Official 2012/2013 Applicant Thread

[FacelessMage]

Cerena started one of these last year, and it was awesome. I figured since applications open up soon, we should start another one! It'll be a good place to talk about applications and the like.

 

So where's everyone applying to this year? I plan on applying to U of C, U of T, Queens, UWO, and McMaster. I applied last cycle to U of C (IP) and was rejected pre-interview (all for the best because unexpected circumstances would have made it impossible to start med school this year).

[future_doc]

I just received the below PM that perhaps someone can answer other than referring the person to the websites of the med schools:

 

Hello. I will be attending university in September and it is the time for my school to make time tables. I was just wondering, what are some courses that I must have, as the prerequisites for medical school? Can you provide me any valuable links?

 

Thank you!

[Cerena]

Here is the aamc guide: http://www.afmc.ca/pdf/2012_ad_bk.pdf

 

I believe that is the latest one for Canadian schools.

Take a look through it, especially if considering apply to multiple schools.

[GREGtotheHOUSE]

Cerena started one of these last year, and it was awesome. I figured since applications open up soon, we should start another one! It'll be a good place to talk about applications and the like.

 

So where's everyone applying to this year? I plan on applying to U of C, U of T, Queens, UWO, and McMaster. I applied last cycle to U of C (IP) and was rejected pre-interview (all for the best because unexpected circumstances would have made it impossible to start med school this year).

 

why are you not applying to U of A as well?

[future_doc]

It is like preparing a delicious meal for important guests without a recipe. We are on our own and need to use our gut and best judgment. It is best if your Personal Statement has a theme and your stories will continue with the thread until your summary and conclusion. Better to give fewer experiences with more depth showing who you are than more experiences with less depth. You story should capture the attention of the reader so that he/she will want to meet you.

 

Don't use any of the laundry list of self-serving attributes they are looking for. These should just jump off the pages from your desricption. And don't be so tight with words so that it does not read well, better to leave out a sentence and have the essay flow.

 

Structure, organization and flow are very important. I started with my theme and a brief introduction. I tell of as a young teen, I regularly visited a wheelchair bound junior diabetic middle aged kindly lady, failed double organ transplant, always saved by EMS, who ultimately dies of diabetic coma all alone at age 58, all she needed was orange juice to save her life. First funeral I ever attended and her courage, dignity and joie de vivre changed my life forever. This lady of blessed and treasured memory is my inspiration that I have put into action. I had two other die on my watch, altho not in my presence, a cancer victim and an Alzheinmer's victim. As part of my studies I attended to chronic elderly patients suffering from MS, stroke, Parkinson's etc and have learned so much from practical experience, especially in communication skills with elderly patients with neurological and phyiscial problems. So, there is a thread in all I do. My activities are all clean cut, require devotion, focus....ooops, I never used this laundry list of words as it comes out in my stories. I brought it all together in a summary and then I concluded as to my future. Every sentence is effectively structured for part of the para. and each para is linked to the other. I also discuss my role model so they understand where I am coming from. I want to give back to Canada what Canada has given to me. It is really quite a compelling read I have been told. You need to show you are well rounded and connect the dots that bring you to medicine by telling stories and showing your passion, who you are in depth, your character.

 

Like Hansel & Gretel, drop the pebbles and bread crumbs so that the reader can clearly see your pathway towards medicine.

 

..........

[ameltingbanana]

I think I'm going to treat this round as a bit of a test run; I'm hoping for my 4th year to bring up my marks. I'll be trying McMaster, UofT and possibly Queen's (undecided on that last front).

[Cerena]

I am planning on applying to all of the Ontario schools except NOSM. I'm trying to decide if it's worthwhile for me to apply to any out of province schools. I am a little excited for the 2013 OMSAS booklet to come out so I can start working on my application. Also terrified - I have only been interested in med the past two years and my application is definitely lacking in extracurriculars. Fingers crossed...

