Studying at UofT

[Guest Goldendoc]

I wanted to know if students at UofT can tell us about their experiences in the program. Do you like it? Are u happy with your choice? What is good about it personally besides the research opportunities, reputation. Any information would be appreciated.

 

GOLDENDOC

[Guest YongQ]

The extracurriculars do it for me. This is the best way to meet people in your class and the more people get involved, the more community and collegiality there is in the class. Here, there's room to get involved with anything you're into. We've got competitive and non-competitive teams in nearly every sport for intramurals. We've got a rock/alternative band, a jazz band, a folk-ish guitar/violin ensemble, and a string trio + flute, as well as many solo performers, who put on several performances during the year. We've got student government. We put on Daffydil, a variety show raising several thousand dollars a year for charity, playing over four nights in the spring. We have a fashion show raising a few hundred dollars for charity as well. There are multiple opportunities to mentor or be mentored through St. Felix Mentorship Program, Saturday Program, etc. There's the UT Medical Journal (UTMJ) in which many people in the class are involved. And among other things, there are parties, parties, parties (hey I'm an 0T5, we gotta have our fun)! And if you wanna start an initiative, make a new club, or organize an event, all you need to do is ask the nice people at student affairs and they pull the resources together for you. Student life is as active as you want to make it. More info available on the 0T5 web site.

 

YONGQ

[Guest ThugJaan]

Hey,

 

Well I am not much of a researcher so that had like nothing to do with my decision. True, the reputation was a part of it, but for me what I love is that I get to stay in town. For me this means that I get to make a lot of new friends in meds as well as keep in close contact with my highschool and undegrad friends as well. I don't become 'saturated' with meds, b.c as great as our class is, sometimes its nice to get away from meds altogether and just chill with people you have known for a long time.

 

Another great thing about UofT was, as YongQ mentioned, the extra currics. You can pretty much find people that want to do anything you are up for. Even if you are a sourpuss that does nothing you will find people here that like to study as well so you really cannot complain either way.

 

Don't get me wrong; the work load is hardly less than I expected. I never studied for more than 1 or 2 days for exams in my life and now I find that sometimes a week barely cuts it....but I hardly notice it b.c there is so much other stuff to do.

 

Anyways, if you haev pre-conceived notions of this being a super-competative environment then nothing anyone says on here will change your mind...but I can say with total confidence that if you come here you ill see how wrong you were.

[Guest lalala]

Hey YongQ- do u of T students have much hands on exposure in first and second year? i've heard that they get a lot less patient contact than at other schools. Also, what's up with the rumour (or maybe it's true) that at u of T one may not have finished all their electives before the residency match? Thanks.

[Guest YongQ]

Hey lalala,

 

U of T students have a course called The Art and Science of Clinical Medicine (ASCM) in which you learn about physician-patient interaction, you interview patients, and practice physical exam manoevres on patients (and occasionally standardized patients) for 4 hours a week, all under supervision by a clinician. In this respect, you can become adept in clinical skills. However, it is not like 3rd year clerkship where you are <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> part of the medical management team<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> - you do not manage patients until your clerkship. And I think it's probably best that way, for both you and the patient - think of the chaos that'd ensue if you had 200 people right out of undergrad/grad school managing patients! It'd be both unsafe and unfeasible resource-wise.

 

Now, that's not to say that you can't manage patients if you want to - here there are literally hundreds of clinicians of every specialty, subspecialty, and superspecialty who are willing to take you under their wing and let you watch and/or assist in procedures during informal electives.

 

Speaking about electives, the CaRMS elective rumour is true, you can find the answer at:

 

www.library.utoronto.ca/m...rkship.htm

 

You're only assured of having a third (6 weeks) of your <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> required<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> electives by the time you have to apply for CaRMS. I know, this does not make sense and our class will probably take an initiative to change this so that there is more elective time in 3rd year or at the start of 4th year. Most people have some elective experience during the copious amts of free time in 2nd year, as well as a month or more worth of electives in the summers after 1st and 2nd year.

 

YONGQ

[Guest Goldendoc]

I am very happy with the replies so far and hope that they keep coming. Also I wanted to know if anyone has any good tips on finding a place in Toronto, Annex is the place I am looking. 2 bedroom. If anyone has any good leads please pass them by.

 

GOLDENDOC

[Guest Goldendoc]

I realize that as of now I do not have a decision to make between Mac and UofT but I am being optimistic and am trying to make the decision early (ranking the 2, 1 or 2) so as to make my decision in June earlier if there is one. Anyways, I was wondering what made UofT students pick UofT over Mac if they had that decision to make.

 

GOLDENDOC