Namtes Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 Hi, I was wondering about doing some Honours, and I was wondering if it was worth it if I wanted to get into Medicine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joiningtherace Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 well honours is a great experience...and im doing one cuz is case i dun get into med well i will have to do a masters.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMDcanada Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 i did honors,,,,i regret it completley. I am in med now, but in no way did it help me. Med is looking for strong grades. If you are good at science and research then by all means go for it. But if u enjoy taking easier courses outside of sciences and will do better that way, then do that. Medschools dont care about honors/major/faculty/conentration. They want to see HIGH grades. And dont worry about the ppl who do 'easy' undergrads, thats what the MCAT is for. Do what u enjoy and do what u will do well in!----trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMmd Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 yeah i agree with dmd, i did honours and i have regretted it. I dont think it is worth the effort put into it. my other marks have suffered from it, not to mention the fact I went life-less for 1 full year! hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspired17 Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 I am going to advocate Honours. I think that it could potentially help you in the long run since it provides you with research experience. Certain med schools really value this, and, depending on your research, it could help you get into your residency choice after med school (though probably only if your research is somehow related to that residency choice). However, I can't see how even unrelated research would hurt. If there is a choice between 2 residency candidates: one who has research experience and one without, the research could be seen as an advantage. Also, Honours will strengthen your dossier in the event that you decide to go to graduate school before Medicine. That being said, I think that the important part of Honours is the research experience, and this can be acquired without an Honours degree. The Honours label in and of itself is only important for a select few Med schools (Western Ontario for example). I would suggest that you discuss this with current Honours students in your program. Honours programs are quite heterogeneous and may be more valuable/enjoyable from one Department/University to the next. I am having a great Honours experience, but I know that this is very dependent on your Department/University. If you opt not to do Honours, try and take a research course in your final year since this will allow you to immerse yourself in a well-structured research experience. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 You can still get an honours degree without doing a thesis. For example, at UWO you can do a double major and that'll give you an honours BSc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMDcanada Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 like i said in a previous post if ur goal is 100% medicine, honors will not help in the least (except at western granted). If u truly like research and are considering a grad degree, honors will give u a good taste of what's to come. My advice, take lots of electives, enjoyable ones. Become well rounded. Have a life. Believe me, med school will teach u EVERYTHING u have to know--From ground-breaking research to the correct way of strapping on a blood pressure cough. Please do something u like in undergrad!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bunny Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 Honors at McGill is not the honors they refer to at Western. I did the Microbio and Immuno faculty program at McGill and got an interview at Western last year. All they are referring to at Western is that you do a 4 (or if you went to CEGEP 3) year undergraduate degree that leads to a major. There are some schools in Ontario that you can do a 3 year degree and get an ubdergraduate in science, no major or specialization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABMONKEY Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 I am also in med now and would disagree with the idea that an honours does not help with getting into med school, or with future med careers. Firstly it does expose you to research to get an idea if you like it (or not), but more importantly you get to know profs that can write you stronger recommendation letters which are required at all schools. Its worth knowing that McGill has been known to contact your referees later in the year after your application is submitted, so if these people know you and have seen what you have done during the year they might be able to strengthen your application further even after they give in their letter. Also fast forwarding a few years, most (if not all) individuals that I have talked to about CARMs and matching to your residency of choice after Med school have indicated the high value that publications and research have on your CV. You can't get these without going into a lab, and although you can try doing some research during the summer once you are in med, it really would help you find a lab willing to take you on if you already have previous experience. So although I agree that doing what interests you is important, I wouldn't suggest skipping out on the honours experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Methodnike Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 I am also in med now and would disagree with the idea that an honours does not help with getting into med school, or with future med careers. Firstly it does expose you to research to get an idea if you like it (or not), but more importantly you get to know profs that can write you stronger recommendation letters which are required at all schools. Its worth knowing that McGill has been known to contact your referees later in the year after your application is submitted, so if these people know you and have seen what you have done during the year they might be able to strengthen your application further even after they give in their letter. Also fast forwarding a few years, most (if not all) individuals that I have talked to about CARMs and matching to your residency of choice after Med school have indicated the high value that publications and research have on your CV. You can't get these without going into a lab, and although you can try doing some research during the summer once you are in med, it really would help you find a lab willing to take you on if you already have previous experience. So although I agree that doing what interests you is important, I wouldn't suggest skipping out on the honours experience. the thing is you dont need to be in honors to get some research experience during a summer, publish a paper, and get a good LOR! you said it yourself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABMONKEY Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 Your right you don't absolutely need an honours to get a little research exposure. However what I meant to emphasize is that it is harder to find a lab willing to let you in and to be productive (i.e. not every summer project gets you a paper or even an abstract) if you haven't worked in a lab previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgmed23 Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 I agree with DMD...do what you like because that is where you will shine. And about the lab work, you can get that even without doing an honours degree and its not HARD to get in either. As for publications, not always guaranteed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcabc Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Hi, I was wondering about doing some Honours in Microbiology, and I was wondering if it was worth it if I wanted to get into Medicine... Does McGill use U3 grades for med apps? Is it worth it to take Honours? Doesn't help. Do it if you really want to but it'll make zero difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verbally_abused Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Hi, I was wondering about doing some Honours in Microbiology, and I was wondering if it was worth it if I wanted to get into Medicine... Does McGill use U3 grades for med apps? Is it worth it to take Honours? if you like to be stimulated, not in the erotic sense, i'd highly recommend you do honours (esp when the seats are limited.... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solocup Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 I don`t know how it`s like in Canada but in the U.S., honors programs are particularly selective and you need a stellar record before you can even apply in your junior year. Honors students take the Honors seminars and engage in research closely supervised by faculty members. It`s like being a graduate student for a year. Honors classes are a lot more demanding and if you do well in them you really shine. American med schools recognize the caliber of Honors students and I`m sure the Canadian schools do too. So if you can do Honors go for it. It makes a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meme me Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 I find it a little disturbing to see some of the posts on this thread. An undergraduate education should be less about an obsessive preoccupation with GPA and more about experiencing and learning and challenging yourself. Maybe I'm a bit of an idealist in that sense, but it really bothers me to see people discouraging others from pursuing challenging and enlightening paths solely for a higher mark. An honours degree shows dedication and committment. Whether or not a BSc is equal to a BSc (Hon) on some sort of stupid equation that some schools use to generate a list of potential candidates I think is irrelevant. You can't say that exhibiting a willingness to study at a higher level, i.e. an honours program makes no difference and anyone who tries to tell you that is ignorant. An honours degree gives you experiences, leads to connections, and most importantly will provide you with a strong sense of achievement and satisfaction upon completion. If all that means less to you than .05 on a GPA scale, don't do it. Use your head. I wouldn't not pursue something I was interested in for the sake of a perfect GPA. As long as your GPA can get you in the door, you're fine. There's always the MCAT. In the long run I believe that students less concerned with details and specifics about how to present themselves to medical school admissions (or whatever your avenue may be) come across as genuine and sincere with real interests and pursuits and are ultimately more successful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solocup Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 It's just the premed student mentality really. Most of them cared only about the numbers and they'll do anything to push their GPA as high as possible even if it means taking easier classes. i.e., max U(gpa) sub. to k[f(t)] where f(t) is a function of time and k is the Lagrangian multiplier. Take 1st order derivative and solve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgmed23 Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 i.e., max U(gpa) sub. to k[f(t)] where f(t) is a function of time and k is the Lagrangian multiplier. Take 1st order derivative and solve. lol all the mysteries of the nature solved by mathematical equations eh lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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