Awards

[Guest Jules Chamberland Lalonde]

Hi,

 

Is it crucial to have many scholarships (not bursaries) to get in med schools? I know OMSAS has a whole scholarships/awards section, so would I be disadvantaged if I only have a few scholarships?

 

So if it's not too personel, I'll like to cast a qucik survey: how many scholarships did you have when you applied in meds? (except admission scholarships which are too common - at least in Ontario)?

 

Thanks!

[Guest RAK2005]

I think that you shouldn't put too much emphasis on scholarships. The old standards of GPA and MCAT usually serve the adcoms as indicators of your potential. Scholarships are obvioulsly nice to have, but many of my colleagues had one or two at most... listing off scholarships doesn't make you "superior" to most committees. That being said, it can serve as a a tie-breaker b/w two individuals that are almost equal.

 

My own experience was that my scholarships served as an interview topic, but I got the feeling it was just out of interest's sake, and nothing else.

[Guest bad hombre]

i don't think it makes a big difference, unless you have a huge one like a rhodes or something like that

[Guest Jennifer Y]

The 5 schools that I had interviewed at, Queen's was the only one to notice and commented on the number of scholarships that I had, and perhaps it was b/c the interviewers had the list in front of them, so I don't think it is that much of a big deal. In the UWO I was able to comment on 3 of them b/c they were awarded for certain specifics.

[Guest 9901birdie]

Yup

for me Queen's is the only school so far that asked me to describe some of my (more interesting) scholarships~

 

UofC and UWO didn't really bother

[Guest me]

What kinds of scholarships would be considered "interesting"?

[Guest 9901birdie]

hehe ones with catchy names i guess..

or ones not solely based on academic achievements =)

[Guest mying]

I had no scholarships and it didn't cause me problems.

 

I have only received one scholarship/academic award in my entire lifetime, and it was awarded after I'd sent in my second OMSAS application. It was probably entirely irrelevent as well because it was a scholarship in apiculture, a course I took as an elective to ensure I had a full load course year in my final year.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

I had a few scholarships/awards and to be honest, the subject never came up in any of my interviews.

 

That kind of stuff can make your autobiographical sketch look more impressive, but aren't necessary to get in. It's good in undergrad to get that kind of stuff, but don't worry if you don't have it.

[Guest missing Manitoba]

In my interviews, a couple of things did come up from my awards category, but they were more conversation starters than anything. For example, I have an analytical chemistry award. I was asked why, with an obvious aptitude for chemistry, I want to go into medicine instead.

 

As other people have said, unless awards are particularly major or prestigious, they probably don't make any real difference to the admission committees/interviewers.