Is this how it works?

[Guest Kirsteen]

Guys,

 

First, one residence director doesn't make 'em all. Second, people--including rez directors--are entitled to their opinions and opinions can have bias. Case in counterpoint: the Director of the burn unit at Sunnybrook in TO, a very well liked and respected plastic surgeon dude, is a Mac grad. I'm sure he feels a little differently from the other residency directors mentioned here and as such, I think Mac grads could do as well as Canadian grad X in this scenario if interested in plastics. Incidentally, there are undergrad MDs, residents and fellows from all over Canada appearing on the ward and the surgeons are happy to have them all.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest UWOMED2005]

I know a specialist in Ottawa who's biased against Queen's grads because she did her residency at Queen's and had a few clerks who she felt were "spoiled." I'm sure you can find doctors out there biased against every one of Canada's medical schools. . . except Western, of course.

[Guest UofCMeds2005]

Personally, I have talked to numerous residency programs since being accepted to medical school and they all say the same thing: it is the individual person they look at and not the school they trained in. For instance, if you want to do your residency at sick kids in TO and you go to mac - do an elective there and show them what you are made of.

 

I really think it is unfortunate that Mac gets bashed all the time. Every Canadian medical school has a unique curriculum and philosophy on how to create the best doctor. Every canadian medical school also graduates good and bad doctors. For instance, going to Western doesn't automatically mean that you will be a better doctor. I truly believe that if you are the type of person that will become a gifted doctor you will become one no matter what school you graduate from...

[Guest Angela]

Couldn't have said it better myself! I totally agree with your comment.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Doh. . . should've read the above posts more carefully. When I said I "except Western" I was meant it as a jokingly (ie all med schools are equal. . . except of course for MY school.) Didn't notice the specific reference above to UWO being a superior school.

[Guest AppleJacks]

What makes me a troll.......because I want to share relevant info that I got from very good sources?

 

Excuse me but perhaps people who like to know what residency directors told me, why is everything that is not gung ho hurray horra considered trolling,lies,insanity?

 

Perhaps this board should relax the Nazi type brainwash censorship and let the facts be released.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Apologies if you are not in fact a troll. . . it's impossible to tell often. Sometimes it's just safer to assume someone is a troll until proven otherwise. And I'd rather not be associated with Mac-bashing.

[Guest UofCMeds2005]

I apologize I didn't mean to start anything. I just randomly chose western because it was being mentioned in an earlier post.

 

I guess what i was unsuccessfully trying to say to people looking into different med schools is: Find a school that you think has the learning environment/curriculum/location etc. that best suits your individual needs and go there. Everybody has a bad experience or bad story about admission procedures, curriculum, residency match for every school. Do your own research and only trust your own first hand info! You have to be happy with the school you choose for four long years or three in my case because I am going to uofc.

 

Besides have you every asked your doctor what university they went to? That is of course before you wanted to go to medical school. That is not a question patients routinely ask - why because there is no harvard medical school in Canada. Canada is unique in the fact that every medical school has a decent reputation and graduates good physcians. We will all graduate with an MD!

[Guest Ceds]

I think that was well said UofCMeds2005. I don't think you can really equate one med school as superior to another. Each has their own philosophies, merits and downfalls. Apples and oranges... To modify something I heard once you're not trying to find the perfect med school because there is no such thing. Instead you should find the med school that is perfect for you.

[Guest UofCMeds2005]

I agree...

Since deciding on going to Calgary I have had tons of people telling me this pro and that con to my choice to go into a three year program. To be honest I am just so happy to be going to med school and pursuing my dream to become a doctor, that if you told me I had to go to yellow knife University I would (don't worry I know that there is no such thing )

[Guest Ceds]

Touché, all the best to you in your endeavours UofCMeds2005!

[Guest Ian Wong]

Agree. Residency directors care about you the person. At the end of the day, they aren't evaluating medical schools, but rather a small number of individuals.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3