U of T undergrad, US Med School

[Loula]

Any body know how UofT is respected in the US. My grades are not bad, but I think they're lower than required. Do they take into account the level of difficulty of the school or the name?

Post your opinion, answers, come on and say it all!!!! )

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[moo]

UT is considered the same as any other US school. You're not going to get any advantage or disadvantage for applying, and most adcoms in the US aren't aware of the extra "difficulty" of the school. You have to remember that although UT is considered the "Harvard" of Canada, and while it's well-respected in the US, it will not get the wow factor as some other Ivy league schools in the US.

 

[leviathan]

Remember that it is easier to get an A at U of T than at an American school (because Canadian schools have lower percentages for A's). Therefore your GPA will be higher than an American who had the same percent average as you.

 

[EMDream]

Remember that it is easier to get an A at U of T than at an American school (because Canadian schools have lower percentages for A's). Therefore your GPA will be higher than an American who had the same percent average as you.

Yup!!! Definite bonus and saved my GPA

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Remember that it is easier to get an A at U of T than at an American school (because Canadian schools have lower percentages for A's). Therefore your GPA will be higher than an American who had the same percent average as you.

Thats wrong ******...although our percentages are lower to get an A, you have to look at the class averages for a relative comparison...although at UofT, an A is a 85%, how many people in a class get 85%??? Not that many...so you have to look at the averages...so in a typical UofT class, the class average is like a C which is like 65%.....but at a US school, it would be a higher percentage, but same letter cause their C is a higher percentage....so when comparing to the US, dont look at percentages cause we dont use the same scale....use the letter grades, because those are the same (A is highest, F is lowest)....

In reality, all US schools are easier....just ask any American student at UofT who has also experienced US undergrad..I have many and they tell me the same thing...UofT is friggin hard...

 

[EMDream]

Thats wrong ******...although our percentages are lower to get an A, you have to look at the class averages for a relative comparison...although at UofT, an A is a 85%, how many people in a class get 85%??? Not that many...so you have to look at the averages...so in a typical UofT class, the class average is like a C which is like 65%.....but at a US school, it would be a higher percentage, but same letter cause their C is a higher percentage....so when comparing to the US, dont look at percentages cause we dont use the same scale....use the letter grades, because those are the same (A is highest, F is lowest)....

In reality, all US schools are easier....just ask any American student at UofT who has also experienced US undergrad..I have many and they tell me the same thing...UofT is friggin hard...

Uhhh, yeah. And Cornell is just as academically hard to get an 85% as UoT except an 85% is a friggin B. It really causes me to laugh. I am Canadian and I went to a US school and I am speaking from personal experience, it is HARDER TO GET A'S IN THE US unless you goto a grade inflated school like Harvard. Some of the class averages were like 60% or low 70's in my classes and those are D's and C's, not C's and B's. I am kicking myself for not taking the free GPA ride Canada would have given me and applying to a US med school.

 

[EMDream]

Let me add one more thing, UoT isn't even a hard school to get into. You need like a mid eighties average in high school for most of the programs, or low nineties for engineering. UoT is I'm sure a good school to learn from with some great profs but on the prestige scale, it doesn't mean much outside of Canada and it's definitely not considered "hard".

 

[leviathan]

Thats wrong ******...although our percentages are lower to get an A, you have to look at the class averages for a relative comparison...although at UofT, an A is a 85%, how many people in a class get 85%??? Not that many...so you have to look at the averages...so in a typical UofT class, the class average is like a C which is like 65%.....but at a US school, it would be a higher percentage, but same letter cause their C is a higher percentage....so when comparing to the US, dont look at percentages cause we dont use the same scale....use the letter grades, because those are the same (A is highest, F is lowest)....

In reality, all US schools are easier....just ask any American student at UofT who has also experienced US undergrad..I have many and they tell me the same thing...UofT is friggin hard...

Wow, let's keep this forum civil, you "******." You trying to tell me it's harder to get an 85% at U of T than it is at an American Ivy League college is a joke...Get your facts straight and grow up before you post here again when you start to throw out irrelevant insults like a 13 year old.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Uhhh, yeah. And Cornell is just as academically hard to get an 85% as UoT except an 85% is a friggin B. It really causes me to laugh. I am Canadian and I went to a US school and I am speaking from personal experience, it is HARDER TO GET A'S IN THE US unless you goto a grade inflated school like Harvard. Some of the class averages were like 60% or low 70's in my classes and those are D's and C's, not C's and B's. I am kicking myself for not taking the free GPA ride Canada would have given me and applying to a US med school.

WOw...out of all the schools in the US, you happen to pick one of the best....my American Lit prof was a former prof at Cornell, and I was in his class at his first year at UofT.....and at the end of the year, he basically told us that the quality of students at both universities is similar and he couldnt really distinguish....

when I was saying US schools are easier, I was implying the million other crappy colleges in the US....you just happen to pick one of the best....so when you are saying, goto UofT for the free GPA ride, that makes me laugh, because if you think Cornell is hard, Uoft Is gonna be just as hard. SO basically, if you want the free GPA ride, dont goto UofT or Cornell....

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Let me add one more thing, UoT isn't even a hard school to get into. You need like a mid eighties average in high school for most of the programs, or low nineties for engineering. UoT is I'm sure a good school to learn from with some great profs but on the prestige scale, it doesn't mean much outside of Canada and it's definitely not considered "hard".

