So...where else did all the OOPs get interviews?

[GLO]

Just wondering since a lot of the schools in Canada have released invites...I always wondered if that's the reason why the DAL waitlist moves so much. Is Dal still on you guys's top picks??

[gb35]

Just wondering since a lot of the schools in Canada have released invites...I always wondered if that's the reason why the DAL waitlist moves so much. Is Dal still on you guys's top picks??

 

I have an interviews at Calgary and McMaster, and met the cutoffs at Western, so I should get one there too.

 

I am OOP, and Dal is still my first choice by far. Nowhere else even comes close.

[gb35]

Just out of curiosity, why Dal?

 

Basically it's just where my friends and family are.

[Roxanna89]

I got invites at a few other schools and Dal is at the lower end in terms of where I want to go for med school.

 

I'd be thrilled to get an acceptance but I would prefer a school with a better reputation and closer to home.

[GGGSaint]

I got invites at a few other schools and Dal is at the lower end in terms of where I want to go for med school.

 

I'd be thrilled to get an acceptance but I would prefer a school with a better reputation and closer to home.

 

I understand the latter but the former has me slightly puzzled. I'm not a Haligonian (from Toronto) so I have no Dal bias but AFAIK Dal has a *really* good clinical reputation. The hands-on stuff at Dal is ridiculous and rightly so with the small class size + a willing community of physicians and surgeons to teach.

 

That said, to each their own .

[orangebubbles]

I understand the latter but the former has me slightly puzzled. I'm not a Haligonian (from Toronto) so I have no Dal bias but AFAIK Dal has a *really* good clinical reputation. The hands-on stuff at Dal is ridiculous and rightly so with the small class size + a willing community of physicians and surgeons to teach.

 

That said, to each their own .

 

She is probably referring to Dal's LCME accreditation status. The school has put considerable work towards addressing the issue, but its current status may still concern some...just my 2 cents.

 

Personally, I love Dal!

[glysomac]

I understand the latter but the former has me slightly puzzled. I'm not a Haligonian (from Toronto) so I have no Dal bias but AFAIK Dal has a *really* good clinical reputation. The hands-on stuff at Dal is ridiculous and rightly so with the small class size + a willing community of physicians and surgeons to teach.

.

 

Agreed. I've got three (IP) interviews in Ontario and have been doing my homework chatting with current students at each of the schools. Everyone's always shocked when I tell them about first year meds at Dal being first assist on cool surgeries. I think clinical "exposure" will be similar across all schools in Canada (i.e. observerships etc.) but in terms of actually getting to scrub in at an early stage, Dal seems like it might be a head above the rest.

[That's_Life]

Having spoken with many faculty members, students in various years, including the President of the med student society, and others involved with the school, I can say that the words 'Dal Med' represent an incredible four year experience! Dal is very friendly and cares about its students. I know a number of applicants who chose Dal over Ontario Universities after gaining acceptance at both, and even a Maritime student who wanted to go to Dal, but went to U of T instead because this individual wasn't accepted at Dalhousie. Conversely, I also know students who selected Dalhousie because they didn't get into another school of their top choosing, or who got into many schools and chose another over Dalhousie.

 

The point is, Canadian medical schools in general offer a top-notch undergraduate medical education. If there were no report regarding Dal's LCME accreditation status, students likely wouldn't even notice anything was 'off' about the school. In addition, I think the fact that Dalhousie is under a two-year period of scrutiny confirms they are moving in the right direction currently and aggressively, rather than just scraping by with a sufficient grade on the review. Reputation isn't everything. In the same way most of us wish for ad coms to look at our applications holistically, I think it's also important that we consider the programs we wish to pursue in a holistic manner.

 

Much of it also comes down to your roots - for example, I'm from Nova Scotia, my family lives here, I love the people here, and I want to make my life here. Some considerations are different for OOP students. The question becomes: why are you as an individual drawn to Nova Scotia, and to Dal Med in particular? (Eek, That sounds a lot like the essay question addendum for OOP students.) Also, do you wish to pursue an MD/PhD or a three-year program? Dal can't help you out there. Sometimes you don't have a choice, though, and you will find the program will grow on you Honestly, I don't think you will regret confirming acceptance at any Canadian medical school... but my top choice by far is Dal...

[ryacha]

Before coming to Dal I wouldn't have picked it, I live in BC and it is a long way from home, family etc. After seeing what the life would be like here it is #1 for me. It may have been a more difficult decision if I had gotten an IP interview but in a way I am happy that not having that IP spot may give me the opportunity (here's to wishing on March 7th) to try something in a completely different place (then again, Halifax is not that different from Vancouver, just much nicer people )

 

I'm interviewing in Manitoba too so it hasn't had the same chance to win me over yet We'll see.

[blue2009]

I was really impressed by Dalhousie. The med 1's were more than happy to share what they loved about the program and what they thought needed improvement. I love the small class size, focus on self-directed learning and the opportunity for electives in Med 1 and 2.

 

That being said, it's the only school I've interviewed at so far - so I don't plan on ranking schools until after my interviews are done, should I be fortunate enough to be accepted at more than one school. There's a lot to consider... it's all very excited though.

 

Hey ryacha - were you at the potluck put on by the Med 1's - I seem to remember talking to another applicant from BC

[ryacha]

I was really impressed by Dalhousie. The med 1's were more than happy to share what they loved about the program and what they thought needed improvement. I love the small class size, focus on self-directed learning and the opportunity for electives in Med 1 and 2.

 

That being said, it's the only school I've interviewed at so far - so I don't plan on ranking schools until after my interviews are done, should I be fortunate enough to be accepted at more than one school. There's a lot to consider... it's all very excited though.

