Stir-crazy

[Guest soapyslicer]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just sitting here going crazy!!!!! I know that the NMP meet in the next few days to make the decisions regarding the 24 northern seats and its driving me crazy. The list will then be sent to Van for the adcom here to compare to as they make their list. I looked up last years timeline and letters were sent out on May 20th. I wonder what will happen this year. Those of us who went north for the tour were told that despite the fact that the decisions of who will be offerred the 24 seats is happening so early we would not know until after the main adcom meets in May.

 

Another tidbit from that same meeting...it is likely that the only people who will be considered for PG are those who rated it #1. Dr. Snadden stated there may be a chance that someone who rated it #2 may get offerred it but that would be less likely.

 

He also stated that the majority of emphasis will be on your rural suitability score and you interview mark. As he put it, by virtue of the fact we got an interview we are all capable of handling the academic side. What they are really interersted in are people who really want to be in the north and will be able to handle the more independant nature of the program there.

 

Ohhhhhh the wait. I 'almost' wish I had exams or something to distract me.

 

Hope exams are going well for everyone!!!

 

soapy

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hey there soapy,

 

No worries. Not that it'll mean much in the upcoming days, but I think you're good to go to PG.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest physiology]

After my interview, I tried to give the front desk my rank list. And PG was number one. I handed over the sheet and was about to leave when a dreaded feeling started to fester in my chest.

 

Anyway, I asked for the form back and then re-considered things. Ultimately, I ranked Vancouver as my first choice but now I'm regretting that decision.

 

A class of 24 people and a virgin med school up north, sounds very tempting. And Dr. Snadden was pretty cool.

[Guest walkorbike]

Hi, all,

 

It broke my heart to rank PG third, but my partner can't transfer work there and four years is a long time to ask someone you care about to step out of the labour force--and to chip in with tuition! I think those 24 will have an incredible learning experience: ditto at IMP.

 

(I am sure Vancouver would be wonderful as well, I don't mean to diss you, VFMP.)

 

Good luck everyone!

-walkorbike

[Guest Koppertone]

I just wish they'd hurry up as the early acceptences at Manitoba start on April 17th, and if I get accepted there's no way I can decline (and do I really want to lose the $500 deposit after sinking in so much money this year?)

[Guest coastal79]

Koppertone, don't get your hopes up too much with U Man letting you know soon. I might be wrong, but I thought that they only gave about 20 people early acceptance.

 

Not that my fingers aren't crossed too!

[Guest sn0w0wl]

That's really interesting about the NMP committee meeting soon, soapy--what have you heard about IMP? Are they having a similar "pre-meet"? (Or is that not necessary because they aren't using the rural suitability score?) Are they also giving most spots to #1's? I'm so homesick for the west, the taste I got over the interview weekend has been a terrible distraction. (I can't believe snow is forecast for tomorrow! Won't winter ever go away?)

 

Studying for my biochem exam tomorrow (a course I took just for my UBC med application) isn't proving much of a distraction when I spent the last half hour asleep at my desk! And went on this site as soon as I woke up!

 

May 20th, huh? Just over a month to go. I hope they use something faster than snail mail (or at least an electronic heads-up).

[Guest soapyslicer]

HI snOwOwl

 

I know that the IMP are meeting before the Van adcom but am unsure as to the criteria they are using. From what was said at the meeting both of the non-van schools will make their selections first and then let the main adcom know their choices. One question I asked was can the van ad com overrule a decision made by the NMP or is it binding. Was told the choices made by the sub committee's would stand unless someone had rated Van as #1 and somehow made it to the NMP or IMP list. In that case the applicant would be offered the Van (if the van adcom wanted them) first.

 

Kirsteen,

 

Thanks for the thoughts, we have even found a house, here's hoping we actually get to go!! How did the rest of the interviews go? Have you defended yet? Your cut off must be coming up soon right? Hope it is going well, I can so remember those days trying to please all of my committee re: content and getting ready for the defense.

 

soapy

[Guest sn0w0wl]

soapy--thanks for the insight. Funny, I thought that the main adcom would be deciding who gets in to med school at all, THEN geographic placement would be decided. Sounds like almost opposite, doesn't it? Unless acceptance has already been decided? What a complicated process.

[Guest soapyslicer]

snOwOwl,

 

I think there is a cross over of those on the Van adcom and the NMP. I know that Dr. Frinton is on it as well as another person from Van. It was very illuminating to find out how they were going to decide as in my bored brain I was coming up with all sorts of convoluted ways to try and place people. I think it make sense if anything can at this point.

 

I suspect that someone like Dr. Sherwood would be on both the IMP and the Van adcom. It sure does make you think about you interview (over and over) when you realize that this year it has so much weight.:eek

 

I wonder if there will be changes to how they look at students for Van as well? Pontification, a wonderful thing to pass the time!!!

 

soapy

[Guest jazzyjd]

Hey all,

 

This waiting sucks. At least I can attempt to remain occupied with the writing of my thesis. Urghhh.

