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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 3/5/2012
Posts: 13
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Hi, I've been having this question for a long time..
I am going to start my first year at UBC Sciences this fall, and have always been debating about whether I should go into medicine or not.
I always look at it like this: it is really hard to get into med school, and say if (God forbid) I don't make it into med school wouldn't it be a waste of 4 years? As I would have a science degree, but I do not know what else I could do with it career-wise (thinking about majoring in biochemistry).
So do you recommend that I take the risk? Mind you, I've always had a passion for helping others as well as a love for science, and I want to specialize in ophthalmology someday.
But right now it doesn't seem worth it as I would have to start over again if my attempts fail, at a new career.. Or would you recommend going to med school internationally, one which is easier to get into, and then come back here to practice? People have told me that medicine is not as glamorous as one may think, you have to study for about 10 years, as well as it has really long hard hours and in the end the salary works out to be average. Not that I want the "easy way out", but I was just wondering if I should work towards it, because I do not want to spend my life redoing it all if it doesn't work out..
Thanks
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 10/27/2011
Posts: 2
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Hi Dr.Jay, Thanks for the reply. :)
Yes, you are right that, like most of us, I also want to do "what surgeon do". And from what you say, I am getting more excited to go through medical training since I will be experiencing such epiphany regarding the difference in expectation vs. reality, about medical career.
I am thinking of becoming a doctor because I am always interested in what is happening to our human body. The way I see it, is that our body is like a machine performing work from the energy we put in and sometime later, it makes sense that this machine will run out of power and be "dead".
But before it begins to happen, how do we fix this "machine". Could it still be use?
And as a human being, what is more important than knowing how to fix our own machine?
I don't know if it is a weird way of thinking, but I want to tell you mine, and get an opinion from you.
About the questionnaire, I have another one for you. I am not sure about how much first year physic knowledge I should be having in preparation for MCAT. I have a couple of options right now:
1) PHYS 101 (Energy and Waves - fluids, harmonic oscillator, travelling waves, standing waves, sound, and interference of light waves, including diffraction)
2) PHYS 102 (Electricity, Light and Radiation - introduction to optics, electricity and magnetism, electric circuits, radioactivity, including biological applications)
3) PHYS 107 (Enriched Physics 1 - classical mechanics including conservation laws, angular momentum of rigid bodies and simple harmonic motion, wave phenomena, with an introduction to special relativity, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, statistical mechanics and solid state physics).
Should I take or one/two of them is enough? If so, which one would it be?
Honestly, I am not very good with Physic as compared to Biology or Chemistry. But if I work hard, I don't mind learning all courses if they would be useful in either MCAT/ pursuing medical career. Your response is greatly appreciated.
Thank you. :)
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Rank: Student Body President
Joined: 6/3/2011
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frozenyogurt wrote:
ktel: I hope you are right. I just researched the size of University of Alberta, and I was surprised to find that it has more undergraduate students than McGill. If what you say is true, then all factors point to University of Alberta for me (except prestige). The size of University of Alberta will allow me to completely avoid people I don't like from high school right? I mean, I did have friends in high school, but I truthfully, I just think I could make a better group of friends. If I completely abandon those people, would it be awkward, or will I just never see them again?
Yeah it's huge. And I'm not sure where you get the impression it's not prestigious. Maybe this forum is giving you that impression, but it is obviously super Ontario centric here. UBC even gets the short stick sometimes. Both grad schools and most employers understand full well what a good university it is, from my interactions with the above people. There are people that I was actually decent friends with in high school who I basically did not talk to at all in university. A big part of that was we were in different faculties, so we were physically very separate. Most of your classes will be over 100 students, making it very easy for you to completely abandon your high school classmates. I doubt it will be awkward since it doesn't sound like you were friends with them in the first place. When I look at the group of friends I had when I was graduating university, only two of them were somebody I was good friends with in high school. One of them was an acquaintance from my high school, one went to my high school but I had actually never met him before, and the rest were people I met in university. And if I hadn't wanted to hang out with them I probably could have found my own brand new group of friends and just said hi to them in passing. I know you were asking Dr. Jay this question, but regarding dating and relationships: most people I know (including myself) met a long term boyfriend or girlfriend in undergrad. I currently live with my boyfriend that I met in 3rd year at U of A. Only you know how important dating will be, but relationships in general (as in friends and family) are super important.
