Health Sciences at Western or McMaster?

[equus]

I'm a grade 11 student going to school in London, Ontario (I'm in the International Baccalaureate Program). My goal is to become a family physician.

 

Since I'm applying to university in the fall, I need to make some big decisions. Right now, my top 2 choices for universities for an undergraduate degree are UWO's Health Sciences or McMaster's Health Sciences.

 

I've been doing a lot of research about both and have discovered a lot of contradictions and different opinions about these programs. Which one is best if I want to be a family physician, taking into account the entire student experience and quality of education? I want to have a great undergraduate experience, and while I know marks are important to get into medical school, the likelihood of getting a high GPA at a certain university isn't all I'm looking for.

 

I'm leaning more towards Western right now because I could still live at home and avoid paying high costs for residence/food/Internet/car/etc. I also want to do the Certificat de francais pratique program that is at Western.

 

In case I change my mind of becoming a physician, I also want to make sure that I would still be able to get a job with whatever degree I choose.

 

What other programs at Western, McMaster, or Ottawa would be beneficial?

[future_doc]

All programs at all universities lead to medicine provided you do well, have the ECs and volunteering. If you study that which interests you or you are passionate about, you are likely to do better. And you are thing about a Plan B, this is smart, b/c getting into medicine is a lottery and we all don't make it.

[lost__in__space]

I'm a grade 11 student going to school in London, Ontario (I'm in the International Baccalaureate Program). My goal is to become a family physician.

 

Since I'm applying to university in the fall, I need to make some big decisions. Right now, my top 2 choices for universities for an undergraduate degree are UWO's Health Sciences or McMaster's Health Sciences.

 

I've been doing a lot of research about both and have discovered a lot of contradictions and different opinions about these programs. Which one is best if I want to be a family physician, taking into account the entire student experience and quality of education? I want to have a great undergraduate experience, and while I know marks are important to get into medical school, the likelihood of getting a high GPA at a certain university isn't all I'm looking for.

 

I'm leaning more towards Western right now because I could still live at home and avoid paying high costs for residence/food/Internet/car/etc. I also want to do the Certificat de francais pratique program that is at Western.

 

In case I change my mind of becoming a physician, I also want to make sure that I would still be able to get a job with whatever degree I choose.

 

What other programs at Western, McMaster, or Ottawa would be beneficial?

 

Just graduated from Health Sci at Western. I wouldn't do it again. Not if you paid me. I won't go on and on about why for the hundredth time so search my backposts and you'll get a sense of my frustrations with the program. PS: they may be changing the name from "health sciences" to "health studies" which is what it really is, a SOCIAL SCIENCES type of program, nothing more.

 

PS: move out from home. Trust me!

[Caliver]

As far as I know, Mac Health sci is not Health studies like the one at Western. I can let you know more after september.

[Microbiodude]

Based on what I've seen from the Health Science program, I would recommend it. It's really well balanced, it gives you an intro to a wide variety of topics. So overall you'd be a well rounded applicant in terms of your courses. However, if you are planning on pursuing research you won't be as well prepared (but you can always learn). I'm saying this based on my own experiences training health science students in my lab (the same applies for most Mac Life Sci students as well).

 

As for the group projects, the people you work with in the health science are all hard working individuals (based on the ones I've encountered). As such, if you had problems in high school with you having to take on most of the work you shouldn't have this problem? (Health Sci's step in here).

 

Lastly, I know people say your undergrad is what you make it, but the health sci program does help make you a better candidate. They have courses where the project is to start a university club and also a 4th year course where the assignment worth 60% of your mark was "write a letter to your mother explaining why you have chosen to pursue the research project you have", I guess in one way its like a grant proposal but WAY less formal (I saw the assignment sheet and verified it with 3 people who took the course this year, I believe its Hth Sci 4T03)...the average mark was an 86%. SO, the program does have courses which can help you inflate your GPA and give you marks for taking on extra-curricular initiatives.

 

I think this thread should have provided you with a good start on how to decide on which program you want. Best of luck!

[Microbiodude]

Those 3 people were non-health sci's with a high school average of around 86%...and they all scored between 88-91%.

[1234]

Its good to see you are thinking ahead and narrowing down the possibilities. But once you decide where you really want to go, remain flexible. This is especially true for the Health Sci program at Mac. There are simply too many excellent students moving through a subjective admissions process. So by all means, try your best to go where you want. But sometimes these things are out of your control.