 

Just for some clarification, from what I've gathered from the Med website and the info sessions, the NMP and IMP will provide a list of their prefered students but that admissibility is ultimately determined by the 'main' ADCOM. I understand that after admissibility has been determined, they will match students (who selected NMP as 1st) to the NMP if the NMP has also selected them.

 

From the FAQs page -

 

Q. How will an applicant’s ranking of his/her site preferences affect his/her chances at admission?

A. The Admissions Selection Committee is not aware of the applicant's site preference prior to determining whether to offer a position to that person.

 

So I think that site preferences really doesn't factor into a decision one way or the other.

 

Any thoughts?

[Guest not rex morgan]

And just to think, when you do get in, in three and a half years, you get to go through it all again with CARMS :eek

[Guest physiology]

My friend asked Dr. Bates or Dr. Frinton how they ultimately choose. It goes something like this.

 

They rank you according to your academic, NA factors, interview. I'm not sure how the academic portion (pre-req, last 60, overall GPA, and MCAT) is weighted.

 

I think they do painstakingly go through all 544 interviewed applicants because if were all left to a computer, the committee wouldn't need to meet.

 

I think once they get their list of 200 candidates (24 + 24 + 152), it doesn't matter what site you've ranked. Out of the 200 ranked people, those that were selected by the NMP committee are taken off and put into the NMP group, provided that the applicant put PG as his/her number one spot.

 

So if you're ranked 198/200, but you have the HIGHEST rural suitability score, you get into the NMP first (ie. you have the highest priority). I think that's why having a high rural suitability score will help, because it vaults you over the other 199 accepted people. This ties into a post by Soapy above that all interviewed applicants meet the necessary GPA requirements and are treated as the same (at the PG site).

 

Example:

If 26 people choose NMP as their first choice, the 24 that have the highest rural suitability score (as decided by the NMP committee) go to Prince George. The other 2 are put on the waiting list for NMP, and put into their second choice.

 

Because there is no IMP committee (Victoria is treated as urban), people who are higher up on the list and have ranked Victoria as number one will get Victoria.

 

Vancouver is going to be the default choice for most people I believe.

 

That's why the GPA of the three separate sites will not be compromised. In fact, I think the Victoria group will have the strongest applicants due to the limited number of spaces and lack of an "Island suitability score."

 

Anyway, this post is getting long and confusing, I hope you can get the "gist" of what I'm trying to say. This is all speculation, but I don't see how they could do it any other way.

 

 

 

Anohter thing, this will create for a very very complicated waitlist situation. There will be a waitlist for those that are accepted, and those that were rejected post-interview, with priority going to accepted candidates.

 

So let's say Joan Rivers gets into UBC and has a very high rural suitability score, and has ranked PG first. She takes a PG spot. Then Queens accepts her and since Queens is her dream school, she leaves for Kingston.

 

Since there were 26 people (following my example above), out of the two PG-rejected people, the one with the higher rural score will take Ms. River's PG spot, and free up a spot in Victoria or Vancouver (the second choice). That free spot will then go back to the accepted-waitlist people, and if then, there's no movement, it'll open up to a post-interview "rejected" person on the waitlist.

 

Now I'm even confused

[Guest kooty]

Hi,

What happens if you have a very high rural suitability score and are picked by the NMP, but you did not rank NMP #1?...you go to your first choice????

? I'm confused.

[Guest physiology]

Hey Kooty,

 

Then you don't go.

 

The NMP from the NMP Committee and the rank list of 200 accepted applicants are cross-referenced, I believe.

 

Basically it goes like this I think. If you are one of the 24 NMP selected people AND you pick PG #1, then you go.

[Guest kooty]

"I think once they get their list of 200 candidates (24 + 24 + 152), it doesn't matter what site you've ranked"

 

Thanks physiology...I think I was just confused by the statement above. So it DOES matter what site you have ranked first

[Guest bruciebaby45]

While the post was long and at times confusing (only joking) I believe physiology has got it right about the acceptance process. Whereas others seem to be a little off. Thanks for clearing it up physiology.

Bruciebaby

[Guest physiology]

Haha...

 

I know...I'm not the best when it comes to saying things succintly, so I guess that and trying to explain the admissions process are not a good combo.

 

But it is really convoluted admissions process.

 

Perhaps one day the three medical schools will be separate and you just apply to each individually.

 

I see it as being such in the next 50 years or so, when the PG and Vic campuses become increasingly more self-sufficient and autonomous.

[Guest soapyslicer]

Hi Everyone,

 

Glad to see we have something to talk about. There does seem to be differing opinions of how NMP will be decided. Dr. Snadden was very clear on how it will work. I specifically asked him if the list they give to the main adcom will be 'suggestions or recommendations' and could be over ruled by the main adcom. His answer was a very firm NO! He was very clear to the six of us in the room that the NMP committee will be deciding who they want up north....period. As they will look first at people who rated PG as #1 to begin with I think this is a non-issue. You will not get PG if you ranked it #3. Once the main adcom has decided who they want...if you are already on the PG list they move on to the next person. I have no idea how the imp will be doing theirs, my info on that was second hand from a source slightly less informed than Dr.Snadden.

