The Law Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Hey, Lucky for poor schlepps like us, 1st year calculus performance doesn't seem to be all that predictive of later success in gaining admission to medical school! that's good news to hear for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
show24 Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Mac, You bring up some good points. Many people take shlub courses to get their GPA's up and then apply knowing that they have an extremely competitive average. Hell, they don't even need to take the MCAT to get into some schools. So ultimately, you can have the "rock and Roll history" major applying in with an amazing gpa and well-roundedness and he'll get an interview while the poor schmuck who majored in chemistry with a decent gpa doesn't get an interview. On my hockey team we have clowns taking intro to movie critiquing etc. and they have outstanding gpas but obviously their career paths are quite narrow. You can't say the requirements are easy. Biochemistry 1 and 2 isn't exactly the easiest thing for a non-science person to comprehend, just the same as organic chemistry isn't a walk in the park. Something that i don't like about the requirements is that there aren't exactly science gpa cutoffs, at least not to my knowledge. Getting a C- in Genchem and Ochem doesn't necessarily mean that they are out of the picture because if they dominated their non-science classes and have a high overall gpa they will have a great chance for an interview. By the way, what does the left ventricle do? we didn't learn that in "modern ethical perspectives of the ability to make it to level 12 in a game of duck hunt for original nintendo" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
show24 Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Hey, Lucky for poor schlepps like us, 1st year calculus performance doesn't seem to be all that predictive of later success in gaining admission to medical school! So you're saying my Z+ in Calc 1 doesn't matter? phew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_B Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 Interesting to read a lot of these posts. Personally, I say go for the easy courses. I don't understand why a committment to science should be a factor in medical school entrance. Being a good doctor isn't about being able to recite the periodic table or about explaining pharmokinetics, so why should people be rewarded for having taken courses like these? (And for the record, I have a degree in Health Sci, and another in Bio, so I have done my time in the sciences). If someone wants to become a well-rounded applicant, and get good grades the easy way, isn't that just smart planning? I understand the frustration, as I too felt it somewhat, but when you get right down to it, these people, to actually gain admission, will still have a sketch that makes them pop out, and in many cases, still will have had to have written the MCAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughboy Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 By the way, what does the left ventricle do? we didn't learn that in "modern ethical perspectives of the ability to make it to level 12 in a game of duck hunt for original nintendo" Ya know what the great thing about medical school is? You learn all the anatomy, physiology, pathology and assorted other "ologies" that you need to be a competent physician. Why the hate for people who aren't premed clones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintnogame Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 I agree with many of the statements. At the present time in my final year of undergrad, I've noted a few things. It's important mostly to take courses that you are interested in. This sounds corny, but I know from experience that if I think the course material is useful and interesting - I can study much harder and perform better. Also, make sure there is an appropriate balance of "easy" and "hard"courses. This is what most people do in premed studies, and it has been working well. It's important to taek one or two of those Film /mUsic courses to relax and change studying patterns during the term. On the other hand, it is extremely useful and beneficial to take the very hard courses such as Organic chem - this is where you can differentiate yourself from the rest of the 800 students in lecture. With the average being C+, your mark of A+ will then make you stand out and provide evidence for your abilitities. On the contrary, a mark of A+ in a course with an average of A doens't say too much about your academic abilities. My transcript has the averages posted right next to my mark along with the number enrolled in the class (at MAC). It lets different schools easily assess your performance. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonesRN Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 My transcript has the averages posted right next to my mark along with the number enrolled in the class (at MAC). It lets different schools easily assess your performance. My transcript only has my grade that I achieved in the course and no comparisons to class avg (I went to U of O). So in cases like these, I would say to take 'easier' courses to get the GPA up to a competitive level. Why suffer through dreadfully hard courses and only end up with an average grade, when you can choose an easier course and come out with an A+? The choice is clear to me. I agree with you that you should always take courses that you are interested in. This will, no doubt, increase your chances of coming out with a grade that you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Apollo Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 On the other hand, it is extremely useful and beneficial to take the very hard courses such as Organic chem - this is where you can differentiate yourself from the rest of the 800 students in lecture. With the average being C+, your mark of A+ will then make you stand out and provide evidence for your abilitities. On the contrary, a mark of A+ in a course with an average of A doens't say too much about your academic abilities. My transcript has the averages posted right next to my mark along with the number enrolled in the class (at MAC). It lets different schools easily assess your performance. Good luck. Although some schools, including MAC and Queen's, provide detailed mark distributions of all students enrolled in each course, I believe that these distributions have little impact on how admissions committees evaluate your academic performance. Your transcripts mainly serve to verify the marks you entered in your OMSAS applications; once OMSAS has confirmed the correct marks, your transcript isn't of much use. With the enormous volume of applications reviewed by admissions committees, I highly doubt that they would meticulously review the mark distributions. Rather, they're simply concerned about about your GPA. Consequently, if Jack attends University "A", receives a mark of 84 in course "A", and his transcript indicates that no one scored higher than an 85, while Jill attends University "B", and receives a mark of 94 in an equivalent course, but the transcript has no mark distributions, then Jill stands to benefit. Yes, it seems unfair, but just try your best and don't obsess over how others are performing relative to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintnogame Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 You're absolutely right Apollo. However, UofT is the only school that admits to taking into account the school, program, and course selection when looking at the GPA. Also, competitive MD PhD programs assess your performance and not a straight GPA. MOst schools - vast majority including OMSAS schools just look at the value for straight MD admissions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0T6 Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hey.. here are the stats per school and for Ontario since OMSAS started with preliminary numbers for this year. http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1695/omsassk3.