Paramedicine- Joint Program at U of T

[Alkatize]

Hello,

 

I was just wondering if anyone has taken this Paramedicine program offered by U of T and Centennial College to get into medical school. I would also like to ask if you would recommend going into this program for pre-med.

[Apixaban85]

I go to UTSC and this definitely seems like an interesting program and from what I've heard from a couple of paramedicine students it definitely is pretty awesome.

 

http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~registrar/calendars/calendar/Paramedicine.html

 

The courses also look pretty kick ass from the descriptions and what not.

 

If you're interested in paramedicine, definitely take a look at this, but only if you really want to pursue paramedicine a bit more in depth I think. You can, of course, go into medical school with an undergrad in Paramedicine, no problem there and you'll also get lots of clinical experience I'm sure

[Tango Charlie]

I'm a medic and so are some other folks here. I was trained at a community college, so I can't comment directly, but I will definitely say that being a paramedic is an excellent asset for any pre-med to have (as is being an RN or other health professional). Lot's of people like to imagine that they'll just adore taking care of patients and all that entails, but until you do it it's really tough to gauge how much you'll enjoy it. But, when you've worked in a related health career, you can pretty much say without any traditional pre-med bull**** that you like medicine, you like looking after patients, and medicine is probably the right career for you. Very little guesswork involved! People do all that hospital volunteering stuff to try to expose them to medicine, but when you're working as a health care professional like a RN or paramedic your experience will obviously completely eclipse anything a hospital volunteer or other layperson might be able to manage for themselves. For that alone I say go for it. Plus, the job itself isn't too bad, although the pay is mediocre.

 

Alternatively you may potentially do this program, become a medic, realize that you hate doing medical paperwork and hate having to deal with patients and not be comfortable with the stress of doing stuff that determines whether someone lives or dies, and thus be stuck with a degree of dubious value and no desire to pursue medicine. So before you get ahead of yourself you should give some real thought to it. You'd not want to do this degree only to find medicine isn't really what you're into after all.

 

Oh, final thing. You need to be relatively fit and strong to get a job as a medic in a lot of places in Ontario. Few women are successful in the program I attended because they can't successfully do the physical requirements some services, like Sudbury EMS here, put forward in their recruiting process and which our program specifically requires you to be able to do in order to pass every semester. If you're female and very small you need to bear in mind you're going to be expected to lift 300 +lb corpses without injuring yourself or your partner. I don't recommend you consider it if you're small and/or not willing to lift weights to prepare you for a job that very few people retire from due to back injuries they invariably suffer during field work.

[in2bat0r]

I haven't taken that particular program, but becoming a paramedic has been the best experience of my life so far. It gives you great insight into the world of medicine. The career is intense, you can take it as far as you like. The scope of practice of a paramedic is vast and increasing. I think it does a great job of preparing you for medicine, the practical aspect anyways, academically it's not all that challenging. I'm going back for a traditional science UG and I'm bracing myself for a huge challenge... But as far as patient exposure goes I found it incredible. You see everything from general weakness to gunshot wounds and for the most part you make all the decisions while the patient is in your care. You have treatment guidelines which allow you to make your own clinical judgements. If you do your training in Ontario you will also learn some pretty intense procedures: RSI intubation, external jugular cannulation, cardioversion, pacing, central line placement, etc... I don't have any regrets about becoming a paramedic even though I'm starting my UG as a mature student.

[Alkatize]

Thanks for all the replies. It really helps me decide on my future.

 

Becoming a Paramedic was my second choice to becoming a Physician, specifically in Emergency Medicine. I really hope I just try my hardest and get into Medical School.

 

I'm a really a beginner to all this University stuff. So please, can anyone explain these stuff to me?

 

http://www.md.utoronto.ca/admissions/information/requirements/Undergraduate_Applicants.htm

 

According to the University of Toronto requirements, I will need

 

* two full-course equivalents (FCE) in any life science

* one FCE in any of social sciences, humanities, or a language

 

^ What does that mean? Will I be able to obtain those courses through the Paramedicine program?

 

If I'm not mistaken, the joint program offered by U of T and Centennial offer a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from U of T and a diploma in Paramedicine from Centennial College.

 

I really don't understand this. I really want to know if the program offered can ACTUALLY lead me to Medical School. Will completing this program make me eligible to apply for medical school?

 

I also know that different medical schools have different requirements, so if possible, can someone also clarify if I will be eligible to apply for other medical schools in Ontario?

[Apixaban85]

Thanks for all the replies. It really helps me decide on my future.

 

Becoming a Paramedic was my second choice to becoming a Physician, specifically in Emergency Medicine. I really hope I just try my hardest and get into Medical School.

 

I'm a really a beginner to all this University stuff. So please, can anyone explain these stuff to me?

 

http://www.md.utoronto.ca/admissions/information/requirements/Undergraduate_Applicants.htm

 

According to the University of Toronto requirements, I will need

 

* two full-course equivalents (FCE) in any life science

* one FCE in any of social sciences, humanities, or a language

 

^ What does that mean? Will I be able to obtain those courses through the Paramedicine program?

 

If I'm not mistaken, the joint program offered by U of T and Centennial offer a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from U of T and a diploma in Paramedicine from Centennial College.

 

I really don't understand this. I really want to know if the program offered can ACTUALLY lead me to Medical School. Will completing this program make me eligible to apply for medical school?

