Why you should choose U of A meds!

[bones]

Hey folks,

 

Other schools have a list like this, so why don't we? Let's make a list of the strengths of our school and our program!

 

If we have a moderator, can we make this a sticky and allow everyone to edit/contribute to it?

 

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WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE U of A MEDS!

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1. Balanced curriculum, consisting of both lectures and small group learning. This caters to those that get a lot out of lectures, and those that get more out of discussion and self-study. I think U of A used to be known as a more traditional, lecture-intensive school, but it certainly is not that way anymore.

2. The U of A hospital is nice!!

3. The administration is receptive to feedback from students re: changes to curriculum.

4. Diverse student body.

5. 4 year program appeals to many because of the time allowed for decision making when it's time for CaRMS.

6. System-based curriculum.

7. Edmonton is a big city, so lots of opportunities to see many different specialties.

8. Edmonton and the U of A in particular is a world leader in diabetes research, and the new Mazankowski heart institute is big news.

9. U of A has always prided itself on research opportunities and funding, especially for its medical students.

10. Construction is (hopefully!) wrapping up on some awesome new buildings, including a brand new, fully equipped lecture theatre, small group rooms, beautiful and spacious atrium, Tim Hortons, etc. Expansions have been made to the med student lounge, locker rooms, etc.

11. Med student lounge will have 3 (!!) foosball tables, has two ping-pong tables, and one pool table! There's also a piano, and N64 for old school gamer types, and much more.

12. Clinical skills-related stuff taught right from the first block (history taking, cardiovascular/endocrine physical exam skills, etc. in first year)

13. Strong anatomy component, and apparently good instruction in pharmacology compared to other schools' curricula. Anatomy instruction is integrated with the systems-based curriculum; full dissection of cadavers, done by the students in small groups and with preceptors to guide. Apparently the U of A is one of the few schools in Canada that still has a program like this...?

14. http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=8941

 

...and I better get back to my work. Please add to this list!

[BrendanJ]

HEY BONES! Does bones=bornes perhaps??

 

My general props to the U of A so far is in the variation in curriculum delivery style. When I first started I was crapping my pants looking at the schedule and seeing a full day of "stuff" thinking about how in undergrad, a measly three hours of lecture would give me a full day's work of memorizing and catching up after some science prof flipped through 100 slides in 50 minutes. It isn't like that at U of A med!

 

Example: Endo block required very little out of class studying/stressing. You learn about a condition in lecture, then you think about it from different angles in DL (=Discovery Learning=PBL) by talking with other students and researching the topic, THEN you have real patients with the condition come in that week and explain their experience and allow you to take a history/ask questions. By the end of the week you've been through the material many times and in many different learning approaches. I find it hard to FORGET this stuff, nevermind hard to learn.

 

Another bigups to U of A (for me at least) comes with the 24hr proxy card access to many many (like 30 ish) small group rooms (each with their own computer and widescreen lcd panel on wall!), 24hr access to anatomy facilities, a retardedly posh new lecture theater (if you 2012's steal it from us next year I'll actually cry), and 24hr access to our own brand new comp lab (with big cushy pleather chairs and bigass widescreen lcd monitors). Most of this stuff is pretty superficial and secondary to the mainpoints bones listed above, but I thought it should be added for completeness

[Redheadninja]

Hey guys! As my colleagues have stated above, there are many very important factors that serve to make U of A an amazing school. I will also add testament that I love it!

 

Also as an addendum to the superficial things that will make it awesome... once construction is complete we are told there will be a Tim Hortons right next to the lecture theatre in the new Katz building.... AWESOME!!!

 

But seriously, I am loving the program, I would recommend it to anyone!

[BrendanJ]

PLUS there's a starbucks in the hospital for those who enjoy *good* coffee. har har .

 

 

But in all seriousness, we'll do our best to show you what UA's got to offer come interview time and once those decisions come out and you're contemplating which schools to attend, feel free to pm me (and probably the others) with any questions or concerns about the school or the curriculum that will help you decide!

[mvdaog]

I think the fact that (at least some) of the students are enthusiastic about their school enough to go brag about the great aspects lends good evidence that it is in fact a special place... I havent seen any other students from other schools reach out as much to make potential students feel welcome (like that huge contact list we were sent if we had any questions)... me personally just seeing that and seeing these few posts from students has really changed my attitude about UofA and I'm lookin forward to having a chance to go there....

[bones]

BrendanJ, it ain't Bornes...! Here's a hint: I shared some spicy eggplant curry with you and a bunch of others in Banff...

