u/EnvironmentalBook5

Hey everyone, hoping to get some advice on strengthening my med school application and figuring out my next steps. A bit of background: I’m an ER LPN currently working on a health sciences online degree at Thompson Rivers University focusing on the core sciences, with the goal of applying to Canadian and US medical schools. I’ll also be bridging into my BSN program in January. I’m 30 years old and a mom to a 7 year old, so time and finances are real factors in every decision I make.

In terms of experience, I’ve been working in the ER and over the last three years I’ve also been working in mental health, specifically with kids with developmental disabilities and adults in a substance use and abuse treatment centre. I also volunteer at a crisis line. So I do have a decent foundation but I’m trying to figure out how to build on it strategically.

My main question is around extracurriculars. I’ve come across the advice that cookie-cutter ECs are totally fine, it’s just that you can’t have standalone cookie-cutter ECs. In that context the EC actually means something and shows real dedication to a specific area rather than just resume padding.

I get the concept but I’m struggling with how to actually apply it to my situation. A few specific questions:

1. How do I even find research opportunities? And can research be more community or socially focused rather than strictly lab based? Like would something tied to public health, health equity, or community outreach count? Where would I even start?
2. For shadowing, should I be starting that now? I already work in the ER so I have clinical exposure but I know shadowing a physician is different. When and how should I be approaching that?
3. I was considering scribing or working as a medical translator to add to my application but the pay is a concern since I have a child to support. Is it worth it or are there better ways to get what those experiences would give me?

If you were in my shoes, what would your top 2 or 3 suggestions be and how would you timeline it out? I want to be strategic about this, not just busy. Thank you for your time!

I’m honestly feeling pretty down right now because one of my transfer equivalencies dropped my GPA from a 4.0 outside of Langara to around a 3.8 at Langara due to how the course was evaluated. I’m trying to see how competitive admissions were in past cycles and whether people were still accepted around that range.

Would really appreciate hearing other people’s experiences.

Has anyone here transferred BCIT prerequisites into Langara’s BSN program and had issues with the grade conversion/evaluation? I’m confused because my BHSC 1200 grade from BCIT was 89% but it was evaluated as an A- at Langara. Meanwhile, my TRU courses were assessed differently where 85% was considered an A and 84% (English course) was an A- (English elective). Anywho, I also know someone from VCC whose 84% stayed an A- and 86% stayed an A during transfer evaluation. Has anyone else experienced this with BCIT transfer credits specifically? How should I go about disputing this? Thank you.

Hey everyone! Does anyone know how long Langara usually takes to process transcripts and update their system? I’m starting to get worried that something might’ve gotten lost in the mail, especially with the May 30 deadline coming up.

According to my sending schools, my transcripts were sent on these dates:
TRU – April 13
BCIT – April 15
Sprott Shaw – April 8

They still haven’t updated on myLangara and it’s been a few weeks now. What’s confusing is I also applied to TRU and their system already shows they received everything April. 22nd and 27th, even though they’re in Kamloops which is further.

I emailed Langara last week but haven’t heard back yet.