Dal vs. Mac?

[AmandaR]

Hi

 

I've just finished a bachelors of science at western in ontario. Right now, i have accepted to go to med at mcmaster... all was set. But then getting the call off the OOP waitlist for dalhousie has left me..terribly indecisive. I remember just loving the school and the city when i was there for the interview..but it's been so long that i'm nervous i hallucinated it all. Can anyone offer any advice? I do want to go to dal, but staying near home (vs. uphauling my whole life) just makes everything so easy....

 

Also, i'm sure this has been answered before but i can't seem to find it... from those in the know: what are the pluses for dal/halifax?

 

Apologies if this resembles other 3489324 posts already here !

[dalmedical12]

Okay...the big thing about Halifax is that it's a very small, home-like feeling City. There is everything you'd ever want in a big city though...plus the night life is great because there are 3 or 4 University's there. The campus itself at Dal is beautiful...the Hospital's are all right there including the East Coast's only Children's Hospital. Lot's of Profs/ Docs that are doing incredible work here and around the world. Ive heard the best thing about Dal med School is that they are very big on Quality of Life...I guess you might have less time on your hands at Mac in a 3 year program?

[Dal07]

I was in a similar situation when I was deciding where to go for my undergrad. It would have been easier to stay in my hometown and go to university with everyone I knew, but I decided to move to Halifax (without really knowing anyone here) and go to Dal instead - it was one of the best decisions I have ever made! Halifax is a great city - it's not too big and not too small. It has great restaurants, a great nightlife, a beautiful campus and great people.

 

With regards to the med school, I like that Dal has a smaller class size compared to some other schools.

 

I don't think you can go wrong with Halifax/Dal. Good luck with your decision

[whale.of.a.time]

Halifax is really a wonderful place, and people in Nova Scotia are really friendly and helpful (much easier to talk to someone here about an LOC then in Montreal, for ex.).

 

I don't know anything about Hamilton, but I know that Halifax is a great place to live. We moved here a couple of years ago from QC and have loved every second.

 

From what I've read, both are great schools though!

[AndrewB]

I pretty much randomly went to Dal a few years ago and I don't regret it one bit. Halifax rules as a student. You can walk EVERYWHERE you need to, or take a quick bus to bigger malls etc. There are rental apartments/flats all over campus and the quality of life is quite high for students I have found.

 

The weather can suck pretty hard though! But hey, it's Canada.

[Altron]

I think the curriculum at Dal is essentially a four-year version of Mac's three-year program, focussing on small, group orientated learning. Because Dal's program is four years, you will have three months off in the summers, as opposed to one week, allowing you to explore programs/research designed for medical students. Or you can laze about for a summer and assure yourself that you won't burn out! Mac has a nice campus and its program is solid. I'd say visit Halifax and Hamilton and tour the cities and facilities in each city. It's undoubtedly a small price to pay for such an important decision.

[A-Stark]

Halifax is definitely the nicer city in terms of nightlife, history, appearance, restaurants, and, well, in pretty much every respect. It's probably a bit more expensive to live in, though, than is Hamilton, and there are fewer Tim Horton's. Otherwise, the programs have similar amounts of PBL, though I get the sense that Dal is somewhat less "self-directed" and the four-year schedule allows for some more time off and, I think, less pressure and more opportunities for research, travel, or general R&R.

[Madz25]

You can get TONS of clinical experience and even international experience in first and second year at Dal. I would pick Dal over Mac.