u/AdMedium934

Love the sport but haven't had anyone to play with in a while. Want to put together a casual group for amateurs, any skill level welcome, I'm honestly pretty rusty myself, so no pressure.

Ideally looking for people nearby in North York so it's easy to get a regular game or even just practice going.

If you're interested, drop a comment below or DM me!

Starting the grind again after a 2nd MCAT attempt back in August 2024 (508). Aiming for a real jump this time, know that's easier said than done but I'm putting in the work.

Looking for a study buddy, based in Toronto, Ontario. If you're nearby we could meet up and study in person, or we can do Zoom if that works better for you. Also open to joining or forming a small group, even just for weekly check ins and keeping each other honest would be huge.

My plan is AAMC materials plus Jack Westin, focusing hard on CARS since that's my weak section. If you're in a similar boat (self studying, no course, targeting a similar timeline) hit me up. Even a couple people to trade progress updates with weekly would help a ton.

Drop a comment or DM me if interested.

Starting the grind again after a 2nd MCAT attempt back in August 2024 (508). Aiming for a real jump this time, know that's easier said than done but I'm putting in the work. 23M if your wondering.

Looking for a study buddy, based in Toronto, Ontario. If you're nearby we could meet up and study in person, or we can do Zoom if that works better for you. Also open to joining or forming a small group, even just for weekly check ins and keeping each other honest would be huge.

My plan is AAMC materials plus Jack Westin, focusing hard on CARS since that's my weak section. If you're in a similar boat (self studying, no course, targeting a similar timeline) hit me up. Even a couple people to trade progress updates with weekly would help a ton.

I want this to be my last and hopefully successful attempt to have a chance at canadian medical schools!

Drop a comment or DM me if interested.

Starting the grind again after a 2nd MCAT attempt back in August 2024 (508). Aiming for a real jump this time, know that's easier said than done but I'm putting in the work.

Looking for a study buddy, based in Toronto, Ontario. If you're nearby we could meet up and study in person, or we can do Zoom if that works better for you. Also open to joining or forming a small group, even just for weekly check ins and keeping each other honest would be huge.

My plan is AAMC materials plus Jack Westin, focusing hard on CARS since that's my weak section. If you're in a similar boat (self studying, no course, targeting a similar timeline) hit me up. Even a couple people to trade progress updates with weekly would help a ton.

Drop a comment or DM me if interested.

Hey r/Hyundai — long post but I want to be thorough because I'm on a tight deadline and the financial stakes are significant.

The situation:
I drove my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.0T (117,000 miles) from Michigan to Canada for the weekend. While there, the check engine light started flashing and the car went immediately into limp mode. Two days later I got it to a Canadian Hyundai dealership for diagnosis.

What the Canadian dealer found:

• DTC code P1326 (knock sensor related, associated with the Theta II engine issues)
• Bearing clearance test: failed
• No oil present in the engine at inspection

On that last point — I want to be upfront about my service history. Up to around 80,000 miles, all services were done strictly by Hyundai dealerships. The next roughly 30,000 miles I did a handful of oil changes myself using high-quality Mobil oil. After that, I switched to Valvoline and used them consistently — including the most recent oil change, done just a couple of months ago. The dash never once showed a low oil warning or any indication of a problem before this happened. I'm not sure how the oil disappeared, but I don't believe this reflects negligence on my part. I'm honestly not sure if I'm being paranoid about this, but I do worry the no-oil finding could complicate a negligence assessment — would appreciate input from anyone who's dealt with something similar.

The Canadian Hyundai dealership performed only the basic $200 diagnosis. They said determining the root cause — whether it's sludge buildup, why there was no oil remaining, or anything beyond the surface-level findings — would require a full teardown. Personally I'm skeptical that a teardown is the only way to assess that, but that's what they told me.

My VIN qualifies for the Theta II engine settlement, which I've confirmed with Hyundai USA.

Option 1 — Fix in Canada:

• Engine replacement cost: ~$5,700 CAD (~$4,150 USD)
• Parts availability: engine itself is 2–5 business days, but associated parts are backordered — could be weeks or longer, no confirmed timeline
• Total estimated cost including rentals: ~$10,000 CAD (~$7,300 USD)
• After repair, I'd file for reimbursement with Hyundai USA under the settlement
• Risk: reimbursement not guaranteed; if denied, I'm out $7,300 USD with no recourse

Option 2 — Tow back to Michigan:

• Tow cost: ~$1,000 USD
• Rental car during process: ~$2,000–3,000 USD
• Timeline: ~1 month+ (1–2 weeks for pre-approval, then parts and repair)
• If pre-approved: engine covered under settlement, I pay nothing out of pocket
• If denied: full out-of-pocket cost is approximately $13,000 USD for the engine replacement process, on top of tow and rental already spent
• Hyundai USA rep said P1326 + failed bearing clearance is "very promising" for approval, but it's not guaranteed
• The "no oil" finding could complicate the negligence assessment

The core dilemma:
Canada is the lower-risk financial floor (~$7,300 USD worst case) but with uncertain reimbursement. Michigan is higher variance — zero out of pocket if approved, approximately $13,000 USD plus tow and rental if denied. Both routes take roughly the same amount of time.