 

Hey ryacha - were you at the potluck put on by the Med 1's - I seem to remember talking to another applicant from BC

 

I was indeed, and ditto to the views and benefits according to the Med 1s

[neuronix]

I enjoyed my time at Dal. I think it's a great program.

 

I'd like to say however, that many of the advantages people here are chiming about are also being provided at most if not all of the medical schools in Canada. For example, most schools incorporate small group learning (Queen's, Toronto, Mac obviously, UBC, and I'm sure others as well), and there are ample opportunities to experience the clinics in first year.

 

While Dal is great, i hardly think it is unique in those respects.

 

The only real difference I see with Dal is obviously Halifax and the fact that class (in halifax) is pretty small compared to other schools - even smaller than Queen's.

[Whodey]

ryacha, can you talk more about what you liked so much about Dal? I'm from NS but wanted to go out west, but maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side after all?

[A-Stark]

I enjoyed my time at Dal. I think it's a great program.

 

I'd like to say however, that many of the advantages people here are chiming about are also being provided at most if not all of the medical schools in Canada. For example, most schools incorporate small group learning (Queen's, Toronto, Mac obviously, UBC, and I'm sure others as well), and there are ample opportunities to experience the clinics in first year.

 

While that's true, insofar as "self-directed learning" goes, Halifax >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hamilton. No question.

 

The LCME thing is a non-issue and will be resolved within the month or so without question. The accreditation standards that were at issue were almost entirely about higher level administration minutiae and the occasionally relevant thing like ensuring that clerks have adequate storage space in hospital. Happy to say that that's been entirely dealt with.

[proton]

While that's true, insofar as "self-directed learning" goes, Halifax >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hamilton. No question.

 

What makes you say that?

[A-Stark]

Have you spent much time in Hamilton?

[proton]

Have you spent much time in Hamilton?

 

yes

10char

[Roxanna89]

What's wrong with Hamilton?

[neuronix]

I personally like Hamilton. It's big enough to do stuff in, close enough to other places to go home or niagara for the weekend, and it's fairly cheap to live in.

[proton]

I agree, and beyond that - the type of city should have no bearing on the quality of self-directed learning...that is a characteristic of the university.

[A-Stark]

That's what I meant.

[GGGSaint]

That's what I meant.

 

Hey A-Stark,

 

If you don't mind I was just wondering, since you're probably now well in the midst of your clinical rotations...how well are Dal students protected from scut on clerkship? Have you ever found yourself doing menial jobs (ie transporting patients) and how receptive have you find the attendings to be towards teaching clerks?

 

Thanks for any insight! I'm excited about this school and would love an MS3's opinion.

[A-Stark]

We don't as a rule do any "menial" jobs, but you'll certainly write lots of notes, orders, consult letters, and imaging reqs, along with doing dictations of varying length and complexity.

 

No one on the medical or nursing staff transports patients - that's why we have porters - though I did take a patient from holding to angio last week. That was an odd request from a research nurse. On my last night of gen surg call, we didn't want to wait for the porters to show up for a midnight CT, so the radiology resident and I took the patient to CT ourselves. That wasn't scut though, but one of the more memorable experiences of that rotation.

 

The only absolutely annoying thing was having to see all the patients coming into the Early Labour Assessment Unit, since 1) many were family doc patients, 2) they come in at all times of the night, 3) every patient you see must be reviewed, 4) the friggin' ELAU pager goes off all day and all night. Of course, it can be safely ignored at times, mainly because it goes off whenever a patient simply registers, not when they actually arrive in ELAU, nor when the nurses are done their assessment (which you seldom have much to add to anyhow). You're not remotely necessary to patient care so it kinda feels scut-esque (but you are still doing your own Hx and Px, so it's useful experience regardless... just not at 3:30 am).

[GGGSaint]

We don't as a rule do any "menial" jobs, but you'll certainly write lots of notes, orders, consult letters, and imaging reqs, along with doing dictations of varying length and complexity.

 

No one on the medical or nursing staff transports patients - that's why we have porters - though I did take a patient from holding to angio last week. That was an odd request from a research nurse. On my last night of gen surg call, we didn't want to wait for the porters to show up for a midnight CT, so the radiology resident and I took the patient to CT ourselves. That wasn't scut though, but one of the more memorable experiences of that rotation.

 

The only absolutely annoying thing was having to see all the patients coming into the Early Labour Assessment Unit, since 1) many were family doc patients, 2) they come in at all times of the night, 3) every patient you see must be reviewed, 4) the friggin' ELAU pager goes off all day and all night. Of course, it can be safely ignored at times, mainly because it goes off whenever a patient simply registers, not when they actually arrive in ELAU, nor when the nurses are done their assessment (which you seldom have much to add to anyhow). You're not remotely necessary to patient care so it kinda feels scut-esque (but you are still doing your own Hx and Px, so it's useful experience regardless... just not at 3:30 am).

 

Thanks for these insights, much appreciated! A related question if you don't mind (this is surgery specific, if you've done your surgical rotation already): do you simply observe/are clerks ever first assist?

 

This questions stems from the seemingly limited practical surgical experience in clerkship in major urban centers around the US/Canada due to abundance of fellows/residents.

[A-Stark]

You usually don't simply observe (boring) and on most services you probably won't be first assist much if ever. Having said that, I was first assist for my whole first day on neurosurg, but that's been the only time. You'll get to cut lots of suture wires, retract, apply suction occasionally, close skin and sometimes subcutaneous tissue (I sutured galea!), and - if you do neuro - drill a few burr holes.

 

Generally speaking the purpose of clerkship rotations in surgery is not to learn how to operate (though you will get experience in basic skills like suturing) but when to operate and when not to. At my level, I find being scrubbed in for long cases in which I'm not doing anything a waste of time.