Can you accept from multiple schools?

[Guest Confused]

I had already taken a position at Calgary. Can I also accept from an OMSAS school too? They only give a week to decide and I wanted a couple of weeks to figure things out. I know for OMSAS that they circulate to all five schools (acceptance notices)...but do they do that for other schools in canada? it is just such a short time to make a decision.

[Guest Timmy]

i appreciate the importance of making the best decision for you personally but just remember that the sooner you choose the less time someone on a waiting list has to agonize over whether they get in

a couple of weeks is a long time

[Guest Ian Wong]

As far as I know, you can take an acceptance from another school. Remember that each medical school that accepted you WANTS you to attend that school. However, accepting a spot at one school will not bar you from accepting, and eventually attending, a different medical school.

 

I appreciate the pain that Timmy is feeling, but you're also in a tight situation. When in doubt, take some time to reflect upon it. Good luck, and it's a tough decision, but it's nice to even have those options in the first place.

 

When you decide where you would like to attend, please give me an e-mail. I've got a project I'm trying to start up, and I could definitely use your help. mdpremie@yahoo.com

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest Joe]

I thought that you were only allowed to formally accept at one school. So if you have already accepted at Calgary, you have to revoke your calgary acceptance to take one at an OMSAS school. Isn't that right? I mean after all, the OMSAS schools only let you choose one.

 

Ian, I'd appreciate your comments on that.

[Guest Akane200]

OMSAS schools allow you to accept one school while waiting for further acceptances too (from what I remember). There are three options that you are given upon offer of admission at any OMSAS school (at least, that's how it was 2 years ago):

 

1) Accept the offer of admission at that school only

2) Accept the offer of admission at the school, but am still open to other offers from other schools within a reasonable time period

3) Reject the offer from the school

 

But OMSAS must receive your response before the deadline.

[Guest Ian Wong]

Hey Joe,

 

As far as I remember, you can't hold onto two acceptances for a long period of time, say until mid-August, and then decide which school you'd like to attend.

 

However, in Confused's situation, I'm 99% sure that the med schools will give you a bit of leeway, at a minimum of 1-2 weeks where you could hold multiple acceptances before notifying one school that you'll be attending there, and the other school that you will be declining their offer.

 

In my situation, U of Calgary called me up, and asked if I was interested in accepting their offer, although they were well aware that I had already accepted UBC's offer. I asked for a few days to think it over, and ended up calling them back the next week. At this point, it really is the future 3-4 years that you are considering, and this is not a decision to be made lightly.

 

Yes, it is agonising for the people on the waitlist behind you, but the medical school accepted you first, and now is waiting for your choice. The waitlisted people will still in all likelihood get the same news, just delayed a few days.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest Dre]

If Calgary finds out that you accept from an OMSAS school, they will likely revoke your acceptance, won't they? Then the OMSAS school might also revoke it.\\\

 

Then you could end up with nothing.

[Guest Ian Wong]

I don't think so. Remember, we aren't talking about holding acceptances for months, we're talking about perhaps 2 weeks in order to make your best decisions.

 

Bottom line is that each medical school wants you. They've accepted you, contacted you, and it's in their best interest to have you sign up, rather than the next person on the list. If you are truly concerned about getting bumped, just call up the medical school and tell them that you need some time to make your decision, and then give them a solid date before which time you will let them know.

 

Med schools are run by human beings who understand that it's tough deciding where you'll be running your life for the next couple of years.

 

In my case, Calgary still called me up, even though they already knew that I'd accepted at UBC. Why? Because they thought highly enough of my application that they wanted me to attend that school (no, I'm not trying to be egotistical, just making a point). They didn't abandon my application just because I had already phoned in to UBC.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest suovren]

On the OMSAS response form, it explicitly says that they have the right to revoke the offer to anyone who has accepted an offer from another Canadian medical school.

[Guest Ian Wong]

Whoo. That might change everything. In that case, your best course of action is definitely to call up each medical school, and ask them for that time. I still believe they will grant it to you as long as they realise that you are still considering their school. I don't think they will necessarily exercise their right to cut you off even though they have it.

 

I think that clause is there to protect the Ontario med school of choice from not being able to cancel your acceptance if you are chronically taking up two spaces at separate schools. But again, best course of action is to call them. I'm nearly positive they will give you some time to think it over, as long as you and them have a firm deadline as to when you'll decide. That's how it worked for me and UBC/Calgary.

 

Thanks for catching me on that Suovren. My inexperience with OMSAS is showing.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3