Sigmund Freud Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Probably a clinical neuropsychologist or a neuroscientist, or a genetic counsellor. Ideally, as a neuropsychologist I would be a clinician, professor, and researcher simultaneously. And I would probably choose to specialize in developmental/adolescent/child neuropsychology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 I know how you feel! While I don't think my backup is harder to get into than med school, I do think it may be close. My backup is cardiovascular perfusion and the school in Vancouver only accepts 6 applicants every 2 years. I believe there are only 2 or 3 schools in Canada that offer the program. For me, the moment I realized my backup was not a backup was when I found out there was an MMI. Oh and the whole 6 students per intake thing. I considered that program a few years ago as well, but missed the application deadline haha. Blessing in disguise though, as it forced my to try a bit harder to become more competitive for medical school and keep up with my non-med related employment. I actually talked to a grad from the program in Ontario who is originally from Van, and is now back working in Van. Seems to enjoy it. He did however mention about employment opportunities dwindling etc due to the nature of the cardio scene. I would try and talk to some recent grads and those currently employed (whom aren't apart of the admissions) to see how things are. I do remember though that the intake was every 2 years so it was kinda of annoying in that regard lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluoxetine Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 To be honest, I'll most likely become a professor. I just love formulating and presenting ideas to people. Plus I think I've got the flair for scientific writing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronjw Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 ^^^ so you write poorly then? Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithrandir Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 I'd probably like to be a Nurse Practitioner or a Midwife so I could still work in medicine and have my own patients. Or a University Professor (I think they have the best jobs), either of English or Women's Studies. Or like absolute ridiculous unrealistic dream job? I'd love to make films, screenwriting and directing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borborygmi Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 I think I could settle into a career as a clinical & counseling psychologist, a veterinarian, or perhaps a chiropractor. I also looked at the cardiovascular perfusionist program, as someone mentioned above, at Michener in Toronto. The program sounds interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Freud Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I used to drink a lot to be able to write papers...had I stayed in neuroscience i'd be a raging alcoholic This will be me for my final two years in my neuroscience program. I've heard from upper year students in my program that we have ~8 papers/term. So far, in my two years of university, I've only had two papers that weren't lab reports, and they were 1-2 pages long... - in other words, I feel extremely unprepared. Haha. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmd7 Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 To be honest, I'll most likely become a professor. I just love formulating and presenting ideas to people. Plus I think I've got the flair for scientific writing Depending on the field, getting that job can be more competitive than medicine these days believe it or not. Grad school isn't really that competitive to get into... but the leap from post-doc to faculty is getting tougher all the time! That's actually one of the reasons I've applied to medicine. I want to do research but right now it's really hard to get a job with just a PhD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makingfetchhappen Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 This will be me for my final two years in my neuroscience program. I've heard from upper year students in my program that we have ~8 papers/term. So far, in my two years of university, I've only had two papers that weren't lab reports, and they were 1-2 pages long... - in other words, I feel extremely unprepared. Haha. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually. Haha, drinking definitely does not help with writing other than just helping you get started on a task that you don't like. I used to hate writing, but now I don't mind it. It's actually not hard, and you already know how to do it. I do not edit my posts on here, so don't take them as a measure of my ability to write well, LOL. Here is my system, for anyone who is interested: First, I do most of my research and figure out what I am trying to say. Second, I write out all of the subheadings I will be dividing things into. Third, I fill in each sub-heading one at a time. But importantly, I only worry about getting down what I am trying to say. I don't even worry if it makes sense. Fourth, I edit what I wrote. I might write the entire document and then edit, or write a section, edit it, and then write the next section. The key to conveying complex ideas simply is just good editing. I run all of my writing through this app called Hemingway. Yes, it's embarrassing in a way, lol. When I first heard of it, I thought it was dumb, but then I tried it. It's free (www.hemingwayapp.com), and it's helpful. I tend to make my sentences way too long, because, in my head, one idea flows into the other. This app helps me break my writing down into shorter sentences. A sentence with only one independent clause is not technically a run-on sentence, but it can still be too long. The last step is to know the rules of grammar. I took a course on expository writing when I was in undergrad. I knew enough grammar from middle and high school to not make errors, but knowing the rules inside and out takes your writing to the next level and makes it so much clearer. There's no such thing as writer's block unless you are doing creative writing. If you're stuck, it means that you just haven't defined your next step. I also keep detailed to-do lists when I write that break everything down into the smallest steps possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithrandir Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 This will be me for my final two years in my neuroscience program. I've heard from upper year students in my program that we have ~8 papers/term. So far, in my two years of university, I've only had two papers that weren't lab reports, and they were 1-2 pages long... - in other words, I feel extremely unprepared. Haha. