UAlberta vs. UofT

[drduiib]

Hey guys,

 

I'm in a position to choose between these two prestigious schools. Anyone else have to make this choice before? What factors went into your decision? FYI, I'm from Ottawa.

 

Thanks in advance.

[BrendanJ]

I think xone had to make this choice. Maybe pm him and see what he thinks

[xone]

Hi drduib. First off, congratulations on getting into both schools!! Although I am from UofA med, I especially like and respect UofT's selection process.

 

The first point I will make clear is that both schools are superb. You can't go wrong in this choice, if you are basing it on facilities, faculty, experiences, etc. So don't base your decision on which one will train you to be the best physician; they both will. UofA and UofT students are highly respected in Canada.

 

So the first thing to consider is geography. You are from Ottawa -- Toronto is considerably closer than edmonton, and cheaper to travel to/from. How important is being with your family to you? For me it was paramount. I chose UofA over UofT because I could visit frequently without spending ridiculous sums of money. Med can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. You need to be able to 'recharge your batteries' as one of our professors put it. If family helps you do that, then go for toronto.

 

If that isn't as important to you, then there are some important differences between these two schools.

1) UofA has a smaller class size than UofT, although the latter handles this well by dividing the med class into 4 or 5 different academies (disadvantage being you get to know your academies well, but not the entire class. At UofA, it is possible to know most of the class, esp. by the end of the 4 yrs). 150 students vs. 230 students --> this does make a difference. Also, in terms of how close you are with faculty and student advisors and stuff like that, I think UofA is a bit better due to this lower student #.

2) UofA has significantly lower tuition/living expenses

3) While both have good research program, I think UofT has more opportunities for interesting cases and research work. UofT also has more international reputation, especially where research is concerned, although Canadian universities in general I don't think get a ton of recognition. For me this was unimportant; I think it matters more where you do your residency than where you go for medschool. Do note that if you want to do residency at UofA or UofT, then it is likely better to do med at that school, as you'll have more opportunities to get to make connections easier.

4) Both schools are politically active, but I would say UofT is more so on this point. This is changing, but at this point UofT is better here.

5) Funding opportunities are appropriate at both school for their respective expenses (more funds at UofT, but also more expenses).

 

So these are some things that you could factor into your decision. Like I said, you can't go wrong with either school. I am enjoying med immensely at UofA, and I think you will enjoy it too, wherever you go. Most important thing to remember is that your experience is what you make of it; this was true for undergrad (I had an fantastic time doing my degree at UofC, despite there being significant issues with student spirit and administration), and this is true for med as well. Goodluck with your decision, and feel free to ask me any more questions.

[LaVieEnRose]

Hey Drdruib, congrats!

 

To add to xone's post, some other things you might want to consider are

 

1) Curriculum style: U of A offers the block format whereas U of T teaches predominantly anatomy and physiology in first year and then focuses on pathology in 2nd year. This means that there's more basic science at the U of T although there's still quite a lot on disease states in 1st year.

 

2) Would you prefer living in Edmonton or Toronto? While there are more restaurants etc. in Toronto and living downtown is very convenient, it also means that it'll be noisier and you'll be surrounded by less greenery.

 

3) If you're interested in international health issues, U of T has a lot of opportunities to get involved (including traveling abroad) through UTHIP.

 

good luck with your decision!

[drduiib]

Thanks for all your input guys! Althought the decision's not coming any easier, your points are definitely helping.

 

Important question: How does Ontario student loans like OSAP and the Alberta equivalent work in the situation where a student leaves their home province to do schooling (say if I were to go to Alberta?).

[LaVieEnRose]

You apply for your home province's student loans.