So You're Going To Be A Uofc Med Student..

[Hyperalgesia]

Thanks for helping out with that post s3lf! I always find it a bit hard to answer 'do I have a decent chance' questions, because really there is no perfect application for getting into med. No matter what you do, there is always an aspect of chance when you apply, which is a little bit scarier as a non-trad leaving a good job to go back to school! I agree that you have to take a very serious look at the committment that getting into med will take, and ask yourself whether it is worth it, especially considering that you may not get in on your first, second, or even third attempt at applying. You have to be realistic when it comes to applying for med, no matter what your background is!

 

That being said, UofC has some great aspects to their application for non-trads, such as the 10-year exclusion rule, and the emphasis on non-cognitive attributes. The best advice I can give you is: work hard, do well in your second degree, show long term committment to extracurriculars, and write the best possible top 10 that you can, and you have a decent chance of getting in eventually! That might not be exactly what you were hoping to hear, but it is really hard to predict how any given application cycle will go, and thus hard to give you a solid answer to your question haha.

 

 

Hello! 

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to provide all of this information!

 

I'm curious about research during the MD program at U of C. It's my understanding that many residency programs want to see research experience relevant to the specialty. Most of my friends in 4 year programs conduct research during their summers off. Could you comment on the best ways for U of C students to stay involved in research during the intensive 3 years?

 

Cheers!

 

While challenging, doing research at UofC is still definitely possible. I have a few friends who are still working with their previous labs on various projects and writing papers, as well as some that had no research experience previously that have gotten involved with projects through MDs they've met or sent e-mails to. We also have a course called AEBM (Applied evidence based medicine) in which you have an opportunity to do some research (although it's only 60 hours, which is not a ton of time for any large-scale projects). Just like with everything else at a three year school, you have to be able to budget your time well, and fit things like research and shadowing into whatever slots you can find. It's not impossible, but it is definitely a bit more difficult.

 

As well, the UofC match rate to all specialties (including the super competitive ones) is about on par with four year schools, leading me to believe that we either have enough time to get all of the aspects of a good application down, or that programs put less emphasis on research than people tend to think they do haha.

[Borborygmi]

I saw in Hyperalgesia's previous post that we are provided a "Core Doc" for each course. I'm trying to decide how best to organize my notes / what programs & tech to use / etc.

 

- Do any of you use OneNote for lectures for supplemental note-taking & drawing? The device syncing really appeals to me, plus it's cross-platform compatible.

- How soon after lectures are the podcasts available, generally?

- Will we need to buy any memberships to gain access to online texts?

- Since lectures are podcasted, do many people opt not to attend class?

- How long would you say your average day is in your first year?

- Other than AMSCAR, are there many conferences we're able to attend during the year?

 

Many surface level questions. I'm noticing a lot of guest lectures happening at the school right now--very excited about that.

[docmm]

What's the typical/usual bursary/scholarship amount for students who demonstrate financial need?

[Hyperalgesia]

I saw in Hyperalgesia's previous post that we are provided a "Core Doc" for each course. I'm trying to decide how best to organize my notes / what programs & tech to use / etc.

 

- Do any of you use OneNote for lectures for supplemental note-taking & drawing? The device syncing really appeals to me, plus it's cross-platform compatible.

- How soon after lectures are the podcasts available, generally?

- Will we need to buy any memberships to gain access to online texts?

- Since lectures are podcasted, do many people opt not to attend class?

- How long would you say your average day is in your first year?

- Other than AMSCAR, are there many conferences we're able to attend during the year?

 

Many surface level questions. I'm noticing a lot of guest lectures happening at the school right now--very excited about that.

 

1. OneNote is great, I use it on my surfacepro for note taking! The pen is awesome.

2. Completely variable. The earliest is usually the next morning (ie: Monday's classes up Tuesday am), but sometimes it takes 24-72 hours. Most have been up lately around 24-30 hours later, but it varies by course and whether or not there are any technical issues haha.

