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Transferring med schools - an impossible dream?


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Hi all,

 

To anyone who might be able to help me out with this: I will be forever in your debt! I'm a student in second year meds at a Canadian school who would like to apply to transfer to Memorial for clerkship.

 

From what I understand, transfers happen only under "rare circumstances," if at all. If you or someone you know has successfully transferred med schools, I would appreciate ANY help or advice you might have on how to go about it!

 

Thanks so much!!! I anxiously await your replies :o

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Thanks guys

 

NLengr - this "sudden desire" is the result of my partner having matched to Memorial for residency! *sigh* :) Let's just say, I live rather far away from NL.

 

Mourning Cloak - I'm not actually an IMG, I'm just an OOP - but it is good to know about Dal, thanks!

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I think it depends on availability and your reasons. I have heard of two cases: one who successfully transferred to be closer to a seriously ill family member; the other who unsuccessfully requested a transfer to be with her fiance. There are always a small number of students who transfer, drop out, or sadly die before graduating. The only way to find out if there is a spot available is to ask... there's no harm in asking.

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Thanks guys

 

NLengr - this "sudden desire" is the result of my partner having matched to Memorial for residency! *sigh* :) Let's just say, I live rather far away from NL.

 

I agree with Garance, you should definitely ask. I think your reason is valid and I think it might work if the conditions are right & there's a spot available.

 

Best of luck, hope it works!

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If you find out that you cannot transfer, I just wanted to say, that come 4th year you probably won`t even be around that much anyway.

 

With away electives and carms, I was out of town/out of country for most of the year. At Ottawa, we only have 4 weeks of clinical work that we have to do in Ottawa in 4th year.

 

Clerkship is organised a bit differently at different schools. But you may essentially be transferring to get just 1 year in the same place as your partner...if you plan on doing alot of away electives. (which depending on the specialty you choose, you may have to do).

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A guy in my class transferred from Ottawa to Western at the end of second year. He got married and his wife was in the program at Western also going into clerkship, and somebody had dropped out of her class, so there was an opening. I know he jumped through some hoops to do it and his circumstances were unusual, but it can be done.

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A guy in my class transferred from Ottawa to Western at the end of second year. He got married and his wife was in the program at Western also going into clerkship, and somebody had dropped out of her class, so there was an opening. I know he jumped through some hoops to do it and his circumstances were unusual, but it can be done.

 

His wife was telling me about it too, so I definitely know both Western and Ottawa were open to the circumstance. OP - I would probably try to get into contact with Memorial and see what happens.

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Oooh, she was really involved with Tachycardia fundraising back in the day when crazy undergrads were trying to get sponsors for the show (including, p101ers lost__in__space and peppermint_tea)! And she helped some of us out with our applications because she's cool like that. :)

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Is that really a strong enough reason to transfer? Just because someone's married/engaged? Yes I agree that it sucks when you're in a long-distance relationship, but it seems unfair to other couples who are also separated but don't get to transfer.

 

Being close to an ill/dying family member or needing to take care of a child/partner I can kind of understand because it is extreme, but just because of marriage/engagement? What about people who are homesick and wish to see their family a lot? What about other people who have siblings that 'need' them because of other personal reasons? I dunno, it's hard to really say and I'm sure connections help a lot with these cases.

 

That being said, I guess if I was in the OP's shoes, maybe I would try if it meant that I may be able to be closer to my fiance or what-not. But logically, it doesn't seem fair that they would be able to grant that and not for other types of reasons that I'm sure many other med students face everyday being away from their family/loved ones.

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Hi. I was looking into transferring too. The reply I got from the schools in Western Canada I was interested in was that I had to document my case very carefully and then meet all the admissions requirements for the school I wanted to go to. It also helps if your dean provides some sort of letter explaining that he/she agrees with you and recognizes the need for you to move. My reason involved illness in the family, but I decided instead to do all my electives in 4th year OOP and just suck it up for one more year. It definitely can be done. There is someone looking to switch to the University of Manitoba right now, who is under review. This student's case is related to illness as far as I know.

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