 

I think I'm going to treat this round as a bit of a test run; I'm hoping for my 4th year to bring up my marks. I'll be trying McMaster, UofT and possibly Queen's (undecided on that last front).

 

Not planning on applying OOP?

ameltingbanana, have you looked into Calg?

It could be worth trying, depending on your stats.

Good luck, guys

[lost__in__space]

Good luck everyone! I was in your shoes last year!

[FacelessMage]

why are you not applying to U of A as well?

 

I don't have o-chem (wasn't part of my degree requirements), and I hate chemistry. I also don't want to live in Edmonton.

[bored]

so i have been worried about my autobiographic sketch. I only have ~20-25 items, but only 10 are longterm/meaning full..

 

am I in trouble?

[captcapt]

so i have been worried about my autobiographic sketch. I only have ~20-25 items, but only 10 are longterm/meaning full..

 

am I in trouble?

i feel as though they care more about the quality than quantity of the sketch components. Can you elaborate on the type of things you plan to put down, specifically the 10 good ones? I would also double check your CV to make sure you are not missing any potential sketch components that you may have forgotten about. My advice would to not try to fill the sketch spots with useless things ( i know one girl who put down WHIMIS training in her sketch). I had around 30 items on my sketch but they were meaningful for the most part.

[lazyboy]

I don't have o-chem (wasn't part of my degree requirements), and I hate chemistry. I also don't want to live in Edmonton.

 

haha, I can understand why you don't want to live in Edmonton....

[BonIver]

Im applying to UofC and UofA! im so nervous and I haven't even begun the process yet. Anyone here feel like they are lacking in ECs?? I feel like everyone is doing all of these amazing things and that my activities are simply sub-par

[BonIver]

haha, I can understand why you don't want to live in Edmonton....

 

Edmonton blows! I lived there for 6 weeks and did not like it ahaha

[future_doc]

Yes, include them.

[cdawso23]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm planning on applying for my first time this year but am a bit lost about where to start.

I see some people are putting together a sketch...what exactly is this/what should I be preparing here?

I was also wondering about talking to references for LoRs. Should I start asking them now? Do certain schools have forms to fill out or do most just require a letter of the authors own formatting?

 

Thanks!

[FacelessMage]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm planning on applying for my first time this year but am a bit lost about where to start.

I see some people are putting together a sketch...what exactly is this/what should I be preparing here?

I was also wondering about talking to references for LoRs. Should I start asking them now? Do certain schools have forms to fill out or do most just require a letter of the authors own formatting?

 

Thanks!

 

The autobiographical sketch is just all the activities (EC's, volunteering, etc.) that you've done since you were 16. This will include the name of the activity, a description, the hours done, and a verifier for that activity. It's incredi Bly helpful to pull this all together before you start on apps as this will probably be the most time consuming part.

 

The references vary depending on school. The U of C has a specific form to fill out, where references will be asked to answer questions about you based on 3 specific categories ( you choose the best reference for each category). It's a reset form, and they'll put a copy of it in the applicant manual so that you can see what it looks like.

 

For OMSAS, I believe that references can write what ever they want, without a preset form.

 

I'm planning on asking my references in mid-August. Do not do like I did last cycle and ask them mid-September as this will cause lots of unnecessary panic. You could even ask them as soon as apps open, but make sure you're able to provide them with the necessary documentation (transcripts, personal statements, whatever you think will help give them talking points if they run out of things to say).

[polarbear89]

Blah, I've started working on rough impact statements for Calgary but seem to have writers block. I'm not used to selling myself haha..

[dazzle]

The autobiographical sketch is just all the activities (EC's, volunteering, etc.) that you've done since you were 16. This will include the name of the activity, a description, the hours done, and a verifier for that activity. It's incredi Bly helpful to pull this all together before you start on apps as this will probably be the most time consuming part.

 

 

WTF?

 

do all schools require this retarded, and elitist, procedure and information?

[Lost&Found]

How is it elitist? In fact, it helps most people

[dazzle]

Say my parents raised me as a tree-hugging piano-playing camp-going volunteer-minded book-reading test-acing little child, that would give me a significant advantage to those who were not so inclined at such an early age.

