Academics and Medical School Admissions

Offered by the UWO Pre-Medical Society 2008

Q: So…my marks, how good do they have to be exactly?

A: There is no set average for admission to any medical school, a wide range of marks are accepted. However, in Ontario, generally your marks need to be in the 80+ range.

So what determines my Grade Point Average (GPA)?

Grades:

Biology 1022 - 84%

Chemistry 1050 - 79%

Physics 1024 - 81%

Calculus 1000a - 91%

Calculus 1201b - 72%

Health Sciences 1000 - 80%

Overall Average: 81.17%

Converting this average to GPA you get… 3.70

Unfortunately this is not the way to calculate your GPA.

Each mark must be converted to the OMSAS equivalent and then averaged out.

Grades:Grades:

Biology 1022 - 84% 3.70

Chemistry 1050 - 79% 3.30

Physics 1024 - 81% 3.70

Calculus 1000a - 91% 4.00

Calculus 1201b - 72% 2.70

Health Sciences 1000 - 80% 3.70

New Weighted GPA - 3.52

The MCAT is a standardized test offered by the AAMC.

The test consists of 4 sections.

3 of which are multiple choice, and two writing samples.

The areas covered are basic biology, chemistry, physics and reading comprehension.

The sections are:

Physical Sciences - Scored 1 to 15 (Average 8)

Biological Sciences - Scored 1 to 15 (Average 8)

Verbal Reasoning - Scored 1 to 15 (Average 8)

Writing Sample - Scored J to T (Average O)

Approximately 100 years ago, two biologists performed separate experiments to study the process by which a fertilized egg differentiates into the many cell types found in a complete organism.

Biologist 1: The Mosaic Hypothesis

Biologist 1 worked with two-celled frog embryos, killing one cell of each embryo with a hot needle, but leaving the dead cell attached. The surviving cell formed only half of an embryo, and the biologist concluded that cells of the developing embryo were independent; that is, they acted as individual pieces of a mosaic. The biologist assumed that "determinants" (i.e., genes) were portioned out qualitatively as the egg divided, until each cell contained only the substances needed for its own development. Biologist 1 concluded that the fate of developing cells is determined by the cells' unequal content of determinants, and that cell lineage is unaffected by external conditions or by the position of a cell in the embryo.

Biologist 2: The Regulative Hypothesis

Biologist 2 worked with sea urchin embryos. When a tube of seawater containing embryos was shaken, the two cells of each embryo separated, and each cell later developed into a complete but slightly smaller embryo. This suggested that each cell retained a complete set of determinants. Biologist 2 viewed the embryo not as a mosaic, but as a harmonious equipotential system; that is, each cell is capable of developing into a complete organism, and the cells interact to regulate development. Thus, Biologist 2 concluded that the fate of developing cells depends mainly on environmental factors and on their position in the embryo.

Following are some sample questions on this passage:

1. Which of the following pieces of experimental evidence best supports the Mosaic Hypothesis?

1. Identical twins or triplets are derived from a single fertilized egg. 2. In some developmental accidents, embryos with two normal-sized heads are produced. 3. Separated cells of two-celled embryos continue to divide, producing partial embryos. 4. Nuclei of dividing eggs in a single organism all contain the same genetic information.

Answer: C

Autobiographical Sketch

• Autobiographical sketch is a comprehensive list of the pertinent details of the applicant’s activities since the age of 16 within the categories that apply to the applicant:– F: Formal Education– E: Employment

– V: Volunteer Activities– X: Extracurricular Activities– A: Awards and Accomplishments– R: Research

In April 2004, Western’s Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry obtained Senate approval to accept a $26-million donation from Seymour Schulich. In exchange, the school was named after Schulich.

-The Gazette April 2006

OMSAS Website:

• http://www.ouac.on.ca/omsas/

MCAT Website:

• http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm