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Official 2011/2012 Applicant Thread


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Yikes, applications are coming up soon!!! It will be my second year applying and its such a short period since decisions were made about last year. I just graduated and am not planning on going back so my GPA is gonna sit where its at. So anyways, as far as writing about activities goes, does anyone have any tips? Or just write, proof read, re-write, and try and get help from successful applicants??

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Let us say you enjoy knitting, well, it allows for self-reflection, relaxation, furthering expertise, pattern design, technique, creativity, dedication, etc.

 

My point is that in the descriptive part of your responsibilities, you are given the opportunity to market yourself and your demonstrated skills in a truthful, creative way and it is an art to do so in the character limitations.

The above desription shows critical thinking in pattern design and technique, also problem solving, is evidence of stress management and innovation, introspection too, etc.

 

You want the readers to have the most favourable impression possible such that they have greater interest in you on a competitive basis. There is no room for fluff, only accuracy that is well described in a meaningful way.

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Let us say you enjoy knitting, well, it allows for self-reflection, relaxation, furthering expertise, pattern design, technique, creativity, dedication, etc.

 

My point is that in the descriptive part of your responsibilities, you are given the opportunity to market yourself and your demonstrated skills in a truthful, creative way and it is an art to do so in the character limitations.

The above desription shows critical thinking in pattern design and technique, also problem solving, is evidence of stress management and innovation, introspection too, etc.

 

You want the readers to have the most favourable impression possible such that they have greater interest in you on a competitive basis. There is no room for fluff, only accuracy that is well described in a meaningful way.

Hi! That s valuable advice! Just wondering,instead of directly stating what I learned from the experience(ie.I developed leadership skill etc) is it better to use verbs thar entail the skills and resposibilities involved,such as planned, fundraised,advocated..etc?

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Hi! That s valuable advice! Just wondering,instead of directly stating what I learned from the experience(ie.I developed leadership skill etc) is it better to use verbs thar entail the skills and resposibilities involved,such as planned, fundraised,advocated..etc?

 

Excellent approach and reader will understand the characteristics required for these tasks! :)

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Let us say you enjoy knitting, well, it allows for self-reflection, relaxation, furthering expertise, pattern design, technique, creativity, dedication, etc.

 

My point is that in the descriptive part of your responsibilities, you are given the opportunity to market yourself and your demonstrated skills in a truthful, creative way and it is an art to do so in the character limitations.

The above desription shows critical thinking in pattern design and technique, also problem solving, is evidence of stress management and innovation, introspection too, etc.

 

You want the readers to have the most favourable impression possible such that they have greater interest in you on a competitive basis. There is no room for fluff, only accuracy that is well described in a meaningful way.

 

I agree with this only to a certain extent. I applied twice with UBC med, and received a difference of at least 4 points in my NAQ because of some major reworking in the phrasing of my NAQ (can't say the exact number since I was accepted during my second application).

 

My first application took your approach and found itself in the ~16'ish range. My second application took a very different approach and found itself in the >20 range. The biggest difference between the two was that I actually eliminated a lot of the phrasing that you have described and put more emphasis on the details of the actual activity.

 

For example, in your above description of "it allows for self-reflection, relaxation, furthering expertise, pattern design, technique, creativity, dedication, etc."

 

What did you actually do here? How many times a week did you knit? Is this for leisure? Or does this have a competitive nature? Do you realize that the description above can refer to anything from painting to graphics design?

 

While I completely agree that stating what you have learned from experiences is a necessary thing, it has to be balanced by objective statements about the actual activity itself. Otherwise, how else are they suppose to give you marks?

 

Just something to keep in mind.

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I agree with this only to a certain extent. I applied twice with UBC med, and received a difference of at least 4 points in my NAQ because of some major reworking in the phrasing of my NAQ (can't say the exact number since I was accepted during my second application).

 

My first application took your approach and found itself in the ~16'ish range. My second application took a very different approach and found itself in the >20 range. The biggest difference between the two was that I actually eliminated a lot of the phrasing that you have described and put more emphasis on the details of the actual activity.

 

For example, in your above description of "it allows for self-reflection, relaxation, furthering expertise, pattern design, technique, creativity, dedication, etc."