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 1/30/2012
Posts: 49
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Hey Dr Jay!
I know previously you mentioned you met people who did their undergraduate degree in nursing. I was just wondering if you know what universities they went to for their nursing degree? (Since that school’s program structure might satisfy the prerequisites for medical school.)
I still haven’t decided if the doctor path is the right path for me, but I don’t want to completely turn away medical school right now. Any help is appreciated. :)
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 5/4/2012
Posts: 12
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hey dr jay, do u happen to no where we can find the requirements for all the medical schools in canada
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Rank: Student Council  Joined: 6/28/2011 Posts: 364
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murphyDrizzle wrote:hey dr jay, do u happen to no where we can find the requirements for all the medical schools in canada Here they are: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/rc_omsas_e.pdf
Also, I just wanted to add that this is probably one of the best topics I've seen on these forums and even though I have no plans to go into the medical field I still took the time to read it all, I applaud your efforts Dr.Jay! Applied to:
Brock University - Computer Science [Accepted]
McGill - Computer Engineering [Accepted]
McMaster - Engineering I [Accepted]
Queens - Engineering [Accepted]
Western - Engineering [Accepted]
Attending: McMaster Engineering - Class of 2016
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President
Joined: 5/3/2011
Posts: 759
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In high school we are allowed to upgrade marks , are we allowed to do the same thing at University and if yes does any universities look down at upgraded marks /repeated courses.
Thank you in advance .
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Rank: Student Body Vice-President  Joined: 6/19/2012 Posts: 812
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aquarius wrote:In high school we are allowed to upgrade marks , are we allowed to do the same thing at University and if yes does any universities look down at upgraded marks /repeated courses.
Thank you in advance .
Most universities will not allow you to retake a course to "upgrade" your mark. You can only retake a course if you fail it the first time. Each medical school in Canada has a different way of doing admissions. Some look at every single course you ever took. Some only look at courses taken during the "regular" semesters (ie. not summer courses). Some will only look at your two best years, or your last two years, if you took a full course load every semester. Some allow you to drop a certain number of courses from the GPA calculation, depending on how many courses you have taken and if you had a full course load. Generally speaking, you cannot upgrade a university course. Most schools will only allow you to take a course a second time if you failed the first time. That failure will still be counted in your GPA, however. University of Guelph - Applied Human Nutrition 2014 - Scholarship RecipientHave questions? Check out these links: AMA: University of Guelph, Why People Choose GuelphFeel free to ask me about nutrition & dietetics programs, Dietitians of Canada student memberships, or Guelph (Was accepted to Nutrition/Dietetics at Guelph, Brescia/Western, Ryerson, Alberta, Acadia, MSVU, St. FX)
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 7/6/2012
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Hi DrJay,
I, like many of us here, would also like to thank you for taking time off your busy schedule for answering these important questions. As well, I would also like to note that your marks/GPA are quite commendable! Amazing! Here are my questions:
1) I noticed your suggestion about considering the answer to the question "Why do you want to be a doctor?" and the fact that the answer "To help people" is not sufficient as various careers entail helping people. I truly see the validity in your answer. However, I was wondering what is your personal answer to this question?
2) Also, it might be personal, but what did you major in? If it is too personal, I completely understand.
3) Apart from the sciences, what other courses did you take?
4) When did you start preparing for the MCAT?
5) Many people experience quite the shock when entering University for the first time and notice a significant drop in their grades. From your GPA, I can see this wasn't the case with you. How did you manage such a toll?
6) I also noticed your answer about what Medical School is like...do you personally enjoy it?
7) Again, this question might be personal and if you choose to not answer it, I completely understand: What would you like to specialize in after Medical School?
