Guest JaneUK Posted May 24, 2003 Report Share Posted May 24, 2003 Hi, My name is Jane and I am finishing my first year at Guy's/King's/St.Thomas' Faculty of Medicine (University of London) - GKT Med School for short. Exams will be over in two weeks . I'm in the special Foundation year for students with arts degrees or non-science A levels. Students in this Programme (about 40 of us) automatically merge into GKT Med (or Dental) Y1 upon successful completion of the Foundation year. We have a very diverse group - arts graduates from Oxford/Cambridge, high school grades from Portugal, Switzerland, England, Scotland, a former investment banker from France, university graduates from Israel, Iran and Poland, a missionary who spent 10 years counseling heroin addicts in China/Thailand, a Somali refugee from Sweden, a former midwife, a former documentary film producer. I graduated from UofT with a degree in music (jazz performance - saxophone, to be specific). I applied for med school in London because I accompanied my partner (who was seconded/transferred to London) and I wanted to keep myself on career track. Are there any other Canadians currently studying at (or accepted to) GKT, Barts, UCL, St Georges, Imperial, etc? Anyone interested in hearing more about GKT or the admission process, please respond to this post. Cheers, JaneUK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Badkarma25 Posted May 24, 2003 Report Share Posted May 24, 2003 hi jane, fill us in on the p's and q's of the admissions process for the program you're in...puuuulllleeeeeeeeasse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 Hey Badkarma, As requested, here is a bit more information about the admissions process at GKT. All dates are approximate - if you are interested, you should obtain a current GKT Med/Dental Prospectus from King's College. FYI, I was actually living/working in London at the time of my application and I'm not sure if the process is vastly different for overseas applicants. It is necessary to apply to all UK med schools through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)...it's similar to OMSAS in Ontario. The application due date was October 15 for admission the following September. You will need to submit your high school and any post secondary transcripts. I'm not sure if there is any particular GPA requirement. I had basically straight A's in high school and about a 3.5 GPA at UofT (Music degree). A prior university degree in itself demonstrates a certain discipline and ability to handle an advanced academic workload. You will be required to submit two confidential references. I obtained references from the Dean of Music at UofT and my manager at Harrod's (I was working in the Music Department selling grand pianos to oil sheikhs and wealthy Europeans ). The personal statement is a significant component of the application process. You will have to demonstrate that you have the academic ability, personality, extracurricular interests etc. to make it through med school and as a member of the medical profession. They are looking for evidence of appropriate commitment to, and realistic appreciation of, the academic, physical and emotional demands of a medical degree and career. Good communication skills and ability to work as part of a team are important. It will be helpful if you have volunteered in a hospital setting and have participated in team sports, music, community service, etc. I think saying that you want to help people sounds a bit trite. I focused on the fact that I thought that my personality would be suited to working in an active hospital environment - doing different things every day (as opposed to a desk job) and that I really admired my family doc and aspired to be like her....probably sounds corny, but it's true. No offers are made without an interview. After receiving rejection notices from UCAS for other London med schools, I received a letter from GKT on a friday in late April advising that I had an interview on monday afternoon...this was actually a blessing as I didn't have time to get nervous about the interview. The interview was conducted by the Dean of the Foundation course who appeared to be very stern (in reality he is a friendly/great guy) and another doctor who actually had a music degree and was very supportive. From what I can remember, the interview lasted about 40 minutes and they asked the following questions: Why do you want to be a doctor? Why are you living in London? How did you hear about the GKT Programme? How do you think that your previous degree will prepare you for a medical degree and career in medicine? Are you squeamish and do you think you can you handle blood? You suspect that a supervising doctor is begining to show signs of incompetence - to whom do you owe a duty and how would you deal with the situation? Do you think that medical research is taking any unethical turns? Everyone was smartly dressed for their interview...the guys all wore suits & ties. At the time, I felt that the interview went well....GKT telephoned with an offer the next day. As an aside, one of my friends came out of her interview on the verge of tears believing that she had blown it...she's currently one of the top students in the class, so you never know.... I can't recommend GKT highly enough. I found UofT to be a horrible academic and social environment. At GKT we party together, share notes and help each other work through difficult concepts...it's not the least bit competitive. The profs are very accessible and often join us at the pubs and take us out on field trips around London - historical/medical museums etc. London is a fantastic city....loads to see and do when you need a break from studying. Hope this helps...good luck;) , Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 Hi Jane, Welcome to the forums! Thanks for sharing information about your medical school; your efforts are hugely appreciated. