer abroad. There are a lot of things I want to do and see, but I also just want to get into medical school so I can stop stressing about my future like I have been for the past 10 years..
DeleteIf you have that option of making money and traveling... I strongly suggest it. Perhaps you have already made your decision. If you end up going to Nepal/Ghana, I will love hearing about it. And if you end up going to med school immediately, I'll love reading about that too, obviously.
DeleteWow, decisions decisions...Well, I think I'd apply for everything, tour the places you get accepted and go from there. Whatever you choose will be fine I'm sure, and even if you don't feel the right school accepted you, you can wait and re-apply next cycle!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up!
Heather @ the Life Unexpected