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it eventually. HA as a previous English major, 8 papers per term sounds like an easy semester:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makingfetchhappen Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 HA as a previous English major, 8 papers per term sounds like an easy semester:P Everything sounds easy once you've done it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NutritionRunner Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm pursuing my back-up plan. Mainly after realizing I wouldn't be able to handle the sleep deprivation of clerkship and residency. I'm completing an MPH in Nutrition and Dietetics / Community Nutrition, and will be a Registered Dietitian after graduating from this program and writing the CDRE (Canadian Dietetics Registration Exam). After that I hope to work as a dietitian in public health, government, industry (lots of food companies have dietitians on staff), or at a Community Health Centre or Family Health Team. Community Nutrition / Public Health Nutrition is what I enjoy the most, so ending up in Public Health or at a CHC would be ideal, but we'll see what's available when I'm looking for my first RD job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makingfetchhappen Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 lol, I actually have never disliked writing in general, and enjoyed writing papers all throughout school. I absolutely despised writing up my neuro research though. That passive tense makes me batty. *barf* like nails on a freaking chalk board. Hence my drinking comment I never graduated to science writing beyond undergrad lab reports. I vaguely remember having to write things in past passive tense. I can see how it would get annoying. It's actually the opposite of how to write well in any other field. In fact, that Hemingway app I posted will highlight anything in passive tense. It's still useful though. I just started using it lately. I used to get compliments on my writing (from opposing counsel sometimes, which is the best). But editing with this app I've actually been getting high praise. Like I said, it's embarrassing that I need it! But oh well, no one needs to know IRL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTJJ Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'd want to be chief sabremetrician for the Texas Rangers or the Prince of Liechtenstein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeBronto2019 Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 I'm pursuing my back-up plan. Mainly after realizing I wouldn't be able to handle the sleep deprivation of clerkship and residency. I'm completing an MPH in Nutrition and Dietetics / Community Nutrition, and will be a Registered Dietitian after graduating from this program and writing the CDRE (Canadian Dietetics Registration Exam). After that I hope to work as a dietitian in public health, government, industry (lots of food companies have dietitians on staff), or at a Community Health Centre or Family Health Team. Community Nutrition / Public Health Nutrition is what I enjoy the most, so ending up in Public Health or at a CHC would be ideal, but we'll see what's available when I'm looking for my first RD job. Amazing! If I could go back and do another undergrad, I would love to do nutrition! It just sucks because it's all 4 year programs (no 2 year accelerated ones, from my understanding). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg_McMuffin Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Amazing! If I could go back and do another undergrad, I would love to do nutrition! It just sucks because it's all 4 year programs (no 2 year accelerated ones, from my understanding). But you can definitely transfer into a nutrition program and do it in 2 years! about 1/3 to 1/2 of my class are non-trads and most of my peers that I know of with a background in life sciences are able to finish their second degree in 2 years (with 1 summer of summer school). I'm very happy that I chose this route as well (had to decide between dietetics and radiological technology). It can get stressful at times because I am trying to get an internship as well--but then again, I get stressed easily and tend to make things more complicated for myself So if I never get into med school, I would be happy working as a public health dietitian, just like NutritionRunner. In fact, my first choice for grad school is UofT's MPH program as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeBronto2019 Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 But you can definitely transfer into a nutrition program and do it in 2 years! about 1/3 to 1/2 of my class are non-trads and most of my peers that I know of with a background in life sciences are able to finish their second degree in 2 years (with 1 summer of summer school). I'm very happy that I chose this route as well (had to decide between dietetics and radiological technology). It can get stressful at times because I am trying to get an internship as well--but then again, I get stressed easily and tend to make things more complicated for myself So if I never get into med school, I would be happy working as a public health dietitian, just like NutritionRunner. In fact, my first choice for grad school is UofT's MPH program as well Right, I even spoke to our admissions office and they said i'd need about 2.5 years cause I did a few nutrition courses even though i'm in psychology. I guess based on personal preference, I would've loved to do dietitians (if med didn't work out) as a way to be involved clinically and focus on nutrition in health. My only concern is that having spoken to a few professionals, they said my interests in social justice and determinants of health were best addressed in other careers. Of course there is a connection between nutrition and these aspects but less so than other careers. Worst case, I'll work in a team with dietitians but focus on areas that I'd enjoy and be best at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NutritionRunner Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Right, I even spoke to our admissions office and they said i'd need about 2.5 years cause I did a few nutrition courses even though i'm in psychology. I guess based on personal preference, I would've loved to do dietitians (if med didn't work out) as a way to be involved clinically and focus on nutrition in health. My only concern is that having spoken to a few professionals, they said my interests in social justice and determinants of health were best addressed in other careers. Of course there is a connection between nutrition and these aspects but less so than other careers. Worst case, I'll work in a team with dietitians but focus on areas that I'd enjoy and be best at. You're kidding, right? You must have spoken only to clinical dietitians. In community and public health nutrition/dietetics, social justice and the determinants of health are major components of our practice. Every single one of my graduate courses has touched on these factors, and our Field courses, which are our professional practice courses, heavily emphasize social justice and the social determinants of health and are pretty muched talked about in every single class. Now, at the undergraduate level, the only exposure to social determinants and social justice would be in the community nutrition courses, and perhaps the nutrition communication or nutrition educationn courses, as well as the culture and food course (but the cultural course is not required in every dietetics program, although I strongly feel it should be in a country like Canada). And, for dietitians working in hospitals, social justice and social determinants of health probably aren't a major component of their practice, if they think about them at all. For us out in the