Does anyone know much about UBC?

[Ren]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

I know this wasn't geared at me, but that sounded pretty condescending. Lighten up, everyone will have different ideals about this.

It's not meant to be condescending, I'm just pointing out the reality that the path towards medical school is far more demanding than a lot of others, that's a simple reality. I just didn't go to any great lengths to sugarcoat it, that's all.

[d_phaneuf]

If you want to ultimately go to UBC med school it is better that you go to UBC, I saw this on their website

BC Residency Requirements

Preference is given to residents of British Columbia; however, a small number of out-of-province applicants are accepted each year.

A BC resident, for the MD Undergraduate Admissions purposes, is someone who has met one of the following criteria:

Has lived in BC for 24 continuous full months immediately prior to the application deadline; or
Has attended secondary school (grades 8 to 12 inclusive) in British Columbia, or attended for a minimum of three (3) years and had a permanent home in BC (secondary school transcripts must be submitted); or
Within the last five years has attended a university in BC for at least two years; or
Was born in British Columbia and attended a minimum of five years of school in BC. The applicant must also have resided in BC for at least one continuous year in the last ten, unless the applicant has been living and working overseas on a work visa or with the Armed Forces, and has been a resident in BC prior to entering the Armed Forces; or
Has attended residential secondary school (grades 8 to 12 inclusive) in BC, even if his/her permanent home is in another province (secondary school transcripts must be submitted); or
Has been a resident in BC for five years at any time for any reason and has resided in BC continuously for at least one year in the last ten; or
Is a resident-under any of the above terms-of the Yukon, NW Territories, or Nunavut.
NOTE: An applicant is NOT considered a resident of BC, for the MD Undergraduate Admissions purposes, if he or she is over 19 years of age and has never lived in BC, even if his or her parents have moved to BC. Unfortunately, having a BC Care Card and/or filing your income tax in BC does not automatically qualify you to meet our requirement at this time.

http://www.med.ubc.ca/education/md_u...quirements.htm

in 2008 out of 256 students who got in to the program 140 were from UBC

[Ren]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Besides, if you have sciences in the bag, become a dentist: less hours, no need to be on call, no residency, basically owning a money printing operation.

Yup, this is what I'm currently working towards!

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by Ren

Yup, this is what I'm currently working towards!

Smart man.

[keenan87]

Well I honestly plan on working my butt off during the summer months with maybe even 2 jobs and hopefully parents can pay for the rent. The 16 grand includes living,food and everything so once that is covered, all I need is some money to live on other expenses. As I said I think I just want a challenge for myself and during school months I will be working on my extra-curricular and volunteering experiences. I am not going to go for the partying at all, it's just that I believe responsibilites and maturity will help me become a better student and hopefully give me enough will power and motivation to become a doctor. Is this a pipe dream?

[keenan87]

Diane_phaneuf thanks for the info... Ultimately that is where I want to go for med-school so that will hopefully help.

Sorry I ran our of thanks

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Well I honestly plan on working my butt off during the summer months with maybe even 2 jobs and hopefully parents can pay for the rent. The 16 grand includes living,food and everything so once that is covered, all I need is some money to live on other expenses. As I said I think I just want a challenge for myself and during school months I will be working on my extra-curricular and volunteering experiences. I am not going to go for the partying at all, it's just that I believe responsibilites and maturity will help me become a better student and hopefully give me enough will power and motivation to become a doctor. Is this a pipe dream?

You sound exactly like every student that enters University. So yes and no.

[Ren]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Well I honestly plan on working my butt off during the summer months with maybe even 2 jobs and hopefully parents can pay for the rent. The 16 grand includes living,food and everything so once that is covered, all I need is some money to live on other expenses. As I said I think I just want a challenge for myself and during school months I will be working on my extra-curricular and volunteering experiences. I am not going to go for the partying at all, it's just that I believe responsibilites and maturity will help me become a better student and hopefully give me enough will power and motivation to become a doctor. Is this a pipe dream?

