Hello all,
I really would like to transfer to Canada for university! I am currently a biochemistry pre-med major in Ohio. I am only a first year, but came in with 45 credits from high school. I read that the medical school process in Canada is very similar to that of the US, so I was hoping it would be possible for me to follow this path if I transferred. I got a 30 on the ACT and finished with a 4.2 weighted GPA in high school. I should have around a 3.8 from my first year in college.
I sincerely have a problem with the privatized healthcare system in the US- I want to be a part of something like that of what Canada has. If I could do anything I would want to be in the UK, but Canada is a more reasonable option for me.
I would be moving with my girlfriend who would do cosmetology school there, so I would commute to whatever school I go to. We have been saving up to do something like this.
- How should I go about the application process? I am assuming I can't use common app. When do I need to apply to be a part of 2021 fall semester?
- What schools would be good for pre-med that are still affordable (I'm looking for hopefully under 17k US dollars a year, as I only pay 8k at the current school I attend). I am willing to take out loans if necessary however.
- What is the immigration process like? Could I still get a job while going to school in Canada (part-time)?
What is your citizenship?
My understanding is that admissions to medical school in Canada is exceptionally difficult unless you either have Canadian citizenship or permanent residence. There are a small number of medical schools that admit a tiny number of international students, but very few.
The most famous universities in Canada (McGill, Toronto, UBC) are also famous for “grade deflation”. While I am a huge fan of the university system in Canada it is not clear that going there will help you get a medical school worthy GPA.
It is possible to do your undergrad in the US and apply to medical schools in Canada, or vice versa. It is possible to get your MD in the US and do your residency in Canada. The biggest problem with this is that doctors are not paid as well in Canada, and it may be difficult to pay off US medical school debts with a Canadian medical career. It is more common for students to get their MD in Canada and then do their residency in the US (one of my specialist doctors did exactly this). A lesser problem is that you have to take licensing exams for whichever country you want to do your residency in (if I understand the process correctly).
It sounds to me that you are doing very well at a very reasonable price at your current university. Very likely the best bet is for you to get your bachelor’s degree where you are, and then see what medical schools are available to you (if any). By the time that you finish your MD, things may have changed dramatically in the US. If you can keep your debt down to a very small number, moving to Canada at that point is likely to be possible – Canada is looking for doctors and their points system for immigration does highly value people with appropriate skills and education.
You also should be aware that the majority of premed students never get to the point of applying to medical schools, and the majority of students who do apply to medical schools do not get accepted anywhere. My wife and my daughters all have majors that overlap enough with premed classes that they have all taken multiple classes that are traditional premed classes. All of them have talked about some very difficult premed classes (such as classes full of very strong premed students where the class average on an exam was in the 40’s). This suggests that your best plan is to keep your debt down, keep your GPA up, get some experience volunteering or working in a medical environment, and be aware of other options.
1, Go to the website of the Canadian universities that interest you and click on applying-transfer.
- For international students tuition at most Canadian universities will run C$20,000 to C$40,000/year plus living expenses.
- As a full time visa student in Canada you can work 20 hours/week while in classes and 40 hours/week during the summer. You will not be able to apply for landed immigrant status while on a student visa. As @DadTwoGirls stated there are only a handful of non-citizens/non-landed immigrants admitted to most Canadian medical schools each year.
@DadTwoGirls I am just an American citizen, I do not have dual citizenship or anything like that. How could I become a permanent resident? I completely understand the unlikeliness of getting into medical school- I want my major to be a in a field that I could use if things do not go as planned. I am going through the process of looking into interships, shadowing opportunities, PCR jobs, etc. but it is difficult during COVID as there are many restrictions. I want to move for my undergraduate because I am not very happy at the school I currently go to, although I am doing well, and believe I may have more opportunities elsewhere. My parents have lived in the US their whole lives and are very encouraging of me going to Canada, because it is more progressive. I want to minimize debt, but I also want to be able to explore everything that I want to do while I am young.
My wife went to an American LAC for her undergrad, then was accepted into McGill for Medicine as a non Canadian, but that was over 30 years ago. I have no idea what the situation is now. Once you get your medical degree and complete your internship in Canada then you will have an excellent chance to become a citizen, should you wish it. I have no idea how many spots are available at McGill, or any other CAN school, for non Canadians at the moment.
You might have a better shot at getting into a CAN medical school if you do your undergrad in Canada, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Keep in mind that admission is very competitive, and that top Universities can be less forgiving than many in the US (S1 is at McGill)for undergrad grading. You need to be acing your undergrad, and score well on your MCAT, and even then getting into medical school is not a sure thing.
Immigrating to Canada is a whole different subject. I suggest you treat it as such.