Ottawa U Biomed Vs. Health Sciences

[Zobaida]

Hi,

I am a grade 12 student aspiring to become a doctor. I have been accepted at Ottawa U's undergrad programs for months now but cannot decide on which program I should choose. I am equally interested in both programs. I am interested in hearing what someone in my position would choose and why? Thanks in advance!

[NBgeegee17]

I have been asked this question many times! Honestly both program are good, but it depends on you interests and what will motivate you to get the best grades possible as well to have time build your resume.

 

Why Health Sciences?

Health sciences was the degree I did in Ottawa (so, I'm a bit biased). Honestly, I chose it because I did not want to spend my 4 years in a lab and spending most of my time studying pure sciences. I also did not want to do physics and maths, which this program does not require (but be careful with that if you plan to apply in medical schools other than Ottawa). I like the balance between the science and the social part of health. That being said, this means that you will also have a nice mixture of projects, essays and exams to do (I did not like projects, so this would be a negative point for me). I also felt that I had lots of time to do do volunteer/sports/research. At times, it does get very busy, but you can plan out your semester in advance to make sure you know when to study and when you can do more volunteering. You also have enough of flexibility in your course sequence to take the prerequisites for medical school. 

 

Why Biomed?

I do not have as much knowledge on this program, but it can also give you many advantages. If you love pure sciences, spending time in labs and writing lab reports, then this program might be for you! Most of your prerequisites are already in the course sequence, except for the humanity classes which you will have to choose as electives at some point (again, for uOttawa med). As for the free time to build your resume, maybe somebody from biomed could give you more info.

 

What if you don't get in medical school after four years?

Ok, so, I do not want to discourage you, but you might not make it in medical school after four years and you will have to decide what to do next! Take another degree? graduate degree? or maybe medical school won't be your first choice anymore!

Well, Health sci and Biomed do not offer the same spectrum of jobs. 

Health sciences is more geared towards the management of health systems and the administrative part of it. You can also apply to occupational therapies or research too. 

Biomed would lead you to a career in research or teaching. But again, you can also choose to do occupational therapy as a graduate program.

 

I hope this gives you more info! I have obviously given you the point of view from a student from uOttawa doing her medical school at uOttawa! I would definitely also look up the other medical schools to make sure nothing stands out and change your decision. But for the most part, both degrees are good to get into medical school. You can always change your mind if the one you choose is not good for you! 

[Zobaida]

I have been asked this question many times! Honestly both program are good, but it depends on you interests and what will motivate you to get the best grades possible as well to have time build your resume.

 

Why Health Sciences?

Health sciences was the degree I did in Ottawa (so, I'm a bit biased). Honestly, I chose it because I did not want to spend my 4 years in a lab and spending most of my time studying pure sciences. I also did not want to do physics and maths, which this program does not require (but be careful with that if you plan to apply in medical schools other than Ottawa). I like the balance between the science and the social part of health. That being said, this means that you will also have a nice mixture of projects, essays and exams to do (I did not like projects, so this would be a negative point for me). I also felt that I had lots of time to do do volunteer/sports/research. At times, it does get very busy, but you can plan out your semester in advance to make sure you know when to study and when you can do more volunteering. You also have enough of flexibility in your course sequence to take the prerequisites for medical school.

 

Why Biomed?

I do not have as much knowledge on this program, but it can also give you many advantages. If you love pure sciences, spending time in labs and writing lab reports, then this program might be for you! Most of your prerequisites are already in the course sequence, except for the humanity classes which you will have to choose as electives at some point (again, for uOttawa med). As for the free time to build your resume, maybe somebody from biomed could give you more info.

 

What if you don't get in medical school after four years?

Ok, so, I do not want to discourage you, but you might not make it in medical school after four years and you will have to decide what to do next! Take another degree? graduate degree? or maybe medical school won't be your first choice anymore!

Well, Health sci and Biomed do not offer the same spectrum of jobs.

Health sciences is more geared towards the management of health systems and the administrative part of it. You can also apply to occupational therapies or research too.

Biomed would lead you to a career in research or teaching. But again, you can also choose to do occupational therapy as a graduate program.

 

I hope this gives you more info! I have obviously given you the point of view from a student from uOttawa doing her medical school at uOttawa! I would definitely also look up the other medical schools to make sure nothing stands out and change your decision. But for the most part, both degrees are good to get into medical school. You can always change your mind if the one you choose is not good for you!

[Zobaida]

Thank you so much for your reply ☺️☺️ This clears up some matters but I wanted to also ask how health sciences would work as a prep for the MCAT? By looking at the course sequence for biomed, it seems that it only covers the prerequisites for medical (Ottawa U in specific) but also a lot of good prep for the MCAT. How did you find health sciences work as a prep for the MCAT?