 

And yes, as BrendanJ mentioned, feel free to PM me as well if you have any questions/concerns...

 

Some other reasons why you should choose U of A meds:

 

-The support groups: In first year, you get put into a group with a couple of 2nd years and a faculty member (my group has my current DL (PBL) preceptor). These groups are designed to help first year students meet others, have fun together, and feel like "junior colleagues". Some groups have gone to the theatre together (i.e. Lion King, etc.), others have gone out to dinners, and I'm pretty sure others have been invited to the home of the faculty member for dinner and socializing!

-The U of A has the 2nd largest library system in Canada, after the U of T.

-The U of A campus has an older, "Ivy-league" look and feel to it. There's a lot of history here. I was very impressed when I first visited the campus; tree lined avenues, lots of green space while at the same time being close to downtown and Whyte Ave (the main strip in Edmonton).

-The Students' Union at the U of A, in promoting student well-being, actually published and ranked all the places on campus that are ideal for catching a few zzz's in the middle of the day! How cool is that?! A few of them are in the med school buildings! (I know, this doesn't have to do with the med school specifically, but it's still awesome!)

-3 words: Med class jerseys!

[Trogdor]

Haha Brendan you didn't put too much effort make your name anonymous! Adding to the clinical skills aspect, the first year meds spent today listening to different patients heart murmurs today and hooking up their classmates to an EKG... a lot different learning experience than just classes for preclinical..

[bones]

More reasons why you should choose U of A meds:

 

-A plethora of varied and interesting student clubs, groups, events, talks, etc. etc. We get about a dozen emails a day, showcasing an upcoming event in the Faculty, a talk, a conference, a new student club (the newest one, just started this week, was a Clinical Skills club), an exhibition, etc. In addition, we're always getting useful notes and websites from our classmates in 1st year and colleagues in 2nd year. And of course, there are emails related to items for sale (like textbooks, or like some super discounted tickets to the ballet I purchased for my wife and I from a 3rd year student).

 

-AMSCAR Conference!! AMSCAR stands for Alberta Medical School Conference and Retreat. It's organized by a committee of U of A and U of C students, but most of the committee members and attendees are U of A students. Imagine students from the U of A, U of C, U of S, and UBC getting together for a weekend of activities and sessions including clinical skills training, massage therapy, meditation, yoga, waltz/cha-cha/samba classes, sports, 5 meals (4 of them buffets) included, accommodation at the Banff Centre (yes, surrounded by gorgeous mountains!), bar/clubbing on two nights, etc. etc.!!

[BrendanJ]

damn you guys, this isn't fair. You guys get to be all secretive about who you are, but if I use anything other than brendanj for any internet purpose I forget it and have to start a new account . . .

 

 

Feel free to pm me who you are . . .

 

 

ps - redheadninja is a dead giveaway

[agregson]

As a recent grad (class of 2007) I'd like to add that our clerkship provides really excellent training.

 

I'm now in a program that requires basically a rotating year and I feel confident managing most of the things I've been left with overnight and have been complimented by numerous staff on my knowledge base and bedside manner. I think that there is a great balance at the UofA for independent practice in clerkship to get you comfortable with making decisions and teaching time. We were always encouraged to attend teaching and for the most part we were on the wards for education not for service.

 

I'd also like to add that I think the exams during clerkship are fair. Doesn't seem like it would be an issue, but where I am doing my residency the students are subjected to the NBMEs (american board exams) and have a high level of stress about exams all of the time because the exams don't reflect the material they have been exposed to on the wards.

 

Good luck to everyone with their interviews!

[chemgirl]

I agree with everything said above but would also like to add one very important point. If you are having trouble, be it school related, family related or health related, this school will go above and beyond to get you on your feet and keep you standing. I cannot emphasize enough what an amazing pro this is for attending our school. The faculty doesn't just talk about supporting students, it stands behind that promise 100%.

 

I'm doing the clerkship right now and it has been an amazing experience. I can't say enough about it. I feel like I am getting an education that is really preparing me for what I will face after graduation. It's tough, really tough, but I learn so much every day.

[xone]

yeah..i just gotta reiterate how awesome the faculty here is. they are so inspiring!!! they give every effort to improve our experience and mentor us. dr yiu (she's like a mother!) and dr rayner pwn! =)

 

even 'deadmonton' grows on you, and perhaps one day will be renamed as edmonton. not yet, but perhaps in the future. the campus location is very very convenient and there is always tons of stuff to do.

