Guest Kidha Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 Hey guys! Unfortunately, I was not accepted to NOSM this year. I am thinking about re-applying next year. My grades are good and I think my interview went well (but I still need to find out about that). I was wondering if my chances of getting in were really hindered by the fact i'm from rural BC and not rural northern ontario. Anyone get accepted that was not from Northern Ontario? If not it would be a strong indication that my chances are slim next year as well. Have a good year for those that are going and best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiedog Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 Not sure what your chances are, as the odds each year surely must change. What harm would it do to at least try? It seems logical to think that with this being the first year of the school, TONS of locals and Northerners applied. That number will reduce over time as the newness wears off. I am from Thunder Bay, am in the medical field, desperately want to go to school and practice here, and am waitlisted. In reading others schools posts, and in hearing that other schools will be increasing class sizes, does anyone know what the projected future class size of NOSM could grow to? Hopefully we will have larger classes soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kidha Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 Yah I hear ya opiedog! I probably will apply again next year. The only issue is that I think if you aren't from northern ontario you better be sitting with at least a 3.9 or smoke that interview! Its pretty tough to be top 80 out of 400 on the interview (which would be a job well done on the interview i think). You would need to do something like that..cause if you average...being out of northern ontario it would be pretty difficult. I have yet to meet someone that did get in not from the area of northern ontario and i know some people that applied with good grades. I would really like to talk to someone not from Northern ontario to see what there stats are like and to see what i can do to improve my chances. So anyone accepted from NOSM not from Northern Ontario? Would be a big help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Public Health girl Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Hi Kidha, Just wanted to share in your pain...I also wasn't accepted and don't know what I could have done differently. I am also not from the North, have an honours BSc in Health Studies, and a MSW and have worked in Public Health as a Planner for 2 years, also lots of volunteers and extra-curric's. My WGPA was 3.88 and I thought my interview went well. I am from Southern rural Ont. Just wondering like you if anyone outside Northern Ont got accepted...it's kind of frustrating as I am interested in practicing rural medicine...but have no idea what else I can do to get in other than move North??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kidha Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Yah I hear You publichealth girl. My average was well above the average that interviewed and also I have two degrees. NOSM stresses the importance of interdisciplinary studies and I was told my two degrees (BA and BSc) would look really good. I have voluteered tonnes....two oversea projects in communties of less than 2000 and one of them was on a 1st nations reservation. I have travelled extensively as well to approx 15 countries. Involved in music/arts/leadership and in my rural community i had promoted public health as a volunteer on numerous occasions. etc etc etc I think that the lack of replies to my posts indicates that the majority of the class at NOSM will be from Northern ontario. Everyone that i know that applied that was not from there didn't make the cut. I think it might be hopeless........unless you move to northern ontario for a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Icarus Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Hey all. I'm not entirely sure what the charter class is going to look like in terms of Northern Ontario origin. I have been accepted to the east campus and I have heard from four other people who were also accepted to the east campus (2 of whom accepted) who were all from Northern Ontario and none from the south. I have only heard of a single person accepted to the west campus and I know that they are from the north as well. I have heard of at least a dozen other extremely qualified candidates who were from Northern Ontario and were not accepted to either campus and are not on the waitinglist. So, of the 56 spots, I can confirm that 4 have been filled by Northern Ontarians and that's all I know. I guess that doesn't sounds so great for people who aren't from Northern Ontario. It is still pretty early to draw too many conclusions from these numbers though. I imagine they'll put out a better profile of the charter class once all the acceptances have been made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest waterbottle2 Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Hello, Just wanted to say, don't lose hope. Yes, I got into NOMS and Ottawa this year and accepted NOMS but this is my fourth year applying to medical school. I got interviews every year but always got waitlisted. You would be surprised how much better you get interviewing after you have done it once or twice. When I look back at the first medical school interview I had, at the time I thought I had aced it. Now, I look back and compare it to the more recent medical school interviews I have had and well, I wouldn't have accepted myself into med school four years ago either. That was a good judgement call on their behalf. I think except for some lucky ones, it is all about paying your dues in trying to get into medical school. You learn that much more about the profession every time you apply. It takes time but you wil get in when you least expect it. There is also a lot of luck involved in the process. Be happy you got an interview this year and chalk it up to experience for next year. If you have any questions about anything to do with medical school, let me know and we can chat! ttyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NurseNathalie Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 I think its really worth reapplying... it often takes a few tries (even when highly qualified) to get in, and its not really surprising when looking at the number of ppl applying vs the number of spots available. in regards to the numbers of people accepted who are not from Northern Ontario: we have to remember that out of the 400 who were invited for interviews, about 70% were from N.O or grew up in Northern ontario.. so, I'm not entirely surprised that most of the ppl accepted are from there. I'm sure there are some applicants who don't fall into this category, and perhaps they simply don't know about this amazing resource! another thing (just my gut feeling) is that being the charter year, the school will probably want the incoming stats to really reflect 'their reason for being'... lets face it, it cost mega bucks to start the school.. im sure there was (and still is) a lot of political pressures to produce physicians from Northern Ontario to address the shortage problem... NOT to say that its right, or that people from areas outside Northern Ontario wouldn't want to stay and practice here.. but its all about politics my friends! politics and money. This First year will be cruitial for the school..and they will be under the microscope- including all the students. I would anticipate the charter class will be followed very closely, most likely up to 10 yrs (or more) after they start practicing! next year, I think the stats for