Decision deadline is Monday June 22nd.

Has anyone been through a P1326/Theta II claim with similar complications? Did the no-oil finding affect your approval? And has anyone successfully filed for reimbursement after getting repairs done in Canada?

My background

I'm 23, Canadian citizen, did my undergrad at Wayne State University in the US (dual BSc Biological Sciences & Neuroscience, 3.82 GPA). I have a first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal, an oral presentation at an international conference, and several hundred research hours. Research is genuinely my strongest asset.

I applied to the 2026–2027 cycle. Got brutally humbled — one interview (out of 23 MD schools) in the US, and rejected without interview from UBC (the only Canadian school I applied to). I deliberately skipped most Canadian schools because of my CARS score.

My MCAT (August 2024): 508 — C/P 129 | CARS 124* | B/B 128 | P/S 127

The 124 CARS is the anchor dragging everything down. Most Canadian schools screen below 125–127. It's the one thing killing my Canadian application.

Why not just go to an American medical school?

I want to address this upfront because it's the obvious question — and yes, that includes DO programs.

I spent four years in the US for undergrad so I understand how the system works. As a Canadian applying to American programs, I'm competing as an international student — fighting for a much smaller pool of spots against people with identical or stronger stats, with no citizenship advantage. The schools that do accept Canadians are competitive, and the ones that don't outright reject internationals still deprioritize us.

I actually got into a few DO programs. I turned them down. Cost is the first reason — DO tuition runs roughly $450K USD all-in, which isn't feasible for me as a Canadian with no access to US federal loans. But the bigger issue is specialty. My goal is anesthesiology, or at minimum keeping that door open. For a specialty that competitive, I'm not willing to absorb $450K USD in debt while also navigating residency applications as a Canadian citizen with no citizenship advantage. That combination — high debt, competitive specialty, no citizenship foothold — is a bad bet.

If I'm going to carry IMG status regardless, I'd rather do it from a well-regarded European school at roughly half the cost, with the option to practice in Europe if the North American residency route doesn't pan out. A US DO degree doesn't give me that fallback.

The last thing I want during medical school is to be preoccupied with visa status and citizenship-dependent residency eligibility in a country I'm not a citizen of. Europe removes that variable entirely.

The fork in the road

Option A — Prague this fall (if everything works out)

Start MD at Charles University LF1, September 2026. 6-year program. Plan to write USMLE Steps 1 and 2 during the program, targeting a US residency match after graduation. MCCQE as a parallel option to keep Canada open.

Option B — Gap year(s), retake MCAT, reapply later

Retake MCAT January 2027, targeting 515+.

For European schools (Charles, RCSI, UCD, etc.): I could apply for 2027 entry since they don't require MCAT. That's a one year gap from now.

For Canadian and US MD programs: the timeline is longer. Writing the MCAT in January 2027 means results come back too late for the 2027-2028 cycle. Realistically I'm looking at applying for the 2028-2029 cycle — a two year gap from now.

The uncomfortable truth about timelines: even if Option B works perfectly and I get into a Canadian school for 2028, I won't finish my MD until roughly 2032 — the same year I'd finish at Charles this fall. The gap year eats the time advantage entirely. And that's the best case scenario for Canada. If it takes another cycle, I'm finishing in 2033 or later.

The financial picture

Charles University (Prague, 6 years): ~€145,500 tuition + ~€79,000 living (high-end) = roughly $360–400K CAD all-in

Canadian MD (4 years, domestic): ~$100K tuition + ~$135K living = roughly $235K CAD — but only achievable if I actually get in, which requires fixing CARS first

US MD (4 years, average): ~$238K USD tuition alone, $400K+ all-in — ruled out on cost

Ireland (RCSI etc.) is on my radar as a 2027 backup — 4-year grad entry, but tuition runs €50K+/year, making it pricier than Prague overall.

My actual questions*****

1. For Canadians who went the European MD route — how realistic is matching into a US residency program after graduating from a school like Charles University? I know IMG match rates into the US are brutal. Is a strong USMLE Step score enough to be competitive, or does the school's name matter more than people admit?
2. If the US residency goal doesn't pan out — how hard is it to match back into Canada from a European school as a Canadian citizen? Which specialties are even realistic for IMGs in Canada?
3. Does the financial logic hold up? Prague at $400K CAD all-in versus waiting and hoping for a Canadian seat at $235K — given the timelines converge either way, is the cost difference worth the certainty of a confirmed medical seat?
4. Has anyone actually done the European MD → USMLE → US residency pipeline successfully as a Canadian? Would love to hear from people who've lived this, not just theorized about it.

