How important is medical school ranking?

[Birdy]

Out of curiousity, does anyone even know where their GP studied? I don't lol.

 

St Andrews. Well, my former GP. He went back to Scotland, and I have yet to find a new one.

[future_doc]

I don't have a GP.

[jerkstore]

Yeah do Doctors have Doctors?

 

Can a Doc diagnose and prescribe himself with something?

[ArchEnemy]

Yeah do Doctors have Doctors?

 

Can a Doc diagnose and prescribe himself with something?

 

Self-prescription is not recommended, especially if narcotics are involved.

[marauderforlyfe]

We're lucky we're Canadian in some ways I guess... we don't have to worry about going to Joe Blow Medical School in Butt****nowhere Wisconsin. All of our medical schools are awesome.

 

In response to all of the UofT>all comments... I would probably drop out/cry myself to sleep nightly if I was going to U of T. It's NOT the way I like to learn, it's not the right program for me by any means.

 

So it's ranked higher than the school I picked (MAC 2015 *****ES) but you'll do your best, work hardest, make the best connections, do the best research at the school where you're happiest.

[girlbetrippin]

Definitely go wherever you think you'll be happy. School reputation isn't that important in medicine and it will not determine your happiness. Besides, there is no such thing as prestige in Canada so all this UofT>all is pointless.

[holiday1001]

wouldn't that logic apply to where you WORK in the end, not where you actually do your MD?

 

it seems we're seperating things into heavy research and primary care. what about the inbetweens -ie specialists, paeds, internist?

 

as for getting into a residency based on your 'street cred', wouldn't the larger variable be your individual characteristics? I'd say you do better work if you're in a place where you're happy. motivation, enthusiasm might easier to achieve.. maybe?

[girlbetrippin]

I agree with Holiday. Just because you came from UofT doesn't mean you will get a certain residency position. There doesn't seem to be much "street cred" in Canada...mainly in the US though.

 

And to medhopefuls2016, no doubt Toronto and McGill are great schools (I am from McGill) and it's clear that you're proud of UofT but I just felt that all this UofT>all was unnecessary.

[holiday1001]

another thing- people at UofT and McGill will naturally defend the value of rankings, while people from lower-ranked schools will bash on the value of rankings. it's school pride and also leads to cock-fights..

 

anyways, the only time it matters is if you're lucky enough to be holding multiple acceptances!

[Rext]

As someone who was working on their undergrad degree at UofT I can confidentally say that the only time the reputation of the university has ever helped me was when my parents shamelessly bragged to my extended relatives in Asia about where I went to school.

 

But it is true however that larger universities with more research endowements have more opportunities for students to get involved in research (especially paid research). TBH, this is the only reason I would ever recommend UTSG to anyone, the research experience there (as an undergrad or otherwise) is phenomenal.

[jerkstore]

another thing- people at UofT and McGill will naturally defend the value of rankings, while people from lower-ranked schools will bash on the value of rankings. it's school pride and also leads to cock-fights..

 

anyways, the only time it matters is if you're lucky enough to be holding multiple acceptances!

 

 

Right.

 

Especially when we know York is the best, to argue almost seems silly.

[deeman101]

An above average student from any Canadian school is going to beat out any average student from McGill, UofT or UBC any day.

 

2 points. 1) you're underestimating the importance of what well respected physicians in these institutions can write in your LOR, and who they know, and 2) the "average" student of some institutions would be an "above average" student at other institutions. To put it modestly.

[ldnk]

2 points. 1) you're underestimating the importance of what well respected physicians in these institutions can write in your LOR, and who they know, and 2) the "average" student of some institutions would be an "above average" student at other institutions. To put it modestly.

 

Putting all modesty aside, declaring yourself better on the basis of school reputation is a silly, silly, silly way to reflect on the quality of physician coming out of a given school.

 

If one were to simply declare that bigger equals better, then Toronto and UBC would be ranking #1 and #2 in terms of all major residency positions, would be consistently scoring better than all other Universities on the LMCCs and MCCQE I and II, etc.

 

Sure, research opportunities are not created equal in all locations, but I'm hardly hurting for grant money in London...in fact I'm finding that it's pretty darn easy to find it if you go looking (whether it is support from Hippo Council or LHSC funding, or external funding). As great as Medical student research is, it isn't going to make or break a Residency position because the quality is rarely going to exceed that produced over a 5 year residency.

 

And in terms of quality of references well, that's what summer electives, 3rd year electives, knowing how to network, and 4th year rotations are for. Academic centres don't live in tiny little bubbles.

[NLengr]

At the end of the day it's entirely dependent on the individual. At this point I'm interested in primary care and heading to UofT so it really makes no difference. I'd agree that outside of Canada, seeing an MD from a certain school may give you a slight advantage over the competition, but within Canada it seems to make absolutely no difference. At the end of the day, all schools are more similar than they are different. After the (brutal) first semester at UofT, the schedule looks much more in line with other schools with a nice balance of lectures, PBL and seminars, so from an educational standpoint it's just minor differences.