Its funny you said this...my girlfriend is from Venezuela, and her father dreams of her going to UofT because he has such a high regard for it.....when I was in first year, I lived with guys from Hong Kong, and they told me that they have to put their email adress as their UofT address, cause they could brag to all their friends, and it would be much easier getting a job and respect....UofT is so popular among students from Hong Kong, that they have a separate graduation ceremony in Hong Kong.....Ive also had some international academic experience and UofT is highly regarded around the world

I did an exchange in England at the University of Birmingham (well regarded uni in the UK), and my physics prof told me, "its an honour to have someone from UofT at our school"....when I first arrived, I had asked my biochem prof at the same uni how students did in his class, and he said "not bad, but they are nothing compared to the caliber of students at UofT."

Currently Im doing an internship in Costa Rica that I got through UofT. My boss (American guy from Michigan) said that he has hired interns from all over the US and Canada....many prestigous schools....but he said, his best students (in terms of writing skills) have always been from UofT.....lo and behold, the only two interns in the office are me and this girl, both from UofT.

When I went to talk to the admissions director at Tufts university regarding my university choice (i was graduating from high school and was unsure if UofT was the right choice), she told me that she regards UofT and McGill as Ivy League schools....

When I went to my dental school interviews and talked with the Canadians there (suprisingly all from either UofT, McGill or UBC), I was worried about how I, as a Canadian would fit into the US system, and at every university I interviewed (Tufts, NYU, Columbia, Temple, BU), they all told me that US universities were a joke, and that Canadians are always at the top of the class...

Not saying that Americans are stupid...far from the truth...just saying that when you state that one should goto Canada for a free GPA ride, and that UofT is easy to get into and not highly regarded, I found it amusing......

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Wow, let's keep this forum civil, you "******." You trying to tell me it's harder to get an 85% at U of T than it is at an American Ivy League college is a joke...Get your facts straight and grow up before you post here again when you start to throw out irrelevant insults like a 13 year old.

its obvious you dont know the reality of GPA inflation at Ivy League schools.....looks like you dont know the facts *******....

Ivy League schools consist of two types of people....smart people who work hard, and rich people. If Daddy gives to the alumni, then welcome aboard (George W. Bush is a prime example).....whereas at UofT, EVERYONE is smart, because in Canada, money doesnt buy you education unlike other friends down south....so if you get into a top Canadian institution like UofT, McGill or UBC, its because of your work, not daddy's bank account.

 

[leviathan]

Its funny you said this...my girlfriend is from Venezuela, and her father dreams of her going to UofT because he has such a high regard for it.....when I was in first year, I lived with guys from Hong Kong, and they told me that they have to put their email adress as their UofT address, cause they could brag to all their friends, and it would be much easier getting a job and respect....UofT is so popular among students from Hong Kong, that they have a separate graduation ceremony in Hong Kong.....Ive also had some international academic experience and UofT is highly regarded around the world

I did an exchange in England at the University of Birmingham (well regarded uni in the UK), and my physics prof told me, "its an honour to have someone from UofT at our school"....when I first arrived, I had asked my biochem prof at the same uni how students did in his class, and he said "not bad, but they are nothing compared to the caliber of students at UofT."

Currently Im doing an internship in Costa Rica that I got through UofT. My boss (American guy from Michigan) said that he has hired interns from all over the US and Canada....many prestigous schools....but he said, his best students (in terms of writing skills) have always been from UofT.....lo and behold, the only two interns in the office are me and this girl, both from UofT.

When I went to talk to the admissions director at Tufts university regarding my university choice (i was graduating from high school and was unsure if UofT was the right choice), she told me that she regards UofT and McGill as Ivy League schools....

When I went to my dental school interviews and talked with the Canadians there (suprisingly all from either UofT, McGill or UBC), I was worried about how I, as a Canadian would fit into the US system, and at every university I interviewed (Tufts, NYU, Columbia, Temple, BU), they all told me that US universities were a joke, and that Canadians are always at the top of the class...

Not saying that Americans are stupid...far from the truth...just saying that when you state that one should goto Canada for a free GPA ride, and that UofT is easy to get into and not highly regarded, I found it amusing......

It's funny how you seem to have a convenient response to every post pertaining to knowing someone in each situation...I think you're full of it. Furthermore, let's not use n=3 studies because you know 3 people who are smart from U of T. I'm obviously not saying U of T students are dumb (though you are), but you can't classify an ENTIRE body of students as intelligent because (if your statements are even true) your employer highgly regards UT students or because your Chinese friends said "everyone loves U of T". Good thing you're not going into medicine, your interpersonal skills and manners are ****.

 

[leviathan]

its obvious you dont know the reality of GPA inflation at Ivy League schools.....looks like you dont know the facts *******....

Ivy League schools consist of two types of people....smart people who work hard, and rich people. If Daddy gives to the alumni, then welcome aboard (George W. Bush is a prime example).....whereas at UofT, EVERYONE is smart, because in Canada, money doesnt buy you education unlike other friends down south....so if you get into a top Canadian institution like UofT, McGill or UBC, its because of your work, not daddy's bank account.

