1 / 21

Navigating American Medical School Applications: Pros and Cons for Canadians

Discover the reasons to consider American medical schools over Canadian ones and understand the advantages and disadvantages involved. Learn what these schools seek in applicants and gain insight into the application process, from premedical years to post-application decisions. Find out about crucial resources and timelines to optimize your chances of acceptance as a Canadian applicant.

billy
Download Presentation

Navigating American Medical School Applications: Pros and Cons for Canadians

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Understanding American medical school applications

  2. Why consider the US for medical school? • Advantages: • More choice of medical schools • More residency options • Many of the best schools consider Canadians “non-international”

  3. Why consider the US for medical school? • Disadvantages: • Most schools no better than Canadian ones • Canadian-specific disadvantages • Discrimination at public schools • Bad finances • Financial aid • Escrow • Private loans

  4. What these medical schools want • Academic excellence (grades and MCAT) • Research excellence • Service • Leadership • Direct medical experience • Enormous applicant surplus (30-50 applicants for EACH spot) MD

  5. Bird’s-eye view: application timeline Premedical years Pre-application Application Post-application

  6. Premedical years (Usually 1st-2nd year univ.) • Academic preparation • Grades • Clinical experience • Research • Service and leadership Premedical years Pre-application Application Post-application

  7. Premedical years (Academic preparation and grades) • Plan required coursework • When to take classes? • Meet premedical advisor • Make a friend • Discuss future goals • Grades (a.k.a. “marks”) • MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR • All grades matter • Cutoff GPAs?

  8. Premedical years (Clinical experiences, research, service) • Clinical experiences: shadowing/volunteering • Research experiences • Independence • Service & leadership • Depth > breadth • Being memorable is half the battle • Mid-college crisis

  9. Premedical years (Letters of recommendation) • Get letters IMMEDIATELY • Need 4-6 (> Canada) • MUST have science faculty • MUST have all research advisors • Avoid overlap • Optional: physicians shadowed, non-science professors

  10. Premedical years (Asking for a letter of recommendation) • Must be outstanding to matter • "Do you think you know me well enough to write me a strong letter of recommendation for medical school?" • Yes  schedule meeting, discuss content • Provide: • Cover letter (why you?) • 1 page CV • Waiver form, if applicable • Writer list • Envelopes • Premedical committee letters

  11. Pre-application (Year before you apply) Premedical years Pre-application • Taking the MCAT • Determining the application year Application Post-application

  12. Pre-application (MCAT) • Background and format • Preparation • Target date: summer after 2nd year • Last possible date: June of 3rd year • Valid for 3 years • Target score? • Retaking the test

  13. Pre-application (When do I apply??) • 3rd year vs. 4th year • Applying after 2nd year is impossible (≠Canada) • Gap years • Can use to strengthen application • Very common in US • Median age of entering medical class is usually in the mid-20’s

  14. Application (Usually 3rd–4th year of university) Premedical years Pre-application Application • Personal statement and schools list • Primary application • Secondary applications • Interviews Post-application

  15. Application (Personal statement, schools list) • March-April of 3rd year • Write personal statement • Make list • How many schools total? • Apply to schools with early acceptances • Avoid single-choice early decision • Rankings • Finances • Schools worth noting

  16. Application (Primary and secondaries) • Early June • Submit AMCAS (a.k.a. “primary”) • July-August • Submit secondary applications IMMEDIATELY upon receipt • “Deadlines”? • October • Interviews begin

  17. Application (Interviews) • Schedule immediately, be strategic • Prepare ALL common questions • Student Doctor interview feedback • Interview formats • Be especially prepared: why US? • Length

  18. Post-application Premedical years Pre-application Application • Decisions • Waitlist movement Post-application

  19. Post-application (Decisions) • November-April • Rolling decisions • Accept everyone • March • Fixed-date decisions • May 15 • Multiple acceptance deadline • May-July • Do waitlists • August-September • Start medical school!

  20. Important Resources • www.studentdoctor.net • Interview feedback • http://more.studentdoctor.net/schoollist.php?type=2 • Applicant profiles • http://www.mdapplicants.com/ • AMCAS official site • http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/ • MCAT official site • http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/ • US News and World Report medical school rankings • MSAR

  21. End

More Related