Also, you bring up the point of not making it medical school, which is what scares me the most when thinking about choosing health sciences. I feel like I wouldn't have many options with health sciences, am I wrong?? However, if I am dead set on medical school, is it worth it to risk my GPA in favour of opening more options if medical school doesn't work?

[NBgeegee17]

Thank you so much for your reply ☺️☺️ This clears up some matters but I wanted to also ask how health sciences would work as a prep for the MCAT? By looking at the course sequence for biomed, it seems that it only covers the prerequisites for medical (Ottawa U in specific) but also a lot of good prep for the MCAT. How did you find health sciences work as a prep for the MCAT?

Also, you bring up the point of not making it medical school, which is what scares me the most when thinking about choosing health sciences. I feel like I wouldn't have many options with health sciences, am I wrong?? However, if I am dead set on medical school, is it worth it to risk my GPA in favour of opening more options if medical school doesn't work?

 

 

Good questions! I actually forgot to mention that. I also did not do the MCAT but yes, Biomed will give you a better base for the MCAT for sure. But, if you study during the summer, depending on when you plan to do your MCAT, you can do well event though you are in health sci! You can also take those more "prep" classes that are lacking for the MCAT in Health sci or study it on your own too! 

 

The GPA vs MCAT debate is also a tough one. Ideally you want to do good in both (duh!), but the weight of the GPA and MCAT in the admission process changes for each university (Ottawa does not use the MCAT, so the GPA is weighed more heavily, per example). 

 

I also do understand you point for Health sciences and future jobs, I felt the same! You can do second entry nursing (after 2y in Health sci) if you realize that Med school is really not for you or if you decide you want to change into a more professional degree or occupational therapy, administration, etc. You do have some options, but for me, they were not options that I wanted to choose! My actual plan B was to become a midwife.

 

Is it worth risking your GPA for more "options" if you really wanna be a doctor? I would say no. You can always start another degree or switch from one to another if something happens (but yes, that can cost lots of money!). Getting into medical school implies taking lots of risks and trying to make the best decisions without knowing the outcome! Students who get accepted in med school come from all sorts of backgrounds, there is no magic recipe. You will not know how to map out your way in medical school until you start university and find out how what works best for you! Honestly, this sounds "cheesy" but, do what you like, volunteer in things that motivate you, research if you want to do it (if your like me and don't really like it, then find something else to do!), play sports or find something to change your mind and keep you sane and yeah, get the best grades you can...!

[Zobaida]

Good questions! I actually forgot to mention that. I also did not do the MCAT but yes, Biomed will give you a better base for the MCAT for sure. But, if you study during the summer, depending on when you plan to do your MCAT, you can do well event though you are in health sci! You can also take those more "prep" classes that are lacking for the MCAT in Health sci or study it on your own too!

 

The GPA vs MCAT debate is also a tough one. Ideally you want to do good in both (duh!), but the weight of the GPA and MCAT in the admission process changes for each university (Ottawa does not use the MCAT, so the GPA is weighed more heavily, per example).

 

I also do understand you point for Health sciences and future jobs, I felt the same! You can do second entry nursing (after 2y in Health sci) if you realize that Med school is really not for you or if you decide you want to change into a more professional degree or occupational therapy, administration, etc. You do have some options, but for me, they were not options that I wanted to choose! My actual plan B was to become a midwife.

 

Is it worth risking your GPA for more "options" if you really wanna be a doctor? I would say no. You can always start another degree or switch from one to another if something happens (but yes, that can cost lots of money!). Getting into medical school implies taking lots of risks and trying to make the best decisions without knowing the outcome! Students who get accepted in med school come from all sorts of backgrounds, there is no magic recipe. You will not know how to map out your way in medical school until you start university and find out how what works best for you! Honestly, this sounds "cheesy" but, do what you like, volunteer in things that motivate you, research if you want to do it (if your like me and don't really like it, then find something else to do!), play sports or find something to change your mind and keep you sane and yeah, get the best grades you can...!

[Zobaida]

Thank you so much!! This helped me a lot but it's still a hard decision.

[WinterCanon]

As somebody who was in Health Science for a year here at UOttawa, the only thing I would point out is how much it is NOT a science degree.  You really aren't required to take any hard science courses, and a lot of the curricula is social science.  The more medical related courses (anatomy, the first year microbiology) are shared with the nursing students mostly - they're fine, but not especially rigorous.  

 

Obviously, how you feel about social science is personal, but even with a pretty heavy liberal arts background, I found a lot of the health sci specific courses to be pretty unscientific.  Not always evidence based...

