Backup plan - Master's degree

[Illuminis]

I'm wondering what backup plans premed students going into their final year of undergrad have made, as this is the situation I'm in right now.

 

So in September I'll be applying to multiple Canadian med schools, and no matter how confident I am in my application I know success is not guaranteed. Research is something that remains fascinating to me, and I would love to continue my studies in Genetics if medschool doesn't work out. However, the deadline for the NSERC graduate scholarship is around early September, and deadlines for master's programs are around Wintertime, so how do I go about doing this? I don't think professors will react kindly if they know that I'm just waiting on a response from medical school. Even though I'd be sincerely interested in their work...who would reject a medschool acceptance if it came in May? =)

[ontariostudent]

I'm wondering what backup plans premed students going into their final year of undergrad have made, as this is the situation I'm in right now.

 

So in September I'll be applying to multiple Canadian med schools, and no matter how confident I am in my application I know success is not guaranteed. Research is something that remains fascinating to me, and I would love to continue my studies in Genetics if medschool doesn't work out. However, the deadline for the NSERC graduate scholarship is around early September, and deadlines for master's programs are around Wintertime, so how do I go about doing this? I don't think professors will react kindly if they know that I'm just waiting on a response from medical school. Even though I'd be sincerely interested in their work...who would reject a medschool acceptance if it came in May? =)

 

You can apply for NSERC before applying to grad school, by writing about your idea for a project. It will have to be pretty good to get NSERC before you start, though, because a lot of people will provide pilot data that will make their projects seem like good funding candidates. Don't worry, though, because I know people who have received funding before starting grad school. You just send your application directly to NSERC instead of through a specific institution, and they will evaluate. Of course you should then go about finding a supervisor, but tell them that you are interested in med school and also that you have applied for funding.

 

Make sure you'll be willing to give up on grad school and funding if you get into med, or else it will be a waste to apply to both! If grad school is a backup, I'm sure you'll be okay with leaving it behind. Plenty of people do it every year!

[janny_jan]

There are a couple threads like this one in the Non Trad/Grad Applicants section.

 

Hopefully they might be able to help you out too! Good luck

[shouldieventry]

You can apply for NSERC before applying to grad school, by writing about your idea for a project. It will have to be pretty good to get NSERC before you start, though, because a lot of people will provide pilot data that will make their projects seem like good funding candidates. Don't worry, though, because I know people who have received funding before starting grad school. You just send your application directly to NSERC instead of through a specific institution, and they will evaluate. Of course you should then go about finding a supervisor, but tell them that you are interested in med school and also that you have applied for funding.

 

Make sure you'll be willing to give up on grad school and funding if you get into med, or else it will be a waste to apply to both! If grad school is a backup, I'm sure you'll be okay with leaving it behind. Plenty of people do it every year!

 

Just a small correction: you apply for NSERC through your current university if you are still an undergrad, not directly to NSERC.

 

I know many supervisors who would completly understand if your main goal is to get into med school. Just be upfront about it, and tell them clearly what is your plan if you get in next year, or the year after. What makes them uneasy about taking in a future med student is the perspective of having you drop your project right in the middle of it because you got accepted. And many students do that... But I think many of them will be understanding if they know what to expect in advance, and if you make it clear that you are as interested in research as you are in medicine.

 

Good luck!