8) What clubs were you involved in during your University Life?
9) If you apply during Third Year (like you did) and do not make it, I understand you can apply again in Fourth Year...does this look bad if you were to apply to the same university who once rejected you in your previous application during your third year? And in the way that you were accepted in your third year, were you able to complete a full degree regardless of not completing the standard four year degree?
10) Lastly, what were your MCAT scores? (If it's not too personal) And how many times did you take it? Was it super hard?
Thank you so much for answering such questions!
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 5/4/2012
Posts: 12
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KingKhan wrote:[quote=murphyDrizzle]hey dr jay, do u happen to no where we can find the requirements for all the medical schools in canada Here they are: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/rc_omsas_e.pdf
Also, I just wanted to add that this is probably one of the best topics I've seen on these forums and even though I have no plans to go into the medical field I still took the time to read it all, I applaud your efforts Dr.Jay! [/quote thanks!
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 5/3/2012
Posts: 93
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Hi everyone, It's been a long time since I was last year - it was a crazy week! I'll catch up on questions now :) karzecki wrote:Was it extremely hard to maintain a high-enough GPA to apply for medical school, once you figured out how to study and whatnot? How did you manage the transition from high school to university, and what worked for you in terms of keeping a high average after high school? My sister just graduated from university and she ended up with an average in the 60s, and now I'm worried my marks will just plummet after the first set of mid-terms. P: University is harder than high school - there's no doubt about it. You're right - once you figure out a method that works for you, then maintaining a high GPA is more about work ethic than anything. But again, it's not easy. There's 2 parts to why university is harder. 1.) You are expected to know a lot more information for your exams than high school - this means you need to study more, and memorize more details than before. and 2.) The tests are harder - in that, you need to be able to think harder about the material. The best way to do well is to find past tests from your course societies (e.g. the Biology Society/Union). Most professors make similar tests to previous tests. Use the tests to guide your studying, use them to figure out what types of questions will be asked and practice solving those questions so it's not new on the exam. Chances are, if you can do the practice tests, you can do the real test. TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 5/3/2012
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euphoria1911 wrote:Hi, I've been having this question for a long time..
I am going to start my first year at UBC Sciences this fall, and have always been debating about whether I should go into medicine or not.
I always look at it like this: it is really hard to get into med school, and say if (God forbid) I don't make it into med school wouldn't it be a waste of 4 years? As I would have a science degree, but I do not know what else I could do with it career-wise (thinking about majoring in biochemistry).
So do you recommend that I take the risk? Mind you, I've always had a passion for helping others as well as a love for science, and I want to specialize in ophthalmology someday.
But right now it doesn't seem worth it as I would have to start over again if my attempts fail, at a new career.. Or would you recommend going to med school internationally, one which is easier to get into, and then come back here to practice? People have told me that medicine is not as glamorous as one may think, you have to study for about 10 years, as well as it has really long hard hours and in the end the salary works out to be average. Not that I want the "easy way out", but I was just wondering if I should work towards it, because I do not want to spend my life redoing it all if it doesn't work out..
Thanks Here's a useful way to look at it. Work your butt off at school in your first 2 years and see what your GPA is like. If it's competitive for med school, then you have a pretty good shot at getting in at some point. If it's not, then you should probably do some thinking about whether medical school is a realistic possibility for you, and whether it's something you still want to do. I don't know much about going to medical school internationally. But my understanding is if you do your medical school outside Canada/U.S., it's pretty hard to come back to Canada. TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 5/3/2012
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frozenyogurt wrote:DrJay wrote:frozenyogurt wrote:Hey Dr. Jay. I am trying to decide between going to McGill or University of Alberta.