 

Dr. Snadden was very frank and appeared to be up front with his info that day. His comment was you have come all this way, you can ask me anything you want!

 

Of course it is still fun, and gut wrenching to speculate.....

 

soapy

[Guest ren]

Hey soapy,

 

So what happens if u rank PG as your second choice, and van as your first, but you made it on the PG list?? Does this mean you are automatically overlooked for vancouver when the main AD Com meets?

 

thanks

ren

[Guest soapyslicer]

Hi ren,

 

I don't think so. If you rank PG as #2 and you were ranked in their top 24 you would be on the NMP list. However if you were choosen in the top 152 for Van you would be offered that site as you have choosen it as #1. I think Dr. Snadden's point about the picking of candidates has more to do with those who choose nmp as #1.

 

I never asked if the main adcom would find out if you have been selected for nmp or not prior to the meeting. I suspect the answer would be no but it makes sense that if PG was your number one choice and you were accepted to that spot why bother wasting everyones time by discussing you further. Of course this get very convoluted for those who may be on the list and rated it #2. In that case they shouldn't know ahead of time.

 

It makes sense to do the top200 and converge the lists but since when does anything at UBC have to make sense!!! I have no idea how they are doing the converging of the lists. I was just happy to hear how they were doing PG and as that was #1 for me I didn't ask any further.

 

soapy

[Guest Koppertone]

So out of all the interviewees does anybody DARE to speculate how many picked PG as #1? I say... 57

[Guest sn0w0wl]

I'm also curious how many interviewees ranked NMP (and IMP) #1--do the think Admissions would release those numbers in the fall? (Has anybody asked?) I wonder if either of the satellite campuses got <24 first choice votes.... my guess is certanly not more than 100 each... idle speculation (the key word being idle).

[Guest Koppertone]

I hope they got <24, as it definately works in the favor of those of use who picked NMP as #1. However, do I think that's likely? Probably not. I mean out of 500 people, I'd hope that at least 10% of them would have SOME interest in attending each of the satellite programs.

[Guest physiology]

Q. What happens at Final Selection?

A. The Admissions Selection Committee reviews and discusses all interviewed applicants. A separate list of applicants selected for admission to the NMP, provided by the NMP Admissions Subcommittee will be recommended to the Admissions Selection Committee.

 

Q. What determines the offer to a site?

A. The accepted student’s site choice is given priority, unless the available positions at that site have been filled before the applicant is discussed, in which case he/she would be wait-listed for the preferred site (or sites, should the student be offered his/her third choice). Selected students will be offered their site choice of VFMP or IMP if there are available positions. Students requesting the NMP will be offered that site after merging their request with the NMP list, as described below.

In completing the on-line application, candidates will have provided information to create a score that helps determine their suitability for education in the North. This score is used with other non-academic criteria, references, interview scores and academic criteria, to aid the NMP Admissions Subcommittee in choosing students felt to be appropriate for having their MD Undergraduate education at the NMP.

 

Q. Will the academic capability of admitted students be the same at all sites?

A. Yes. The academic caliber of applicants to UBC Faculty of Medicine is outstanding, and will not be compromised. Students will have the same curriculum and expectation of success no matter where they are learning, and this is taken into consideration during the selection process.

 

Q. Will less qualified applicants get in before others if they select the NMP?

A. The academic qualifications are equivalent, as above. Applicants who are more suited to rural education may have a background different to the nonacademic experiences of others. Students selected, and who chose to study at the NMP site will not be less qualified.

 

Q. How will an applicant’s ranking of his/her site preferences affect his/her chances at admission?

A. The Admissions Selection Committee is not aware of the applicant's site preference prior to determining whether to offer a position to that person.

 

Q. Will applicants have the option to NOT rank the sites?

A. Sure, but the acceptance of an offer will be binding on the site position offered.

Q. Will students be able to switch streams (e.g. NMP to VFMP) after entering the program?

A. In exceptional circumstances this may be possible. It is important to keep all sites’ positions filled to carry out the program as it has been designed.

 

Q. How many out-of-province seats will there be at each site?

A. There are a maximum 5 positions, excluding MD/PhD students, available for out-of-province applicants for the UBC entering class in 2004. Their site location is determined in the same manner as BC residents.

 

Q. Will applicants have a better chance of admission to a particular site if they have lived or attended school in that area?

A. In assessing suitability for living and learning in a rural area, applicants provide information about their experiences, including living and going to school, in rural, remote and northern areas. This is scored along with other criteria and may put the applicant on the NMP list.

 

Q. If an applicant doesn’t get his/her first choice site, will he/she go on the waitlist for that site?

A. Yes, and if he/she accepts the offer to his/her second or third choice site, he/she can hold that offer but remain on the waitlist for the preferred site.

 

That's straight from the horse's mouth - the FAQ from the Faculty of Medicine website.

 

Interesting to note that people thought that if you were less qualified, ranking NMP first would give you a better chance of getting accepted (including myself...) The exact opposite is happening with the NMP and IMP I believe.