minimum entrance GPA for carribean schools..and what are my chances

[stinkytofu2020]

So i have been looking around the threads and it seems that there isn't a place to find the min. entrance GPA for St. George's, Ross, AUC, Saba, St. Matthews, AUA, and MUA Nevis in the carribean


Obviously the marks depend on what the person has done, volunteered, worked etc....

but is there a minimum?

For example UBC has a 70% min to apply

If you are out of country...do they require an even higher gpa?


The marks are rolling for the carribean schools ...but I was just hoping I could get some kind of guideline. It makes me feel better to plan things out and get some kind of goal/ ideal number to achieve

I looked in the FAQ. nothing there really.

Maybe we could get a new thread?


I am currently sitting on 69.8% average. GPA..I have no idea. maybe 2.5 I guess ..I have been having trouble converting. I have failed 3 classes. chem, organic chem, genetics. * note I tried very hard in the classes and I knew it would be difficult..but unfortunately it happened. the average was 50-55% in the classes and about 30% failure rate. but still I wished I had tried harder

People say apply anyways to the carribean schools...like I could to apply to any school...but some schools I will definately be rejected. I guess I'm not sure about my chances. UBC has rejected some brilliant students with 95% averages. most students accepted are in the 80%'s. Why do people say apply to the carribean schools anyways. Like...are they not as based on marks as other school?

-it's just that it's rather expensive for me to go an apply apply apply and with my marks I can't get any scholarships.
-I hope to take my MCAt and rock it ...so hopefully that will help me

- I have 2 more years of school to finish my degree

-I have a co-op student so it has stretched out my 4 years undergrad a bit

-I do have some pharmaceutical/ clinical lab experience



THANK YOU

[ReckonerMD]

Originally Posted by stinkytofu2020

So i have been looking around the threads and it seems that there isn't a place to find the min. entrance GPA for St. George's, Ross, AUC, Saba, St. Matthews, AUA, and MUA Nevis in the carribean


Obviously the marks depend on what the person has done, volunteered, worked etc....

but is there a minimum?

For example UBC has a 70% min to apply

If you are out of country...do they require an even higher gpa?


The marks are rolling for the carribean schools ...but I was just hoping I could get some kind of guideline. It makes me feel better to plan things out and get some kind of goal/ ideal number to achieve

I looked in the FAQ. nothing there really.

Maybe we could get a new thread?


I am currently sitting on 69.8% average. GPA..I have no idea. maybe 2.5 I guess ..I have been having trouble converting. I have failed 3 classes. chem, organic chem, genetics. * note I tried very hard in the classes and I knew it would be difficult..but unfortunately it happened. the average was 50-55% in the classes and about 30% failure rate. but still I wished I had tried harder

People say apply anyways to the carribean schools...like I could to apply to any school...but some schools I will definately be rejected. I guess I'm not sure about my chances. UBC has rejected some brilliant students with 95% averages. most students accepted are in the 80%'s. Why do people say apply to the carribean schools anyways. Like...are they not as based on marks as other school?

-it's just that it's rather expensive for me to go an apply apply apply and with my marks I can't get any scholarships.
-I hope to take my MCAt and rock it ...so hopefully that will help me

- I have 2 more years of school to finish my degree

-I have a co-op student so it has stretched out my 4 years undergrad a bit

-I do have some pharmaceutical/ clinical lab experience



THANK YOU

You have to re-take chem, ochem and genetics if possible. Have you considered other careers besides medicine? If you tried hard and failed these classes it might be worth considering another career that does not accrue such a hefty debt only to find out you cannot pass the USMLE and now have to pay back loans.

[stinkytofu2020]

Oh i've already retaken my failed courses

Well..if there is a chance....then I would still like to try for med. sure there are other options ....but I don't want to regret not trying..you know?

[ReckonerMD]

Originally Posted by stinkytofu2020

Oh i've already retaken my failed courses

Well..if there is a chance....then I would still like to try for med. sure there are other options ....but I don't want to regret not trying..you know?

I know exactly what you are saying. I'm not saying you should not try, I simply think that if you've had problems with basic science classes as an undergraduate it is important to appreciate the rigors of medical school coursework and realize that these classes are significantly tougher than undergraduate classes in terms of material and volume. My point is that there are equally fulfilling health care careers in which you can reap similar benefits of being a physician without the financial and educational hurdles. The last thing you would want is to take out thousands of dollars of loans for a shot at proving something to yourself when you've already failed at less challenging courses in your past. I would highly suggest getting more coursework under your belt and take the MCAT to gage your capacity to do well before making that commitment. Realize that there are some schools who will take students with no hesitation for your financial well being only to watch these students become an attrition casualty. This is not the position you want to be in come 2 years into debt! Be your own best friend by understanding what you are getting into before you make that decision..

[stinkytofu2020]

It was very nice of you to reply and it wasn't all sarcastic and evil. =)
thanks for taking time out of your schedule to reply to not only my own but to other people's posts. = )

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do you think that some people are just born with the intellectual abilities to become a doctor while others just don't have that ability?