By all means, do whatever you think is best for you. I can only speak to you about my experiences in undergrad coming from a pretty controlling family... And while it was at times suffocating having to answer to my parents for those 4 years, the benefits of not having to pay for anything far outweighed having to work and go to school at the same time. If you can move out and still get your parents to pay for stuff, awesome, you are truly one of the lucky few.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Sorry I ran our of thanks

Damn. I guess this is where I'll call it good night to this thread .

[keenan87]

Half the people I know went out for the parties which in my mind us useless. So I think I am different than some of them lol

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Well I honestly plan on working my butt off during the summer months with maybe even 2 jobs and hopefully parents can pay for the rent. The 16 grand includes living,food and everything so once that is covered, all I need is some money to live on other expenses. As I said I think I just want a challenge for myself and during school months I will be working on my extra-curricular and volunteering experiences. I am not going to go for the partying at all, it's just that I believe responsibilites and maturity will help me become a better student and hopefully give me enough will power and motivation to become a doctor. Is this a pipe dream?

As a residence staff member, I hear this ALL the time. TBQH, about 10% of the students that I talk to actually follow through.

Medical school is a long ride...my best advice is to be a well balanced person academically, socially and with your volunteerism.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Diane_phaneuf thanks for the info... Ultimately that is where I want to go for med-school so that will hopefully help.

Sorry I ran our of thanks

That's actually really good advice from diane_phaneuf. It applies to most graduate programs.

One word of advice: Don't say you're in "pre-med" when people ask what you're studying. It will impress people the first month until they realize that every science student says they're in pre-med. It's as bogus as History students saying theyre in "pre-law" or fine arts students saying they're in Hollywood/Broadway.

[Ren]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Half the people I know went out for the parties which in my mind us useless. So I think I am different than some if them lol

It's not that parties are useless. For my first two years I went out and partied and actually maintained a fairly normal social life. However, my grades really sucked and I eventually went back and repeated some courses to get a better grade. Around the second semester of my third year though, I just stopped having time for parties and stuff and my parents really cracked down on me. Personally, I'm glad they did, but don't use my life as an example of the normal stay-at-home university student.

You can still maintain a social life but just recognize that if your aim is med school, your studies and extracurriculars always have to come first and that limits the amount of time you will have to do other things.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Ren

By all means, do whatever you think is best for you. I can only speak to you about my experiences in undergrad coming from a pretty controlling family... And while it was at times suffocating having to answer to my parents for those 4 years, the benefits of not having to pay for anything far outweighed having to work and go to school at the same time. If you can move out and still get your parents to pay for stuff, awesome, you are truly one of the lucky few.

*sigh* The many kids nowadays in University with all their rent, tuition and food covered. It used to the the anomaly, now it seems pretty popular. Damn rich kids.

So Ren, I'm also thinking about Dental School. After my first two years of University, I got accepted into Med School, but that summer I shadowed a couple doctors and realized that it was just not for me. The hours are terrible, it's competitive and it just wasn't what I wanted. However, my friend took the route of being a Dentist and now he's starting to work and he's paid off his student loans, owns a M3, and has extremely great hours. Not to mention he only works 4 days a week.

Hopefully life as a Dentist (assuming I get in and everything else) is as great as it seems. That being said, I heard general is one of the most monotonous jobs out there.

[keenan87]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

That's actually really good advice from diane_phaneuf. It applies to most graduate programs.
One word of advice: Don't say you're in "pre-med" when people ask what you're studying. It will impress people the first month until they realize that every science student says they're in pre-med. It's as bogus as History students saying theyre in "pre-law" or fine arts students saying they're in pre-unemployment.

yeah forsure. I hate all these engineering students who think they are already engineers without stepping into a class yet.

I one day want to go into politics (taking poli science) so I might just call myself future prime minister lol.