And a second thing, getting into UofT, McGill, or UBC is extremely easy. You only need a mid-80s average to attend any of these schools. Trust me, I know quite a few George W. Bush characters at my school (UBC).

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

It's funny how you seem to have a convenient response to every post pertaining to knowing someone in each situation...I think you're full of it. Furthermore, let's not use n=3 studies because you know 3 people who are smart from U of T. I'm obviously not saying U of T students are dumb (though you are), but you can't classify an ENTIRE body of students as intelligent because (if your statements are even true) your employer highgly regards UT students or because your Chinese friends said "everyone loves U of T". Good thing you're not going into medicine, your interpersonal skills and manners are ****.

HAHHHA, im full of it? So I would make up all those differing stories just to prove my point to an idiot on a forum? And when I say idiot, I meant you, the guy with a 74% average who wants to goto a North American med school...HAHHAHAHAHA....what is that? LIke a 3.0? hAHHHA...dude, you are so foreign bound! So whats it gonna be....Caribbean or Ireland or Australia? Or somewhere in like a village in Mexico? hHAHAHA, Can i start calling you Dr. Nick?

ok enough laughing at ya...back to the topic...of course, im not saying that the entire student body at UofT is intelligent, that would be too extreme. However, the general student body is intelligent....cream of the crop in Canada, thats for sure.

ANd seeing that you live in HongCouver, just ask any person from Hong Kong how UofT is regarded in Asia if you dont believe my crazy stories. ANd please explain why UofT is always ranked #1 by Macleans?

 

[leviathan]

HAHHHA, im full of it? So I would make up all those differing stories just to prove my point to an idiot on a forum?

Yeah, you probably would considering you are apparantly a fan of trolling and flaming random people without cause on internet message boards. Yay, you get a gold star! *

And when I say idiot, I meant you, the guy with a 74% average who wants to goto a North American med school...HAHHAHAHAHA....what is that? LIke a 3.0? hAHHHA...dude, you are so foreign bound! So whats it gonna be....Caribbean or Ireland or Australia? Or somewhere in like a village in Mexico? hHAHAHA, Can i start calling you Dr. Nick?

Yeah, 74% average in FIRST YEAR...I'm sure you either did crappy too, or you had stellar marks after your first year because you didn't have the problem of learning how to manage a social life with the much higher volume of studying than experienced in high school, *******. Now that I've become accustomed, I'm sure I'll do much better...Even if I don't, I would end up becoming an IMG and maybe I would work in some mexican village...but at least I'd be doing it for the love of bettering peoples lives, and not in the interests of money and respect, as a creep like you is doing for dentistry.

Regardless, I am quite sure that I already know twice as much as you about physiology and medicine, and I'm just a second year undergrad. Definitely not some dental student who gets his joy by lashing at people on the Internet so that he can channel his frustrations of social inadequacy through an anonymous medium. And please make sure you never open a dental office within 100 miles of me...Lord knows what you will do to your patients if you ever graduate (which I doubt you will) and get in possession of general anaesthetics, considering your behaviour on here.

ok enough laughing at ya...back to the topic...of course, im not saying that the entire student body at UofT is intelligent, that would be too extreme. However, the general student body is intelligent....cream of the crop in Canada, thats for sure.

You obviously even lack the capacity to understand that the crux of this whole argument was related to a comparison of UofT (a top canadian school) with top american schools.

ANd seeing that you live in HongCouver, just ask any person from Hong Kong how UofT is regarded in Asia if you dont believe my crazy stories. ANd please explain why UofT is always ranked #1 by Macleans?

I've never read those reviews, but I thought McGill was always rated #1, UofT 2nd....Besides, I've heard that Maclean's reviews are biased and based on faulty criteria that do not correlate well to actual quality of education.

 

[Choda]

wow, the maturity level of this thread has skyrocketed....

now kiss and make up...*******es... yeesh


badvibes... I'm truly getting bad vibes from you man. Your posts reflect your lack of tact and compassion. Thank you for staying out of the medical profession - there's no place for the kind of talk you've displayed here. That snooty, elitist attitude ain't goin to get you very far, and it sure won't get you many friends. No wonder you have to resort to a mail-order girlfriend from venuzuela.

I urge you to reply man, I'm dyying to see you start another post calling me a "******" or "idiot" or "*******" or some other name that doesn't require much thought to come up with....

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Yeah, 74% average in FIRST YEAR...I'm sure you either did crappy too, or you had stellar marks after your first year because you didn't have the problem of learning how to manage a social life with the much higher volume of studying than experienced in high school, *******. Now that I've become accustomed, I'm sure I'll do much better...

sorry bud...those first year marks have given you no chance at a canadian med school....med schools may say that they only look at certain years, but do you honestly believe that with all the high quality applicants there are? Ive known people in my undergrad that ranged 3.2-3.5 in their first year, and rocked their upper years with 3.7-4.0, had decent MCATs and still did not get in anywhere....whereas, this girl who consistently had a 3.7-4.0 got into UofT med. You can do all you want with volunteering and bull like that, but guess what? everyone else does the same stuff, so adcoms dont care....in Canada, its all marks and thats it....and the last time I checked, a 74% aint gonna cut it. I didnt have the marks to get into a Canadian school and I admit it, so thats why I went down south.

so yah, I guess you would have a chance at US med schools no problem, but there is just one problem...you are not american....US med schools are very hard for Canadians to get accepted....I have an American greencard so I got accepted to most of the schools I applied to...just goto the med forums and see how hard it is for international applicants...and US schools look at every year....so a 74%??? ummm....yah, Ill say it again, you're caribbean bound.......Dr. Nick.