3. Can't reallly help you with that, as I'm not a textbook person haha. But we have access to a few texts (I think!) and lots of journals through the library.

4. Some people don't attend, some do! Variable by course as well.

5. Hmm. Average day of school, or like, average day of school + studying + whatever else? Just want to clarify before answering!

6. Lots of opportunity, depending on your interest!

 

 

What's the typical/usual bursary/scholarship amount for students who demonstrate financial need?

 

Hmm, not really solid on this one either. I believe there is a site somewhere which lists the possible bursaries you can apply for (maybe check the UofC med current students website?) and how much they are worth. In general, there are fewer scholarship and bursary opportunities for medical students, as it is very easy to obtain credit through banks and the government when enrolled in a medical program.

[Borborygmi]

5. Hmm. Average day of school, or like, average day of school + studying + whatever else? Just want to clarify before answering!

 

Thanks for the responses, again! I was more interested in everything altogether. Coursework + studying, etc. The timetable seems to be approximately 8 hours of scheduled classwork a day. I just don't have a sense of expectations to keep up outside of class while building a resume. I assumed it would be around 11-15 hours a day.

[Hyperalgesia]

Thanks for the responses, again! I was more interested in everything altogether. Coursework + studying, etc. The timetable seems to be approximately 8 hours of scheduled classwork a day. I just don't have a sense of expectations to keep up outside of class while building a resume. I assumed it would be around 11-15 hours a day.

 

Hmm. It's really tough to put an actual amount of time on it, as it depends a lot on what kind of person you are. I don't study every night, so some days I do classes and then come home and watch tv all night, while others I do classes, come home and prep for small group and then study for two hours. You basically just need to find of pace of studying that works for you, and then fit that (and everything else haha) into your schedule. Sorry I can't give you a more definitive answer, I think the amount of time spent on medicine a day is really something you have to work out on your own in the first few months!

[LostLamb]

You'll keep revisiting the approach to studying. If you attend classes, expect that you'll spend anywhere from 4h to 8h in class a day. On the shorter days, usually you have some kind of small group session for the rest of the day.  I echo Hyperalgesia's statement: some days you'll study tons after school, other days will be so long that cracking open a book is the last thing you want to do...for days...

 

You should have plenty of time to study and engage in non-medicine activities during pre-clerkship--some courses are more forgiving than others. Clerkship is another matter.

 

Regarding scholarship/bursary for financial need: you'll have to apply to see what you are eligible for. The more common ones I am familiar with are the differential tuition bursary and then some other smaller awards. If you have interests in specific areas or membership to certain groups, then you might be eligible for other ones (just like any scholarship/bursary program).  My advice is: APPLY! It is worth the time and it is not a very involved application.

[climbon]

Nope there are no one bedrooms. Everyone I know has a roommate. I live in one of the 3 boardwalk complexes across the street, and I pay 1500 for a two bedroom (it was all that was available when I was looking). Honestly, with line of credit it's fine. Would I be in less debt at the end if i got a roommate? Yep. But it's not worth it for me and my debt will still be reasonable.

 

I am looking to rent at Boardwalk heights.  I am wondering if you could comment on what the pros and cons are.  Obviously, one of the pros is that it is close to the hospital.  Can you tell me how long it takes to walk to Foothills?  Thanks!

[amichel]

I am looking to rent at Boardwalk heights. I am wondering if you could comment on what the pros and cons are. Obviously, one of the pros is that it is close to the hospital. Can you tell me how long it takes to walk to Foothills? Thanks!

I don't live it boardwalk heights but close. It takes just under 10 minutes. That's a pro, it's also pet friendly which is a pro for me but maybe not you. There are fancier apartments out there, but they've been updating so most of them are pretty decent now. Some people really don't like Boardwalk. I haven't had too many problems. You have to advocate for yourself a bit if you want things fixed, but it's not too bad.

[3change]

.