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted May 28, 2003 Report Share Posted May 28, 2003 I suppose this might not be the appropriate forum for these comments/questions, but I'll post them any.... I've been doing quite a bit of web research lately in order to ascertain the likelihood of being able to obtain a residency position in Toronto (or the GTA) upon completion of my degree at GKT. The likelihood is close to zero. Canadian IMGs are given the pleasure of competing for the dregs from the 2nd iteration of the CaRMS match process...basically family medicine residencies in rural areas. I suppose I was naive to think that the Government of Ontario would welcome former Ontario residents with med degrees from well-respected med schools (at no cost to the Ontario taxpayer) to return to Ontario to practise medicine and contribute to the welfare of family and the community...go figure. It appears that the Britoni case in British Columbia ruined the situation for IMGs from UK, Ireland, Australia and South Africa (ie jurisdictions historically considered by Canada and the provincial licensing bodies to have a medical accreditation and training system of comparable/equal standard to Canada). Now, we are lumped together with IMGs with degrees from any non-US or non-Canadian med school (as an aside, query the logic of granting preferential treatment to a med degree from Saskatchewan or Akron over one from Oxford???). However....MOST of the posts I've read discussing major problems with obtaining residency in Ontario/Canada or the US are from med students or IMGs from non-UK/Irish/Australian universities (ie Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, etc)....what is the story with UK IMGs? - is it somehow still easier for them to secure residency in Canada...do they all go straight to the US for residency....is there any hope for a Toronto position? If, following my degree, I completed my House Officer/Senior House Officer years in the UK and passed my UK qualifying exams, is it somehow possible to get sponsored/recruited by a Toronto area hospital/clinic and have the institution "facilitate" the licensing process? I know that the RCPSC recognizes UK qualifications, but what about the Ontario licensing process? Is there any way to get around practising in a rural area? I would appreciate hearing from any Canadian IMGs who have "made it" in the Greater Toronto Area, urban US or any Canadian MGs who know of IMGs in Ontario residency positions. Thanks, Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driedcaribou Posted May 29, 2003 Report Share Posted May 29, 2003 JaneUK: What is the 'Britoni' case that you speak of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted May 29, 2003 Report Share Posted May 29, 2003 Sorry, I mistyped...it's the Bitonti case...BC Human Rights Tribunal....I believe that a group of foreign trained physicians sued the BC government for discrimination....they asserted that the BC government, etc. was discriminating against them based on the jurisdiction of their medical degree and giving prefential treatment to physicians trained in UK/Irish/Australian/South African med schools. The response of the government was basically that it did not have the resources to investigate the quality/accreditation of medical schools from every country, therefore Canada/US were deemed to meet the required quality level and all non-Canadian and non-US med schools were deemed to be given equal treatment. I actually haven't read the decision in great detail....and I'm not sure if the case was appealed....likely not, as the plaintiff doctors were compensated. I would assume that IMGs from the UK/Irish/Australian/South African etc score higher on national exams based on their superior training (and in many cases, English language proficiency)...however, it is difficult to tell...I haven't found any detailed information about the identities of successful IMGs in the Canadian match process...or if the vast majority just give up on Canada and go to the US...or stay in the UK/Ireland for residency. My impression is that most of the IMGs complaining about the CaRMS are Caribbean/Eastern European/African IMGs and while I sympathise with them, I have more personal interest in the success rate for UK IMGs. Any thoughts? Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driedcaribou Posted May 30, 2003 Report Share Posted May 30, 2003 I never heard of the Bitonti case before and I thank you for mentioning it. I am also interested in the success rate for UK IMGs as well as Australian IMGs but haven't had a lot of luck in finding any information. If I find out anything about it, I'll post it here. Unfortunately, this board is really my main source of information so you'll probably know as much and more than I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted May 30, 2003 Report Share Posted May 30, 2003 Hi folks, Interesting discussion! I went and did a little bit of internet research, and came up with the following links. I've posted them on a separate thread in the forum "Coming to Canada for Medicine", and hopefully it might spark some discussion in that thread, and perhaps leave this thread for questions relating to the UK med schools themselves, what are they like, etc. Otherwise, in a few months, if you were a new user just looking at the thread titles, you might miss this returning to Canada thread entirely! Anyway, the new thread can be found here. I hope this helps, at least somewhat: pub125.ezboard.com/fpremed101frm27.showMessage?topicID=39.topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest driedcaribou Posted May 30, 2003 Report Share Posted May 30, 2003 Awesome Ian! Thanks a load! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted May 31, 2003 Report Share Posted May 31, 2003 Thanks Ian. Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terigo Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Hello JaneUK, I am starting the MBBS/f course this coming sept. am so excited and worried at the same time.:rollin I am also from canada. I was wondering if you can give me some advice about the course, such as, the course load, things to watch out for, and etc. I was also wondering if you know where I can get a hold of the textbook list before school starts since I haven't been doing much;i figured that I should put myself to good use..hehe ps. my head is overflowing with questions about the course and london. I am so glad that I found this forum. thank you so much..I really apperciate it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Hey Terigo, Congrats! I'm glad to hear that there will be another Canadian at GKT:D I am in study mode for my final exam over the next couple of days. I promise that I'll send a detailed post very soon...keep checking this thread. Thanks, Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OU812 Posted June 3, 2003 Report Share Posted June 3, 2003 Hi Jane: I was wondering how old you were? How old are the other people in the program. For example the investment banker (that's what I am ) I heard that British schools tend to look down upon older students. Your insights regarding this would be most helpful. Secondly, How is the tuition. How are you financing it? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terigo Posted June 3, 2003 Report Share Posted June 3, 2003 Hi Jane, Don't worry about it!! take your time!! hope you pass your exams with flying colours... I am sure you will... once again, thank you.... your posts have been very informative... ps. congrads, you are almost done the year..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 3, 2003 Report Share Posted June 3, 2003 Hey Terigo, As requested, here is a rundown of the GKT Foundation Course. First, please don't be worried - if you are interested in science, you are really going to enjoy the course. GKT is a great school with a very friendly atmosphere (profs and students). London is a fabulous city. Assuming that you don't already live here..... MOVING TO LONDON As you probably already know, London is a very expensive city. Most items that cost Cdn$10 will cost £8-10 (ie. Cdn$20+). Housing in London costs approximately 4 times the cost of housing in Toronto. Depending on your financial and family situation, you might want to consider student accommodation or getting a roommate. Someone in the GKT administration will likely be able to give you some pointers. It would be a good idea to check into any visa requirements. If you are entitled to UK citizenship and don't have a UK passport, I would suggest getting one. I believe that there is a student visa available. My partner has dual citizenship so I have a special entry visa....just check with the British High Commission in Ottawa. If you are taking any medication, get your prescriptions filled in Canada - it might not be possible to get the exact medication here...or it might end up costing significantly more money. You might want to confirm with GKT re suggested/mandatory vaccinations. I got Meningitis, Hep A and Hep B vaccinations (I think). Make sure to bring your immunization card with you. The voltage is different here so you will need a couple of adapters for appliances (ie computer/printer/stereo etc.). If you need any appliances and live in the Toronto area, check out "House of 220" on Gerrrard East - they specialize in dual system "international" appliances, adapters, etc. It can be somewhat difficult to just stroll into a UK bank and open a bank account. I would suggest bringing a reference letter from your Canadian bank and checking the requirements at NatWest, Barclays, Lloyds, etc. I hear that Barclays is "student friendly". Depending on where you live, you will likely need a Tube pass...you can get a student discount. If you don't already have one, get a London AtoZ Mapbook. Most Londoners have one...and all tourists should have one. If you have any questions regarding London, just ask. GKT FOUNDATION COURSE The purpose of the course is to give arts students the necessary background in order to enter GKT MBBS Yr 1. My understanding is that we end up slightly ahead of the UK students coming into MBBS Yr 1 with science A-levels. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have a degree in music from UofT and I did not take any university level science courses. I did, however, take OACs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math. I found certain aspects of the Foundation Course challenging (especially biology) but completely manageable. The Foundation Course consists of: 1 Mathematics course (calculus, stats, trigonometry, etc.) 2 Physics courses (intermediate level) 2 Chemistry courses (1 interediate/1 advanced) covering physical, inorganic and organic chem 3 Biology courses (cell bio, mammalian and vertebrate) All of the courses (except math) have a lab component. You will need a white lab coat and a dissection kit. Our evaluations consisted of 8 year-end closed book examinations (multiple choice & essay), 3 essays and 2 lab books (for the lab books, the profs like well-done diagrams and detail). Regarding summer reading.....I didn't receive a reading list until near the end of the summer. Dr. Gahan suggested reading "Life:The Science of Biology" (6th ed.) by Purves, Sadava, Orians, Heller. I managed to make it through the first 8 chapters and it was helpful...but I don't believe that anyone in my class did any reading over the summer..... SUGGESTED/HELPFUL BOOKS FOR THE COURSE Oxford Dictionary of Biology Oxford Dictionary of Chemistry Wheater's Functional Histology (4th ed.) by Young & Heath Animal Physiology by Knut - Schmidt - Nielson Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function & Evolution (3rd ed) by Kardong Engineering Mathematics (5th ed.) by K.A. Stroud Physics by James S. Walker (I have the first volume in soft cover which covers most of the class and will sell it to you cheap if you are interested) Organic Chemistry: A Brief Survey of Concepts & Applications (6th ed.) by Bailey & Bailey Cell Biology - there are three textbooks - I would suggest skimming them in the library and buying the one that works best for you. The Profs sometimes organize field trips...Dr. Stolkin took us to the controversial Body Worlds exhibit...there is so much medical history in London too....apparently, St. Thomas' used to have the world's only preserved hermaphodite specimen....but it was lost in a fire....the infamous "Borough Boys" (Guy's is located in the Borough area) used to dig up dead bodies for medical research....I could go on.... You now have probably more information about the course than any incoming GKT student and certainly more than I did! If you have any more questions, do not hesitate to send a post. Looking forward to meeting you - If I don't hear from you over the summer, we will likely meet at the GKT Foundation Course mixer - I'll be easy to pick out...still haven't lost the Canadian accent! Jane:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 3, 2003 Report Share Posted June 3, 2003 OU812, In my opinion, GKT values older students. They are viewed as more disciplined, mature, self-motivated....etc. That being said, the "mature students" in the UK tend to be younger than mature students in North America. I'm 24....the ex i-banker in my Programme is one of the oldest at 32. Tuition is expensive for non-EU students...non-clinical years are approx £11,500 and clinical years are over £20,000. My partner was transferred to London and we're here on an "expat package"...so we're hoping to get through without any student loans.... Given your background, have you considered McGill's Med/MBA program? Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terigo Posted June 4, 2003 Report Share Posted June 4, 2003 hello Jane, I really liked London when I was there for my interview!! I am really looking forward to it... yeah! for sure... I am really looking forward in meeting you, at least now I semi- know one person in London...hehe...:b I have a Canadian accent too, so I am sure we can easily spot eachother... Thank you sooo much for the detailed reply..it was very helpful, especially with the textbook list. I will take a look at them when I have the chance. it would be great if I can buy the physics textbook from you, so I can reduce the cost; I understand that there is a 2nd edition to walker's physics textbook. Is the 1st edition still in use for lectures? Correct me if I am wrong, but all the 8 textbooks and 2 dictionaries are the main texts used for lectures? if so, Woah.. its gonna be quite expensive..:rollin !! but oh welll.....its worth it!! How are your exams coming along? good luck.... don't hesitate to leave me a post too, if I can help you somehow...don't worry, if I have any more questions, I will surely message you!!! --terigo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Hi Terigo, You're more than welcome to the first volume of the physics text...The first volume covers most of the course. I don't have volume 2 because I found a hard cover version including both volumes. So what about you?....Where are you from? How did you find out about GKT? Do you have an undergraduate degree? What was your interview like? When are you moving to London? What are you doing about housing? Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Diana Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 Dear Jane, I'm a Canadian high school student trying to decide whether to attend the MBBS Foundation program at GKT this coming September. I am very glad that I found this thread, as the knowledge and advice you have kindly imparted to others on this board have greatly helped my family and me in making this significant decision. I know you've already answered many questions, so I'll try to avoid any redundancy in the ones I ask. If you are able to answer any them or provide any advice, I would truly appreciate it. Firstly, could you give me an idea of the level of difficulty in the foundation year? I've taken AP Bio, OAC Chem, and OAC Calculus, but not OAC Physics. Did you find the year interesting, or did you feel like it was Grade 14 (ie. an extension of high school sciences)? Do you feel it is structured specifically to prepare you for Med School, or is it all over the place? Were the other students supportive? And, most importantly, were the teachers knowledgeable and understanding of their students’ questions and concerns? How is the teaching style (ie. tutorials, lectures, labs)? All in all, did you find the year useful? Secondly, how are the facilities on campus? How are the