Not just an MD dream!

Presented by: Jesse OryChapman Learning CommonsIrving K. Barber

What this session is and isn’t notWhat it is

• Introduce you to the process of applying to UBC Medical School

• Sharing personal experiences

• Get insider information

What it is not• A guarantee of admission

• A creation by UBC Faculty of Medicine

Infosession Schedule1. Introduction to Canadian med schools2. UBC Medicine info and application3. Activity4. References5. Med school interviews6. General timeline7. Q&A, feedback, and mingle time - everyone

Thoughts before we start and disclaimer1. All Slides will be posted

2. There will be time for questions at the end

3. And most importantly:

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT represent the UBC Faculty of Medicine, and have no sway on their admissions committee or the application process!

How many and where?•17 medical schools across Canada1

•Most provinces have at least one medical school (some provinces have multiple)

1. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=107737501858516526460.00046ebc86889b76a5351&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=48.107431,-93.339844&spn=33.890576,61.523437&z=4&source=embed

Which universities?•BC: University of British Columbia, Vancouver•Alberta: University of Alberta, Edmonton

University of Calgary•Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon•Manitoba: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg•Ontario: University of Toronto

Queen’s University, Kingston McMaster University, Hamilton University of Western Ontario, London University of Northern Ontario, Thunder Bay/Sudbury University of Ottawa

Which universities?•Quebec: McGill University, Montreal

Université de Montreal Université Laval, Quebec City Université de Sherbrooke

•Maritimes: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia•Newfoundland: Memorial University of Newfoundland

•Distributed programs/locations (ex. UBC)

Out-of-Province Applicants Attending any BC University for atLeast 2 years fulfills the UBC Medicine BC residency requirement2

Limited seats for out-of-province (OOP) applicants

• Some schools don’t have residency

• requirements (ex. Toronto)CHECK!

2. http://www.med.ubc.ca/education/md_ugrad/MD_Undergraduate_Admissions/Admission_Requirements.htm#BC%20Residency%20Requirements

Rankings1 and Information2

Rank SchoolOOP Seats available (total)

OOP Interviews offered (total)

MCAT? 2009/10 GPA

Applic. Fee

1 McGill 15 (174) 62 (287) Yes 3.83/4.0 $85

2 Toronto 250 (all elig.) 532 (all elig.) Yes 3.89/4.0 OMSAS

3 Queen’s 100 (all elig.) ~700 (all elig.) Yes 3.7+/4.0 OMSAS

4 UBC 256 (12 OOP) 615 (664) Yes 3.71/4.0 $105

5 Alberta ~17 (172) 66 (473) Yes 3.8 / 4.0 $115

6 McMaster ~19 (194) 53 (546) Yes 3.86/4.0 OMSAS

7* Calgary 27 (180) 130 (572) Yes 3.66/4.0 $120

7* Dalhousie 9 non-Maritime (98) 59 non-Maritime (293) Yes 3.7 / 4.0 $70

1. http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/wp-content/uploads/091104g_medical_chart.jpg2. http://www.afmc.ca/pdf/2010AdBk.pdf

Rank SchoolOOP Seats available (total)

OOP Interviews offered (total)

MCAT? 2009/10 GPA

Applic. Fee

9* Ottawa 155 (all elig.) 550 (all elig.) No 3.85/4.0 OMSAS

9* Saskatch. 8 (84) 47 (324) Yes 90%+ $125

9* Western 171 (all elig.) 446 (all elig.) Yes 3.75/4.0 OMSAS

12 Laval 4 (214) 11 (822) No 31.8 (?) $30

13 Montreal 6 (273) 8 (670) No ? $80/100

14 Sherbrooke 31 (192) 3 / 73 (765)* No* ? $70

15 Manitoba 11 (110) 51 (330) Yes 4.16/4.5 $95

16*? Northern 64 (all elig.) 391 (all elig.) No 3.72/4.0 OMSAS

16*? Memorial 6 non-Maritime (64) ~80 non-maritime (211) Yes 3.7 / 4.0 $75

1. http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/wp-content/uploads/091104g_medical_chart.jpg2. http://www.afmc.ca/pdf/2010AdBk.pdf

Rankings1 and Information2

Questions?

The Application

What will your application look like? Find out before you apply.

Outline of the Application

• The Basics• Grades• MCAT• Publications• Non-Academic Activities• Work History• Rural Training?• **No Essay! Woohoo!**

Don’t make stupid mistakes!

The Basics

• Personal Information• Citizenship• Residency• Education level

• ** supporting documentation of residency?• ** High school transcript?

Courses

• Credits• 6 of English• 6 of Biology (usually 121 and 140)• 6 of 1st year Chemistry• 6 of organic chemistry• 6 of Biochemistry

• **Official Copy of your Transcript

Grades - Overall

Grades!!

MCAT

• no minimum score!• Release your score!

Publications

• List all publications

• Journal?

• Poetry?