pros for McGill - prestige, their bio/life sci program is really hard to get into, top ranked in the world, and I've always told people I wanted to go to McGill, plus Montreal sounds like a fun place, fresh start away from people I knew in high school
cons for Mcgill - harder to get a high GPA in, living away from home so I will have to cook & clean, I might get distracted by the vibrant social scene, far away from home so I will feel homesick, and it seems almost unwelcoming with the way they have already treated me as a student during the whole admissions and registration process
pros for UAlberta - comfortable, less risky choice, I will get the luxury of having all my meals cooked and all chores done for me, I can focus more on my studies, financially AMAZING (they give out way more scholarships so I will essentially have a free ride through university)
cons for UAlberta - boring, I want a change from my current surroundings and to be away from people I knew in high school, less so-called prestigious
I would like to know, is it really worth going to a prestigious university for undergrad when your ultimate goal is medical school? I know that GPA is king when it comes to med admissions. Plus McGill won't give me status as a Quebec resident so I won't have a good chance for their medical school even if I go there for undergrad...
I know that this other med school student, his name is Joshua Liu (he answer's hopeful med questions too on his website and stuff), he went to York University to do his undergrad and said that going to a less intensive university allowed him more time to pursue extracurricular endeavors. I feel that being at UAlberta would allow me to do the same...but I don't know.
I just don't want to regret going to the university I end up going to... Montreal is a gorgeous city. I haven't been to Alberta, so I can't compare haha. In any case, I agree it's a tough decision. I truly think if you work hard, you can do well anywhere. I agree that "prestige" is not really important for your undergraduate degree, especially if you want to do an undergrad in life science, and if you want to do medical school. How bad was the high school situation? That is the one factor that seems to be sticking out to me. That being said, UofAlberta I assume is big enough that you can make many new friends. Also, if you want to experience the university life, there is also the option of living on campus at Alberta anyways. From what I hear, UofAlberta is a fantastic school, and personally I'd go there for medical school or residency over McGill, for what it's worth. Plus a free ride in university helps a LOT. Based on all that, if you feel OK from a social stand point going to Alberta, I'd probably go to Alberta. All that said, at the end of the day, university is what you make of it. Thank you Dr. Jay. My high school experience was... pretty bad. I spent all of high school believing that I will never see these people again because I will be going to a university far away from my home town so I didn't really solve any issues. I've always said that I would be leaving home to get the full university experience. But now that it's just 2 months before university starts, reality is really hitting me. My ultimate goal is med school, and I realize how going to McGill would be really impractical. However, it's appeal in terms of a social life is really tempting. As well, how important is dating and relationships during undergraduate? Since now, a bachelors degree is like the new high school diploma and people are getting married later and later, do you think I will be at a disadvantage being naive in terms of relationships and stuff coming out of undergraduate? Do people date during med school or is that a little too late? Do most medical students have boyfriends/girlfriends? or have med students also sacrificed their social and personal lives for school? I'm not sure how to answer your questions, but I'll try my best :) Dating is as important as you make it to be. Some people have dated since high school. Some people don't even date until after undergrad. It really depends on the person. I am dating someone I met in medical school. I will say that if you are in the medical profession, once you enter your clinical years of your medical training (i.e. 3rd and 4th year medical school and residency), it becomes more and more difficult to start a NEW relationship. When you're working tons of hours a week, it's hard to have the energy to start a new relationship. Some people in med school are already in relationships. Some start relationships in med school. Some aren't in relationships. It really depends on the individual. But truthfully, yes, you will need to sacrifice a decent chunk of your social life once you start your clinical training in medical school. I'm not going to lie - sometimes when I'm busting my butt doing 24 hour shifts while my non med-school friends are out having a good time, I will get jealous, like anyone else. I spent Canada day weekend doing two 24-hour shifts. That's the life of a medical trainee - you just have to deal with it I guess. TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 5/3/2012
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9khine wrote:Hi Dr.Jay, Thanks for the reply. :)
Yes, you are right that, like most of us, I also want to do "what surgeon do". And from what you say, I am getting more excited to go through medical training since I will be experiencing such epiphany regarding the difference in expectation vs. reality, about medical career.