Also... Loved the fine arts joke haha

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

Hopefully life as a Dentist (assuming I get in and everything else) is as great as it seems. That being said, I heard general is one of the most monotonous jobs out there.

IIRC, highest rate of substance abuse, depression and suicide are dentists.

Lots of perks, but you stare at teeth all day and 99% of people hate seeing you and frankly, you're unappreciated.

[Ren]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

*sigh* The many kids nowadays in University with all their rent, tuition and food covered. It used to the the anomaly, now it seems pretty popular. Damn rich kids.

So Ren, I'm also thinking about Dental School. After my first two years of University, I got accepted into Med School, but that summer I shadowed a couple doctors and realized that it was just not for me. The hours are terrible, it's competitive and it just wasn't what I wanted. However, my friend took the route of being a Dentist and now he's starting to work and he's paid off his student loans, owns a M3, and has extremely great hours. Not to mention he only works 4 days a week.

Hopefully life as a Dentist (assuming I get in and everything else) is as great as it seems. That being said, I heard general is one of the most monotonous jobs out there.

Here's how I look at dentistry: If you want to basically own your own money-printing business, work 30 hours a week, live in a million dollar home in Springbank, take vacations whenever you want, never answer to anybody, avoid all the hassle of trying to beat out a million other people for a seat in medical school, have people come back to give you money every 6 months guaranteed, and have a wide open window to specialize once you get bored of general, look into dentistry. It also has the benefit of being covered by insurance so even in a crappy economy you're guaranteed to keep making money, and no matter how many technological advancements may come out in the future you will always be in demand.

It's one of those things that nobody really does because they enjoy working in peoples' mouths all day. It's everything else that makes it awesome. However, as Clever-Iggy said you generally find a lot of unhappy people in the field because it's a very unfulfilling job outside of its perks.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

IIRC, highest rate of substance abuse, depression and suicide are dentists.

Lots of perks, but you stare at teeth all day and 99% of people hate seeing you and frankly, you're unappreciated.

I remembering hearing something sad like that. But, unlike being a lawyer the hours are a lot easier so I can actually see what my family looks like. But seriously, the reason why I want to be a Dentist is the use of my hands. I couldn't ever imagine sitting behind a desk hours on end looking at numbers.

That said, I took a Law class back in the early days and I loved it. Fascinating stuff. If only it wasn't so hard, I would have actually gave Law a second thought

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Ren

Here's how I look at dentistry: If you want to basically own your own money-printing business, work 30 hours a week, live in a million dollar home in Springbank, take vacations whenever you want, never answer to anybody, avoid all the hassle of trying to beat out a million other people for a seat in medical school, have people come back to give you money every 6 months guaranteed, and have a wide open window to specialize once you get bored of general, look into dentistry. It also has the benefit of being covered by insurance so even in a crappy economy you're guaranteed to keep making money, and no matter how many technological advancements may come out in the future you will always be in demand.

It's one of those things that nobody really does because they enjoy working in peoples' mouths all day. It's everything else that makes it awesome. However, as Clever-Iggy said you generally find a lot of unhappy people in the field because it's a very unfulfilling job outside of its perks.

Dentistry used to be no where as competitive as Medical School. Now it's almost the same. There are less applicants, but there are also less seats. Equally competitive IMO. That said, I have always had bad teeth and pains so I fully appreciate the work a Dentist does

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

I remembering hearing something sad like that. But, unlike being a lawyer the hours are a lot easier so I can actually see what my family looks like. But seriously, the reason why I want to be a Dentist is the use of my hands. I couldn't ever imagine sitting behind a desk hours on end looking at numbers.

That said, I took a Law class back in the early days and I loved it. Fascinating stuff. If only it wasn't so hard, I would have actually gave Law a second thought

I use my hands! I have to type and make hand gestures!

I actually think lawyers have a pretty high rate of substance abuse, depression, etc... too. The good thing about being a lawyer or dentist is that if you do fall off the wagon, you can afford to fall off using the good stuff.