GradStudent_710 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 I will have to commute to Toronto and I was wondering what current med students' experiences are with that. I plan on taking the GO train and it shouldn't be too long of a ride (1/2 hour on GO plus TTC time). Will this impede on med school? I'd love to be downtown but my bf and I are already in the process of getting a place that we like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epigal Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 WOW, I am in the exact same situation as you. I am wondering the same thing! We are looking at mississauga... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcater2006 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 I live in Scarborough. I initially planned to commute for 1 and half hour everyday to St. George on the TTC. But decided in the end that the time should be better spent studying. Therefore I think I will be living on-campus in the fall term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1T1 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 You can definitely commute and still do well in med school. Sure you might have to wake up a bit earlier to catch the GO train or TTC, but you can always spend that time studying or just sleeping. A number of students in the current first year class commute. Some come from Scarborough, Mississauga, North York, and there's even one student who commutes from Burlington. It does get tough during the first 10 weeks of class though when you're in lectures/labs from 8-5 pretty much everyday and you then have to commute home at the end of a long day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMG007 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 I know one student who is about to start residency who all through clerkship commuted from Guelph. Another who did the two hour bus ride from Guelph during preclerk years. It is possible, you need to be disciplined. I know the woman who did it during preclerk enjoyed her time on the bus as her time and sometimes used it to study. Good luck, KMG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GradStudent_710 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Yea, I'd love to live downtown but I'm just settling down with my fiance and we would just rather own a house than rent downtown (don't think we can afford to buy downtown). I don't personally mind a commute and I've always been a morning person so I don't foresee it to be a problem but I just want to be sure that I can handle the amount of work/reading/studying at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1234 Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 you'll never be sure of that you can do it until you try. Personally, I get tired really easily (especially in lectures) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustylegs Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 You can definitely commute and still do well in med school. Sure you might have to wake up a bit earlier to catch the GO train or TTC, but you can always spend that time studying or just sleeping. A number of students in the current first year class commute. Some come from Scarborough, Mississauga, North York, and there's even one student who commutes from Burlington. It does get tough during the first 10 weeks of class though when you're in lectures/labs from 8-5 pretty much everyday and you then have to commute home at the end of a long day. I currently commute and it takes me about 1hr each way (subway + bus). While it is possible to sleep/read on the bus/subway, you're not always garanteed a seat on the bus/subway. From my personal experience, and has been echoed by others, it is certainly possible to commute everyday. However, life would have been a lot easier if I lived downtown. And that person commuting from Burlington doesn't attend lectures often... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zfield Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Yea, I'd love to live downtown but I'm just settling down with my fiance and we would just rather own a house than rent downtown (don't think we can afford to buy downtown). I don't personally mind a commute and I've always been a morning person so I don't foresee it to be a problem but I just want to be sure that I can handle the amount of work/reading/studying at the end of the day. I'm commuting now, and it sucks pretty hard. It's not affecting anything academically; I could tell you that the commute makes me not want to go to class, but I likely wouldn't want to go to class if I lived right across the street from campus. The major drawback is how much the commute detracts from my social interaction. I go out with my friends from class pretty often, although more so near the beginning of the year. However, sometimes I just get home and decide, frak it, I'm not going downtown again. Not to say it can't be done, but as has been mentioned before, some of our commuters don't often come to class. Probably not hurting anyone's marks or even learning, but can really draw you away from socializing. If you have the choice, my (totally unsolicited and unprofessional) advice would be to forfeit the few years of investment in a house/condo in the suburbs and rent a few years closer to the downtown core. You can rent a sizeable place at a decent price somewhere in midtown (St. Clair, Eglinton, etc.). Remember, though you (and possibly anyone you live with) will be shelling out an extra $100 each for metropasses that would not be necessary downtown. Bottom line, make the choice that will fit your lifestyle, but you're going to be putting off so much gratification with this career, it sort of makes sense to do the little, not-so-outrageous things that will make your med school life that much more enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bustylegs Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 I completely agree with zfield, especially on parts about not suffering academically (much), but not having enough down time when one commutes. If zfield is who I think he/she is, then he/she is one of the smartest and coolest people in our class. I'm not gifted and have to rely on working my ass off just to be on par with the class. Therefore, I need to got to lectures, and that is why I am moving somewhere midtown on the subway line next year.... Good call, zfield! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GradStudent_710 Posted May 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Thanks for the advice!! I looked into it and the ideal situation would be to rent a place downtown. And if I weren't getting married next year, I probably would! I'll probably have to tough it out and live just outside toronto. Can't wait to start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedBC Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 Thanks. Nice to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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