 

I'll be straight up: I'm 24 and applying this fall; my volunteering started last fall and did basically nothing before this of note except sports and some painting classes (only need to go back 2 years for those).

 

I don't think my application should be considered worse because in the past, I had trouble getting on the rails of life. What do you think?

[FacelessMage]

Say my parents raised me as a tree-hugging piano-playing camp-going volunteer-minded book-reading test-acing little child, that would give me a significant advantage to those who were not so inclined at such an early age.

 

I'll be straight up: I'm 24 and applying this fall; my volunteering started last fall and did basically nothing before this of note except sports and some painting classes (only need to go back 2 years for those).

 

I don't think my application should be considered worse because in the past, I had trouble getting on the rails of life. What do you think?

 

You haven't had a job? Because you can put that down too.

[Lost&Found]

Say my parents raised me as a tree-hugging piano-playing camp-going volunteer-minded book-reading test-acing little child, that would give me a significant advantage to those who were not so inclined at such an early age.

 

I'll be straight up: I'm 24 and applying this fall; my volunteering started last fall and did basically nothing before this of note except sports and some painting classes (only need to go back 2 years for those).

 

I don't think my application should be considered worse because in the past, I had trouble getting on the rails of life. What do you think?

 

Your description of a "tree-hugging piano-playing camp-going volunteer-minded book-reading test-acing little child" makes you sound a little bitter. I'm not trying to offend, but someone who is raised to care for the environment, play an instrument, enjoy camp, donate time to the less fortunate, read books, and do well in school sounds like a pretty cool person to me. Everyone's gonna have some advantages over others. I'm sure you have your strengths too.

 

Your ECs don't have to start at 16. They give you that option so that you can include things from earlier on if you have them. It helps take some pressure off during university, so generally it ends up being a good thing.

 

Also, you seem to have some interesting ECs. I'm sure you've done more than you think you have. Work experience, volunteer work, research, awards, clubs, publications, tutoring, hobbies, etc can all count towards your ECs. I'm glad you've gotten your life back on track, but look forward, not backward.

[Cerena]

I'd prefer to stay in Ontario, but if there are any schools OOP that I think I have a decent shot at I would apply. I just assumed that applicants from Ontario who get accepted OOP are probably strong enough to get accepted IP as well. Are there exceptions to this? Do the non-Ontario schools emphasize different criteria compared to Ontario schools?

 

Yeah I would suggest applying to as many schools as you are eligible to apply to, considering ONT does not have IP pref. Like you mentioned.

I'm not sure what you mean by emphasizing different criteria, but some schools may have formulas that work to your advantage.

E.g. Best two years, removal of worst year, etc

 

Blah, I've started working on rough impact statements for Calgary but seem to have writers block. I'm not used to selling myself haha..

 

Aw, hun this is your chance. Hundreds of other applicants are competing for a seat. It can be daunting, and hard to know where to even start. But you're on pm101, which is a great place to bounce ideas off others. Feel free to pm me any time if you'd like my input. Or don't be shy to ask questions here about what to include/not to include. We're here to help

[Field87ven]

I've got an interesting question, and I wonder if anyone is in the same position as me that intends to apply this cycle.

 

I graduate this coming year but I am part of a bridging program, meaning i've done a 2 year college diploma followed by an accelerated summer bridge semester of courses, a full year, and 3 courses during the summer. I was given 5 university credits which were ungraded as part of the bridging from my 2 year college diploma

 

As I understand it most universities want to have your "best 2 years" or a minimum of 3 years of university before applying. Right now I have a total of 15 full course credits, but grades for only 10 full courses (5 half summer, 5 half fall, 7 half winter, 3 half which I just took this summer).

 

I know that some medical schools don't even look at your summer grades, that means I have 1 year of university grades, does this mean I can't apply to most of the schools? This would kind of suck .

 

Can anyone weigh in on this?

 

Much appreciated!