lekarza Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 My plan B was to do a master program, but I haven't applied anywhere and I don't really want to. So then my plan B was to do another undergrad, but I haven't applied yet. Now I think my plan B is to try to teach in Korea for a year. So plan B: Go teach English. Plan C: Do another undergrad. Plan D: Do some sort of fun certificate program. Plan D: Masters (but in what???). BAH! I have done nothing (but research) for any of these plans! haha that's hilarious! I hated applying for things that I knew I wasn't really interested in! Plan B: master's in health science (still waiting for them to go through the applications!), Plan C: try to find another master's supervisor that will fund me for a year, Plan D: random job at my university for a year, Plan E: live on my boyfriends couch for a year and live off of his success Let's hope that we don't need alternative plans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Beef Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Wow Plan E .... you guys/gals definitely have a few things lined up. Sadly my plan is same old same old .... I was telling my girlfriend how I dont feel like continuing in dietetic counselling as I was bored of it and didnt find it that rewarding. I dont mind the long term care consulting I do as it is both professionally and financially rewarding but the diabetes education I am finding less rewarding as I do not feel I am making that big a difference, impact to patients. Our patient population is a challenging group, many people on social assistance, poverty, unemployment so sometimes diabetes self care is not a priority and it ends up wearing on you after a while. Hopefully med school acceptance will save me from yet another year of diabetes education, though if accepted I may only take an educational leave of absence from work only to return to it for one last summer stint to save for second year med school tuition, after which I would resign from the position. So I too am thinking about planning, though of a slightly different sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starhivest Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Wow looks like everyone spent quite some time planning for the worst. I have only Plan A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benge88 Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 My Plan B is to finish my thesis, laze around like the unemployed bum that I will be and then find a job, get a house, and start living my life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Kaiser Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Plan B was nursing. Plan C was PA program (if I get in). I just declined offers for nursing. I couldn't bring myself to start something I didn't want. It's not worth the move. Guess I'll work a crappy job for a year and apply again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asta Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 I have 4 because my backup plans are dependant on what my family needs from me. And I have a bunch because I don't really want to do any of them! The only backup plan that I am actually enthusiastic about is going overseas to teach english. However, enacting that plan depends on family stuff. I am really hoping that plan A just works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalkeener Posted April 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Oh man, taigagal, I hear you. I was on the exact same circuit. That room confusion almost put me off... but not quite! Heh heh heh! :-) i was thrown off at the start of my MMI, "hey, hey, my, MMI..." a little Neil for ya, anyway, i was starting at number 8, and all the rooms were in one hall except 10 which was around the corner. luckily there was a guy that guided you in and out of that one...so i am at 8 and i am trying to orient myself to where to where 9 was, on the right, but there is no body there! so i think, i know 10 is around the corner and i am 8...."uh, excuse me, where is number 9? "number nine, number 9".... number 9 was missing, don't know if they ever showed up. as much as i feel i did well overall, ya, i have been researching masters programs....d@mn you world wide web! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Henderson Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Plan B for me is finding a job I have a family as well so I'd put my master's degree to work somehow, and then reapply again next year. Maybe a job in Alberta so that I could get IP there... but we'd have to see. Wife has a good job where I'm at so my new job would have to be substantial to warrant us moving. Hoping that I don't have to worry about plan B, but I have it available. Hope for the best, plan for the worst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayward son Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Sadly my plan is same old same old .... I was telling my girlfriend how I dont feel like continuing in dietetic counselling as I was bored of it and didnt find it that rewarding. I dont mind the long term care consulting I do as it is both professionally and financially rewarding but the diabetes education I am finding less rewarding as I do not feel I am making that big a difference, impact to patients. Our patient population is a challenging group, many people on social assistance, poverty, unemployment so sometimes diabetes self care is not a priority and it ends up wearing on you after a while. I feel mostly the same way. I returned to my former job (sort of) after finishing school in December. Same field, different company, way lower level position, and only half the pay. I can't complain as the pay is still pretty decent and the job is not hard, but I don't know how rewarding I will find the job if I am doing it 2 or 3 years down the road. And I have little interest in climbing the same ladder again. Been there, done that, there are other ladders, so why climb the same one twice? For me the real challenge will be the news on May 15th. I feel that every part of my application was a little bit better than last