residences? Are the students’ academic and social needs met? Lastly, how is it living in London? Is the college (and specifically the students in the program) fairly close-knit? How is the general social atmosphere? Please do not feel obliged to answer all these questions…whatever advice you can give me would be great in itself. Thank you once more. -diana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 15, 2003 Report Share Posted June 15, 2003 Hi Diana, Thanks for the post. The Foundation Course is specifically for students accepted into GKT Medicine or Dentistry, so the curriculum is tailored for med/dental students. The students in the course are predominantly arts students, many of whom have arts undergraduate degrees. Given that you are just completing OACs, the course will be a breeze for you. I found the Course to be challenging, but manageable. The first term courses were for the most part review and much of the second term was new material for me. This past year has been my most enjoyable university experience. There are lectures, labs and some tutorial sessions. The profs are happy to answer questions during and after class. Every student is assigned a tutor...I don't imagine that you would need to call on yours, but it is a nice "safety-net" to have. Like any university setting, students are expected to try and think through the material on their own before asking questions...profs get annoyed if you expect to be spoon-fed. The students in the Programme were quite close and very supportive...part of the reason is that quite a few students were from abroad and or from outside London and didn't already have a social circle....Also, British/European folks tend to be friendlier than Canadians (at least Torontonians). You will have no problems making friends. The GKT/King's facilities seem fine to me. Certain facilities are very new and certain facilities are very old. I think the facilities at Ontario universities are perhaps better (ie newer). FYI, construction is underway at St.Thomas' for a brand new children's hospital. I lived off campus while at UofT and I am living near the Guy's campus now. I don't really have any information on the student residences. I would expect, however, that they are probably not as nice as residences at Ontario universities. The King's College campuses are spread out at various locations....very much like UofT. I don't really use the GKT/King's facilities. I believe that there is a gym etc. There are also numerous extracurricular sports clubs, music clubs, rowing, social clubs, etc....you can sign up during Fresher's orientation. GKT has a policy of "no class on Wednesday afternoons" as students are expected to do sports and extracurricular activities. . The social atmosphere is great. Britain is famous for its pub culture and there are numerous dances, formal dances, parties, charity fundraisers for GKT students. I believe that the GKT med students raised over £120,000 for charity last year. I didn't really participate in too many social events as I have family responsibilities and have already lived through the undergrad experience. Living in London is amazing....great food, music, theater, nightclubs, markets, museums, shopping, parks, history, etc. The train system is fantastic....you can go to Bath, Oxford, Cambridge, Paris for the day. Discount airlines make it possible to fly to most European cities for weekend breaks. Green grass all winter, no bitter cold in the winter, no extreme heat in the summer, beautiful architecture. It does rain quite a bit, but not that much more than in Ontario. The negative points are pollution, grime, hectic pace, crowds, noise...but overall, in my opinion, London is a great place to live. If you have any more questions, just ask. Good luck, Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Diana Posted June 18, 2003 Report Share Posted June 18, 2003 Dear Jane, Thank you so much for your detailed and honest advice. You've certainly made me less worried about the foundation year and about moving to such a huge city. My main worry about GKT, however, concerns the strength of the sciences taught in the actual 5-year medical programme. I heard that there is a lot of problem-based learning and that it, to some degree, replaces the teaching of the pure medical sciences (ie. anatomy, physiology, etc.). Has this been a worry voiced by anyone in the regular programme that you know of? I heard some complaints that students are exposed to clinical matters and patients too early to adequately understand the meaning of these clinical experiences. I'm not sure if you'd be able to answer this, but do you believe that King's balances well the teaching of pure medical sciences with clinical learning? Could you possibly put me in touch with anyone in the 5-year programme who may be able to give me information on the quality of the teaching of sciences and the general layout of the programme? Thanks once more for being so kind in offering your advice and knowledge. I wish you a relaxing summer and the best of luck next year! -Diana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 18, 2003 Report Share Posted June 18, 2003 Hi Diana, Interesting questions...to be honest, I haven't heard that much about the GKT MB BS degree. I understand from a couple of upper year GKT students (check out my thread on the studentdoctor.net ...when StudentDoctor.net has finished its server upgrade on June 20th...send a post to DireTribe) that the anatomy portion of the course has been cut back somewhat and that the school is endeavouring to provide for more "self-learning" and PBL...GKT is in