Why would someone spend more than 3 years in undergrad?

[Guest akinf]

Major events of course can change your life during a year, but I was talking more about the gradual things specifically during 3rd and 4th year. But I've already conceded in this discussion that Lurkergonepublic was right.

[Guest whocares123]

I think the European system of 6 year medical school straight from high school is excellent. It has been working out very well for many years.

In that scenario, you have 1 or 2 max chances to apply. Once your time has passed, it's time to move on.

 

OF course, if this sort of system was implemented here, there would be massive amounts of money lost, with less Undergrad science students, etc.

 

Also, this system would work out well for the benefit of the Canadian Health care system with more years of training for MDs, and having them younger graduates - enabling more patient-treating years in the careers.

[Guest DancingDoc]

I disagree actually. I don't like that system because it means that by those first couple years out of high school you have to already know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Most people I know graduating this year have no clue what they want to do with their life. I much prefer our system. Plus, what if you want a midlife career change, our system is much friendlier for that.

[Guest satsumargirl]

Actually in some cases your future is already being narrowed much earlier on. In France, for example, after 2ième (lycée) you go into various streams of 1ère (e.g. 1ère S= science, 1ère B= buisiness, 1ère A = arts). Your math marks predominately determine what stream you will go into. If you are put in 1ère B you will not go to medical school or anything science related. And 1ère A your choices are even more limited. I have a hard time accepting that your math marks at 14-15 years of age should seal the deal for your future options.

 

And then once you are in a professional school, you still have to compete once you are "in". So what to do after you are done 1 year and don`t make it to 2nd year. One of my French friends did 1 year of pharmacy and didn`t make it to second year. It was a very stressful year for her.

 

And the European system at 6 years does not equal more years of training for MDs. With 3 years of undergrad being the minimum requirement in Canada and the shortest medical programs being 3 years, the minimum amount of schooling an MD gets is 6 years. And many have more than that.

 

I think the flexibility in the Canadian system is a strength. Though I also think we can sometimes take longer to get to a similar end point than other countries. I wouldn't really support a system that would narrow people's options at a young age though.

[Guest Lurkergonepublic]

I agree with satsumargirl. I spent some time in France, and when some high school kids I knew were writing their BACS, it was an extremely stressfull time for them. You have to decide so early (and be qualified by your acheivements) what to do. When people knew I was going to University and then would decide whether or not to pursue medicine, they had a hard time wrapping their minds around that flexability. Admittedly I'd be much further ahead by now under such a system, but it's taken me a little longer to decide, and I don't regret it.

[Guest Scholastica]

If I'm wrong, somebody please correct me.

 

I know that, in Europe, students do begin their 6-year medical training right after high school. However, I thought that they had an additional 2-year intership training, which, in Canada, is part of the 4-year undergradaute medical training. So, it's been my understanding, that, in the end, we spend pretty much the same time achieving the MD degree.

 

In addition, I've learned from some physicians who obtained their MD in Spain that medical students have to compete HARD for residency spots because there are a lot less residency spots compared to the total number of medical students. In some awful cases, some people with MD end up driving cabs because they can't get matched to any residency program. I wouldn't assume that this is the case all over Europe, but it certainly made me think the European way isn't necessarily better than the North American system.

[Guest kp2006]

different people mature at different rates. if you know that med is what you love and what you want to do, then dive in. go for it and don't give up unless things really don't work out. i knew in highschool that med was for me, and i just got into UT, UofA, and UBC as a 3rd year student. if you truly love med, then it'll come through in your interview and you should be just fine.