time. I feel that my interview was a little better too (but I could be completely wrong on both counts). So if I end of doing the same or better I will be fine with that. If I do worse - meaning either lower on the ranked wait-list or not even making the ranked wait-list...well I don't know what I will do. I guess I could finally write the MCAT and try at other schools as well...but NOSM is such a match for my personality and career desires. I wish I had applied for a 1-year masters in January, but I was so poor at the time, and realized that even a 1-year masters wouldn't help me in the next application cycle, that I decided if I didn't get into medical school this coming fall I would work for the year. Unfortunately, there is far more riding on me getting in this year, than there was last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Beef Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 So if I end of doing the same or better I will be fine with that. If I do worse - meaning either lower on the ranked wait-list or not even making the ranked wait-list...well I don't know what I will do. I too am concerned as to where I will land. From my last NOSM app. in 2007 where I did not get an interview (no context, lower GPA, no research, etc) to now getting an interview by improving every single parameter significantly I too would not know where to go from here if I didnt end up finishing at #1-4 on the ranked waiting list this year. Any improvements here on in are incremental for me (+ 1 research publication, +1 yr Northern Ont context) and wouldnt launch me leagues ahead like my last set of improvements did. Also every year the applicant pool changes in strength ... this is of concern to me as I experienced being on the waiting list at one school one year to being outwardly rejected the following year at the same school due to a stronger applicant pool. Lets just hope for outright acceptances so we wont have to worry about future applications ... despite all of my worries I am quite optimistic of my chances though I am not delusional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lekarza Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 I too am concerned as to where I will land. From my last NOSM app. in 2007 where I did not get an interview (no context, lower GPA, no research, etc) to now getting an interview by improving every single parameter significantly I too would not know where to go from here if I didnt end up finishing at #1-4 on the ranked waiting list this year. Any improvements here on in are incremental for me (+ 1 research publication, +1 yr Northern Ont context) and wouldnt launch me leagues ahead like my last set of improvements did. Also every year the applicant pool changes in strength ... this is of concern to me as I experienced being on the waiting list at one school one year to being outwardly rejected the following year at the same school due to a stronger applicant pool. Lets just hope for outright acceptances so we wont have to worry about future applications ... despite all of my worries I am quite optimistic of my chances though I am not delusional. From reading your previous posts I think you have a very good chance of getting in! You have everything NOSM wants and more. I on the other hand feel like I don't have a very good chance as I know they don't take many 4th yr UG. Do you know if there's any stats out there on how many UGs they take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiga gal Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 do u mean just coming out of a 4yr UG? i thought that was a normal thing... anyway, good luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 In Quebec, we have Cegep for 2 years, which is equivalent to one year of undergrad. Therfore, we obtain our bachelors degree after 3 years of undergraduate studies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Beef Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 From reading your previous posts I think you have a very good chance of getting in! You have everything NOSM wants and more. I on the other hand feel like I don't have a very good chance as I know they don't take many 4th yr UG. Do you know if there's any stats out there on how many UGs they take? Thanks lekarza! I appreciate the vote of confidence ... I say the same to you .. Chin up ... as only 12.5-30.3% of those accepted have a masters or phd completed according to the class profiles (see link below). http://nosm.ca/classprofiles/ So it is more common to be accepted with an undergrad degree only though with the older average age it may suggest that those with undergrads may have some work experience behind them and may not be straight from undergrad. However my understanding is that there are plenty of people straight from undergrad as well according to my former thesis supervisor who is NOSM faculty. Beef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lekarza Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 do u mean just coming out of a 4yr UG? i thought that was a normal thing... anyway, good luck to you! Ya I'm in my fourth year now. Though the average acceptance age at NOSM is 25 which suggests they like more mature students. I know quite a few people that had do to a masters in order to get in. Good luck to u too! Thanks lekarza! I appreciate the vote of confidence ... I say the same to you .. Chin up ... as only 12.5-30.3% of those accepted have a masters or phd completed according to the class profiles (see link below). http://nosm.ca/classprofiles/ So it is more common to be accepted with an undergrad degree only though with the older average age it may suggest that those with undergrads may have some work experience behind them and may not be straight from undergrad. However my understanding is that there are plenty of people straight from undergrad as well according to my former thesis supervisor who is NOSM faculty. Beef Thanks beef that gives me a little more confidence! Hopefully it will be good news all around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojoluvsu2 Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 