Living Costs & Need for a car

[Guest diakonos]

What is the cheapest way to live in Ottawa as a medical student?

Is getting a house really worth it?

Do places exist that only house males?

If you are from Toronto is it really worth getting a car? (if one plans to visit as often as one possibly can)

Is there a place that exists where you don't have to be committed to live/stay in Ottawa for the summer?

So many questions...and probably way too early...I still have no clue if I'm in or not...

Crazy...I know...

:eek

[Guest wassabi101]

Hey diakonos,

 

I think the cheapest way to live in Ottawa is to live with other students. Some places can be as cheap as 300$ a month when you share a house. When you get accepted, you receive a package in the mail with a list of housing, some of which includes rooms in a house of other students.

 

I have no idea if there are places that exist (such as residences) that only house males. Big apartment buildings often won't let you rent for less than one year. Another option to look into is subletting during the summer. Especially if you live nearby the hospitals or downtown and get sublet to medical students doing electives in town.

 

I think it's useful to have a car in Ottawa regardless of where you're from, but it's definitely not necessary until clerkship. Ottawa has an OK bus system, but unless you live downtown, I do find not having a car made it really difficult to get around. I'd often have to take at least 2 buses, sometimes 3, and over an hour, to get somewhere that would have taken me a 20 min car ride. Getting back from grocery stores was difficult on the bus, and walking to school, or getting stuck in traffic on the bus on the way to school or to electives was a real pain in the ***. But it's definitely doable. I'm just REALLY excited to get a car in two months, just on time for clerkship!

 

Hope that helps,

 

Cheers,

 

wassabi