 

An above average student from any Canadian school is going to beat out any average student from McGill, UofT or UBC any day.

 

My program looks down on U of T grads, based on the fact they have a much higher likelihood to be douchebags....

 

Seriously though, as a resident (in a highly competative very popular surgical subspecialty program), I've seen lots of med students come through for elective. U of T students were no better than students from any other school.

[aaronjw]

My program looks down on U of T grads, based on the fact they have a much higher likelihood to be douchebags....

 

Seriously though, as a resident (in a highly competative very popular surgical subspecialty program), I've seen lots of med students come through for elective. U of T students were no better than students from any other school.

 

Ahhh they've met queef err peef have they? Lol

[NLengr]

Ahhh they've met queef err peef have they? Lol

 

What? Translation?

[holiday1001]

lol it's a rather crude remark. no translation needed

 

edit: LOL i take back my remark.

[aaronjw]

What? Translation?

 

Small sample size illustrating his doucheyness: http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?p=592200#post592200

 

Others exist but this was the best lol

[holiday1001]

I wonder if the cutoffs have stayed the same this year. anyone?

[ArchEnemy]

I wonder if the cutoffs have stayed the same this year. anyone?

 

He's done with the MCAT and heading south to John Hopkins for his MD.

[deeman101]

Putting all modesty aside, declaring yourself better on the basis of school reputation is a silly, silly, silly way to reflect on the quality of physician coming out of a given school.

 

If one were to simply declare that bigger equals better, then Toronto and UBC would be ranking #1 and #2 in terms of all major residency positions, would be consistently scoring better than all other Universities on the LMCCs and MCCQE I and II, etc.

 

Sure, research opportunities are not created equal in all locations, but I'm hardly hurting for grant money in London...in fact I'm finding that it's pretty darn easy to find it if you go looking (whether it is support from Hippo Council or LHSC funding, or external funding). As great as Medical student research is, it isn't going to make or break a Residency position because the quality is rarely going to exceed that produced over a 5 year residency.

 

And in terms of quality of references well, that's what summer electives, 3rd year electives, knowing how to network, and 4th year rotations are for. Academic centres don't live in tiny little bubbles.

 

 

I know I commented in a "medical school ranking thread" but I was specifically commenting on the "average med student from any med school are all equal" part, not trying insinuate UofT makes better med students. In fact from what I know so far and what I've seen when interviewing I'd say UWO has the best clerks in ON. An average clerk from UWO performs at an above average level from some other schools. I'd say the same for Dal. And a few other schools in Canada.

 

Rankings themselves don't say much. There are a few highly ranked schools that I don't think give the best clinical skills to their students. And of course there are a few highly ranked schools that make great clinicians. And vice versa. Its more important to look at each school irrespective of ranking and see what kind of clinicians they turn out.

[futureGP]

for research degrees, you should go to big centers since there's more chance to interact with big names in your field.

 

UofT is the best in Canada for research no doubt. McGill is based on old reputation prior to the whole quebec separation movement when a lot of Anglophones lived in Montreal.

 

Ever since, all the talent came to Toronto --> UofT. The biggest research centers in Canada are mostly located in Toronto (just walk around the discovery district on College/Queen's Park + the size of hospitals in Toronto). No other university in Canada can beat UofT in terms of research funding, and productivity.

 

That said, clinical medicine is completely different. My GP was from UofT and he had 0 regard for patients, and horrible communication skills. In terms of availability of clinical exposure, any of the big cities are great and going to a smaller school may limit being exposed to certain specialties (rad onc, pediatric cardiac surgery etc).

[NLengr]

for research degrees, you should go to big centers since there's more chance to interact with big names in your field.

 

UofT is the best in Canada for research no doubt. McGill is based on old reputation prior to the whole quebec separation movement when a lot of Anglophones lived in Montreal.

 

Ever since, all the talent came to Toronto --> UofT. The biggest research centers in Canada are mostly located in Toronto (just walk around the discovery district on College/Queen's Park + the size of hospitals in Toronto). No other university in Canada can beat UofT in terms of research funding, and productivity.

 

That said, clinical medicine is completely different. My GP was from UofT and he had 0 regard for patients, and horrible communication skills. In terms of availability of clinical exposure, any of the big cities are great and going to a smaller school may limit being exposed to certain specialties (rad onc, pediatric cardiac surgery etc).

 

I don't think there is a single med school in Canada where you can't be exposed to every specialty.

 

The downside of the big school is you get less hands on exposure since you are behind a fellow, a senior resident, junior resident and intern. There are pluses and minuses to each school. That's even true for residency.

[trojjanhorse]

you must have been a used tampon in a previous life ...

 

HAHAHAHAHA!

[dms]

We're lucky we're Canadian in some ways I guess... we don't have to worry about going to Joe Blow Medical School in Butt****nowhere Wisconsin. All of our medical schools are awesome.

 

THES 2011-12

27. University of Wisconsin-Madison

28. McGill University

 

Just sayin'