Even if I don't, I would end up becoming an IMG and maybe I would work in some mexican village...but at least I'd be doing it for the love of bettering peoples lives, and not in the interests of money and respect, as a creep like you is doing for dentistry.

Its funny that you say that im in dentistry for the money....if you look at my past posts, you would see that Im a huge advocate for public health dentistry...im going to Temple and doing a combined dental and masters degree in public health.....last year I worked in a dental public health clinic in Mexico City and actually, right now Im in Costa Rica on an internship getting public health experience in the academic field with the World Bank.....when I start my clinicals in 2 years, I will be doing part of my clinical experience and my practicum for my masters in South Africa and Cameroon and will be spending a short period of time in Haiti through my school....I dunno, but thats gonna be an impressive resume when I graduate....my goal is to work in the dental division of the WHO/PAHO and be an international dentist....so yah...I guess Im in it for all that money that public health pays!

Regardless, I am quite sure that I already know twice as much as you about physiology and medicine, and I'm just a second year undergrad. Definitely not some dental student who gets his joy by lashing at people on the Internet so that he can channel his frustrations of social inadequacy through an anonymous medium.

Yah you're right...you probably do know more than me..given the fact that I was a chem and political science major at UofT and only took one bio course in my life....I used my undergrad to build a solid foundation in the social sciences because I knew that dental school would teach me the relevant science I need to know and I knew that I was going to be an international dentist and needed to know about policy and government....but I guess thats what going to dental school is all about, right? Learning dentistry??? Oh well, when you have your caribbean interviews in a couple of years, why dont you tell them that when you were in 2nd year, you knew more physiology and medicine than an incoming dental student...that would really impress them....and you never know, it could help you getting admissions, cause we all know that caribbean admissions is tough stuff!!

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

I've never read those reviews, but I thought McGill was always rated #1, UofT 2nd....Besides, I've heard that Maclean's reviews are biased and based on faulty criteria that do not correlate well to actual quality of education.

Well, looks like Im not the one who doesnt have my facts straight. UofT constantly wins the medical/doctoral degree in the Macleans rankings every year. Here is their reasoning:

One of the world's pre-eminent research institutions, Canada's top-ranked Medical-Doctoral university is a place where students can find opportunities in spades. The figures alone tell an impressive story: roughly 3,000 faculty, more than 300 undergraduate programs, 32 libraries, seven colleges, each with its own distinctive programs, social clubs and residences--and an endowment, unrivalled among Canadian universities, of $1.4 billion. Made possible in large part by Toronto's famously loyal alumni, that endowment, notes president Robert Birgeneau, has helped the university to award a remarkable $48 million in undergraduate student aid this year, more than three-quarters of it based on need. At the same time, it has allowed Birgeneau to bring 110 new tenure-stream professors to campus, where they have joined such names as philosopher Mark Kingwell, demographer David Foot and Nobel Prize-winning chemist John Polanyi.

Nobel Prize winning professors....outgoing NATO ambassadors....Preston manning is a professor here, oh yah, and our current PM is a UofT graduate....I dunno, but UofT sounds pretty good to me....here is the link to the article:

http://www.macleans.ca/universities/article.jsp?content=20031106_133132_3296

By the way, McGill was #2 and UBC was #5....dude, UBC got beat by Queens and Western!!! Damn, I thought UBC was much better than that! By the way, if you didnt know this, Americans love rankings and abide by their US News rankings as if it were the Bible, so when they form a basis on Canadian schools, Im sure they use Macleans rankings in forming their perception. As biased as they may be, thats reality! Life sucks, eh! Here is the link to the rankings:

http://www.macleans.ca/universities/article.jsp?content=20031106_133202_2948

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

wow, the maturity level of this thread has skyrocketed....

now kiss and make up...*******es... yeesh


badvibes... I'm truly getting bad vibes from you man. Your posts reflect your lack of tact and compassion. Thank you for staying out of the medical profession - there's no place for the kind of talk you've displayed here. That snooty, elitist attitude ain't goin to get you very far, and it sure won't get you many friends. No wonder you have to resort to a mail-order girlfriend from venuzuela.

I urge you to reply man, I'm dyying to see you start another post calling me a "******" or "idiot" or "*******" or some other name that doesn't require much thought to come up with....

staying out of the medical profession????...last time I checked, dentistry was a medical field.....

mail-order girlfriend, eh? Wow, someone has a serious biased view of women from third world countries....I guess they are all mail-order for us rich Canadians, eh? Anyways, its pretty rare for someone to make fun of me for having an exotic looking girlfriend who is half spanish/half chinese and who is studying nursing in Toronto...here is a pic for your pleasure....yah Im such a loser for having a girlfriend like that!!! Hey since she is not with me here in Costa Rica, can you do me a favour and lick my choda?? Someones gotta do it.

