Who's got interviews this year and where?

[Guest happy2bme]

I'm looking for people to discuss their interview experiences as non trads.

 

I have interviews at the two schools I applied to Calgary and Manitoba. I've finished my interview MMI at Calgary, and I interview in a couple of weeks at Manitoba.

 

My MMI interview at Calgary was great as it was station based and low stress. The only negative is that as non-trad I would have like to have a little more time to expand on my life experiences etc. You have to work a little harder to try and work in some of your more interesting life details into your answers at each station.

 

Calgary my group leader was another non trad who was in his "late thirties" and stated that the oldest in his class was 40. I took that as a good sign that Calgary still looks for diversity in it's candidates. Also apparently alot of people with families in the classes as well.

 

Anyone have any experience here with Manitoba interviews as a Regular category or Special Consideration candidate? I will be having interviews in both of these categories and I will admit I am nervous about my "special consideration" as it is rumored to be very intense interview style.

 

So anyone who is nontrad interviewing this year at any of the other schools???

[Guest pappy mckeys]

Hi,

 

I interview at Mac April 1. It was the only school I applied to.

Good luck!

[Guest ssc427]

So far I've done McGill, UofA, UBC, Harvard, Stanford and Columbia.

 

Hardest interview at UofA (lots of ethics questions)

Easiest at Columbia (single interviewer who liked me)

Shortest at UBC (25 minutes!!!!)

Longest at Stanford (the day went from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm)

 

I loved Montreal but wasn't thrilled about the med school.

 

I loved the UofA med school but hated Edmonton.

 

Vancouver rocks and I went in thinking the med school is not for me but came out pleasantly suprised.

 

Boston was amazing but Harvard was hostile.

 

Stanford is the prettiest campus on the face of the earth. It would be like attending med school at a 5 start resort. Probably the most perfect program for me. The resources were shocking. And amazing family services/housing for all you non trads.

 

Columbia was also fantastic in every respect. The patient diversity in New York would be unmatched anywhere in Canada. The things even first year meds were exposed to were exceptional. However Washington Heights is not the safest place for a young family.

 

 

I REALLY liked my American options but won't hold my breath on the finance side of things.

 

I've still got a pile more to do in Canada so hopefully will get a couple of good options.

[Guest 24medgirl]

I'm interviewing at University of Ottawa in April. I also applied to NOSM and Mac, but was rejected pre-interview.

 

Good luck to everyone.

T.

[Guest fizio]

I interviewed at Dalhousie. It went well, and am just waiting. I only applied to Dal, as I have a son and husband, and would like to stay in this province to have extended family help close by if I am given the opportunity! The interview was very personal and they truly wanted to know who I was as a person. They did of course ask a few health care hot topics but were pretty easy (working in it, helps!)

 

My son is 4 1/2 and will be starting school in the fall. It will be a huge adjustment for the 3 of us, as my husband is working and finishing his business degree, and I'm working as a PT in the hospital (for the past 7 years). This is what I've always wanted to do, but the 3 of us in school at once is hard to imagine, and also likely not easy to afford. My hubby will likely look for work and put his last year on the back burner (and do part time). Is there anyone out there who is attending school in a similar situation, or looking to attend? Do you think it's feasible?

fizio

[Guest happy2bme]

I'd be careful about your husband doing part time on his degree. Depending on whether you both have student loans etc. they may come into repayment if your husband is part time depending on the loan program. Also if he is working and makes too much money it may cut down on your student loan funding.

 

Figure out how much it will "cost" you if he is a part time student. It might not be worth it, especially since he only has one year left. Maybe he can take a course or two this summer while you work, and therefore have more time available during his last year to make some money but still have enough of a course load to prevent student loans to go into repayment.

 

Canada student loans used to give me a little extra "grant type" money because my school and living costs were so high as a single parent in school and I had maxed out the prov and fed loan program. It wasn't alot 3,200.00 or so per year(10 years ago) but it was "free money" ( didn't have to be repaid) You should also be eligible for daycare subsidy (before and after school care) if you both are in school at the same time as well.

 

If he only has one year left, I would try and let him finish it up sooner so he can get a much higher paying job next year than two years of part time student type salary. Although this will mean a drastic lifestyle change for 8 months or so while you both are attending classes.

 

Good luck!

[Guest fizio]

Hey thanks for the info...

every bit helps!

fizio

[Guest potential md]

Hi there,

 

I applied at UBC, U of Calgary and Mac but only interviewed at UBC. I have no idea how it went - at first I thought it was bad but with time, it maybe was not so bad. I'm currently working in business and one of my panel members seemed like he saw no value in that background which is unfortunate as I feel like I can put my MBA to good use as a physician, if nothing else than just running a practice (or in the future, maybe a hospital).

 

I was soooo nervous! And my interviewers were stony faced the whole time while I was ultra-smiley. ugh. Apparently they're coached not to give any positive reinforcement. My interview was about an hour though, likely due to my rambling. :> Good luck to everyone!

[Guest supa76]

Thought I would revive this thread...I have been thinking way too much about my interview recently.

 

I applied to UofC, Queens, Manitoba and UBC this year, but only got an interview with UBC. (UBC being the most forgiving for grades from 10 years ago!).

 

My interview felt a lot like P-md - I was really nervous, it took me about 10 minutes to relax ("relax" being very relative) and it was also about an hour long due to rambling! Right afterwards I felt great about it, then within that same night felt horrible, then with time I felt pretty ok. I felt I had some strong answers to most questions, but just fell short on one of the questions where I needed to provide a concrete example for my answer. I ended up rambling about living with 5 roommates at one time in my life.. not a very 'meaningful' answer to say the least.

 

The interviewers were pretty stony faced too -- especially the clinician who sat directly in front of me with a glum expression on his face the whole time. I couldn't help but talk to him most of the time as he was sitting directly in front of me, and did most of the question-asking. Hopefully not talking so much to the other interviewers wasn't detrimental. The clinician also kept interrupting me in a kind of 'okay, get to the point' kind of way -- maybe because I was the second last interview of the weekend, or because I was rambling nervously too much, or else just to throw me off a bit. It didn't phase me too much, but I just felt like I didn't really get a chance to answer some of the really important questions!

 

So I'm getting pretty stressed already waiting for mid-May. It doesn't help that I have no contracts right now to occupy my time, and no definite back-up plan for next year. It does help to vent every once and awhile though!

 

Time to go outside and enjoy some Vancouver spring...

 

supa

[Guest student101]

Hey, potential MD,

 

About that panel member who seemed to not like your business background...is that allowed? Aren't the panels supposed to be entirely unbiased to your major? I am also a business major but have a passion for medicine. I looked into getting an MD, and pretty much every school claimed to be unbiased with regards to what discipline you are coming from. Does anyone know how unbiased they really are? Are science majors favoured? or, as i initially thought, are the panel members not even allowed to bring up your past discipline when interviewing you in order to "stump" you, or make you feel uncomfortable?

 

Thank you

[Guest potential md]

Hi there,

 

Well it turns out that I did get accepted to UBC. YAY!! In discussing the interview with some friends & family, some suggested that in fact the interviewer may have just been trying to be difficult/challenging to see how I reacted & dealt with it. With more thought, I think they were right.

 

In retrospect (actually I starting thinking this about 2 weeks after the interview), I felt that I had been able to convey more about myself than my business background and turn that, combined with my life experience, into my advantage. I think the key part was convincing them that I REALLY want to do medicine, not business now. Just keep that in mind when you do interview prep!

 

Best of luck in the upcoming application cycle.

 

Cheers,

potential md