 

What did you actually do here? How many times a week did you knit? Is this for leisure? Or does this have a competitive nature? Do you realize that the description above can refer to anything from painting to graphics design?

 

While I completely agree that stating what you have learned from experiences is a necessary thing, it has to be balanced by objective statements about the actual activity itself. Otherwise, how else are they suppose to give you marks?

 

Just something to keep in mind.

I agree with the above. UBC seems to be a school that likes details of the activity along with what you learned, with more emphasis placed on details.
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Does anyone know why OMSAS doesn't let you elaborate on activities that you list under "Other" ? I feel like those are the ones that need the most explaining! I'm tempted to shovel them into ECs/Volunteer just because I want the space to explain wtf I was doing :s

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I agree with this only to a certain extent. I applied twice with UBC med, and received a difference of at least 4 points in my NAQ because of some major reworking in the phrasing of my NAQ (can't say the exact number since I was accepted during my second application).

 

My first application took your approach and found itself in the ~16'ish range. My second application took a very different approach and found itself in the >20 range. The biggest difference between the two was that I actually eliminated a lot of the phrasing that you have described and put more emphasis on the details of the actual activity.

 

For example, in your above description of "it allows for self-reflection, relaxation, furthering expertise, pattern design, technique, creativity, dedication, etc."

 

What did you actually do here? How many times a week did you knit? Is this for leisure? Or does this have a competitive nature? Do you realize that the description above can refer to anything from painting to graphics design?

 

While I completely agree that stating what you have learned from experiences is a necessary thing, it has to be balanced by objective statements about the actual activity itself. Otherwise, how else are they suppose to give you marks?

 

Just something to keep in mind.

 

Please join in amd give applicants the wisdom of your knowledge this cycle and in future applicantion cycles!

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What kind of things are you wanting to put under other? I put my CPR-HCP and NRP certs, that's about it.

 

I provide online tech support through some forums for people with computer issues and I'm also an unpublished fiction writer. Both are important aspects of my lifestyle but the only category I think they fit in is "Other".

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I provide online tech support through some forums for people with computer issues and I'm also an unpublished fiction writer. Both are important aspects of my lifestyle but the only category I think they fit in is "Other".

 

I had the same problem with my application too! I just tried to fit them under extracurriculars. It doesn't fully fit but I don't see them tdenying you because you put 2/48 of your activities in the wrong spot. Just my opinion tho

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I provide online tech support through some forums for people with computer issues and I'm also an unpublished fiction writer. Both are important aspects of my lifestyle but the only category I think they fit in is "Other".

 

I would put the tech support as volunteer (provided you're not paid for it) and fiction writer under EC. That way you have the space to add a description. They may not be the "norm" for volunteer or ECs, but I definitely think they fit there rather than under Other

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I'm a pretty non-traditional applicant, since after university I worked for two years then went to grad school in philosophy. One of those two years I worked as a legal secretary. It seems pretty irrelevant to a medical school committee, but it also accounts for a year of my life. Should I mention it? If so, how do I spin it?

 

Also, seeing as it's been 13 years now since I was 16, what should I do about mentioning things from high school? I'm damn proud that I was top of my class back then, but it was seriously 'back then'....

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I'm a pretty non-traditional applicant, since after university I worked for two years then went to grad school in philosophy. One of those two years I worked as a legal secretary. It seems pretty irrelevant to a medical school committee, but it also accounts for a year of my life. Should I mention it? If so, how do I spin it?

 

Also, seeing as it's been 13 years now since I was 16, what should I do about mentioning things from high school? I'm damn proud that I was top of my class back then, but it was seriously 'back then'....

 

I beg to differ. how about meticulous attention to detail, communication skills (lawyers are notoriously obnoxious and difficult to work with), time and stress management, initiative and leadership (on many occasions you had anticipated the next move and already prepared it). Dealing with clients, etc.

 

Sure, top of class in h.s., mention it :P

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1) I remember people last year saying that there's a way to check if OMSAS has received your transcripts. Is this only possible once you've actually submitted the application?

 

2) Confidential assessments forms + LORs are mailed into OMSAS, yea?

 

Thanks! :)

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