 

[Choda]

anyway, this is my last post on this thread because this is getting rediculous...

badvibes....you keep on reinforcing exactly what I said... you're pompous, arrogant, self-centered, you lack professionalism, and you're definately overcompensating.

anyway, good luck to you. I'm not going to waste anymore time on you. As long as you refrain from exercising the attitude and the behaviour you display on this forum, I'm sure you'll somehow succeed in your humanitarian endeavors. Afterall, you're a superstar.

With love,

choda

ps. sure I'll lick it, as long as we can cuddle afterwards bigguy

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

So I guess leviathan's whole spiel on Canadian schools being inferior is not an elitist view at all, right? Yah, perhaps I am pompous, but I would prefer the term accomplished....I would be pompous if I thought I was better than others, but I dont. I only mentioned those points cause leviathan assumed I was self-centred and stupid compared to him. THose things I mentioned are goals that I personally have and worked hard to achieve every single one of them...so yah...not pompous, just accomplished. BUt it is flattering that you think Im a superstar!

By the way, you can call me unprofessional and what not, but dude, you gotta learn how to seriously spell:

rediculous?? definately??? Arent people like yourself who possess huge amounts of professionalism supposed to know how to spell basic words?

 

[Choda]

oh god...give it a break dude
now you dissin my spellin? this is a freakin web forum!
it's getting lame, seriously.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

oh god...give it a break dude
now you dissin my spellin? this is a freakin web forum!
it's getting lame, seriously.

yah you're right....i know its a web forum, but i just found it amusing that you were bashing me on being professional, when you were misspelling basic words....and its obvious that you honestly thought that was how you spelled them.....

 

[leviathan]

sorry bud...those first year marks have given you no chance at a canadian med school....med schools may say that they only look at certain years, but do you honestly believe that with all the high quality applicants there are? Ive known people in my undergrad that ranged 3.2-3.5 in their first year, and rocked their upper years with 3.7-4.0, had decent MCATs and still did not get in anywhere....whereas, this girl who consistently had a 3.7-4.0 got into UofT med. You can do all you want with volunteering and bull like that, but guess what? everyone else does the same stuff, so adcoms dont care....in Canada, its all marks and thats it....and the last time I checked, a 74% aint gonna cut it. I didnt have the marks to get into a Canadian school and I admit it, so thats why I went down south.

If you honestly believe that, and you aren't just trying to incite some sort of anger or depression in me, then you are sadly mistaken. I know many, many people who got in with averages in the 60's in their first year. And not everyone does the "volunteering" to the expectations of med schools...They either don't have a passion for their work, but simply feel it will look good on their application, or they don't do enough in their spare time. Not to mentiont hat many of these volunteer positions are rudimentary tasks that have no significance to them. I have plenty of really good volunteer work at the hospital, also as a first-aid attendant with OFA level 3 and even some ACLS training, and many other things that I love doing.

Its funny that you say that im in dentistry for the money....if you look at my past posts, you would see that Im a huge advocate for public health dentistry...im going to Temple and doing a combined dental and masters degree in public health.....

...bla bla bla....Seriously, someone like you working with charity organizations? I could have wet my pants from laughing so hard. If you think you're such a philanthropist, you must be doing it for the wrong reasons or you wouldn't be such a prick on these forums...seriously man, why would you be so disrespectful to me without reason if you are a genuinely good person.

staying out of the medical profession????...last time I checked, dentistry was a medical field.....

Don't be an ass....you know what he meant...And you definitely should stay out of BOTH dentistry and medicine. First off, you would never cut it in medicine with such a lack of respect and care for other people...Secondly, the dental field already has a notoriously bad reputation for being full of cold, heartless practitioners, much like you will become.

So I guess leviathan's whole spiel on Canadian schools being inferior is not an elitist view at all, right?

For someone who claims to be so intellectually superior to everyone else, you sure lack any ability to comprehend English. Are you ESL or something, dude? I never said Canadian schools are inferior, I only said that the letter grade assignments are lower. You are making assumptions about things that I am not implying, then following up by calling me a "******."


I think this will be my last post unless you have something constructive and friendly to add, aside from all this childish name-throwing. Even if I don't get accepted to a Canadian med school, do you think that has any bearing on the quality of a physician I will become? It doesn't matter where I go, I'm sure I'll be a damn good doctor and really know my stuff...I've done courses in medical physiology already, and I absolutely love it and excel at it. Sure, I had a 74% average this first year, but I had 85% in both the physiology courses, and high 80s in my other prereq courses. Besides that, who do you really think we should be calling Dr. Nick...me, or you? Medicine isn't all about what you've learned...it's also about the quality of care you provide your patients, and you have definitely showed with your attitude and personality that you're going to be someone who is not fit for health care, and who gives poor treatment to patients. At least you're in dentistry where the whole patient care aspect is not very important. I had the chance to spend a few hours with the head pediatric neurosurgeon (who I might add, graduated from a Caribbean med school) at the Children's hospital here, and he gave me some good advice. He said that someone who practices medicine but does not possess the personality or concern for his patient can only be referred to as a technician, and not a doctor. I really hope you can change before you graduate, because I'm sure the way you are so disrespectful and rude will have some sort of impact on your patient care in dentistry.

 

[leviathan]

Oops, didn't notice this part...might as well add another post here and comment.

Well, looks like Im not the one who doesnt have my facts straight. UofT constantly wins the medical/doctoral degree in the Macleans rankings every year.