Not looking for validation. If this path is less viable than I think, I genuinely want to know. Appreciate any honest perspectives. Feel free to correct me wrong if I said something wrong!

My background

I'm 23, Canadian citizen, did my undergrad at Wayne State University in the US (dual BSc Biological Sciences & Neuroscience, 3.82 GPA). I have a first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal, an oral presentation at an international conference, and several hundred research hours. Research is genuinely my strongest asset.

I applied to the 2026–2027 cycle. Got brutally humbled — one interview (out of 23 MD schools) in the US, and rejected without interview from UBC (the only Canadian school I applied to). I deliberately skipped most Canadian schools because of my CARS score.

My MCAT (August 2024): 508 — C/P 129 | CARS 124* | B/B 128 | P/S 127

The 124 CARS is the anchor dragging everything down. Most Canadian schools screen below 125–127. It's the one thing killing my Canadian application.

Why not just go to an American medical school?

I want to address this upfront because it's the obvious question — and yes, that includes DO programs.

I spent four years in the US for undergrad so I understand how the system works. As a Canadian applying to American programs, I'm competing as an international student — fighting for a much smaller pool of spots against people with identical or stronger stats, with no citizenship advantage. The schools that do accept Canadians are competitive, and the ones that don't outright reject internationals still deprioritize us.

I actually got into a few DO programs. I turned them down. Cost is the first reason — DO tuition runs roughly $450K USD all-in, which isn't feasible for me as a Canadian with no access to US federal loans. But the bigger issue is specialty. My goal is anesthesiology, or at minimum keeping that door open. For a specialty that competitive, I'm not willing to absorb $450K USD in debt while also navigating residency applications as a Canadian citizen with no citizenship advantage. That combination — high debt, competitive specialty, no citizenship foothold — is a bad bet.

If I'm going to carry IMG status regardless, I'd rather do it from a well-regarded European school at roughly half the cost, with the option to practice in Europe if the North American residency route doesn't pan out. A US DO degree doesn't give me that fallback.

The last thing I want during medical school is to be preoccupied with visa status and citizenship-dependent residency eligibility in a country I'm not a citizen of. Europe removes that variable entirely.

The fork in the road

Option A — Prague this fall (if everything works out)

Start MD at Charles University LF1, September 2026. 6-year program. Plan to write USMLE Steps 1 and 2 during the program, targeting a US residency match after graduation. MCCQE as a parallel option to keep Canada open.

Option B — Gap year(s), retake MCAT, reapply later

Retake MCAT January 2027, targeting 515+.

For European schools (Charles, RCSI, UCD, etc.): I could apply for 2027 entry since they don't require MCAT. That's a one year gap from now.

For Canadian and US MD programs: the timeline is longer. Writing the MCAT in January 2027 means results come back too late for the 2027-2028 cycle. Realistically I'm looking at applying for the 2028-2029 cycle — a two year gap from now.

The uncomfortable truth about timelines: even if Option B works perfectly and I get into a Canadian school for 2028, I won't finish my MD until roughly 2032 — the same year I'd finish at Charles this fall. The gap year eats the time advantage entirely. And that's the best case scenario for Canada. If it takes another cycle, I'm finishing in 2033 or later.

The financial picture

Charles University (Prague, 6 years): ~€145,500 tuition + ~€79,000 living (high-end) = roughly $360–400K CAD all-in

Canadian MD (4 years, domestic): ~$100K tuition + ~$135K living = roughly $235K CAD — but only achievable if I actually get in, which requires fixing CARS first

US MD (4 years, average): ~$238K USD tuition alone, $400K+ all-in — ruled out on cost

Ireland (RCSI etc.) is on my radar as a 2027 backup — 4-year grad entry, but tuition runs €50K+/year, making it pricier than Prague overall.

My actual questions*****

1. For Canadians who went the European MD route — how realistic is matching into a US residency program after graduating from a school like Charles University? I know IMG match rates into the US are brutal. Is a strong USMLE Step score enough to be competitive, or does the school's name matter more than people admit?
2. If the US residency goal doesn't pan out — how hard is it to match back into Canada from a European school as a Canadian citizen? Which specialties are even realistic for IMGs in Canada?
3. Does the financial logic hold up? Prague at $400K CAD all-in versus waiting and hoping for a Canadian seat at $235K — given the timelines converge either way, is the cost difference worth the certainty of a confirmed medical seat?
4. Has anyone actually done the European MD → USMLE → US residency pipeline successfully as a Canadian? Would love to hear from people who've lived this, not just theorized about it.

Not looking for validation. If this path is less viable than I think, I genuinely want to know. Appreciate any honest perspectives. Feel free to correct me wrong if I said something wrong!