Canadian Med Admissions vs American Med Admissions

[In_Valid]

Not to mention that there are far better residency opportunities and research opportunities in the USA. If you want to do rural medicine or be a general practitioner, this is a moot point. If you want to do pediatric neurology (one residency spot in Canada per year) or interventional radiology (similarly low numbers), it might make a difference.

 

But is it easier to get into? Not really. We lack the state school option and are limited to private schools. The average grades/MCAT for Canadians accepted at private lower tier American schools are at around the same as those accepted to Canadian schools. The average grades/MCAT for higher tier schools are far, far higher. The biggest difference in applying to the USA is that you may have ten interviews there rather than only three in Ontario - the numbers go in your favor.

 

And I would definitely say that WashU is better than anything Canada can offer. It simply has truckloads more money than the best schools here.

 

hmmm people bring the residency spots up a lot. We have to consider that there are more people in the US, so more people will be competing for those placements.

 

Do you know if there are more residency spots in pediatric neurology percapita than in Canada? So in the US, are there more than roughly ten?

[Alastriss]

hmmm people bring the residency spots up a lot. We have to consider that there are more people in the US, so more people will be competing for those placements.

 

Do you know if there are more residency spots in pediatric neurology percapita than in Canada? So in the US, are there more than roughly ten?

 

 

no way dude. Sure there are more people going for those spots, but there are WAYY more residency spots. The number of residency spots to med school ratio is so much in the med student's favor in the US than it is in canada. No question about that.

[xylem29]

I'm pretty sure that pediatric neurology is a sub-sub specialty (IM > Neurology > Peds Neuro) so you'd apply for this fellowhip while you're a resident.

 

The only thing that the US schools have over the Canadian ones is that the top 10 have more money, more research, and more innovation. I think that in terms of opportunities, the US has more opportunities wrt to getting accepted and more opportunities wrt to residency choices.

 

The thing that CDN schools have over the US ones is that clerks in Canada are a integral member of the hospital team, whereas in the US if clerks were removed the hospitals would still be alright - ie. You get to do more work during clerkships in the CDN system so that you tend to be well prepared for PGY-1 whereas your American counterpart will be less so (I think it is due to their litigious environment). However, once you finish residency your competencies are comparable, so I guess it makes little difference in the end.

[Alastriss]

I'm pretty sure that pediatric neurology is a sub-sub specialty (IM > Neurology > Peds Neuro) so you'd apply for this fellowhip while you're a resident.

 

The only thing that the US schools have over the Canadian ones is that the top 10 have more money, more research, and more innovation. I think that in terms of opportunities, the US has more opportunities wrt to getting accepted and more opportunities wrt to residency choices.

 

The thing that CDN schools have over the US ones is that clerks in Canada are a integral member of the hospital team, whereas in the US if clerks were removed the hospitals would still be alright - ie. You get to do more work during clerkships in the CDN system so that you tend to be well prepared for PGY-1 whereas your American counterpart will be less so (I think it is due to their litigious environment). However, once you finish residency your competencies are comparable, so I guess it makes little difference in the end.

 

this is true for the most part. I think Georgetown pwns in this aspect, as well as George Wash U and NYU as well. This is also true for Canada given how many rural based med schools we have which will almost always give you more hands on work.

[Alastriss]

Plus (and anywhere else I will get flamed with) there are more schools that select merit alone, so you don't have people in the class who are there just because their parents chose to live in a rural community.

[Halcyon]

Plus (and anywhere else I will get flamed with) there are more schools that select merit alone, so you don't have people in the class who are there just because their parents chose to live in a rural community.

 

Thanks for the various responses to my other post.

 

For Alastriss, I'll "burn" you on your comment, but with a spin.

 

I grew up and lived in a rural community for most of my life (I'm a mature, non-trad applicant or however else you'd like to label us older ones). Believe me, medical school applications have been probably the only situation (career-wise) where coming from a rural area is an advantage. However, I'd probably have more luck applying to be a farmer....

[A-Stark]

I'm pretty sure that pediatric neurology is a sub-sub specialty (IM > Neurology > Peds Neuro) so you'd apply for this fellowhip while you're a resident.

 

Not quite. Pediatric neurology is a sub-specialty of Peds (so 3 years of Peds + 2 of Neuro = Peds Neuro). Neuro is also one of those direct-entry IM residencies.

 

Anyway, at the end of the day you're not going to be a better doctor by going to a school with more money - helpful for research, yes, but certainly not essential.

[xylem29]

Not quite. Pediatric neurology is a sub-specialty of Peds (so 3 years of Peds + 2 of Neuro = Peds Neuro). Neuro is also one of those direct-entry IM residencies.

 

Anyway, at the end of the day you're not going to be a better doctor by going to a school with more money - helpful for research, yes, but certainly not essential.

 

lol...i was waiting to be corrected on that one

[Retsage]

While I was wrong on the number of slots (my sister told me there was one opening, but I'm seeing multiple programs, so I'm not sure), there is a direct entry to pediatric neurology through CaRMS. Unless I'm reading this thing wrong.

 

http://www.carms.ca/eng/r1_sched_neuroped_e.shtml

 

 

A-Stark, the question isn't about who will be a better doctor, per se. Any school will turn out good doctors. It's more about the side aspects, like academic medicine, or health policy. At that point, more money means more opportunities and connections, means more success.