another what are my chances thread

[Lafayette]

I earned a BA in 2007 with an F (DNW - did not write exam) in my last semester. I dealt with the issues I had back then, and completed a second degree in 2011 by distance with the aim of getting into occupational therapy. I figured medical school would be too expensive and too much of a long shot at that time.

For various reasons (which I've edited out because I don't feel I express them eloquently), I'm back to considering my dream of medical school. I'm not sure I could do it right away. I feel I've spent too much time in school already and it isn't fair to my partner. However he is supportive if it is what I want to do. His biggest concern is being away from his family if we were to move to Thunder Bay, and this is what I would like to do whether I become an MD or not. It was another motive for pursuing OT as I thought that was an employable degree back home.

So my details:
- Born and raised in Thunder Bay, left for undergrad in 2003, participated in Northern Studies Stream (semester and placement) in Thunder Bay as part of my OT studies.
- 4 yr BA in 2007 3.0 GPA (with an F in French in the final semester)
- 2 yr second BA in 2011 3.8 GPA (may be 3.7 with the conversion)
- MScOT to be completed 2013
- 350 hours volunteering at a rehab hospital, currently on an inter-professional student council, past volunteer experience with a school paper, teaching English to asylum seekers, Amnesty International, and organizing events with a multicultural youth group in Thunder Bay

If anyone has any thoughts on my chances or what areas I would need to improve, I'd be happy to hear from you.

[lwu018]

Originally Posted by Lafayette

I earned a BA in 2007 with an F (DNW - did not write exam) in my last semester. I dealt with the issues I had back then, and completed a second degree in 2011 by distance with the aim of getting into occupational therapy. I figured medical school would be too expensive and too much of a long shot at that time.

For various reasons (which I've edited out because I don't feel I express them eloquently), I'm back to considering my dream of medical school. I'm not sure I could do it right away. I feel I've spent too much time in school already and it isn't fair to my partner. However he is supportive if it is what I want to do. His biggest concern is being away from his family if we were to move to Thunder Bay, and this is what I would like to do whether I become an MD or not. It was another motive for pursuing OT as I thought that was an employable degree back home.

So my details:
- Born and raised in Thunder Bay, left for undergrad in 2003, participated in Northern Studies Stream (semester and placement) in Thunder Bay as part of my OT studies.
- 4 yr BA in 2007 3.0 GPA (with an F in French in the final semester)
- 2 yr second BA in 2011 3.8 GPA (may be 3.7 with the conversion)
- MScOT to be completed 2013
- 350 hours volunteering at a rehab hospital, currently on an inter-professional student council, past volunteer experience with a school paper, teaching English to asylum seekers, Amnesty International, and organizing events with a multicultural youth group in Thunder Bay

If anyone has any thoughts on my chances or what areas I would need to improve, I'd be happy to hear from you.

I think you would stand a strong chance at getting an interview since your application is very well rounded. Your GPA (without the Masters) is around the average entrance GPA (~3.7), you obtained experience in most of the key non-academic areas of experience NOSM for which NOSM is looking (i.e. you demonstrated interest in living and working in Northern Ontario, working with underserviced populations (Asylum seekers) and cross cultural groups, and the ability to identify community needs and willingness to play a part in filling these needs), and you should have a moderate context score at the very least since you were born and raised in Thunder Bay. Living and working in a rural area for some time would be helpful to increase the context score, but I realize not everyone is interested in working and living in a rural area.

Whether or not you will get the final acceptance will depend much on your performance at the interview stage. Even if you don't get accepted for 2013, getting experience with the interview process, in my opinion, is invaluable and could help substantially for future application cycles. Applying after you finish your masters -- with a GPA > 3.9, potential interview experience, and even greater non-academic experience -- would put you in a very favorable position.

As for your reservations with spending too much time in school, I personally believe in the "short term pain for long term gain" motto, especially if that long-term gain is something about which you are strongly passionate and from which you could derive a strong sense of purpose in life.

Overall, I think it would be very worthwhile for you to apply this year.

[Lafayette]

Originally Posted by lwu018

I think you would stand a strong chance at getting an interview since your application is very well rounded. Your GPA (without the Masters) is around the average entrance GPA (~3.7), you obtained experience in most of the key non-academic areas of experience NOSM for which NOSM is looking (i.e. you demonstrated interest in living and working in Northern Ontario, working with underserviced populations (Asylum seekers) and cross cultural groups, and the ability to identify community needs and willingness to play a part in filling these needs), and you should have a moderate context score at the very least since you were born and raised in Thunder Bay. Living and working in a rural area for some time would be helpful to increase the context score, but I realize not everyone is interested in working and living in a rural area.

Whether or not you will get the final acceptance will depend much on your performance at the interview stage. Even if you don't get accepted for 2013, getting experience with the interview process, in my opinion, is invaluable and could help substantially for future application cycles. Applying after you finish your masters -- with a GPA > 3.9, potential interview experience, and even greater non-academic experience -- would put you in a very favorable position.

As for your reservations with spending too much time in school, I personally believe in the "short term pain for long term gain" motto, especially if that long-term gain is something about which you are strongly passionate and from which you could derive a strong sense of purpose in life.

Overall, I think it would be very worthwhile for you to apply this year.

Thanks for your response. I saw it earlier but forgot to respond. I'm planning to wait and if my desire stays as strong I will apply in a couple years. I read in the NOSM newsletter about a student who had 3 children while in medical school. I'm not really sure how that is possible, but given my age I am thinking that if I want to have a child I should not delay too long. I guess its true, you can have it all but you can't have it all at once.

I want to take a break from being in school at the end of this academic year. In the meantime I'll work on doing things that I enjoy that will improve my candidacy like building relationships with references, doing further volunteer work with more leadership roles and hopefully working as an OT, ideally in the north.