Ah, yes but you see, I clearly stated that I wasn't sure what the rankings were...I only *thought* this is what they were.

By the way, McGill was #2 and UBC was #5....dude, UBC got beat by Queens and Western!!! Damn, I thought UBC was much better than that!

I just found that about 3-4 years ago UBC was ranked #2 (after UofT) on the Macleans site. But that's awesome for UofT...I never said it was a bad school, in fact I wanted to go there. I was accepted there and McGill last year, but decided to stay home and go to UBC instead....I guess that sorta contradicts your statement that UofT students are smart, when you say that I'm stupid, eh?

Oh, by the way, I found another interesting ranking study. UBC ranks #35 out of the top 500 universities in the world....the only other Canadian school to rank in the top 50 was U of T (at 23rd place, very nice I might add).

See this:
http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2004/mr-04-08.html , and follow the link to the study if you wish from there.


Also, the reason I remember McGill being #1, followed by UofT then UBC, is that I read an American research study once that was in that order. I can't find it now that I search, all I seem to get are the Macleans results turning up.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

If you honestly believe that, and you aren't just trying to incite some sort of anger or depression in me, then you are sadly mistaken. I know many, many people who got in with averages in the 60's in their first year. And not everyone does the "volunteering" to the expectations of med schools...They either don't have a passion for their work, but simply feel it will look good on their application, or they don't do enough in their spare time. Not to mentiont hat many of these volunteer positions are rudimentary tasks that have no significance to them. I have plenty of really good volunteer work at the hospital, also as a first-aid attendant with OFA level 3 and even some ACLS training, and many other things that I love doing.

I see that you are from BC...perhaps it is different over there, but in Ontario, you have no chance. Canadian schools arent as forgiving as US schools...why? cause there arent many Canadian med schools and a ton of HIGHLY qualified applicants....man, I meet some of the med school applicants and they are just incredibly smart....their GPAs are so god damn high....thats why I say the 74% is a blotch on your record....not that 74% is a bad mark, but when it comes to med school, it just aint gonna cut it...

...bla bla bla....Seriously, someone like you working with charity organizations? I could have wet my pants from laughing so hard. If you think you're such a philanthropist, you must be doing it for the wrong reasons or you wouldn't be such a prick on these forums...seriously man, why would you be so disrespectful to me without reason if you are a genuinely good person.

So why do I have to be Jesus Christ if I want to work for charity organizations? Im a blunt guy, a realist you could say....so that means I cant think of anyone other than me? And I believe that everything we do is from self-interest, and Im no exception...although I want to do international dentistry, a big reason for it is so I could spend my life travelling, because so far in my life, that is all I have done, travel. Am I doing it for the wrong reasons...I dont think so.....

Don't be an ass....you know what he meant...And you definitely should stay out of BOTH dentistry and medicine. First off, you would never cut it in medicine with such a lack of respect and care for other people...Secondly, the dental field already has a notoriously bad reputation for being full of cold, heartless practitioners, much like you will become.

Again, when did healthcare become a field for losers like yourself that think just because they do well in an introductory physiology class, they are gifted to be a surgeon? Healthcare is just like any other field..its a living. Deal with it.

For someone who claims to be so intellectually superior to everyone else, you sure lack any ability to comprehend English. Are you ESL or something, dude? I never said Canadian schools are inferior, I only said that the letter grade assignments are lower. You are making assumptions about things that I am not implying, then following up by calling me a "******."

when did I say I was intellectually superior than anyone? I remember stating that I didnt have the marks to get into a Canadian school, so I had to come to the US.....and when you state that Canada is a easy to get into and a free GPA ride, to me, that implies inferiority.

Even if I don't get accepted to a Canadian med school, do you think that has any bearing on the quality of a physician I will become? It doesn't matter where I go, I'm sure I'll be a damn good doctor and really know my stuff...I've done courses in medical physiology already, and I absolutely love it and excel at it. Sure, I had a 74% average this first year, but I had 85% in both the physiology courses, and high 80s in my other prereq courses. Besides that, who do you really think we should be calling Dr. Nick...me, or you? Medicine isn't all about what you've learned...it's also about the quality of care you provide your patients, and you have definitely showed with your attitude and personality that you're going to be someone who is not fit for health care, and who gives poor treatment to patients. At least you're in dentistry where the whole patient care aspect is not very important. I had the chance to spend a few hours with the head pediatric neurosurgeon (who I might add, graduated from a Caribbean med school) at the Children's hospital here, and he gave me some good advice. He said that someone who practices medicine but does not possess the personality or concern for his patient can only be referred to as a technician, and not a doctor. I really hope you can change before you graduate, because I'm sure the way you are so disrespectful and rude will have some sort of impact on your patient care in dentistry.

HAHAAH....dude you are such a naive little undergrad loser....dude, goto any first year class and look around ya...everyone is just like you...everyone wants to be a doctor....everyone works at a hospital...everyone shadows a doctor...ive heard your story a billion times....but guess what....only those people who get higher than 74% will become one.....do you think just because you do well in a medically related class or that you diagnosed your mother (that post made me ****ing crack up....showed it to a couple of my friends at UofT....we always knew people like you existed and now we have proof) that adcoms are gonna care??? They hear it a million friggin times, so all they do is look at your transcripts...thats all that matters...As unfair as it is, thats life.....face it, there is a reason why the caribbean is so hot.....no pun intended You got a rough caribbean educational future ahead of ya....