Rural Training

• UBC Okanagan

• No stated impact on admissions

• Independent Decision Making

Verifiers

• Cover your ass!• Not a full reference

• Contact Title• First and Last name• Email• Phone number

• Contact them before you apply!

Work History

• Verifiers

• Start Date to End date

• Don’t need hours

• 350 Characters

• MASTER RESUME!

Non-Academic Experiences

• This takes a lot of time!• 5 Categories:– Leadership– Capacity to Work with Others– Service Ethic– Diversity of Experiences– High Performance in an Area of Human Endeavor

• Character limit• MASTER RESUME!

What you need

• Activity name• Activity Organization• Description (~350 character) limit)• Start and end date• Total # of Hours by Application deadline• Verifiers

Leadership

• Commands, guides or inspires others

• Initiative

• Motivation

Service Ethic

• For the benefit or welfare of others

• Volunteer or work

• Key things– Length of time– Outside “comfort zone”– Preparation for medicine

Capacity to Work with Others

• Beyond peers, friends, and co-workers

• Includes:– Diverse age groups– Different cultures– Disabilities– Socio-economic backgrounds

Diversity of Experience

• Accumulation of knowledge and skills

• Can include:– Travel– Sports– Research– Music– culture

High Performance

• Skill that exceeds what is expected• Award of recognition• Medals?

How to get ahead

• Master Resume

• List EVERYTHING!

• 3 hours at a soup kitchen in 2006? List it!• Helped a little old lady cross the street in

2005? List it!

Master Resume Activity

• Handouts!

References

But I don’t know anyone!!!

Overview

• What you need

• The Big Problem

• The Big Question

• The Easy Solution

Picture from The Oatmeal

What You Need for UBC

• Academic Referee

• Community Referee

• Professional referee

• BIG DIFFERENCE: time

What you need for OMSAS

• Three references

• 1 non-academic/character, 2 anything else

• Must know you well

• Hand in with application

What you need for McGill

• Seven References!!!

• Be Prepared For Anything!

The Big Problem

• “I don’t have three people that I can ask for a reference!”

• Also known as:

• “I don’t have three people that I know who will write me a GREAT reference!”

The Big Question

• “How on earth do I approach so-and-so to ask them to act as my referee?”

The Easy Solution

• Meet

• Build a Relationship (start early)

• Ask!

Interview

“One has a greater sense of intellectual degradation after an interview with a doctor than from any human experience”

– Alice JamesCreated by Andy ChenChapman Learning Commons, Spring 2010

2 types: traditional panel and multiple mini-interview (MMI)Traditional Panel Interview Multiple Mini-interview (MMI)

Memorial UniversityQueen’s UniversityUniversity of TorontoUniversity of OttawaUniversity of Western Ontario

Dalhousie UniversityLaval, Sherbrooke,, and Montreal (joint MMI)McGill UniversityMcMaster UniversityNorthern Ontario School of MedicineUniversity of ManitobaUniversity of SaskatchewanUniversity of AlbertaUniversity of CalgaryUniversity of British Columbia

http://www.mmacanada.org/MMAC%20Interview%202009.pdfhttp://www.medaholic.com/2009/02/13/canadian-medical-schools-mmi-vs-traditional-interviews/

Interview Types

• Panel style interview1

• Current format20-30 minutes1-3 interviewersQuestions relate to youPurpose

•Example: Queens

1.http://astroffconsultants.com/medicine/interview-preparation-tips/panel-interview/2. picture from http://www.careercapitalist.com/.a/6a00d8345275cf69e20105365bcf23970b-300wi

Traditional Panel

•Circuit of interview stations•Question types1:

Traditional interviewEthics or policies in healthcareCurrent EventsHypothetical scenarios

1. http://www.mcgill.ca/files/caps/MMI_FAQ.pdf

MMI Format

•11 question stations + 2 rest stations = 13 stations total•Random assignment of starting station•Writing Sample afterwards•At each station:

http://www.med.ubc.ca/education/md_ugrad/MD_Undergraduate_Admissions/MD_Undergraduate_Interviews.htm

Read station

question, 2 minutes

Bell rings, enter room

Answer question, 7

minutes

Bell rings, get up and leave room

Repeat at next station

UBC MMI

•Interview offer/decline notification dates

•Interview timeslot booking

•Interview periods and coordination

•Travel planning and costs

Interview Planning/Scheduling

•Time required prior to interview•Preparation involves:

StudyingKnowing current eventsSelf-assessmentPractice

•General preparation:Interviewing skillsPublic speakingImprovisationDebating

Interview Preparation

Timeline

Winter

Schmooze

Sept Oct Nov DecMaster Resume

Spring MCAT

Spring

Jan Feb Mar April

Summer MCAT

Ask References

MCAT Schedule

Summer

May June July Aug

Application Mail

Finish!!

Not just an MD dream!

Presented by: Jesse OryChapman Learning CommonsIrving K. Barber