I am thinking of becoming a doctor because I am always interested in what is happening to our human body. The way I see it, is that our body is like a machine performing work from the energy we put in and sometime later, it makes sense that this machine will run out of power and be "dead".
But before it begins to happen, how do we fix this "machine". Could it still be use?
And as a human being, what is more important than knowing how to fix our own machine?
I don't know if it is a weird way of thinking, but I want to tell you mine, and get an opinion from you.
About the questionnaire, I have another one for you. I am not sure about how much first year physic knowledge I should be having in preparation for MCAT. I have a couple of options right now:
1) PHYS 101 (Energy and Waves - fluids, harmonic oscillator, travelling waves, standing waves, sound, and interference of light waves, including diffraction)
2) PHYS 102 (Electricity, Light and Radiation - introduction to optics, electricity and magnetism, electric circuits, radioactivity, including biological applications)
3) PHYS 107 (Enriched Physics 1 - classical mechanics including conservation laws, angular momentum of rigid bodies and simple harmonic motion, wave phenomena, with an introduction to special relativity, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, statistical mechanics and solid state physics).
Should I take or one/two of them is enough? If so, which one would it be?
Honestly, I am not very good with Physic as compared to Biology or Chemistry. But if I work hard, I don't mind learning all courses if they would be useful in either MCAT/ pursuing medical career. Your response is greatly appreciated.
Thank you. :)
Hmmm, it sounds liks PHYS101 and 102 are more like introductory courses, so I would take those... but you should talk to upper year students or your academic counsellors to make sure. It won't be useful for your medical career, but it will probably be useful for your MCAT :P TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 5/3/2012
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lisar96 wrote:Hey Dr Jay!
I know previously you mentioned you met people who did their undergraduate degree in nursing. I was just wondering if you know what universities they went to for their nursing degree? (Since that school’s program structure might satisfy the prerequisites for medical school.)
I still haven’t decided if the doctor path is the right path for me, but I don’t want to completely turn away medical school right now. Any help is appreciated. :)
Hmm I'm not sure what nursing school they went to, but I don't think it would matter at all. TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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Rank: Senior Student
Joined: 5/3/2012
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KingKhan wrote:murphyDrizzle wrote:hey dr jay, do u happen to no where we can find the requirements for all the medical schools in canada Here they are: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/rc_omsas_e.pdf
Also, I just wanted to add that this is probably one of the best topics I've seen on these forums and even though I have no plans to go into the medical field I still took the time to read it all, I applaud your efforts Dr.Jay! Thanks for your help :) TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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nutritionrunner wrote:aquarius wrote:In high school we are allowed to upgrade marks , are we allowed to do the same thing at University and if yes does any universities look down at upgraded marks /repeated courses.
Thank you in advance .
Most universities will not allow you to retake a course to "upgrade" your mark. You can only retake a course if you fail it the first time. Each medical school in Canada has a different way of doing admissions. Some look at every single course you ever took. Some only look at courses taken during the "regular" semesters (ie. not summer courses). Some will only look at your two best years, or your last two years, if you took a full course load every semester. Some allow you to drop a certain number of courses from the GPA calculation, depending on how many courses you have taken and if you had a full course load. Generally speaking, you cannot upgrade a university course. Most schools will only allow you to take a course a second time if you failed the first time. That failure will still be counted in your GPA, however. Thanks for your help, I wouldn't know how to answer that question :) TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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ktel wrote:frozenyogurt wrote:
ktel: I hope you are right. I just researched the size of University of Alberta, and I was surprised to find that it has more undergraduate students than McGill. If what you say is true, then all factors point to University of Alberta for me (except prestige). The size of University of Alberta will allow me to completely avoid people I don't like from high school right? I mean, I did have friends in high school, but I truthfully, I just think I could make a better group of friends. If I completely abandon those people, would it be awkward, or will I just never see them again?