 

Certainly, a biomed degree would be better prep for the MCAT, easier to transfer from into another degree, and probably also have better non-MD job prospects.  Also, it may be easier to get research experience in biomed, although a more pure science would be better still in this regard.  I'm super super biased, but my take is that having a really rigorous university level background in science is incredibly invaluable -though I'm sure that others would say the same about sociology.  I mean, they'd be wrong, but still...

 

If health administration, policy, and the sociology of health are legitimately interesting for you, go health sci; if proper science is more up your alley, go biomed (or even biochem, biopharm, etc.)

[Al22]

 Also, it may be easier to get research experience in biomed, although a more pure science would be better still in this regard.  

I don't agree, after all  biomed now has a coop program too.

and even without coop program I was able to do an internship in France during my first summer, then work-study the following fall, then the undergraduate research program in the winter, full time work-study in the summer (my name on a paper), then my honors project the last year while doing a few hours a week in another lab in the fall.

 

I really liked biomed may courses in common with biochem and biopharm but less chemistry (which I am not good at)

[Zobaida]

As somebody who was in Health Science for a year here at UOttawa, the only thing I would point out is how much it is NOT a science degree. You really aren't required to take any hard science courses, and a lot of the curricula is social science. The more medical related courses (anatomy, the first year microbiology) are shared with the nursing students mostly - they're fine, but not especially rigorous.

 

Obviously, how you feel about social science is personal, but even with a pretty heavy liberal arts background, I found a lot of the health sci specific courses to be pretty unscientific. Not always evidence based...

 

Certainly, a biomed degree would be better prep for the MCAT, easier to transfer from into another degree, and probably also have better non-MD job prospects. Also, it may be easier to get research experience in biomed, although a more pure science would be better still in this regard. I'm super super biased, but my take is that having a really rigorous university level background in science is incredibly invaluable -though I'm sure that others would say the same about sociology. I mean, they'd be wrong, but still...

 

If health administration, policy, and the sociology of health are legitimately interesting for you, go health sci; if proper science is more up your alley, go biomed (or even biochem, biopharm, etc.)

[Zobaida]

I don't agree, after all biomed now has a coop program too.

and even without coop program I was able to do an internship in France during my first summer, then work-study the following fall, then the undergraduate research program in the winter, full time work-study in the summer (my name on a paper), then my honors project the last year while doing a few hours a week in another lab in the fall.

 

I really liked biomed may courses in common with biochem and biopharm but less chemistry (which I am not good at)

[Zobaida]

Did you find it the courses/ course load to be really demanding? Where you able to maintain a competitive average for medical school? I am willing to put in the effort for high marks but have met many people who are pretty smart/Harding working that are struggling.

[WinterCanon]

Yeah, there are some brutal courses.  Particularly some of the second year science labs are just devastating, and you do see course averages in the low 60s.  Personally, I didn't have much difficulty getting a great GPA, but I was coming in after a first degree (in music, so not related, but the added maturity the second time round is a game changer.)  For what it's worth, the average student level at Ottawa is noticeably lower than at a school like McGill (my alma mater), so you do have that going for you as far as grades are concerned.

 

I'd try to avoid the mentality that Health Sci would be easier anyhow - objectively, it probably is, but a way way bigger factor is what you're interested in.  The only not A+ that I have on my uOttawa transcript was from a determinants of health course that I just couldn't convince myself to care about.  

 

In response to Al22 re: research - point taken.  My thought was that many of the profs you'll meet in your first and second year are more likely to be doing basic research as opposed to medical related research, and they'll be more on board with taking on a student from their own faculty.  That being said, it's a super minor point - if you have good grades and you put just a tiny bit of effort in, Ottawa is a great school to do research at as a undergrad regardless of the department.  Lots of programs and room to stand out.

 

I stand by my comment that it is easier to set up research experiences as a science student (biomed, biopharm, etc.) over a health science student. 

[Al22]

 The only not A+ that I have on my uOttawa transcript was from a determinants of health course that I just couldn't convince myself to care about.  

 

hahahaha I took this course in french the teacher was awful there wasn't any A+ in the whole class, more than 75 students, the average was 4.3/10 !! he couldn't phrase the questions right and wouldn't answer any questions from us during the exam, a nightmare... 

 

But it is no longer in the biomed curriculum : http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/regist/calendars/programs/1700.html 

 

of course it is in health science, in that case I would highly recommend not taking this course in french... 

[NBgeegee17]

hahahaha I took this course in french the teacher was awful there wasn't any A+ in the whole class, more than 75 students, the average was 4.3/10 !! he couldn't phrase the questions right and wouldn't answer any questions from us during the exam, a nightmare... 