Like, somethings are very easy for people while others struggle with it, even if the studying habits are identical.


im just considering...is my IQ lower than potential doctors and because of this I can not be a doctor.

or...maybe you can't blame it on genetics...or maybe the person isn't trying hard enough?

...what is the reason for the difference...boggles the mind

does hard work pay off for some...and not for others.

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I'm a canadian student. I have pretty much exhausted my search to become a doctor...with the decrease in my marks... I search harder for a school to take me...hoping there's something out there....but i've been starting to come up with less

Im working in another province at the moment for a year to gain the ability to apply to the school as a local student..plus the lab experience would add to my resume

I have so many scientific articles and interview tips that i've collected in high school to prep me for med.


i'll tell you the funny thing......I want to be a doctor not because of the money or the name but the opportunity to use what you know and learn and expand it to the people you work with. You have an opportunity to improve things. obviously..now a days..many doctors are inpersonal...."how are you? fine? bowel movements? good? here are some antibiotics. check back in a week"
I'm looking more towards fixing cleft lips in mongolia. Assisting with soldiers on the field.

If I cant get into med school........I will not remain in the health field...it's one of those things where....if you can't get number 1...don't settle for second. Cus you'll always be second....and when you do work around doctors..I would compare and be disappointed that this is only how far I could get myself.

not that i'm saying lab techs, nurses, emt etc..are second rate....they should be ranked higher than doctors in many cases because many of them go beyond the call of duty and assist doctors so that doctors can do their jobs. With them...drs can't do their job. but to me..it's like putting myself into a left over job. Something I don't want but i'll settle for it anyway since I can't get anything better.


Ultimately.....I would then get any job that could make me a lot of money. Even if I hated the job..if it pays well then that's enough.

I guess im the type of person where it's one way or the other. Get a job you love and will take any pay even if it's min wage.........or get a job you deteste but you get good pay.

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haha...look at all this rambling.

I guess in my mind...I believe that if I ever get into med school, I will excel because it's all I ever wanted and I wouldn't let myself down.

but I kinda am letting myself down now since I can't get through undergrad classes.

I don't have the marks the money or the scholarships.

but I still want to try and go into debt.

-i'm like teetering...take the mcat and try...if I get a high mcat score...do I still have a chance...or it's not enough.
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sorry for the ramble.

thanks

[blisterpeanuts]

Tofu,

I don't believe the medical professions should be thought of as a vertical hierarchy. I.e., physicians on top, then nurse practitioners and PAs, then nurses, then nurse's aids, then EMTs, etc. So that if you're a registered nurse, you're somehow "beneath" physicians in terms of dignity and achievement.

There's a whole bunch of specialized workers in health care and each one of them is delivering care to the sick and injured. Every single person in a hospital is contributing in some way, according to his or her abilities.

If you're finding basic science to be challenging--I don't remember if you posted your repeat scores for the science classes you failed, but your GPA is definitely below the competitive level--you may want to find a tutor, or pick up some of the supplemental books from your college bookstore and see if they help you boost your scores. Also, try using a study buddy or a study group on a regular basis, to pull you through. It's really helpful to quiz each other. Look up study guides for chemistry, biology, and organic chemistry on Amazon, such as Schaum's Outlines, 3000 Solved Organic Problems, etc. Hit these books every spare minute of the day and pound the knowledge into your head.

If you really want to be a physician, you need to understand that you have to live and breath this stuff to make it through. Medical school is no rose garden, either. Once you make it through these rigorous undergrad courses and the MCAT and gain admission, the ride is just beginning. Medical school is much more challenging than undergrad courses; they might teach you an entire undergrad semester of biochem in one or two weeks. You had better have your academic act together.

I'm not trying to be discouraging. On the contrary--I'm suggesting you take charge of your education, fix the gaps, and set yourself tough but realistic goals.

When you go to write your personal statement, and especially when you go to interview, I don't want to hear you saying you want to be a physician because you couldn't stand being anything inferior such as a nurse or xray tech. You have to prove to them--and to you--that you want to help patients regardless of the letters after your name. Beyond that, you need to understand what physicians can do that nurses et al CAN'T do, and vice versa.

It may be that medicine is not for you--but I'm not going to tell you that--only you can figure that out, perhaps with the guidance of your best professors and advisers. It doesn't take a genius to make it through medical school and residency but it does take extraordinary commitment and an ability to conquer your weaknesses. Good luck,

bp

[stinkytofu2020]

I do not think nurses, emt etc are inferior to doctors . I tried to make it clear because I knew people would think that I think med professions are inferior to doctors.. Plus my mom is a nurse so I know exactly what she does and respects everything she does for the people in our community...plus she didn't raise me to compare people/jobs and rank them in superior to inferior standards. I thnk that is vain and unrealistic. It also shows narrowmindness.

I don't understand how you got the assumption that I think all medical profession are inferior to doctors. If that is how I think, I don't deserve to be a doctor...and should not try at all. I'm pretty pissed you think that of me...but you're probably pretty pissed too since you think that I think that way. = ) so it all balances out.

