Canadian concerned / confused about GPAs

[Nomis]

I am about to complete a Canadian bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, but have decided that I would prefer to be a doctor. Unfortunately my overall average from engineering is only going to be about 65%, so I am going to have to complete another bachelors degree in medical science prior to applying for medical schools.
I have gotten the impression that medical schools calculate GPA over the duration at a particular school, not the duration of a specific program. Can anyone confirm this?
If medical schools do in fact take the overall GPA at the university can I escape my previous bad grades by doing my second degree at another university? Or is there a chance that Medical schools will only consider the GPA from my 2nd degree, and not the first, in which case I can remain at my current university.
Does anyone know?

Thanks!

[jameslynton]

First - engineering is great prep for medicine. Second, the important scores for medical school are the Biology and chemistry science courses. You need one year or three basic biology courses, chemistry one year plus organic and one year physics. You will already from your ME have the math and physics you need unless you don't muffed them.

So you can run your intro Bio & chem together. Or you can really relax and go to an island school an do the premed there. However, they maybe more expensive than a state school. It is up to you to do a cost benefit analysis on that. I would not get another bach. degree. I would however, do my best and get tutors and what ever help I needed to score A's on the science prior to medical school. Reason - if you are over 23 it gets harder to get in each year after that. Or you relax and go to an island school. You will also have to put some serious study time into do the MCAT. But you can relax there are island schools that will take you will out a MCAT ( however, I stongly recommend you try to get in a US or Canadian school first). However, if that does not work then apply to the top Island schools first, then the second tier if that does not work. If you don't get in those then you can do Filene's bargan basement and get a sort of new school start up.

[Nomis]

Thanks for the information!
So you really think that if I ace my next year for pre-med science courses that will make up for previously having bad grades in engineering?

[jameslynton]

I am not saying you will get in the top schools. There is a premium placed on perfect in getting into medical schools - in your essay write about how engineering was not for you and when you decided to take biology and chemistry and do medicine how it fired you up. However, if you science GPA for chem and bio are 3.8+ (meaning 2A to 1B) and your MCAT > 32 poor results in other subjects are quickly forgotten. If you BIO and Chem are 4.0 well you will be pretty golden. Don't forget volunteer work and hanging in a hospital to see if you actually like it. Medicine is not like TV shows.

If all else fails you have the island schools.

[jameslynton]

Oh Yes - talk to a good premed counselor. There are not many of them out there. If I had had a good one - I don't think I would have made the mistakes I did. First, don't be afraid to get tutors to help you in a subject. Also plan plenty of time to study. Also go to a counseling center and get help in the best learning methods for you. Yes, there are tests that can help you spot study issues. Take them and know the ways for you to study best. the Wisc-3r and others help with this. Be smart about it - it is your future not any one elses.