More than one acceptance

[Guest BROKA]

Hi Everyone,

 

Congratulations on your acceptances!! It still doesn't feel real to me.

 

Anyway, I need some help. I have been accepted into both Ottawa and NOSM, and now I have a very difficult decision to make.

 

Both schools seemed wonderful at the interview.

 

If any of you can suggest items for my pro/con list for either school that may be helpful.

 

I want to say yes to both :b

[Guest Anna]

I was hoping to be in your position broka...it really depends on your preferences. Both are great schools and each has their own unique pros and cons.

 

Ottawa- the location of the school is magnificent situated between the general and CHEO and attached by covered walkways...doing placements will be quite easy, even between classes. Ottawa is a school with a lot of history and prestige. They have their own cadavers for med students and they treat their students like gold. The school is slightly larger than NOSM, but still manageable and from my interview there, the classes are quite close. The city of Ottawa makes for a great location with so many things to do when not burying one's nose in the books. Just think back to the little movie that Ottawa played during the Info sessions.

 

NOSM- the location of the school makes it ideal for someone interested in the North and practicing in northern or rural areas once they are done medical school. You have two campuses instead of one Placements are also done in unique rural, northern towns so if you like that sort of thing it is there for you. You don't get your own cadavers at NOSM, but you do get plastinated (sp?) portions which are sufficient to learn from. The school hasn't quite finalized its third and fourth year curriculum yet because of the fact they don't have students in those years and the school itself is new. However, this could mean that you help form the curriculum.

 

So as you can see its all about your preferences. Where do you want to live to go to med school and which curriculum do you think you would be best suited for.

 

Anna

[Guest Axolotl]

If you talk to some of the other NOSM students, they may give you different answers. But these are a few of the things that I really like about the school.

 

 

1. Structured clinical skills sessions, starting from week one. Work on your interview and physical examination skills so that you feel confident when you enter your clerkship and residency years.

 

2. Tremendous support from the local physicians. Do you want to see an autopsy or a certain type of surgery? The physicians here will bend over backwards to accommodate you.

 

3. Two great communities - Thunder Bay & Sudbury. No need to waste hours of learning time stuck on the 401. Plenty of community clubs and outdoor activities that you can participate in outside of school.

 

4. Financial support. You may have heard something about the $13 million dollars that was raised this year for student bursaries?

 

5. Placement opportunities. Your are not stuck in a classroom for your first three years!

- 4 weeks in Year 1 (aboriginal First Nations)

- 16 weeks in Year 2 (smaller communities)

- All of Years 3 & 4 (larger communities)!

 

6. Research opportunities. Brand new, state of the art laboratory facilities are on site at both the East & West campuses.

 

7. Self-directed learning. Are you strong in anatomy but weak in another area? Spend time learning based on your own unique needs.

[Guest bad boy buddhist]

I completely agree with Axolotl. My favourite aspects of NOSM:

 

1. Structured clinical skills sessions each week in groups of only 4 students per physician. This is a chance to practice and perform clinical skills mainly on standardized patients in a "safe" environment.

 

2. Community learning sessions each week consisting of a placement with a physician, other health care professional, or community-based service.

 

3. Class of only 56, and I can't stress how much this impacts the learning process and our lives in medical school. Most of us are great friends by now, and the social events - formal and informal - are many if you choose to participate. It's a non-competitive atmosphere and with various levels of expertise in various fields we are constantly supporting each other in our learning.

 

4. Ontario Med Student Weekend 2005 champions

 

5. Med Games champions - maybe not on the scoreboard, but in our own minds.

[Guest Axolotl]

Agreed.

 

Plans are underway for Med Games 2007 in Montreal. The West Campus will be sending a soccer team this time around...we will be feared. DFIB in goal and Axolotl up front.

[Guest Icarus07]

I have to agree with Axoltol and BBB that this year at NOSM has been great.

 

Number 1 on my list of pro's would definitely be the structured clinical skills sessions. They can be the cause of a lot of stress but they are by far the highlight of my week and I can't imagine being thrown into a clinical setting without all this experience.

 

The only 'con' if it really is one would have to do with the placements and it's not about the content as much as the time commitment epsecially for people who have families and partners/spouses who will not be as mobile while you have placements away from your home campus. I think that a potential student should be aware of the fact that they may have to spend extended time periods living away from their loved ones or ask them to make sacrifices and travel with you. I think that the placements are a great part of the curriculum but you should be prepared for the benefits and inconvenience of having all of Northern Ontario as your campus.

[Guest Icarus07]

I should also add that I think our foosball performance this year was undoubtedly the highlight of Med Games 2006. (Well, may just for the two of us.)

[Guest Anna]

I just had a question regarding the placements. When you go out into lets say a more northern community where does one reside? I am asking because I myself have a dog and was wondering what would happen to her while I was on placement (i.e. are students placed in an apartment on their our own where a dog could accompany or are students placed with community members where a dog would probably not be able to accompany and therefore need to stay in a kennel or with a friend if possible?). Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Anna

[Guest northerndoc]

Hi Anna,

 

The dog is place specific. Lots of us have been billeted with families, that may or may not accept a dog. You have to remember in these communities that there may be TONS of wandering dogs, which may fight your dog. Dogs in the house is actually not always that popular depending on the community you go to. Other people have been placed in teacherages, appartments, or health center housing, these places each have their own rules. Then there would be the expense of getting your pet up there. The classmates that I know that have pets have all left them behind. So I would say that bringing your dog is not a yes or no answer that any of the charter class could answer in certainty, as the best I could say is that it is unique to the community you choose.

[Guest Anna]

Thanks Northerndoc!!!!Your answer actually gave me what I needed if most of your peers left their pets behind. Realistically, I will most likely have to find a doggy sitter for the majority of the placements.

 

Cheers,

Anna