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuantum Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 You're absolutely right Apollo. However, UofT is the only school that admits to taking into account the school, program, and course selection when looking at the GPA. Also, competitive MD PhD programs assess your performance and not a straight GPA. MOst schools - vast majority including OMSAS schools just look at the value for straight MD admissions. I don't think UofT takes into consideration the school you came from. They do take into consideration program coherence which is different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 Why the dip in the 90s? Because of cuts to the # of seats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0T6 Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 There's the tech boom and the subsequent bust could've influenced interest in biology out of high school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintnogame Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 A surgeon I know talked about the dip in the 90s when he went into meds. Remember the early 90s was a period of economic recession. THe government cut back meds chool spots to save from training residency = a large cost. Also, as with any cycle, demand goes up and down depending on what the governing body decides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzy_h2o Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hi All..... I just wanted to point out the fact that "easy" and "hard" are relative terms. Subjects I find difficult may be subjects you can breeze right through and vice versa. I majored in Kinesiology and my worst marks were in Kinesiology. I aced my Organic Chems and Biochems (the courses most of you classified as "hard"), yet I bombed classes like Hockey. I took Kinesiology because I was genuinely interested in the subject matter. So before we go judging everyone's choices of study, maybe you should consider my point. Everyone has subjects that they do well at and subjects that are more challenging. Just because I took Hockey doesen't mean it was a bird course. I had skated only twice in my life beofre taking Hockey. As future physicians we should be more open to differences and less judgmental on people's life choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrink Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Here, here jazzy. It needed to be said. Science students always act as though their work is intrinsically "harder". Granted, there are more hours (with long labs) and generally the workload is more. But I find a lot of my science courses are busy-work. Writing a truly critical and original essay can be just as hard as any science course (if not more). It just depends on your personal strengths and weaknesses. Same thing with the MCAT. For some, writing sample is a breeze. For others, it's the bane of their existence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfette Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 In general, I've found that it's much easier to pass an arts course than a science course. However, it is often much more difficult to do very well (read: A or A+) in an arts course than in a science course. So hard or easy could also depend on what you want to get out of the course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 In general, I've found that it's much easier to pass an arts course than a science course. However, it is often much more difficult to do very well (read: A or A+) in an arts course than in a science course. So hard or easy could also depend on what you want to get out of the course. I've always thought that too. In science courses it is possible to get 100% and I'm sure some people out there do. In arts courses, getting anything over 85% is tough. However, it is easy to fail a science course but much harder to fail an arts course. If you write a half-ass essay you're still going to pass - just with a bad mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyMax Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 Hey, I agree with Madz, but I have to admit that playing hockey (or volleyball, or any sport) for marks sounds like a sweet deal- I would gladly take that over embryology any day (and I don't skate well, either)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 Timmy, you skate just fine. You fall very well, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 Hey, I agree with Madz, but I have to admit that playing hockey (or volleyball, or any sport) for marks sounds like a sweet deal- I would gladly take that over embryology any day (and I don't skate well, either)! LOL...I'd prefer embryology over any sport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everyoneloveschem Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 Madz, you are a twisted individual...embryology over a sport? I wish we had intramural dodgeball. I think that would be awesome. That's a sport, right? They should have olympic dodgeball. Dump ping pong for it. I try to avoid embryology at all costs (ya, ya, I know its important). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyMax Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 Hey, They should have olympic dodgeball. Dump ping pong for it. Olympic ping-pong is cool!!! Where else can you see two guys (or girls) trying to knock the bejeezus out of each other by flailing wildly at a 1.5" diameter celluloid ball with tiny paddles barely the size of the palms of their hands at a range of 12 feet?!?!? Now that's entertainment!!! Maybe we could get rid of equestrian seeing as how the medals are awarded to the riders and not the horses that do all the work. Or ballroom dancing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughboy Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 Maybe we could get rid of equestrian seeing as how the medals are awarded to the riders and not the horses that do all the work. Or ballroom dancing. Combine ballroom with equestrian. Now that would be cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everyoneloveschem Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 I don't care what you cull to make room for dodgeball...as long as it ISN'T men's gymnastics...droool. Okay, maybe not drool (those outfits are pretty dorky - why don't they do as the ancient greeks did and go nude?), but to be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.