[cluelessaboutmed]

I haven't been on this forum for a super long time. But I definitely agree with 'xone' on this one. The biggest turn off about U of A for me was having to live in Edmonton. However, having lived here for a couple months, it's actually not that bad. You meet the coolest people in med school and there is always something going on. So despite living, in my opinion, a crappier city than Calgary, the people you meet make all the difference.

 

Btw BredanJ Bone = Bornes...that was a pretty good call. And while we're guessing who is who...Redheadninja, did you happen to have DL at 9:30 last Friday?

[bioboy2007]

Sorry cluelessaboutmed - you're clueless about who is bones [not that I'm Bornes, but...]

 

Applicants - UofA is incredible. No matter what your interests are, you're likely to find other people interested in the same things. Whether it be wine tasting, writing, intramural sports, halo 3, skiing, or partying etc., you'll always have company!

 

As the others have mentioned, our curriculum is very well balanced, and the facilities are pretty fantastic. I couldn't imagine myself going to school anywhere else!

[xone]

easy on the wine tasting references there bioboy, else we might just guess you are =).

 

and i actually am clueless about who redhead ninja is. it could be a subtle ploy to throw us off! MB(R/S)(T?)HSA is what my guess of each person's identity is.

[cluelessaboutmed]

On a totally unrelated note, has anyone heard about dinners with the interviewees. My friend that got an interview said that there is supposed to be dinner with the dean. Are meds invited to that as well?

 

BredanJ I have the same problem as you... I always forget. I keep having to have the password sent back to me, or scour the forum for my last post so I can remember my screen name.

[obscured by clouds]

Lots of great points raised!

 

Nobody has brought up "HOMER" though, so I would like to add this link to an article which appeared in the Edmonton Journal about our unique online/virtual desktop that we use to access all of our curricula/materials.

 

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/cityplus/story.html?id=659b5081-bcab-4655-925c-2f2213e32b57

 

If you don't feel like reading the article, rest assured that there are dedicated staff members here at the U of A who put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that you have easy access to lecture notes, powerpoint files, assignments, online quizzes, schedules, contact information, etc. all at the click of a mouse. Just another reason to choose U of A.

 

Regarding Edmonton as a city, I would like to add to cluelessaboutmed/xone's comments and say that this city has grown on me as well. Edmonton is riding on a great wave on economic success-- new buildings are being erected all over the place. There are many exciting changes in store including an extended LRT (which already goes right to the medical school), a new Art Gallery of Alberta (under construction; probably going to be the best example of modern architecture in the city), tons of densification projects in the downtown core (new condo developments, upgrades to City Centre Mall, new Epcor tower), a (likely) new downtown Edmonton Oilers arena/entertainment/casino/condo megacomplex... these are all in addition to the exciting construction surrounding the hospital (google the future Edmonton Clinic, which has already been called the "Mayo Clinic of the West" or read about the 196-million-dollar Mazankowski Heart Institute, which is set to open in the next few months).

 

Anyways, I could go on, but my classmates have done a great job already.

 

Congratulations to everyone who received an interview. I don't doubt that you'll be very impressed

[0nsp]

I can't believe that no one added taht the Oilers are better than the Flames!!

[tallguy408]

Bones may or may not be a previous graduate student of Dr. Harvey and may or may not have the initials MZ.

[bones]

Hahaha! Hey Tallguy, are you still sleeping in the fishbowl?! Wake up, it's the weekend! You're late for shadowing!

[BrendanJ]

nope, he's currently set up shop in katz with his coffee machine preparing for a long day/night of cardio.

[tallguy408]

Free coffee if you are around Katz. I am one with the caffeine, although I think I am developing a tachy-arrythmia to go with my increased systolic pressure of 5-15 mmHg. That and maybe a gastric ulcer.

[bones]

Another reason to go to U of A med:

 

Alberta student loan interest rate is now prime instead of prime + 2.5%.

(Ya, I know, you could also just consolidate with your line of credit @ prime)

[Wolvenstar]

Hope you don't mind but I do have a question about something I have heard, and this thread seems like the perfect place to ask about it.

 

Anyways I heard that U of A was on probation for not enough clerkship hours or some such stuff, could anyone verify or give an explanation on this?

[Jochi1543]

Hope you don't mind but I do have a question about something I have heard, and this thread seems like the perfect place to ask about it.

 

Anyways I heard that U of A was on probation for not enough clerkship hours or some such stuff, could anyone verify or give an explanation on this?

 

I think you're referring to when they were on probation for not having enough PBL (completely different from clerkship, and, some will argue, maybe even useless, depending on the person). They've introduced PBL since.