Yeah it's huge. And I'm not sure where you get the impression it's not prestigious. Maybe this forum is giving you that impression, but it is obviously super Ontario centric here. UBC even gets the short stick sometimes. Both grad schools and most employers understand full well what a good university it is, from my interactions with the above people. There are people that I was actually decent friends with in high school who I basically did not talk to at all in university. A big part of that was we were in different faculties, so we were physically very separate. Most of your classes will be over 100 students, making it very easy for you to completely abandon your high school classmates. I doubt it will be awkward since it doesn't sound like you were friends with them in the first place. When I look at the group of friends I had when I was graduating university, only two of them were somebody I was good friends with in high school. One of them was an acquaintance from my high school, one went to my high school but I had actually never met him before, and the rest were people I met in university. And if I hadn't wanted to hang out with them I probably could have found my own brand new group of friends and just said hi to them in passing. I know you were asking Dr. Jay this question, but regarding dating and relationships: most people I know (including myself) met a long term boyfriend or girlfriend in undergrad. I currently live with my boyfriend that I met in 3rd year at U of A. Only you know how important dating will be, but relationships in general (as in friends and family) are super important. Some really good posts from ktel, thanks for contributing! TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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stephjjj wrote:Hi DrJay,
I, like many of us here, would also like to thank you for taking time off your busy schedule for answering these important questions. As well, I would also like to note that your marks/GPA are quite commendable! Amazing! Here are my questions:
1) I noticed your suggestion about considering the answer to the question "Why do you want to be a doctor?" and the fact that the answer "To help people" is not sufficient as various careers entail helping people. I truly see the validity in your answer. However, I was wondering what is your personal answer to this question?
2) Also, it might be personal, but what did you major in? If it is too personal, I completely understand.
3) Apart from the sciences, what other courses did you take?
4) When did you start preparing for the MCAT?
5) Many people experience quite the shock when entering University for the first time and notice a significant drop in their grades. From your GPA, I can see this wasn't the case with you. How did you manage such a toll?
6) I also noticed your answer about what Medical School is like...do you personally enjoy it?
7) Again, this question might be personal and if you choose to not answer it, I completely understand: What would you like to specialize in after Medical School?
8) What clubs were you involved in during your University Life?
9) If you apply during Third Year (like you did) and do not make it, I understand you can apply again in Fourth Year...does this look bad if you were to apply to the same university who once rejected you in your previous application during your third year? And in the way that you were accepted in your third year, were you able to complete a full degree regardless of not completing the standard four year degree?
10) Lastly, what were your MCAT scores? (If it's not too personal) And how many times did you take it? Was it super hard?
Thank you so much for answering such questions! 1. I'm pretty sure I answered this within the last few threads, just read a couple of posts back and I think you'll find the answer. 2. Life sciences - biology 3. A mix of things - economics, psych, philosophy, geography even, random stuff that seemed interesting. 4. just during the summer that i took the mcat 5. i'm lucky i think in that i've always been good at figuring out school in general. as i mention in a recent post, focus on past tests and solving those, and you will be fine for the real test 6. this is a good and tough question :) medical school has ups and downs. sometimes i will have a great day in medicine. some days are awful, and i wonder why i did this - but then again, isn't that like every other job? :) that being said, it depends on person to person. some people will like medicine more than others 7. family medicine 8. some music stuff, but not too much to be honest 9. nope, doesn't look bad at all - med school is competitive. lots of people apply twice, three times, or more. i completed a 3 year degree because i had enuff credits, but of course not an honours degree. 10. I took it once, got 34 or 35. yes it was very hard haha. it feels like the hardest test you've ever taken :) TD Canada Trust Scholar 2006 University of Toronto M.D. Candidate, Class of 2013 MedHopeful.com - my blog with advice and entertainment on undergrad, scholarships and medical school. Get Started - an introductory guide for premeds to learn about applying to medical school. Mac Health Sci Application Guide - my advice for the McMaster Health Sciences supplementary application. EssaySensei.ca - where I provide 1-on-1 essay help for applications to medical school, scholarships, awards and programs.
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Rank: Frosh
Joined: 6/3/2012
Posts: 27
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Dr Jay, what did you wear to your medical school interview?
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