Mcmaster Pt Vs Queens Pt

[user2369]

I am trying to decide between these two programs and do not know much about either city. Wondering if anyone is able to speak to their experiences in the programs ( what they thought of the layout, the PBL and self directed portion of Mac's program etc), as well as the general living experience. Thanks!

[MDwannabe02]

If you're not sure about PBL, go to Queen's. It's hard to know if you'll like PBL until you're immersed in it (and then it's too late). I personally was not a huge fan of Mac's program, but they're also overhauling it now. In all honesty, they're both great programs. But if you're at all unsure about PBL, go to Queen's.

[Conham]

If you're not sure about PBL, go to Queen's. It's hard to know if you'll like PBL until you're immersed in it (and then it's too late). I personally was not a huge fan of Mac's program, but they're also overhauling it now. In all honesty, they're both great programs. But if you're at all unsure about PBL, go to Queen's.

How are they overhauling it? and why?

[MDwannabe02]

The "why" I can only guess. Likely to change the curriculum so that students get more out of early placements. When I was in the program, the first 2 units were MSK, then cardio (with a little neuro), then straight neuro, community health, then multisystem/leftover MSK. So if you got an acute care or neuro rehab placement as one of your first placements, you had next to no skills in this area.

 

Now the plan is to do a little bit of everything each unit. So if you get put into inpatient stroke rehab as your first placement, you have at least SOME skill and knowledge in this area. Whether this will make for a better program remains to be seen.

 

My main beef with the program was how clinical labs were set up and had basically no structure - especially in cardioresp. When speaking to colleagues who went to Queen's or U of T, they seem to have a much better grasp of these clinical skills. This is all my opinion though. Take it with a grain of salt.