I think you missed a part of my post.

see my previous thread

"not that i'm saying lab techs, nurses, emt etc..are second rate....they should be ranked higher than doctors in many cases because many of them go beyond the call of duty and assist doctors so that doctors can do their jobs. WithOUT them...drs can't do their job.
"
.....plus I had a typo...ouch..sorry..it was without them...I added it in...ha..that's what happens when you type at night

But like I said. It's not what I want. I don't want to be a nurse or an EMT, paramedic or anything like that. I would never be happy as that occupation ever. For ME and ME alone. this is all in my perspective. There are definately lots of people who strive to be nurses and do everything they can to be a nurse. It is their ideal job, but it's not mine.


I wasn't ranking medical professions on a vertical hierarchy.....I was ranking more on jobs I want and would be happy doing.

Doctors > artist>..........................and medical professions would be on my way bottom not because I don't think they acheived enough or they are useless or have no dignity. It's because I wouldn't want to be any other medical profession because it would make me long for being a doctor since it is something I always wanted. I didn't want to be a medical lab tech dealing with withdrawal of blood, IV etc. kinda like that.


" I don't want to hear you saying you want to be a physician because you couldn't stand being anything inferior such as a nurse or xray tech."

I'm a little offended by that...cus really in my post I made it clear I don't think nurses or xray tech inferior/ second rate. I'm not sure how you induced that. Please don't think of me that way, so many of my friends are in nursing at UBC and it makes me dissappointed when people consider me as someone who thnks doctors are number 1 way better than everyone and everything..muwhahaha..... , I really am not saying other medical professions are inferior to doctors . I'm sorry if you got that feeling from me. I really tried to post that I wasn't thinking they are inferior. I love working with the nurses at the hospital. I see them more than the doctors. Plus they really know what to do when it's hectic and they are just so calm. Even the new nurses.

"not that i'm saying lab techs, nurses, emt etc..are second rate....they should be ranked higher than doctors in many cases because many of them go beyond the call of duty and assist doctors so that doctors can do their jobs.

I'm sorry if I offended you. Plus many of my good friends are in nursing school and my coworker is doing his medical lab technologist master degree...totally awesome.


"but to me..it's like putting myself into a left over job. Something I don't want but i'll settle for it anyway since I can't get anything better." <-----I guess my better threw you off...sorry

It's like you've always wanted to be an actor. But you couldn't do it. People just didn't respond to your performance well. So then you became a director. You work close with actors and all that...but you still long to be an actor. And when you watch the actors do their work....if makes you feel that you just didn't have what it takes to be an actor and now you are a director. You never wanted to be a director..and it's not your ideal job..but here you are. You took what you considered as the second best option that could make you stay closest to the film industry....but all you've ever wanted was to be an actor. So the more actors you work with...you feel more depressed in a sense since..you really wanted to be an actor ...but you're not...you're a director.


Maybe since you think that I think all other medical professions are inferior to doctors...the rest of your post may be more biased now since you mentioned it in the beginning and the end of the post starting at

beginning: don't believe the medical professions should be thought of as a vertical hierarchy. I.e., physicians on top, then nurse practitioners and PAs, then nurses, then nurse's aids, then EMTs, etc. So that if you're a registered nurse, you're somehow "beneath" physicians in terms of dignity and achievement.

end: When you go to write your personal statement, and especially when you go to interview, I don't want to hear you saying you want to be a physician because you couldn't stand being anything inferior such as a nurse or xray tech


but nonetheless....

that is why I am on this site.
I'm trying to get as much perspective on becoming a doctor. No worries..i'm not only on this site...i'm like everywhere..........im trying to figure it out--- like you said. Sometimes I think I am working too hard to figure it out. I really want to know down to the finest detail....can I be a doctor?

obviously no one can talk to me..and ultimately it's up to me...but it's nice to talk to others who have advice

[stinkytofu2020]

A 17+ on the MCAt 2.5+ gpa will get you into Ross. maybe I have hope.

2.5 is a around a C+

[rokshana]

Originally Posted by stinkytofu2020

If I cant get into med school........I will not remain in the health field...it's one of those things where...if you can't get number 1...don't settle for second. Cus you'll always be second....and when you do work around doctors..I would compare and be disappointed that this is only how far I could get myself.

ahh, i beg to differ, you have said here that yes, other health care professionals are less than doctors..you may have back pedaled in the quote below, but you said it nonetheless...

not that i'm saying lab techs, nurses, emt etc..are second rate....they should be ranked higher than doctors in many cases because many of them go beyond the call of duty and assist doctors so that doctors can do their jobs. With them...drs can't do their job. but to me..it's like putting myself into a left over job. Something I don't want but i'll settle for it anyway since I can't get anything better.

again, you think it is left over job...your mother must be so proud...

[rokshana]

Originally Posted by stinkytofu2020

A 17+ on the MCAt 2.5+ gpa will get you into Ross. maybe I have hope.

2.5 is a around a C+

no, ross (clinical problems not withstanding) is still considered one of the top "3" or top "4".

you are fooling yourself if you think having a 17MCAT AND 2.5 gpa is competitive for ross.

also if i recall, you said you have a 69% average- that is <2.0, more like 1.8-1.9 gpa.