Entering medical school means pursuing all options
Online posting: April 15, 1997
Published in print: May. 15, 1997 (CMAJ 1997;156:1384)
Re: After rejection in Canada, more Canadians pursuing
career dreams at offshore medical schools, by Milan Korcok, Can
Med Assoc J 1997;156:865-70 [full text / en bref]
In this article Milan Korcok conveyed my experience in
applying to medical school in Canada. Put into the proper
context, my story is very similar to that of many students who
apply to Canadian schools. It is true that I have previously
applied to McMaster University, the University of Ottawa and the
University of Western Ontario and have been unsuccessful.
However, the article did not mention that I have only once
submitted an application to the Ontario Medical School
Application Service (OMSAS) and at the time had not even written
the Medical College Admission Test. For that reason and others --
for example, a lack of community involvement -- my original
application to OMSAS was weak.
My current focus is completing my doctorate. Once that is
done, I plan to reapply to McMaster, Ottawa and Western, as well
to the University of Toronto, Queen's University and several
other schools across the country. I anticipate more success. As
far as not being admitted to medical school on first application
is concerned, my experiences should seem to be normal. An
application to Ross University in Dominica is only one of the
many options I have decided to pursue.
Korcok's article stresses perseverance and determination.
Pursuing all options, whether at home or abroad, is a natural
progression in striving to reach one's goals. The opportunity to
attend medical school in Canada has in no way been exhausted for
me.
Glenn E. Morrison
Doctoral candidate
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ont.
email address withheld upon request
CMAJ email
CMAJ Readers' Forum