The latest updates from the MD Admissions team.
Science Prerequisites – An Update
By Admissions on Sep 24, 2015 As you may or may not be aware, over the past year the Faculty of Medicine has been reviewing the science prerequisites for the MD program. The proposal is to remove all science prerequisites as strict requirements for the program.** To date, this proposal has been approved by a series of committees. However, final consideration by UBC Senate has been delayed and will not occur before mid-December. We hope to have a final update for you around that time. In the interim, what does this mean for those of you planning to apply in 2016 or beyond? You should continue to plan your degree with the assumption that we will maintain the current science prerequisites for the indefinite future. Why? Because if this proposal is not approved the current science prerequisites will still be required next year and the years following. Additionally, if the proposal is approved, the science prerequisites will still be strongly recommended and having knowledge in these subjects will help you in medical school. Although we are hoping to remove our strict requirements around the prerequisites, the Faculty of Medicine is still deeply committed to science as a foundation for medicine. However, we know that many of you come to medicine from a variety of backgrounds— you attend schools where not all of the requirements are offered, or your program does not leave adequate room for you to fit all of the necessary courses in. Our goal is to provide you with the ability to take courses that are of interest, that challenge you, and that allow you to gain foundational knowledge in biology, chemistry, biochemistry and organic chemistry without compelling you to take a specific sequence of courses. If the proposal is approved, we hope to provide more information about what we are looking for in terms of a scientific foundation in December or January. In the meantime, we are eager to hear from you – please leave us your thoughts, opinions, questions or concerns by posting a comment below. **Please note that the proposal does not discuss changes to the English prerequisite requirements. English, as currently listed on our website, will still be a requirement even if this proposal is passed. Permalink | 68 Comments
MED 2019 Class Finalized
By Admissions on Aug 24, 2015
Today the MD Undergraduate Program welcomed the new MED 2019 class to the first day of orientation. It was fun to meet the new students and share in their excitement as they began their medical education. Unfortunately, for applicants on the waitlist, the start of orientation also means the class is finalized, so there will be no more positions available this year. We would like to wish these applicants special congratulations for making it so far in the application process and of course welcome their applications for the 2015/2016 cycle.
Permalink | No CommentsNotes on Transcript and Document Statuses
By Admissions on Aug 10, 2015
If you are wondering about your transcript or other document status, please read the following notes:
1. UBC Transcripts– As long as you have marked the box on the Other Information page to authorize us to access your UBC transcript electronically, you can consider your UBC transcript received by the deadline even if your UBC transcript status says “Not Received.” We may not finish updating these transcript statues until after the application deadline.
2. Transcripts carried forward from your 2014/2015 file– As long as you have marked the box on the Additional Information page asking us to transfer your transcripts to your new file, you can consider your carried-forward transcripts received by the deadline even if the status for these transcripts says “Not Received.” We may not finish updating these transcript statuses until after the application deadline. You must submit a new copy of any transcript that has changed since you last submitted it.
3. Other Transcripts– We normally update transcript statuses within 24 hours of the transcript arriving at our physical location. There is an approximate one-day delay between our mailing address and our physical location, but transcripts are on time if they arrive at the mailing address by the deadline. At least one entry for each institution must be started on the Transcripts page of the application in order for us to update the status of your transcript.
4. BC Residency– As long as you have uploaded a scan/photo of your BC Care Card or BC Services Card by the August 17 or September 15 deadline, you can consider your proof of residency to be received on time, even if your BC residency status says “Not Received.” We may not change your proof of BC residency status until we evaluate your file in the fall. As a reminder, proof of BC residency will not be carried forward to your new file.
5. MCAT – Please complete the MCAT page of your application and release your scores to us using the THx system. UBC is not part of the AMCAS system. We are currently updating MCAT scores twice per week.
Permalink | No Comments(Mostly) Non-Academic Questions
By Admissions on Jul 21, 2015
We are excited to see that a number of people have started (and even submitted) their applications! With people working on their applications, some questions have come up, especially around the non-academic sections of the application. We hope these answers will help.
1. For the Research Publications and Presentations section, the Help Guide says I should only include publications on which I was a first or second author. What should I do about publications on which I was third, fourth, fifth, etc. author?
We suggest integrating a note about your involvement in these publications into the description of your research work or research volunteer experiences. That way we will be aware of your work and you will not have to put something in the Research Publications and Presentations section that doesn’t meet the guidelines.
2. I’ve never presented my research work at a conference, but I have done a presentation or two about it more informally (like in a lab group or as a guest presenter in a class). Should I include this kind of presentation in the Research Publications and Presentations section?
The Research Publications and Presentations section is intended for more formal presentations at conferences. If you have room in the description of the related research activity, you could mention the presentations there.
3. Should I include abstracts in the Research Publications and Presentations section?
Abstracts should not be included in the Research Publications and Presentations section. If there was an oral presentation or poster presentation associated with the abstract you can put the presentation in the Research Publications and Presentations section, but we do not have a separate category for abstracts anymore. If you think the abstract is important to mention, we recommend including it in the description of the relevant research activity.
4. I received an award that allowed me to receive a salary while doing research. Should I list it both in Awards and Employment History?
This one is a bit tricky – we consider this type of award to be more of a stipend than a traditional award, so we would say it’s not really necessary to put it in the Awards section (although you won’t be penalized if you do). The research experience should be included in the Employment History section for sure and you can mention the award in the title or description.
5. I can’t find a website for my award.
Please put the website of the awarding organization, department or office instead.
6. I’ve completed the MCAT page of the application but don’t see my MCAT scores.
All applicants must release their scores to UBC using the THx system. After you release your scores, we manually upload them into the application system. We are currently uploading scores twice per week.
7. Is the AGPA based on the credits with grades I have now or will have at the end of April?
It’s based on the credits with grades you have now (excluding summer 2015 courses). There are definitely exceptions, but in general people are eligible for the AGPA after they have completed 120 credits. For most people this means you would be eligible when you apply after finishing your fourth year of university.
8. If I have attended, am attending or will be starting medical school at a different institution can I still apply?
You can apply as long as you did not withdraw from the medical school due to academic reasons. Please write a short paragraph about the details of your attendance in the appropriate box on the application. Note that applying to our program means you will start over in Year 1 if accepted.
Permalink | 2 CommentsSouthern Medical Program Expands Rural Positions
By Admissions on Jun 25, 2015
The Southern Medical Program (SMP) is expanding the number of positions available for students interested in rural, remote, or northern rural medicine. Beginning with the 2015/16 admissions cycle, up to 10 of the 32 annual positions within the SMP will be designated for students with rural, remote, or northern backgrounds.
These changes are being implemented in an effort to help address the need for more doctors practicing in rural, remote, or northern communities, in particular within the BC Interior.
The Remote and Rural Suitability Score (RRSS) currently used in selection of students for the Northern Medical Program (NMP) will now also be used to help identify suitable students for these 10 SMP positions.
All students with rural, remote, or northern backgrounds are encouraged to complete the RRSS section as part of the online application.
Applicants who do not complete the RRSS section will still be able to rank the SMP as one of their potential site options (site preference completed post multiple-mini interview) as in previous admission cycles. However, they will be considered for the non-rural positions only.
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