 

[leviathan]

I'll make this nice and short, so you can understand.

I see that you are from BC...perhaps it is different over there, but in Ontario, you have no chance. Canadian schools arent as forgiving as US schools...why? cause there arent many Canadian med schools and a ton of HIGHLY qualified applicants....man, I meet some of the med school applicants and they are just incredibly smart....their GPAs are so god damn high....thats why I say the 74% is a blotch on your record....not that 74% is a bad mark, but when it comes to med school, it just aint gonna cut it...

Yep, you are sadly mistaken...end of story.

And I believe that everything we do is from self-interest, and Im no exception...although I want to do international dentistry, a big reason for it is so I could spend my life travelling, because so far in my life, that is all I have done, travel.

I rest my case.

Again, when did healthcare become a field for losers like yourself that think just because they do well in an introductory physiology class, they are gifted to be a surgeon? Healthcare is just like any other field..its a living. Deal with it.

You never cease to try to win an argument by name-calling...man, how old are you? Who is the loser in this situation. And by the way, it was not an "introductory physiology" class, it was an equivalent to the primary course taken by 3rd year honours physiology students and pharmacy students.

and when you state that Canada is a easy to get into and a free GPA ride, to me, that implies inferiority.

I said these things? Where? Again...reading comprehension..I rest my case on this too. The only thing about Canada that I said was easy to get into was undergraduate programs....comeon, you only need an 85-90% average. I admit that's not EASY, but at the high-school level, anyone who tries hard and has some level of intelligence can do it.

HAHAAH....dude you are such a naive little undergrad loser....dude, goto any first year class and look around ya...everyone is just like you...everyone wants to be a doctor....everyone works at a hospital...everyone shadows a doctor...ive heard your story a billion times....but guess what....only those people who get higher than 74% will become one.

We've already discussed how you don't need higher than 74 for first year, haven't we? And yes, it is humourously true that most 1st years want to go into medicine...the only problem is, most of them have already dropped their decisions by the end of that year.

....do you think just because you do well in a medically related class or that you diagnosed your mother (that post made me ****ing crack up....showed it to a couple of my friends at UofT....we always knew people like you existed and now we have proof) that adcoms are gonna care???

For the former, that's irrelevant to my application, but a reasonable indication that I have decided the right career for myself.

For the latter, it truly proves your idiocy. Again, reading comprehension, you imbecile. Did I say "diagnosing my mother" made me some sort of genius? You'd better damn well HOPE i can recognize the symptoms of ischemia or an MI, especially when you're a first-aid attendant/BLS paramedic who has completed a course in advanced cardiac life support. Either you're a 100% complete *****, or you know that recognizing a heart attack is not hard, and you're trying to make up illegitimate reasons to insult me. Man, you must get your ass kicked a lot.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

I'll make this nice and short, so you can understand.


Yep, you are sadly mistaken...end of story.

cool....we'll talk in a few years when u become a regular on the international forums....I remember how my chem prof used to be so blunt to our first year chem class.....cause the chem club was having a session to look at careers in the different sciences....and she was just say outright, "look, all you guys want to go into med school, but only a few of you will make it....if you dont get a 4.0 in my class, you have no chance at med school".....I just wish more people believed her instead of exhausting all their time and resources on an impossible dream.....

I rest my case.

so what does that mean? That my purpose means nothing anymore because I want to travel?

And by the way, it was not an "introductory physiology" class, it was an equivalent to the primary course taken by 3rd year honours physiology students and pharmacy students.

My mistake....you are obviously gifted and born to become a doctor....so I guess that 3.0 GPA was because of family problems, right? or was it a bad transition? or the hundred of other excuses that people make.

We've already discussed how you don't need higher than 74 for first year, haven't we? And yes, it is humourously true that most 1st years want to go into medicine...the only problem is, most of them have already dropped their decisions by the end of that year.

yah, the people who drop out are the ones who realize that they have no chance....the people who stay in are people with 3.3+ first year GPAs, who quite possibly still have a chance......However, there are always a small amount of people like you who have 3.0 GPAs who think they still have a chance....they start looking at the caribbean come 3rd year though

I finished UofT dude...all the students are the same.....all the stories are the same....Ive seen it all....

 

[leviathan]

Alright, I guess this thread has died off.

cool....we'll talk in a few years when u become a regular on the international forums....I remember how my chem prof used to be so blunt to our first year chem class.....cause the chem club was having a session to look at careers in the different sciences....and she was just say outright, "look, all you guys want to go into med school, but only a few of you will make it....if you dont get a 4.0 in my class, you have no chance at med school".....I just wish more people believed her instead of exhausting all their time and resources on an impossible dream.....

Hmm...already been done and said that you don't need a 4.0....definitely need better than a 3.0 CUMULATIVE, but if you have a 3.0 in your first year you'd have to be a complete idiot to think they care. Comeon, don't make an ass out of yourself by saying that.

so what does that mean? That my purpose means nothing anymore because I want to travel?

Yep...kinda annoying when someone skews what you say and takes it out of context, eh?