the class will probably be very different... thats just my opinion of course... i may be out in left field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kidha Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 Hey Guys! I hear ya NN its all about politics. Does make sense to take students from northern ontario as i'm sure studies show people from there are more likely to stay there. However, i think that studies also show people attending medical school in an area will more likely stay there. I do hope northern ontario meets its needs! Geographically discriminated....well worst has happened..lol. I would apply again if i thought my shots were reasonable...but chances of getting in are slim. Once its all said and done i'll get more info from NOSM. As you all know its expensive to apply to schools and to show up for interviews. My costs ended up being nearly 2000 dollars canadian for the flight and to go stay out there (flying from rural to rural communiteis in canada ... YIKEs). Which reminds me...a billiting system would be really nice thing for this years class to set up for next year like they do at other schools. If out of 400 interviewed i was in the bottom 100 and if the reason is that i'm not from northern ontario....it seems pointless. All the best to those accepted and I continue to look for a non northerner to see how they compared and what can be done for a potential reapply next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiedog Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 Hi Kidha, It was interesting to read your comment, as it brought to mind a comment made at one of the NOSM public orientation meetings. It was stated that often students from the north are discriminated against in the admission process at the southern schools, as northern students don't have the same opportunities. Therefore, the admissions files for northern groups often don't look as exciting as they do for southern groups. I guess its all in perspective, and no matter where we are there will be challenges to gaining admission to med school. If it's not gender, age or lack of available finances, it's opportunity related to geography that holds us back! It seems we have not yet created equal access and opportunity despite all the best efforts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest waterbottle2 Posted June 13, 2005 Report Share Posted June 13, 2005 I not sure what to say about the whole admissions process but I can tell you that experience in research I believe is a great asset to somebodies portfolio for NOMS. Of the people I personnally know got in so far, we all have post-graduate studies! Just a thought! ttyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kidha Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Hello! i have a question for you watterbottle...do you know if any of those that did have grad experience were from outside of northern ontario? If they were that would be some good news! Opeidog....you are right. In BC it is the same way. Some experiences are more easily acquired in larger centres. We feel that being from rural communities can also be bit of a disadvantage...especially when we move from towns of 5000 to big cities and have to spend time adjusting to the new environment. That is why i recommend that people from small towns spend time in smaller colleges in their communities to make the transition easier. The rural schools they opened in BC so far still admit in accordance wtih ubc admissions policy as they are part of ubc. I wish they would have done what NOSM did and went independant. Well i guess lessons learned guys! Take care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest waterbottle2 Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 We all grew up in Northen Ontario but pursued our undergraduate degrees in large urban southern ontario schools! To let you know how stiff the competition was, two of my friends who have GPAs of 4.00 overall, many scholarships, lived in Northern Ontario for 20+ years, are doing grad studies and are and have been always in my mind very unique, intelligent people have been put on the waitlist. NOMS has picked the CREam of the CRop from the cream of the crop. I agree that in the next couple of years in should be a bit easier to get in. Just about everybody and anybody applied there this year. Five governor general medal awardees from my high school alone in northern all applied this year. Shows how stiff the competition was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NurseNathalie Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 I agree with Waterbottle on this one.. I think after a few years, we will see a big difference in the makeup of the class! the competition is extremely stiff out there! but it should really be noted that EVERYONE WHO RECEIVED AN INTERVIEW were deserving of a spot! and WERE QUALIFIED! I'm proud of what we all achieved! ok, maybe some were not accepted (YET) but its a BIG THINK TO BE EVEN CONSIDERED! so, although its a big disapointment to those who were not accepted this year, you need to tell yourself that you are nearly there.. and don't give up! ( i didnt even get an interview last year! lol) nat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiedog Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 You got it right about the competition part Waterbottle, but in reading what you posted above, I feel very honoured to at least have made it to the waitlist. Since the offers went to those that are the cream of the crop, from the waitlist perspective I'll just consider myself a little lower in fat and calorie reduced:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest waterbottle2 Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 All I have to say is don't go on a low carb diet! Don't change your lifestyle, you will get in! Just a little humour as I am stuck on my computer for the next couple of days finishing up some work! ttyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiedog Posted June 14, 2005 Report Share Posted June 14, 2005 Thanks for the smile waterbottle:) Actually, am not sure if a low carb lifestyle could ever be something I could live with, I always seems to do everything one step beyond the norm. It does make me nervous to spend any money right now though in case a call does come, even though some necessary spending has come up. I bought a lawn mower yesterday to replace the badly aged one, and felt sweaty plugging in the numbers to the interac keypad at CTC. It was a good feeling to push a lawn mower that actually has four wheels and runs, but somehow, I felt guilty too for "splurging". Kind of in that damned if you do, damned if you don't mode! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest northerndoc Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 Hi, I just thought I would give you all a little encouragement. I am one of the few that was chosen from out of province. I have lived and worked my whole life in rural/northern Manitoba, but have been accepted to NOSM. I am sure that there was an increasing political pressure this year to have students from Ontario, but don't give up hope... If I can do it, so can you!! Best of Luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Norseman Posted August 11, 2005 Report Share Posted August 11, 2005 I was accepted to the west campus. I have spent the last 14 years in Alberta and grew up in rual northern Canada. This is my first time living in Ontario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NurseNathalie Posted August 13, 2005 Report Share Posted August 13, 2005 Welcome to Ontario, Norseman and of course, congrats on being part of NOSM's charter class! Nathalie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.