3rd/4th year clerk stipends?

[Guest UBClebronjames]

Hey

 

I was wondering what schools provide their 3rd/4th year clerks with a monthly stipend (or other perks ie. parking) and how much are they?

 

I specifically know that at Western there is no stipend (but their working on getting it re-instated). UBC I believes has it (~$400?). Toronto? Queens?

 

Thanks

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Unfortunately, I can't help you out with specifics as to which schools have stipends and which don't: the only two schools I know about are the ones you listed, UWO (no stipend) and UBC (clerks get something like $400-$500/month.)

 

My understanding is stipends are phenomenon mostly of the western schools, but I don't know specifics.

 

I can, however, explain to you why UBC students get a stipend and UWO students don't. It has everything to do with malpractice insurance and the cost to the school (rather than rewarding clerks.) My understanding is that in BC, it is much cheaper to offer the clerks a token salary and insure them as employees, rather than pay them nothing and insure them as students.

 

It's a really interesting issue. As you will learn in 3rd year, clerks are really a combination of students and employees (ie an apprentice.) Clerkship doesn't really feel like school to me - when I refer to going to the hospital, I will usually refer to it as work (ie I just got home from work, or I have to work this weekend.) And while clerks do use up resources learning, we are providing valuable services to the Hospital, especially here at UWO (UWO clerks have slightly more privileges and responsibilities than most other clerks as we can write orders.) Last year during the SARS outbreak, UWO clerks were sent home for only one day. . . the Hospitals found they couldn't run properly without us!

 

As a clerk, you are obligated to work weekends and holidays and always show up to the hospital. . . something students aren't. In a recent discussion with our class, the point was raised that we have the same obligations as hospital employees without the pay.

 

In fact, there has been talk at Schulich of bringing back a clerkship stipend. But whether that happens in my lifetime is another issue, and one I wouldn't count on.

[Guest cheech10]

Toronto does not have a stipend for clerks. I believe UBC does and it is related to insurance issues, IIRC.

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there,

 

At the Calgary interview weekend it was also mentioned that Calgary clerks receive a monthly stipend.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest summervirus]

UofA students also receive a monthly stipend of approximately $300.

[Guest macMDstudent]

It is my understanding that clerks in Ontario used to get a stipend during clerkship that roughly covered the total tuition cost over the year. However, this was eliminated by the infamous Bob Rae government (NDP) in the early 1990's as a cost cutting measure. Back then, tuiton was only about $2000 a year or something anyway. Wouldn't it be nice if there was no tuition at todays costs for clerks! That would be worth something!

 

There certainly are no stipends for clerks at Mac and we have to pay our own parking too. A multi-hospital parking pass is about $750 for the duration of clerkship. All we get is the occasional free lunch at noon rounds and a free coffee and muffin for the occasional morning grand rounds! We are slave labour (actually paying for the privilege!). It's true that clerks do a lot of the grunt work and that tertiary care hospitals depend on clerks to get a lot of the day-to-day stuff done.

 

As one resident was telling me, we pay about $50 per day to be a clerk (if you add up our tuition and divide by the number of days), so every day or two I had better feel like I learned a textbook worth of knowledge!

[Guest marbledust]

$750 for parking? Nasty

[Guest QM6]

Queen's doesn't have any right now, but there's been some mumblings to get that going again... keeping my fingers crossed, but not holding my breath though. I remember hearing that U of S has one (at least as of 2 years ago), maybe someone in the know can confirm the numbers on that.

[Guest kosmo14]

Our clerks get about $400/month stipend.

[Guest UofCMeds2005]

Calgary recieves approx $400 a month and a parking pass. Not bad...

[Guest CaesarCornelius]

I think dal clerks get $50/week. So $200/month.

 

CC

[Guest jmh2005]

Wow! I had no idea that Western Canadian clerks got stipends...that's so fabulous for you guys!!!...like my colleague said, WE PAY almost $ 750.00 for 14 months of parking (and we are told that is such a privilege!!)...such is life in Southern Ontario...what I wouldn't do to live in another province for residency despite the decreased salaries post-grad....

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Wow - I can't believe they don't cut you mac students a deal on parking!!

 

We have to pay, but we get a special clerk pass, for all the hospitals, for about $200-250.

 

Why they would try and fleece income-less med students is beyond me.

[Guest mying]

Why they would try and fleece income-less med students is beyond me.

 

Maybe because, income or no income, we still cough it up and they still make the bucks.

[Guest Ian Wong]

Floating back to the top...

 

Ian