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Just wondering


Guest dent03

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Guest dent03

I noticed that the average for those entered this year was an 8.4, which is quite crazy. (I mean, that's a 3.9 when transfering from the 4 scale). Does anyone know what marks you need to be competitive for an interview. (only wondering, because I am sitting around an 8.2). As you can see, this is a curiousity thing, I am applying to U of A dent, I just wanted to know about the med aspect!

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Guest shkelo

Hard to say. Interviews are awarded on the basis of three components: MCAT, Pre-req AVG., and cGPA. The cut is dependent on which applicant category you fall into (either the 2nd/3rd yr. applicant group or the 4yr+ applicant group). Remember, quite a few spots are awarded to 2/3 yr applicants who usually have insanely high GPAs (8.8-9.0), making this group the most competitive. Generally, there are about 30-35 spots reserved for the 2/3 yr. group. The rest are taken from the 4yr+ group. To complicate matters even more, there is a slight distinction between OOP applicants and Alberta resident (although I'm not clear on that one). If you are a 4yr+ applicant applying to med, with an 8.0-8.2 pre-req and cGPA and reasonable MCAT marks, I think you would be awarded an interview...BUT you are still ranked going into the interview, so you would need to do pretty well to secure a spot in next year's class. In previous years, applicants with GPAs as low as 7.6 and 7.4 have been admitted to Meds, but those cases are incredibly rare. As a 2/3 yr student with an 8.2 cGPA, it may be difficult unless your pre-req is > 8.5 and have outstanding MCAT marks. It's all relative as you can see, depending on more than your GPA stat.

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Guest Yingw

Could one of the moderators tell me if it is necessary to have a car by the third year of medical school (as Western had said it is practically a must for their town for clerkship and beyond). How is the public transit system in Edmonton?

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Guest Ian Wong

We don't have any Alberta moderators at present. That's your guys' job once you all get in! :)

 

However, if third year clerkship for you is anything like third year clerkship here, relying on the bus isn't going to be all that useful. In Vancouver, I've been spread out to 4 different hospitals (UBC, St. Pauls, Vancouver General Hospital, and BC Women's and Children's Hospital) and none of them are beside each other. Taking a bus to get to each of these locations would be a massive pain.

 

Even if the hospital complexes are all placed together in Edmonton, you'll still be starting work in the morning often at 7:00 am, and in some insane services, perhaps at 6:00 am or my personal record 5:45 am. Relying on the bus service therefore, especially when it gets cold or rainy, would really suck. I think virtually, if not everyone in my class has access to a car at this point.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

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edmonton's transit is great for getting to the u of a (campus & hospital complex) as long as you live on the lrt line... basically, that's downtown & northside...

 

getting to the u of a from the south side, you'd need to take a bus... same for the other hospitals in Edmonton... they're not on the LRT, so you'd need to rely on buses...

 

and, i personally would not want to take a bus at night from some of the hospitals.... for instance, the royal alex is in a bit of a crummy area.

 

so, i'd definately say that a car would be a large benefit if you don't plan to live near campus (you can live right across the street from the u of a hospital if you want)...

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hey,

 

i'm not in med yet... so i don't know for sure that the u of a is the only teaching hospital! but, of the people i know in med (years 1 & 2) none of them have had to go to the royal alex/mis/grey nuns... maybe you would in year 3 though for electives....

 

i do know a few people doing their residencies in edmonton, and those can be done at a variety of hospitals... infact, i think depending on your program you may "rotate" through a few of them (I vaguely remember a familt friend complaining about deciding to live on one side of the city near one hospital, and then a few months later being told he'd be doing a portion of his training at a hospital on the other side)...

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Guest Ian Wong

If there's other hospitals out there, I guarantee you there are med students and residents working there. No hospital turns down cheap labour! :)

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

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Guest PeterC007

Simple answer...yes, at least by 3rd year. During first year here, I've had ambulatory care sessions which has required me to get to Drs offices all over the city. I have a car so it was easy for me, but I know friends who had to take the bus/LRT and let me say it was a pain in the ass.

 

I did my first year elective in the ER of the RAH so I needed my car to get there and especially back since I didn't leave till 2am or 3am some nights.

 

Come 3rd and 4th year, we rotate through 4 different hospitals plus numerous clinics, and I couldn't imagine not having a car.

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Guest BC guy

As Edmonton is known to get lots of snow, it driving around there from hospital to hospital a big problem?

Forgive me for this silly question, but I am from BC where schools shut down whenever there is 5 inches of snow on the ground!

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