j_wald Posted May 16, 2008 Report Share Posted May 16, 2008 I am posting this thread for my own benefit but also as a place for everyone who had been accepted to more then one med school and are having trouble deciding on one (a nice problem to have I know). I hope that we can use this thread to discuss the pros and cons of different schools and get feedback from students at different schools. I have been accepted to both McMaster and McGill and I am having a really hard time deciding between them, I know that in the end it comes down to personal preference but if anyone has any tips for deciding stories good or bad about either school or info on programs, reputation, etc I would love to hear it. Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmlconkl Posted May 16, 2008 Report Share Posted May 16, 2008 hi j_wald, i am deciding between mac and U of T, also having a tough time. fortunately for us, I don't think these decisions (in canada anyways) can have a very bad outcome as all the schools seem so great! for me personally, one of the best things about mac would be saving a year (i'm a grad applicant with some grey hairs) as well as saving the money associated with that extra year (esp compared to living costs in TO). on the other hand, i hope to be involved in research and for research opportunities UT seems like the place to be, and I have alot of family/friends there. the big '?' for me is about the teaching style, i don't have alot of experience with PBL, and even if I did I think each school defines it a bit differently so I'm not completely clear on how the mac teaching program differs from other ontario schools. Talking to students it seemed like they had all the regular things, lectures, tests, etc, they just had different names for them, lol anyways, congrats on your acceptances and rest assured either school will be a fantastic place to be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nervousapplicant Posted May 16, 2008 Report Share Posted May 16, 2008 Hiya, first of all, congratulations! You are indeed in a lucky position. For me, I came up with a chart comparing my schools on various criteria, including: 1. Curriculum (do I like it? Is it different?) 2. Class size 3. Labs 4. Research 5. Early clinical? 6. Technology 7. Area 8. City 9. Tuition 10. Rent/Cost of living 11. Facilities 12. Proximity to family/friends 13. intuitive preference. I weighted each category depending on my personal priorities, then ranked each component out of ten for each school. I realize that some things like technology may not be important for some people, and if it's not for you, then I would leave it out. For McGill, my personal thoughts are (as an OOP who got in this year, so I have no actual experience with the school): 1. I think McGill's curriculum is quite innovative. 1.5 years preclinical, 0.5 years of clinical skill learning, right before rotations. You learn things once, twice, then thrice! 2. Class size is small compared to the other 2 major cities (Vancouver and Toronto). I think it's around 170 .. but that's large compared to other smaller schools. 3. I don't have much of an opinion on the labs. 4. Research in neurology is top notch (check out the MNI if you have the chance!). Other areas I am less clear. Lots of research and funding opportunities though. 5. Not much early clinical but compensated by intense clinical skills in 2nd term of 2nd year 6. I don't have much of an opinion on technology 7/8. It's Montreal and Montreal is awesome. Period. 9/10. Amazingly affordable. 11. Pretty nice. Not brand new, but functional. It's on top of a rather steep hill ... 13. I simply liked it. They were friendly, they were personal, they really made me feel welcome. That what I did in theory, anyway. But ... in the end, I weighted "intuitive preference" the most, and the top school for me flucutated each time I changed that particular variable So ... at the end of the day, I found it simply came down to where I felt I would fit in the best. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DD87 Posted May 16, 2008 Report Share Posted May 16, 2008 im having the same debate about u of t vs mac. for me, the pro's of toronto are: -location is great (i love the city) -summers off so i can continue research that i have already begun in toronto + bigger emphasis on toronto overall -great hospitals + (and this may just be my preconception about residency matching) proximity to these hospitals would allow me to gain exp in them, which may make me more competitive when it comes to matching at these specific hospitals (since I want to work in Toronto in the future) con's of toronto: -the curriculum (I don't care for all the class hours, I could make better use of it learning the material at my own pace, and they seem to overteach minor details) -cost of living -4 years ---- pro's of mac -smaller, more close knit class/higher faculty:student ratio -more appealing curriculum (in my opinion) -3 years, cheaper con's of mac -no summer's off, so I'm not sure how i'll fit in research -i like the curiculum but i hope it's not too unstructured... -hamilton isn't the same as the city right now i'm leaning towards mac just because i think i'll enjoy myself because of the atmosphere they set. i don't want med school to be any more stressful than it has to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_wald Posted May 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2008 tough choices for sure, you guys seem to be going through the same thought processes as I have been. The difference for me is that because I live in Montreal McGill is by far the cheaper option (like 10-20 thousand debt instead of 100) but the Mac curiculum and the sense of community amongst the students really appeals to me. I do worry that the Mac curriculum is to unfocused but then on the flip side I worry that McGill is too focused and doesn't allow enough room for curiosity. I spoke with my GP about my choice and she said that she has had both McMaster and McGill students work with her and she was consistently more impressed by the clinical skills and curiosity of the