Guest cheehai Posted January 11, 2004 Report Share Posted January 11, 2004 i just want to know if anyone here is currently enrolled in any of the programs below. TAB University of Toronto SG:Sciences (including Psychology) [LIFE SCIENCES] ESM The University of Western Ontario MN:Biological & Medical Science (BMSc & BSc) [MICROBIOLOGY & IMMUNOLOGY] QS Queen's University Science [LIFE SCIENCES] YSA York University YK:Science-Biotechnology Did I pick the right programmers to pave the way for med school? Any other feedback. Thnx a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest aneliz Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Any program can 'pave the way for med school'...there are people in my class that did everything from industrial engineering to religion in undergrad... pick what you are interested in, not what everyone else tells you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest therealcrackers Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 I did the micro program at Western back in the Paleozoic era. It's a good program, closely twinned with Biochemistry as I recall. One significant step though, is that most of the program you have listed are entered in second year or higher in undergrad. This is done deliberately, both to assess your abilities to succeed with the transition to first year university, and to prevent people from over-specializing too soon. University is a great experience, and hundreds of different programs are potential pathways to medicine. You should explore a variety of schools and their respective options, and not to narrow down your interests too much too soon; you might surprise yourself with what you pick! Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve U of T Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 For U of T, life sciences is actually a whole group of programs, some taught by the faculty of medicine (anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, etc.) and others through the faculty of arts and science (botany, zoology). There happens to be a life science program, but you seem to be talking about the program group rather than the specific program because you mentioned "including psychology". The first year courses are mostly the same, although there are a few differences, so you should take a good look at what specific programs interest you, and make sure you have the prerequisites so you can enter for second year. I am in one of the life sciences programs (physiology), so you can ask any questions about any of the programs, because I have a fair amount of knowledge on all of them, and I also know where to look up additional information. I think a lot of premeds at U of T choose the life science major (I'm talking about the specific program here) because it will earn you the prerequisites for applying to most medical schools, it is very general, offers variety in course selection in later years, and doesn't require you to take any really tough courses (with the possible exception of intro to physiology, which many people hate). I think the problem here is that the students who make it into medical school will realize that they didn't really learn anything useful by taking such a general program, and will have wasted their undergraduate degrees by not studying what really interests them. I am in the physiology program (4th year) not because I think it will pave the way for med school, but because I am truly interested in the subject. I think I am gaining some knowledge of physiology that may be beyond the level taught in medical school. For example, two of my classmates in my sleep physiology class are medical school graduates taking the course to supplement their residency training. If you're really interested in getting into the medical sciences at the undergraduate level, knowing everything you need to know about medicine will be taught in medical school, I would recommend choosing one of the specialist programs within the life sciences program group so you will actually learn something that may be relevant later on. Otherwise, study what you enjoy, and take a minor in life science to pick up the prerequisites. Also, I would imagine the same advice holds should you attend any of the other schools you are applying to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheehai Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Well those are the programmers that I have applied to. Thnx a lot for the feedback. What I figure is that after first year I’ll know what I want to go into, after being exposed to the basics. Well I’m off to study for a chemistry test. Talk to you guys later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spencer Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Hiya Steve, I would like to know how you feel about the Human Biology Programs at UofT. Do you have any friends that are in the program? What have you heard from the students in the program? Anyway...I'd like the inquire about what degree you are actually graduating with. I know you obtain a BSc at the end, but is it a Life Science degree? Or a Human Biology Degree? Or both? Furthermore, I wish to enroll in the Health and Disease specialist program...would it be possible to obtain a minor or a double major in Physiology in conjunction with a specialist program? Such as in the 'Physiology and Anthropological Biology' pathway: www.hmb.utoronto.ca/NewHB...ayinhd.htm There is another 'Suggested Pathway' on the HMB website such as Medical Sociology: www.hmb.utoronto.ca/NewHB/hd2.htm I was just wondering, if I took the courses listed in the URL above, would that be sufficient to declare a minor in Sociology. I also don't understand the concept of a Life Science major and how it fits into the HMB program. Are they one in the same program? Or completely different programs? I know that this post might be difficult to understand or just utterly incoherent...but that's because the HMB website has made me a tad confused...UT Course Calendars and Degree Programs are incomprehensible...:| Thanks Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve U of T Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Hi Spencer, Graduates receive a Hon. B.Sc. (U of T no longer offers regular B.Sc. degrees), and your diploma will note your programs of study, i.e. your specialists/majors/minors. I actually was enrolled in the health & disease specialist program in 2nd year, and was planning on doing the physiology and biological anthropology route. However, when planning my courses for 3rd year, there was a scheduling conflict between HMB302 and a couple of the electives I was determined to take. I originally chose the health & disease program because the requirements are similar to other programs in the first two years, leaving open the option to switch. I think I would have enjoyed the health & disease program just as much as physiology, but it was really just chance that drove me to change programs. I know a bunch of people still in health & disease, and they really like it. I'm told the health & disease lab course was great because it gave exposure to a whole variety of different lab techniques, whereas the biochemistry and physiology lab courses I took made use of only a few experimental techniques, and focused on the theory behind them. I know a couple people starting the health & disease seminar course now, and they say it's good so far. Ron Wilson is the coordinator of the human biology programs, and he is fairly flexible when it comes to the program requirements. I later found out that I probably could have resolved my problem without switching programs, but I have no regrets. I think a minor in anthropology or sociology is quite possible in conjunction with a health & disease specialist, although I am not sure about a physiology major. There are rules about overlap between programs, and I think a physiology major may overlap too much with health & disease. I think the rules are less strict about minors, so a physiology minor might be possible, but it is probably meaningless. About the life science major, consider it a watered down version of the various human bio specialist programs. It's not as rigorous, so you won't get into any particular topic in as great depth, but it gives the freedom to study some completely different topic in a similar amount of detail (if you do a double major). Keep in mind that you need either 1 specialist or 2 majors or 1 major + 2 minors to graduate. Double specialist degrees are possible only in pharmacology and toxicology, and that often takes an extra year, unless you take absolutely no electives. If you want to study something other than life science beyond a few courses, the life science major may be a worthwhile choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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