Ottawa vs Toronto

[mhat]

Hi!!! Sorry to be this person but could current students give me insights on Ottawa vs Toronto to help me make my choice? School or city related would help! Thanks!

Specifically, my parents are in Ottawa so it would be a lot cheaper and the prospect of Toronto debt is daunting. But after 5 years (UG) living on my own and loving student life, I am scared that going back home would be kind of a setback?

[TheFlyGuy]

It really depends how comfortable you are at home; I lived on my own in Toronto for 5 years, and moved back home with my folks for med and have found the support (both financial, in terms of no rent, and otherwise) really helpful. But I know some people who would be driven mad by the thought of that, so kinda depends on your situation haha. Only a first year so I can only help so much, but feel free to pm me if you’re curious about TO life or (virtual M1) Toronto med!

[popfossa]

MS1 at uOttawa here. Congratulations on both acceptances!

A bit about Ottawa:

Our class schedule is as follows: we finish everyday at 12:30 except Thursdays (our practical days- histo, anatomy, radiology and pathology) 

Content Lectures: Monday 8:30-12:30, Wednesday 8:30-12:30, Thursday: 8:00-12:30, Friday 11:30-12:30

Case based learning (go over cases related to content in a group of 6 students with physician): Tuesday 8:30-10:30 and Friday 8:30 to 11:30 

Social Medicine (SIM): go over hot topics and how to be a good physician Tuesday 10:30 -12:30 

Physical Skills (work on skills needed to be a physician- cardio, resp exam etc etc): Thursday 2 to 3:30

Thus, there is SO much free time at Ottawa which I love. Most afternoons are off so you can do what you want. Some people study, some people pick up ECs and others just focus on themselves (this is the most free time I've ever had). Additionally, since you only have one midterm and one final for testing, you are really off for 80% of the time and then start studying/cramming 2 weeks before the exam. So I personally enjoy that whereas someone else may enjoy frequent smaller testing (weekly or biweekly tests like at U of T). Additionally, the passing grade at Ottawa is 60% overall which is very very fair. 

We were in person twice a week for PSD (physical skills on Thursday) and anatomy labs on Tuesday afternoon. 

For next year, they plan on only keeping lectures online but everything else in person (unless things get significantly better with COVID). 

[DrOtter]

9 minutes ago, popfossa said:

MS1 at uOttawa here. Congratulations on both acceptances!

A bit about Ottawa:

Our class schedule is as follows: we finish everyday at 12:30 except Thursdays (our practical days- histo, anatomy, radiology and pathology) 

Content Lectures: Monday 8:30-12:30, Wednesday 8:30-12:30, Thursday: 8:00-12:30, Friday 11:30-12:30

Case based learning (go over cases related to content in a group of 6 students with physician): Tuesday 8:30-10:30 and Friday 8:30 to 11:30 

Social Medicine (SIM): go over hot topics and how to be a good physician Tuesday 10:30 -12:30 

Physical Skills (work on skills needed to be a physician- cardio, resp exam etc etc): Thursday 2 to 3:30

Thus, there is SO much free time at Ottawa which I love. Most afternoons are off so you can do what you want. Some people study, some people pick up ECs and others just focus on themselves (this is the most free time I've ever had so I'm going on lots of runs and prioritizing my social life). Additionally, since you only have one midterm and one final for testing, you are really off for 80% of the time and then start studying/cramming 2 weeks before the exam. So I personally enjoy that whereas someone else may enjoy frequent smaller testing (weekly or biweekly tests like at U of T). Additionally, the passing grade at Ottawa is 60% overall which is very very fair. 

We were in person twice a week for PSD (physical skills on Thursday) and anatomy labs on Tuesday afternoon. 

For next year, they plan on only keeping lectures online but everything else in person (unless things get significantly better with COVID). 

100% agree with this haha. I'm honestly shocked at how chilled med at Ottawa has been compared to undergrad

[premed72]

Also an MS1 at ottawa. Just want to chime in and say so far all the staff that I've encountered (physicians and the occasional resident) have been super approachable and genuinely want you to learn and succeed which is always nice. I also think ottawa offers a good mix of "city" medicine and rural medicine as ottawa is a relatively larger city but has multiple small communities around it. So you can kinda get the best of both worlds.

I also don't think going back to live with your parents is a "setback". The only setback as a med student in my opinion is accumulating more debt.