undergraduate record?

In applying for residency..do they even look at undergrad transcripts?...or is it purely based on ur med school years?

I doubt they'd compare GPAs when looking at residency applicants, but I'd think awards and distinctions ("graduated with distinction" or "president's list" or "first class honours") can only make your resume look better.

I'm going to move this into the CaRMS forum out of the Med Students forum...

Your undergrad means very little to nothing when applying for residencies. I didn't list my scholarships/awards from undergrad when applying for my residencies this year, although I did list my research involvement. I ended up submitting my UVic undergraduate transcript to programs since my classmates who did undergrad at UBC had both their undergrad marks, as well as their med school marks on the official UBC transcript that was sent out to residency programs (I didn't want to be left out), but ultimately, I don't think it played any role whatsoever.

What may help you out is any graduate research experience; having a PhD or something similar can only make you look better, but even then, it's just having the degree, and not the marks that the residencies are looking at.

When you get into med school, it's as if everyone gets a fresh start, because it's so difficult/impossible to compare all the stuff that happened before med school.

Ian
UBC, Med 4

I have had a physician say that they looked at undergrad marks of residency applicants. They said the reason for this was that with some schools going "pass/fail" they needed some sort of way to differentiate applicants academically.

Was this a physician associated with a residency selection committee? It doesn't sound too on the money from what I and my classmates are going through right now.

Ian
UBC, Med 4

To be honest, I'm not too sure. Here in Calgary, we had these sessions arranged where physicians from their respective specialities would come in and give us a talk about what the specialty is like, what the residencies are like, etc. Then we had a chance to ask the physicians and some of the residents questions. Anyway, I'm presuming that this particular physician would be associated with a residency selection committee, since they were selected to give the session.

At any rate, while undergrad marks may be considered, I'm sure the usual things -- interest and electives done in the area, reference letters from specialists, whether or not you did well during the interview -- would have a much greater bearing on the selection process. I just found it interesting that this individual cited the ambiguity of the pass/fail system as the reason for looking at the undergraduate record.

My undergrad transcripts (x2) did not go to any of the schools - I think Manitoba was the only programme that asked for them for the emerg programmes...

Mrgh, I hope nobody asks me about my undergraduate performance. :/ It wasn't the sort that was about to win me any prizes. Except in beekeeping, but the relevence of that is highly arguable.

Carolyn, when you say you didn't send them, is that because you didn't apply to Manitoba, or you just didn't send them even though they asked?

I highly doubt your UG transcript could be too bad - you're in med school after all!

Which brings up a good point - my guess would be that MOST med students had a damn good GPA in undergrad (I don't care if you have a 4.gazillion, 3.5/3.6/3.7 IS a great GPA - many people would kill for those marks) and as a result had scholarships, dean's or president's lists, and/or scholarships. So it wouldn't be a great way to differentiate between applicants, unless a department wanted to either count up number of awards for each candidate or differentiate between a 3.83 and a 3.84.

In my impression, electives are the best way to assess residency applicants.