A friend of mine is in her first year at NOSM, and she told me that the majority of students are fresh out of undergrad, but there are a few older (30+) students who will push the average age up. I wanted to ask her what the median age was, but figured this might be too nerdy for our Saturday night chat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiga gal Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 ha ha, well i guess i am not so mature then, 2 UG's and 1 diploma, no masters....doing a masters would add make my GPA a tad better at NOSM but by the time i actually completed it i may be a senior citizen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 You are a viable candidate until age 60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dassy Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 One more month to go!! I don't know how you guys who had your interview early on are coping lol I know some of you like SteezyP are going slightly crazy I think my interview went pretty well (luckily!!). I feel really good about it, but there's always answers I wish I could go back and either answer more clearly or add a couple points. At least there is not much that I would want to take back completely. I'm just getting soo nervous for acceptances, because although I think the interview went great, my GPA stats suck. I only have one year that counts for Western and it's a 3.73 (barely above the cutoff), and my cGPA is 3.33 (although will be ~3.5 by the end of this year). I feel like this is going to severely bring down my score and I won't get accepted Oh well, 30 more days until we find out once and for all Trying to decide whether I should make my boyfriend drive 2 hours to Oxford to open it with me or open it all by myself. Sad that I don't have family around for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamsneverdie Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 i definetely started small-talking with one of the mac stations and they were like, no! we're not allowed to talk!. awkward silence ensues. What sort of small talk though? Like you finished all the prompts and said something to which they said no we cant talk? I actually was wondering about this......did many people end up finishing all the prompts? Because i got cut off at every single station Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kookooli Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 One more month to go!! I don't know how you guys who had your interview early on are coping lol I know some of you like SteezyP are going slightly crazy I think my interview went pretty well (luckily!!). I feel really good about it, but there's always answers I wish I could go back and either answer more clearly or add a couple points. At least there is not much that I would want to take back completely. I'm just getting soo nervous for acceptances, because although I think the interview went great, my GPA stats suck. I only have one year that counts for Western and it's a 3.73 (barely above the cutoff), and my cGPA is 3.33 (although will be ~3.5 by the end of this year). I feel like this is going to severely bring down my score and I won't get accepted Oh well, 30 more days until we find out once and for all Trying to decide whether I should make my boyfriend drive 2 hours to Oxford to open it with me or open it all by myself. Sad that I don't have family around for this. Dear dassy, I don't know why but I have a gut feeling that you will get accepted this year. I remember reading your posts somewhere else and if I recall correctly you had a crazy verbal score!!! So that certainly would more than compensate for your GPA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 Just remember guys, on average it takes 2.7 applicants for an acceptance, meaning, for some it takes less time and for others, more time. I clearly remember one person who applied in 4th year and had no interviews, taking off the next year. This person failed in marketing oneself and the following cycle, did a fantastic job in the essay, resulting in interviews across Canada and more than one acceptance. So, the key as Cerena will tell you is persistence in the pursuit of your goal. And it can take time in this lottery where different med schools each have their own emphasis. That is why it is important to apply as broadly as possible because you never know where lightning will strike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lekarza Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 A friend of mine is in her first year at NOSM, and she told me that the majority of students are fresh out of undergrad, but there are a few older (30+) students who will push the average age up. I wanted to ask her what the median age was, but figured this might be too nerdy for our Saturday night chat oohhh maybe I was mistaken! I guess I will find out in one months time why can't time go faster!!!! oh and don't think you're too nerdy asking about stats. Whenever my friend and I get nervous about May 15th, we go through all the med school stats in an excel program to make us feel better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dassy Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 Dear dassy, I don't know why but I have a gut feeling that you will get accepted this year. I remember reading your posts somewhere else and if I recall correctly you had a crazy verbal score!!! So that certainly would more than compensate for your GPA Aww thanks I just feel like having a great verbal score won't make a huge impact at Western, where everyone has a score of 11+...whereas GPA can range from 3.7-4.0. Just wish we knew how they decided Good luck with Ottawa and UBC...just saw your stats, you have a CRAZY gpa score!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benge88 Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 I just hope we all get good news come the 15th. All of this also makes me wonder how many of us actually met in person, but don't know it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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