Mac students. As you can tell I am currently leaning towards Mac but then I think about the money and McGill's reputation and I'm unsure again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_B Posted May 17, 2008 Report Share Posted May 17, 2008 I don't go to either school, so people from those schools would better serve you here, but the one thing I consistently hear about Mac is that you must be self motivated. Although all education is "what you make of it", Mac is particularly so. So if you think you can keep on top of things on your own (even the boring things), then it is a great program. Otherwise, the lack of structure may be difficult for you, and a more traditional structure would be indicated. Mac students are probably more curious, simply because they have to be...their curriculum demands it of them. As far as research, this certainly should be answered by a Mac student, but I can't envision a medical school without students actively involved in research. Having said that, of course TO and Mcgill will offer more opportunity, it's simply numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon01 Posted May 19, 2008 Report Share Posted May 19, 2008 I'd think it's VERY rare to be turned down for a job post graduations because of what school you attended (in Canada at least). Go to the school/city that you feel best fits your learning style and where you think you'd be happiest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduiib Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Hey guys, To mix the pot up a little, I face the enviable problem of UAlberta vs. UofT (I'm from Ottawa). Both very good schools with amazing facilities. By this point, it's pretty much come down to UofT's curriculum versus Alberta's location. Is UofT's curriculum really as intense as it's reputated to be? Define "intense." How detrimental to class cohesion is the bigger class size and the academy divison? Will I get to enjoy Toronto and being close to my family and friends with UofT's curriculum? Thanks in advance for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbene085 Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Hey guys, To mix the pot up a little, I face the enviable problem of UAlberta vs. UofT (I'm from Ottawa). Both very good schools with amazing facilities. By this point, it's pretty much come down to UofT's curriculum versus Alberta's location. Is UofT's curriculum really as intense as it's reputated to be? Define "intense." How detrimental to class cohesion is the bigger class size and the academy divison? Will I get to enjoy Toronto and being close to my family and friends with UofT's curriculum? Thanks in advance for your input. Go to Alberta, Lei! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drduiib Posted May 20, 2008 Report Share Posted May 20, 2008 Go to Alberta, Lei! Thank you for your input, Michael. Haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_wald Posted May 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Well just to provide a post-script to this discussion after much soul searching I have decided to go with my gut feeling and I will be attending Mac in the fall in the end the environment and the PBL approach sold me on Mac over McGill's price and reputation. good luck everyone with your decisions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noncestvrai Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Hamilton over Montreal...wtf? noncestvrai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretch Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 I was wondering what resources you all used for researching medical school curriculums/facilities/etc. I'm not entirely comfortable with making a decision that's purely based on the info from the school websites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbene085 Posted June 10, 2008 Report Share Posted June 10, 2008 I was wondering what resources you all used for researching medical school curriculums/facilities/etc. I'm not entirely comfortable with making a decision that's purely based on the info from the school websites. If you've had an interview at a school, you've probably seen their presentation(s) regarding their philosophy, their curriculum, etc, as well as have had a chance to talk to students at the school. If you know people who have gone to various schools, that's a great source of information as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbene085 Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 spider, Ottawa is not a bad choice. If you choose the right location, you don't have to have a car to get by at all. If you're from the GTA, maybe you aren't quite used to how small-scale Ottawa is in comparison. When I moved here from T.O., I used to look at maps of Ottawa and say "Oh man, ___ is all the way over THERE", because I was used to the sheer scale of Toronto. Well, in Ottawa, things that look far apart on a map are usually surprisingly close in real life. Ottawa maps are scaled really, really differently from Toronto maps, so keep that in mind. There are plenty of places in the pixley area that are a few minutes walking distance from the hospital, and maybe a 5 minute bus to groceries, or vice versa. Plus, taking the bus from the hospital to downtown doesn't take long at all. As a school, Ottawa offers a whole lot more freedom than many other schools. It might not be quite as much freedom as Mac, but we do get every afternoon 'off' (i.e. to be used for whatever you arrange/deem most important). And doing your MD in 4 years with summers does have advantages compared to Mac's 3 years. If you use those summers to gain clinical or research experience in your desired field, you might be more confident come clerkship, and could potentially have a stronger CaRMS application. I'd focus on these strong points, especially since your choice has been made. I'm not saying Mac is a bad school or that it has any major drawbacks...I'm just trying to keep you focused on Ottawa's strengths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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