UM Scholarships

[Guest maxell]

I learnt with interest that the UM should be offering $5000 scholarships to those top candidates (basically top MCAT scorees).

 

Considering that admission into medical school is competitive, I wonder why...... other than to try to bribe students to stay. What is especially concerning is that they did not consider offering bursaries to those who are really in need of money and have to fall back on loans.

 

The UM has its priorities all screwed up - it has been trying despartaely in the past years to attract good students - through early admissions, acceptance of OOP students, and now through a $5000 scholarship. Just how ignorant those people who run the school is evident: they think through $5000 they can sway people in their favour, - while ignoring those in real need.

[Guest brandonite]

I couldn't disagree more.

 

Perhaps I am a bit biased, as a recipient of one of those scholarships. But I think that what Manitoba exactly needs to do is to commit itself to becoming a medical school dedicated to training excellent physicians. A big part of that is managing to keep the best and the brightest within Manitoba.

 

While I'm not saying that someone could easily be swayed to stay in Manitoba with the addition of $5000 alone, I think that it helps illustrate that the institution is ready to make that commitment to trying to compete with the other top med schools in Canada, and help make a break from the dedication to mediocrity that is all too common in Manitoba. If they help retain one or two of the top candidates each year within Manitoba, then they will have succeeded in retaining one or two of the leaders of the medical community in the province.

 

With regard to need-based funding and access... I don't think that is a concern at Manitoba. I think that with the low level of tution, and easy access to public loan money, anyone should be able to borrow money for medical school. And while they might have a significant debtload at the end of their training, it is nothing compared to American schools or even most other Canadian schools, and with current physician renumeration levels, it is easily managed. I don't see a need for any need-based burseries for medical students.

 

To be quite honest, this line of thinking somewhat disturbs me. This idea that excellence should never be rewarded, and that everyone should be equal at all costs. Manitoba needs to be doing much more of this, in my opinion. There is an infrastructure being put in place that will allow the medical school to compete with the Toronto's and the McGill's and the UBC's. But until people realize break free from that culture of mediocrity, this will remain an unfulfilled potential.

[Guest imajen]

Firstly scholarships that are awarded to students are based upon their overall ranking (including MCAT, AGPA and interview). The top 10 students will be awarded $5000 and the top 2 will get an additional $2000 (approx.) I know this because I was awarded one of these scholarships for last years class. I think the main purpose of them is to attract the top students overall (not those in financial need) to Manitoba as these are the students who will most likely get accepted to other schools. A $5000 incentive is a great motivator to turn down a possibly better school (even though Manitoba is a really good school). This is probably the reason why in the last 2 years the waiting list has moved so slowly, because many of those that normally would have turned down Manitoba, did not. Whether this is fair or not is beyond me but it was nice to have the majority of my tuition taken care of for one year. By the way there are bursaries that are available for those in financial need. You can get information on these within the first few weeks of school. However, these 10 scholarships are based solely on scholastic merit (as they should be....obviously to place in the top 10 you had to work damn hard and that should be recognized).

[Guest V]

I was also fortunate enough to receive a 5 K scholarship this year. I must say that it came down to U of O or U of M (not only is manitoba a great school, but the money was lucrative).

 

I truly believe that what U of M is doing to attract high scholars to their school is great. Think how hard it is for a school to continually lose students to the Ontario schools or the Albertan schools (both neighbors with very good MD programs).

 

You also have to understand that bursaries are out of the hands of the MD office... those are done through the registrars office (financial aid). They decide who gets what, leaving the MD administrators as simple on-lookers.

 

I think maxell you are totally wrong. I, as someone who has gone through the application process at the U of M and has done a lot of research on its program, think their priorities are fine. I think YOU have to do your research.

 

Maxell, WHAT IS UP WITH ALL OF YOUR PESSIMISTIC POSTS?

[Guest Jennifer Y]

I agree with V's view. Congratulations V!