U of T St. GEORGE Med community/ culture?

[Total Gunner]

Hey guys. 

 

Did all of my degrees at U of T so far. Didn't really like the distanced environment and cut throat competition I had to go through for the past many years. Friends would become something else when they found out you were doing better than them, stopped giving help etc. 

 

Also just didn't have the greatest experience tbh. I understand most of that might have to do with everyone trying to get into med etc. But how is it like once you are in? 

 

What are your classmates like, how do you get along? Etc 

 

Are certain academies friendlier? Better for learning? Better for certai  specialties? 

 

Also, within an academy, how do you pick the hospital you would like?

 

Does the academy determine where you can do your core rotations?

[ace777]

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[ToughLuck]

The med school experience at uoft is very different from the undergrad experience (so I hear from colleague who graduated from uoft undergrad/grad school and are now in med).

Although UofT med, like many other schools, has a pass/fail system, there will always be competition. The race has shifted from getting into med school to becoming a competitive candidate for a specialty of your choice. This means people talk marks (for scholarships), extra curricular activities, leadership roles and research. There are always going to be those optho gunners (no shade, just example) that have published in nature and have 5 leadership roles in optho related fields.

At the end of the day, it is about what you want, and who you surround yourself with. Med school is full of type A personalities, you just need to find the right crowd for you that will help you grow and not make you doubt yourself and your achievements.

In terms of academies - everybody is great. Really. it is about getting a good preceptor. MAM is really good at lower student ratios and the community vibe, but every academy has pros and cons. The academies consist of several hospitals and you will have the chance to rank them (within your academy) at different time points in your education. Core rotations are usually done in your academy, unless it is a rural placement.

[Butterfly_]

I'm sorry to hear that you had a difficult undergrad experience. I don't go to UofT, but in general, I try to do things at my own pace and not bother with what other people are doing. When I hear things like "xx got a scholarship" or "xx did 20 publications", it's like, who cares?

I also try to surround myself with friends who think similarly in this way. So if you've had friends who got jealous of you and stopped helping you, they're not your true friends. I hope you find a nice group of colleagues in medical school. 

[PotatoPotato]

My expereince at UofT is that the class is very ready and willing to help you (ex sharing notes, resources, and google docs to help with studying). Of course, there are all kinds of personailties, though my general experience is that everyone is kind and polite, for example, when group outtings occur anyone who wants to come (pub nights, boardgames, etc.) can just join right in. I do admit, having come from a different undergrad, medical school classmates just don't seem to have as much time to hang out BUT it definitely doesn't feel as cut-throat. There are of course, like anywhere, a few very keen people about their particular specialties. Fortunately, it's up to you to choose who you surround yourself with

Mam has the reputation of being the closest knit, largely because they spend the most time together (lectures + other course components). UTSG lectures combine the other 3 academies so it does feel like a regular undergrad class where you likely won't know everyone. Fitz and PB are more likely to have a community feel than WB which is simply too large (course components like ICE/portfolio/CBL are scattered among 3 hospitals so you won't know everyone, but you will know the people assigned to the same locations as you). Given Fitz and PB are 1/3 the size of WB, I'd say you get to know the same amount of people well (ex you'll likely know 1/3 WB well). I would say they're equal in terms of learning, you can get anywhere you'd like from any of the academies. You can contact anyone to shadow/research with from any other academy and your learning won't be impacted by academy. 

You largely cannot pick the specific hospital you'd like, but you definitely do get a a variety (Ie typically ICE and CBL will be at different ones) and they change per year. In pre-clerkship, I really wouldn't say it's a big deal (you only do ICE, a few workshops and occassionally CBL in them, largely this time is spent in a tutorial room anyways) it isn't a substantial amount of time. Again, you can choose to shadow anywhere, which could amount to more time depending on how much you do. You really can't go wrong with any of your choices, though commuting may be a factor worth considering, depending on where you live.