 

I also know that different medical schools have different requirements, so if possible, can someone also clarify if I will be eligible to apply for other medical schools in Ontario?

 

With the program requirements for paramedicine, you'll be able to fulfill the life sciences requirements at any medical school. However, you will need to take organic chemistry as an elective as well as biochemistry and 1 year of English for most North American med schools.

[Alkatize]

With the program requirements for paramedicine, you'll be able to fulfill the life sciences requirements at any medical school. However, you will need to take organic chemistry as an elective as well as biochemistry and 1 year of English for most North American med schools.

 

I also need a social sciences, humanities, or a language. I can only get two FCE's if I go into paramedicine. It doesn't seem that Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry is a either of those 3.

[deeman101]

I had a lot of friends graduate the paramed program at utsc/centennial. Its an awesome program. If I had to redo the last 4 years that would be the program I choose. Although I haven't heard of anyone at all who went to that program and then went on to med school. And I know they generally frown on switching to med in that program cause its like you're selling out. But the competition for marks in the centennial side is not existent (everyone just wants the pass) and you still take the courses like orgo, physio, anatomy, etc. that you need on the utsc side for med. I met most of my paramed friends just cause I had so many courses with them actually.

[Alkatize]

I had a lot of friends graduate the paramed program at utsc/centennial. Its an awesome program. If I had to redo the last 4 years that would be the program I choose. Although I haven't heard of anyone at all who went to that program and then went on to med school. And I know they generally frown on switching to med in that program cause its like you're selling out. But the competition for marks in the centennial side is not existent (everyone just wants the pass) and you still take the courses like orgo, physio, anatomy, etc. that you need on the utsc side for med. I met most of my paramed friends just cause I had so many courses with them actually.

 

Is it hard? I heard that getting a high GPA is not that easy. I don't understand how it can be hard. It always depends on the students right? I hear the majority of people at UTSC aren't doing that well.

[Tango Charlie]

Is it hard? I heard that getting a high GPA is not that easy. I don't understand how it can be hard. It always depends on the students right? I hear the majority of people at UTSC aren't doing that well.

 

I didn't find my own program hard, but we still started with 44 people and graduated 13, so some folks certainly did. Other schools in Sudbury had similar rates of attrition. Either you're able to do both the academic book learnin' as well as the hands-on patient care stuff and excel at both, or you will have a hard go of things.

[MedDream]

I also know that different medical schools have different requirements, so if possible, can someone also clarify if I will be eligible to apply for other medical schools in Ontario?

 

What you need to do first is figure out all of the pre-reqs for the med schools you are interested in. They are all found on their websites (or I think there is a thread here with a summary...). What I did was basically summarize all them on a sheet of paper, and look at my degree to make sure I would be fulfilling those requirements. If you are really interested in the paramedicine program (it sounds like you are- I'm not that familiar with it, but it looks pretty neat), just figure out if there are any 'gaps' you need to fill. Remember that pre-reqs can be taken over the summer too

[Alkatize]

I didn't find my own program hard, but we still started with 44 people and graduated 13, so some folks certainly did. Other schools in Sudbury had similar rates of attrition. Either you're able to do both the academic book learnin' as well as the hands-on patient care stuff and excel at both, or you will have a hard go of things.

 

Eh. It seems not a lot of people went this Paramedicine path. It really doesn't seem safe, and I don't want to risk 4 years of my life experimenting routes to Medical school. I'll probably stick with a more traditional route, such as studying biomedical or health sciences at waterloo or something similar to that.

 

Thanks a lot guys. I appreciate the help.

[Alkatize]

What you need to do first is figure out all of the pre-reqs for the med schools you are interested in. They are all found on their websites (or I think there is a thread here with a summary...). What I did was basically summarize all them on a sheet of paper, and look at my degree to make sure I would be fulfilling those requirements. If you are really interested in the paramedicine program (it sounds like you are- I'm not that familiar with it, but it looks pretty neat), just figure out if there are any 'gaps' you need to fill. Remember that pre-reqs can be taken over the summer too

 

Thanks, I will definitely do that. I'll start searching the forums ASAP

[deeman101]

Is it hard? I heard that getting a high GPA is not that easy. I don't understand how it can be hard. It always depends on the students right? I hear the majority of people at UTSC aren't doing that well.

 

It can be hard. But I don't think its unduly hard. And some utsc students may not do well but there are certainly many that do. Each year about 10 people go to med from here, and many are third years. Plus way more for the US and abroad. And there are quite a few people with 36+ MCATs. I think those are pretty good stats for such a small campus.

[Apixaban85]

It can be hard. But I don't think its unduly hard. And some utsc students may not do well but there are certainly many that do. Each year about 10 people go to med from here, and many are third years. Plus way more for the US and abroad. And there are quite a few people with 36+ MCATs. I think those are pretty good stats for such a small campus.

 

Heck ya, we kick ass

[Alkatize]

It can be hard. But I don't think its unduly hard. And some utsc students may not do well but there are certainly many that do. Each year about 10 people go to med from here, and many are third years. Plus way more for the US and abroad. And there are quite a few people with 36+ MCATs. I think those are pretty good stats for such a small campus.

 

What programs are they in? Apparently not a lot of people go this route, so I really don't want to risk the chances.