http://www.globecampus.ca/in-the-new...t-cant-get-in/

Here's an article about how hard it is to get into med schools in canada. I'm scared

Eh, yeah, the requirements are annoyingly in depth.

They need some standardized exam right out of high school, this is ridiculous.

Originally Posted by macsci

They need some standardized exam right out of high school, this is ridiculous.

Yeah, so the next generation of doctors can have an easier time getting a degree. The point of having so many selections is to ensure people aren't putting their lives in an unqualified doctor's hands. Anyone can cram for a single exam and come out with a good grade - it's a lot harder to meet medical school criteria in North America, and that's an important selection process.

Now, for the actual content of the article, I partially agree - many students are being restricted just because there aren't enough seats. There is an acute shortage of med school space, so just having the pre-requisites doesn't remotely guarantee anything...

Originally Posted by macsci

They need some standardized exam right out of high school, this is ridiculous.

Standardized exams have no predicting capabilities as to your future ability to be a doctor/lawyer/dentist etc. I'd rather doctors jump through these hoops so that when I need treatment I get someone that actually knows what they are doing.

There was a study where they showed that if you have a certain amount of people (I believe it was about 6000), writing the SATs and just randomly filling out answers, one person would be statistically guaranteed to score perfect. I don't want that person being my doctor.

yeh its b.s. Our own country is screwing us over. The next best option is to go overseas.... but how many of us can actually afford it?

Originally Posted by macsci

They need some standardized exam right out of high school, this is ridiculous.

yeah okay, I don't want shitty doctors. Standardized test out of high school? No thanks, if you want to be a doctor you work hard for it and stand out from the crowd. If you don't then you really dont belong in that profession. A standardized test only shows you can study for a test, nothing else.

Originally Posted by jo87

yeah okay, I don't want shitty doctors. Standardized test out of high school? No thanks, if you want to be a doctor you work hard for it and stand out from the crowd. If you don't then you really dont belong in that profession. A standardized test only shows you can study for a test, nothing else.

that's not the issue. there 1000s of people qualified to be good doctors but Canadian universities only have so much room that they can only take 100. Does that seem fair to you? the other 900 students are more than qualified its just that they don't have the opportunity. Each one of the 1000 people stands out.... but there is not enough room for everyone.

Yeah, in high school everyone wants to become a 'doctor' but most of these people are deluded and actually think they can do it.

HOWEVER, out of the people who want to become doctors in University AND have a relatively high GPA, volunteer work, etc, no way all of them are getting in even though they aren't deluded - they may even have been good doctors if there were enough seats.

You're saying you don't want a standardized test out of high school, etc, that's fine...but then really, is a 3.8 GPA SO much worse than a 3.95? Does that make the 3.8 GPA student terrible? Obviously not, but it does make it 10x harder for him to get in. It doesn't say anything about his skills as a would-be doctor, or even how he would do in med school.

As discussed earlier the reason med school in Ontario is so hard to get into (I have been told it is the hardest program anywhere to get into) is because there are so many people wanting to be doctors and not enough spaces. In some ways this is a very good thing, every med school student in Canada is guaranteed a residency. Once they are into med school they are essentially doctors. This is done so the next generation of doctors are as capable as possible. However it also means that students must dedicate their lives from age 16 onwards to the goal of getting into med school, this all well and good until they fail to get in. Not getting in hits people very hard.

As for the article, just because students apply does not mean they are qualified. The reason McMaster get 5000 applicants is because the entrance 'minimums' are so much lower and they don't require an MCAT. That is not to say people capable of being doctors are not being turned away, just applied doesn't equate to qualified.

Also for those dreaming of being doctors keep in mind application in 3rd and 4th year is not the only option, lots of students are only accepted after getting a masters or phd.

Originally Posted by Infinity

that's not the issue. there 1000s of people qualified to be good doctors but Canadian universities only have so much room that they can only take 100. Does that seem fair to you? the other 900 students are more than qualified its just that they don't have the opportunity. Each one of the 1000 people stands out.... but there is not enough room for everyone.

The quality of education would decline if you had 400 students as opposed to 100. I know there is a huge difference between being in a first year class with 500 people and being in a 3rd year class with 30. Quality doctors is the key, not quantity.

There are other places other than Canada to go to Med School. Spread your net wide, and apply to other schools in the U.S. for instance. Additionally, the cost doesn't become so much of an issue when you realize that by going to the U.S., your salary coming out is REALLY good. You can easily (over 3-5 years) pay off any debts you've accrued to that point as long as you don't go nuts with buying sports cars.

" Once they are into med school they are essentially doctors."

Not necessarily, no. A lot of people aren't made for it even if they were good enough to get in. The amount one has to study is no where near undergrad - it's a lot more and so there are a lot of people who drop out after even a few months when they realize they just can't do it. Besides that, yes, assuming they pass the schooling part, then they will most likely become doctors.

Originally Posted by Alchemist11

" Once they are into med school they are essentially doctors."

Not necessarily, no. A lot of people aren't made for it even if they were good enough to get in. The amount one has to study is no where near undergrad - it's a lot more and so there are a lot of people who drop out after even a few months when they realize they just can't do it. Besides that, yes, assuming they pass the schooling part, then they will most likely become doctors.

Canadian Medschools tend to be really lenient once you're in. Since the application process is so stringent and they let so few people it looks really bad on the school when someone drops out, so they tend to give a lot of support and to put people on probation with counselling rather than letting them fail/drop out.

What do the thousands of students who don't get into medical school each year in Ontario alone do once they realize they didn't make it? Grad school? Like what can someone do with a degree in life science for example?