the process of tinkering with the curriculum...don't know the minute details, however...I understand that the MB BS Programme does entail SOME problem based learning...HOWEVER, this is not to say that it is like McMasters and St. Georges (St. Georges is the the U of London med school college equivalent to McMasters (BTW it doesn't accept overseas students). I believe that the changes were made to improve the Programme overall. From what I have heard (second hand), one of the main problems with the McMasters/St. George classical/intensive PBL is that the students present quite a bit of the material...but the students are so nervous about their personal presentations that they "tune out" the other student presentations and don't absorb much of the information presented by others. My understanding is that this is not the case at GKT - the PBL is not so extreme. (This is not a criticism of McMasters, but I think that a more traditional programme as offered by GKT is better suited to my learning style). In addition, based on what I have read about foreign medical school graduates, part of their problem in passing the Canadian exams and succeeding in the Canadian medical environment is based on the fact that they have learned medicine by rote (ie straight memorization of facts) and have not truly absorbed and understood the fundamental medical concepts and this has proven to be problematic in making an informed diagnosis and treating the patient. I don't know if this is a simple view of the situation, but it is what I have read. Apparently, PBL and self learning are beneficial methods of teaching medicine....that is why such methods are being adopted by many med schools. In my experience in the GKT Foundation course, I found that I had to spend a considerable amount of time figuring out the concepts and material on my own. The lectures were good, but to really UNDERSTAND the material, I had to work at it on my own...as one of the professors said, you have to really USE the material and "make it your own" (maybe real science brainiacs don't need to do this but I had to). In any event, I expect that the GKT MB BS Programme will be a combination of traditional memorization and PBL/self learning....personally, I think that this is the best of both worlds. You really haven't provided too much information about yourself...personally, I think GKT is terrific, but I don't care how many Canadians decide to come here in the end....and it won't make any difference to GKT - it is a highly regarded UK med school and doesn't need to advertise or recruit for students. If you think that you won't be able to achieve the 3.8 -4.0 GPA for an undergraduate programme at a Canadian unversity necessary to be accepted to a Canadian med school (and you are NOT absolutely desperate to return to Canada (ie you are open to making serious coin in the US)... if I were in your position at 18-19 years old, I would go to a UK/Irish med school, do an intercalated degree and apply for US and Canadian residency positions (or stay in the UK for House Officer/Senior House Officer years). In my opinion, with a UK/Irish/Australian etc degree (ie NOT a degree from a Caribbean/Eastern European/African "degree mill" med school), you always have the option of practising in the degree conferring jurisdiction and you do not have the stigma of having a university degree from a med school incorporated to generate fees from admissions for students who couldn't gain entry to med school in Canada or the US....just my two cents. So have you been accepted to GKT for Sept 2003 or are you considering GKT Sept 2004? I ony ask because I thought you said you were considering GKT this September....where have you received your info on GKT - I ask because I'm relatively in the dark with respect to Yr1 MB BS...the Brits tend to be very casual about the whole thing because it is their home jurisdiction and they do not have the same concerns as foreign med students. I hope that I have made the right decision for me (and I think I have). Much of my decision was influenced by the fact that I wanted to go to university in the centre of London because my partner works in the City (financial centre) and we wanted/had to to live in London. I haven't heard any current MB BS students totally panning GKT - they all seem to be relatively positive. If you are interested in extremely intensive medical research, I would suggest Oxford or Cambridge. If you are not seriously interested in medical research, GKT should be fine. Sorry, but I can't really put you in touch with an upper year student...but try posting to Diretribe....most UK students are probably on vacation at the moment. please post back, Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terigo Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Dear Jane, Hello... I am actually travelling around SouthEast Asia right now. :smokin I will give you a detail reply and tell you more about my trip when I get back to Canada,kay? TAKE CARE... ps. regarding the physics textbook, I might be interested in getting the hardcopy textbook( with both volumes ) too. Would it be OK if I tell you whether or not I am still interested later? If I am not, I am sure, I can find you someone who would be interested in my class. hehe..=)... As for now, my mins are running out. TALK TO YOU SOON!!!:rollin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JaneUK Posted June 19, 2003 Report Share Posted June 19, 2003 Terigo, No worries about the text book. Have a fabulous vacation! Jane:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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