I need help choosing between two routes (Bad GPA, Junior year starting fall of 2018)

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

Basically, I need help choosing between selecting the CO-OP option for my program and forgoing it, as well as general advice with regards to my application. I am a Canadian undergrad student (B.Sc in essentially life sciences and biostatistics)
Freshman year was catastrophic: No important ECs, GPA was a 2.6-2.8 (No failed classes, but a D and second calculus class and second anatomy class)
Sophomore year was a little bit better: Hospital volunteering which turned into a clinical job, starting research with a medical professor, GPA finished at a 3.6-3.7, with basically all courses in upper-level sciences.
I am torn between doing my CO-OP option or not, as it would allow me to add heavy research experience to my resume, but would remove a certain option that some Canadian schools weigh-in with regards to GPA. Queen’s and Western only consider, respectively the two most recent and two best undergraduate full-time years. Without CO-OP, I could gun for it and obtain junior and senior year higher GPA marks, while with CO-OP I would have to include a 3.6-3.7 GPA year into consideration. Essentially, I could present myself with a 3.8-4.0 GPA rather than a weighed-down transcript.

I am also keen on the States as my ideal school location, and I have an appointment with Michigan State soon to see how they view CO-OP sequences, but I doubt Americans will remove transcript years at all. I would love to practice osteopathic medicine, and I am aware that they have lower GPA requisites, but I am sure they want Canadians to standout more than Americans.

Anyone has insight on my situation/chances of getting in? As for non-academic part of my application, I have a clinical job, am working on a research paper, and am part of the board for a great club.

2

How would the co-op option lower your GPA exactly?

3

Here is my views:

  1. GPA competitiveness, ALL US med schools(DO schools included), will not allow GPA replacement, so your GPA is going to be calculated straight from the transcript. You cannot hide your first year miss happs. Your second year GPA is not great either, at this point with your first two years GPA average, you are not very competitive even for DO schools. Especially you have two Ds in sGPA that you need to retake. Since the merge of residency matching in MD and DO schools, DO schools become more competitive, the published stats are not applicable any more, those are for before the merge.
  2. Canadian candidate. Granted, MSUCOM will accept Canadian applicants. But they will have limited number of seats, this brings out that even more non-competitiveness in you. You cannot use the same gauge to view a Canadian applicant to the published stats, you will need higher stats to get in. In addition, for med school applicants applying to one school is a risky proposition. You need to apply broadly, but most of the DO schools do not accept internationals, Canadians included.
  3. Financially. MSUCOM included, ALL med schools will verify your financial conditions as an international because there is no loans available for internationals in US medical schools. This will be upto all 4 years COAs in an Escrow. You need to contact all schools that you are interested to find out escrow amount to see if you are affordable.
  4. IMHO, NO medical ECs can rival GPA and Mcat, unless you can find the cure of cancer. If the Co-op will decrease your GPA, do not do it. Right now, your first priority is to get As in all your classes for the next two years and get a HIGH Mcat. Research is not very important to DO schools especially.
4

Hey ArtLovesPlus, thanks for the insight! So essentially, you’re saying I am better off gunning for the GPA wipe and aim for Queens and Western (Canadian Medical School)?

5

@MYOS1634 It would remove the ability to wipe off years off my transcript for application to certain schools.

6

My advice is only from US med school point of view. Don’t understand how Canadian schools admission policy, no comments.