My mistake....you are obviously gifted and born to become a doctor....so I guess that 3.0 GPA was because of family problems, right? or was it a bad transition? or the hundred of other excuses that people make.

Because I deserved it, as I didn't do any work. I spent my first year in a dorm having too much fun for my own good with those things called friends that you obviously don't have.

I finished UofT dude...all the students are the same.....all the stories are the same....Ive seen it all....

Yes, you are just THE master on medical admissions, oh Wise Experienced Mr. Class of 2008 dental school who calls himself a Doctor already. 'Nuff said...Troll your ass onto another thread and flame there 'cause I'm done with you.

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Because I deserved it, as I didn't do any work. I spent my first year in a dorm having too much fun for my own good with those things called friends that you obviously don't have.

dude, your story is just way too common...and I can see that becoming a doctor was so important to you....med schools see this and thats why people like you never have a chance...whatever, i aint repeating myself...unless you pull a 4.0 gpa for the rest of undergrad, your GPA might be decent (do the math and see how much a 4.0 GPA will raise your CGPA...not by that much).....just do the math and you'll see how much that 3.0 is gonna hurt you.....caribbean is not that bad dude...you'll have to live your life in the States which blows and most likely wont match into a good specialty, but its all good...you could always work in that Mexican village you were talking about....they'll take anyone they can get.....or you can always try dentistry...the admissions standards are a bit lower....

 

[EMDream]

its obvious you dont know the reality of GPA inflation at Ivy League schools.....looks like you dont know the facts *******....

Ivy League schools consist of two types of people....smart people who work hard, and rich people. If Daddy gives to the alumni, then welcome aboard (George W. Bush is a prime example).....whereas at UofT, EVERYONE is smart, because in Canada, money doesnt buy you education unlike other friends down south....so if you get into a top Canadian institution like UofT, McGill or UBC, its because of your work, not daddy's bank account.

Hi, Cornell doesn't inflate for one, I don't know about the rest but I know this for a fact.

Ohhhh yeah if you get into UoT it's hard work alright. Like getting an 85% average in high school is AT ALL hard. Like I said that's a B average in the states and won't get you into any top schools unless you are rich, okay so the rich people are on equal mental status with Canadian UoT matriculants. Are you going to tell me Canadian high schools are tougher next?

 

[supadupadoc]

Uhhh, yeah. And Cornell is just as academically hard to get an 85% as UoT except an 85% is a friggin B. It really causes me to laugh. I am Canadian and I went to a US school and I am speaking from personal experience, it is HARDER TO GET A'S IN THE US unless you goto a grade inflated school like Harvard. Some of the class averages were like 60% or low 70's in my classes and those are D's and C's, not C's and B's. I am kicking myself for not taking the free GPA ride Canada would have given me and applying to a US med school.

sigh...... how many threads do ppl make the same mistaken comments on? ok here goes AGAIN: i spent my first 2 yrs at UCLA, then the last 2 at UofT and here it is ppl, it is harder to get A's at UofT than UCLA, which, like UofT is a highly competitive and supposedly cutthroat school. now, having said that, it's not impossible to get A's at UofT, I ended up doing better there than at UCLA, but that was with a LOT more work. so EMdream, don't kick yourself too hard. all pre-meds at UofT say the exact same thing, that they should have chosen any other school and gotten a "free GPA ride".

also, going to a US school is a def advantage in applying to US med schools b/c of name recognition, something that adcoms themselves told me. some even require you to have attended an american school for at least a year. of course, a degree from cornell's not gonna help you overcome that nasty issue of residency/citizenship that barrs u from applying to many, many US schools (esp. public ones)

so children, let's keep the arrogance to a minimum on both sides, bottom line is there's ups and downs either way...... being a non-US is a disadvantage wherever you go to school when applying to us med schools

 

[supadupadoc]

[Are you going to tell me Canadian high schools are tougher next? [/QUOTE]




actually, harvard, stanford and princeton all stated to me (yrs ago when i was in 12th grade) that yes, they regard canadian high schools as harder.

and dr.badvibes, you need to chill out homie. your overwhelming bitterness just sort of evokes a feeling of pity towards you, regardless of the validity of many of your claims. ur just perpetuating the stereotype of UofT students as bitter gunners.

 

[Nof55]

Been reading this thread and seems to be an interesting discussion. I am a Canadian currently an MD in the US doing my residency. I did undergrad in both the US and Canada - depended on the class and prof for level of difficulty and grades. Was offerred admission to both US and Canadian Medical school after applying, happened to accept one in the US due to my spouses academic plans. To answer the inital thread. You will not get a lot of cred from being from UofT, McGill, UBC ect.... whether applying on either side of the border. It is raw numbers that is an inital screening tool based on your MCAT and GPA, this is not adjusted based on the school you studied at. Different schools have different cut offs for different years. Residency does play apart if you are not applying at a private school,but it is not an impossible hurdle to overcome. You have to find a school that you feel suits you - large class size, small class size, urban, suburban, ect.... The school also has to want you, your interview has a lot to do with this. Having been involved previously, and now continuing involved with the interview process for residency I can say name recognition of schools do not help, letters of rec and the names on those do. If the school you go to provides you with this it will help. If you have anymore questions hope I can help. I would hold a lot of the previous information that doesn't agree with this suspect, this was not my experience having gone through this.
Nof55