community, or in public health, however, they are a major focus of our practice. For example, we had a dietitians who works with one of the programs at Toronto Public Health come talk to us. She works with high risk pregnancies - women who are homeless, who are doing drugs, who might be in abusive relationships, etc. All of her work is heavily focused on social justice - it has to be! Obviously the nutrition counselling you can do with those clients is very different from the counselling you'd do with someone who isn't in such a vulnerable situation. The same goes for those working with homeless or poorly housed clients with type 2 diabetes, or drug users with type 2 diabetes. There are no clinical practice guidelines for dealing with type 2 diabetes in drug users! So again, their work is very heavily focused on social justice and social determinants of health. Even those of us who end up in policy work as advocates to improve things like poverty, access to services, access to higher education, etc. - and all of the social determinants of health. It's just politicians have other priorities. In my program, we have a lot of people very interested in social justice, in food policy, in food systems, etc. We have four students who will be working with varioius food programs, food justice, or food systems organizations for their community practica this summer. Even myself, I'll be working in an environment where we have a lot of vulnerable clients - they are either dealing with poverty, with mental health issues, with drug use, or have developmental challenges. You can't work in that type of environment and not be constantly aware of the social determinants of health and have a focus on social justice. For example, when coming up with recipes for a workshop, I have to make sure they are affordable and easy to make, as well as tasty and healthy! Many of our workshops focus on the foods available in the "Good Food Box" or "Healthy Food Box" available through the local Community Health Centre, since a lot of clients use that as a way of getting healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronjw Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 If a country wants better population health then the answer is pretty simple: have less poor people (which also translates into less crime) The answer is not more doctors, nurses, and hospitals. Problem is, as NR indicated above, politicians have other priorities (getting re-elected) which are both short-term and short-sighted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Molar Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 no one want to become a dentist if med-school did not work out? *sad* anyway, my alternative career would be in Wall-street, investment firm, or start-up my biz lolz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeBronto2019 Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 You're kidding, right? You must have spoken only to clinical dietitians. In community and public health nutrition/dietetics, social justice and the determinants of health are major components of our practice. Every single one of my graduate courses has touched on these factors, and our Field courses, which are our professional practice courses, heavily emphasize social justice and the social determinants of health and are pretty muched talked about in every single class. Yeah! But the few dietitians I spoke to were also in research and policy work, but still said that dietetics may not be the best choice for me. I think that information just reinforced my plans of trying to get settled into a career then slowly add in my interests. We're not in the best situation at home or in our extended family for me to spend more years doing stuff for interest when I could do something moderately interesting and start supporting the elders. So nutrition then dietetics just wouldn't work out RIGHT NOW anyways. I knew that I definitely want to incorporate nutrition as the key element of my family medicine practice because its rarely brought up at the doctors offices. Like when was the last time a doctor asked 'so what kinds of things do you eat at home?' unless there is a chronic illness. Interprofessional collaborations all the way! But thank you again for opening my eyes to the career. In all honesty, any career can be molded into a pathway that fits your causes and interests if you really want to. If a country wants better population health then the answer is pretty simple: have less poor people (which also translates into less crime) The answer is not more doctors, nurses, and hospitals. Problem is, as NR indicated above, politicians have other priorities (getting re-elected) which are both short-term and short-sighted. This is why I love you guys! We have young people knowing their sh*t about what's wrong with society and that understand what needs to be done. Still keeping the dream of doing family med AND addressing social justice issues for my future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falling Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Aaron is like 74 years old. "young people knowing..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 plus usually your backup is supposed to be something relatively easier for you to get into (otherwise I could back up with say being the prime minister ). Dentistry isn't exactly a trivial field to get accepted for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 n'ah, we're a special breed. I don't recommend dentistry as a back up. If it's not your first love, it's probably a bad idea. I've often said that I'm lucky I love my work because if I didn't my job would be hell.I always hear this too! But I actually have a family member who ended up in dentistry bc they couldn't get into med and even though they didn't enjoy dental school, they absolutely LOVE their job now. They always tell me not getting into medicine was the best thing that ever happened to them cause they know they'd just be overworked and have nowhere near the free time they do now. They're the kind of person who cares TOO MUCH about their patients so I can definitely seeing dentistry being better fit for their own well being lol. I guess the moral of the story is you never know. You can learn to love something you didn't previously enjoy and not getting into medical school isn't the end of the world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 I always hear this too! But I actually have a family member who ended up in dentistry bc they couldn't get into med and even though they didn't enjoy dental school, they absolutely LOVE their job now. They always tell me not getting into medicine was the best thing that ever happened to them cause they know they'd just be overworked and have nowhere near the free time they do now. I guess the moral of the story is you never know. You can learn to love something you didn't previously enjoy and not getting into medical school isn't the end of the world or the moral is that people tend to find ways to enjoy what ever field they get into. We have the same issues with residency programs. Most people seem to end up enjoying whatever they get - even if it is not their original choice. People are adaptable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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