 

But it is no longer in the biomed curriculum : http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/regist/calendars/programs/1700.html 

 

of course it is in health science, in that case I would highly recommend not taking this course in french... 

 

 

I guess that depends on the teacher honestly! I took this class in french and it was very possible to get an A+. Every program and every class is perceived differently by everyone one! 

[ThatMedGyal]

I recommend Biomed as I find that in comparison it is a very flexible and holistic program. There are tons of research opportunities and tons of electives for you to truly personalize your program (e.g. gear it towards physics, chemistry, biology, health-sciences, law, heck even music or a pot-pourri of every faculty). 

 

The courses in science, though very interesting, are not easy and are objectively more time consuming than those in health-sciences simply because of labs and heaviness of the material. That is the main drawback, you may or may not have as much time as a H-S student for extra-curriculars/volunteering.

As for keeping a competitive average for med school in Biomed, it's very possible (i'm a living testimony  ) to a point that it is the program in the whole university with the largest portion of students placed on the Dean's list every year (cGPA above 8.5/10).

 

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you love - HS = Social sciences with a little bit of sciences or BM = Sciences with a little bit of social sciences. You'll excel in what you love! 

[pixie094]

Jahanne7 summarized it perfectly! However, I just finished my 4th year in Biomed at uOttawa so I'll describe my experience with the program. Keep in mind this is my experience with school while working 10-15 hrs/week, volunteering 3hrs/week, soccer/sports 5hrs/week, 3hrs/week of other extracurriculars (clubs) and having a social life (girlfriend/friends). I'll also put my GPA I finished with after each year for reference of an "average" pre-med student's work because I figure/feel I'm average:

1st year - Not too bad; the classes are more difficult than high school, and having to write 1-2 lab reports every week while also studying for midterms/tests, doing weekly calculus assignments, and attending classes, weekly 3hr labs, and DGDs can be stressful as hell. It's a transitional year and you can tell courses are set up to wean the "unfit" out of the program. Finished the year with a 9.0 GPA

 

2nd year - Definitely the busiest year for me, and quite difficult in terms of courses and labs. Orgo Chem 2 lab sucked, but it was nice that it was its own separate course this time around, but writing a weekly lab report for that class was brutal at times, I was lucky to have an amazing TA, but my friends who had a bad TA really struggled with the lab course... However, it was much more enjoyable year than first year in my opinion, and I did better - finished with a 9.5 GPA.

 

3rd year - Had more time and more freedom (in terms of # of electives) than in previous years. However, this was by far the most challenging year in terms of course difficulty and content. However, I started playing Quidditch too in 3rd year which added on about an extra 4hrs/week of sports into my schedule so time management became increasingly difficult. But, although it was a stressful year, I got to take a lot of Anatomy and Biochemistry oriented courses which I found to be very interesting in content so it was overall an enjoyable year. Additionally, had space in my audit for some cool and easy electives which definitely helped out my GPA. Finished with a 9.0 GPA but really had to work for it.

 

4th year - Best year of university by far! Only had to take 3 sciences courses (at the 3rd or 4th year level) and had 7 electives of whatever the hell I wanted to take which was awesome, especially since 3 of them were easy 1st year courses haha! However, beware of senioritis, especially in Biomed. All my friends in the program, like me, were fed up with the program and uOttawa in generally by 2nd semester of 4th year, but, I think most university students feel that way.  Haven't gotten all my marks back yet but I should (potentially and hopefully) finish with a 9.6 GPA.

 

Hope this helps you out a bit. The program is very pure science heavy, especially in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year. But, by 3rd year (and a little in 2nd year) you get a lot of electives in your audit which works well to ease your course load or allow you to expand your horizons and learn about other fields of academia. But honestly, take whatever program that will allow you to get the best GPA because it's the most important aspect (for many schools) for med schools admissions, as GPA is offer one of the first cut-offs so you want it to be as competitive as possible. I too think that Biomed would best to prep you for the MCAT, so that should be in consideration. However, if you are a bright student who excels at grasping concepts, a good MCAT prep course would/should do just as fine. No matter what you decide, make the decision that will one, allow you to fully enjoy all aspects that university can offer you as both a student and a young adult, two, allow you to maintain a high/competitive GPA for med school admissions, three, allow time for work/volunteering/extracurriculars/leisure, and four, make you proud to have a degree in. Lastly, make sure that in any case, you take the pre-req courses needed for all med schools you are applying to.

Best of luck!

[Zobaida]

Thank you! I really wanted to see what the work load is like, and this gives a really good summary!

[andyluo]

Very good information for understanding the difference between the two programs. great insight on both programs will help a lots on decisions.