So, You Want to be a Doctor, Eh? Dr. Anne Berndl, MD

Table of Contents

FOREWORD:            1
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO MEDICINE
CHAPTER 1: ABOUT THIS BOOK
Why I Wrote This Book
What Qualifies Me to Write This Book?
Thanks to Those Who Contributed
The Ultimate Canadian Medical School Resource Guide: What Sets This Book Apart?
CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE JOURNEY
The Road to Becoming a Physician, a Brief Outline
What Do Doctors Do?
CanMed Guidelines
Residency Positions Available in Canada 2006
Who Becomes an M.D. in Canada?
CHAPTER 3: ARE YOU RIGHT FOR MEDICINE AND IS MEDICINE RIGHT FOR YOU?
Pros and Cons of Medicine
Reasons to Become a Doctor, Reasons Not to Become a Doctor
Do I Really Want to Be a Doctor?
Am I comfortable in emotionally intense situations? Do they make me feel more alive? Are they overwhelming?
Am I a pleasure delayer?
What are my financial expectations?
How important is sleep to me?
How important is control over my own time?
How do I feel about being constantly evaluated?
Am I easily frustrated?
How do I feel about working for a long time with no guarantee of success?
How do I react to failure?
How do I react to the feeling of helplessness?
Am I comfortable with people who have fundamentally different views from mine?
Is medicine something that will prevent me from being involved in certain things that are important to me?
How do I feel around sick people?
How do I see myself as a person in my 20’s and 30’s? How about in my 40’s, 50’s or later in life?
Am I comfortable with ambiguity?
How do I envision the everyday lifestyle of a doctor, and on what am I basing this assumption?
What sort of stability am I expecting?
Am I ready to go through puberty all over again?
What do I really want to get out of this anyway?
Why Apply to a Canadian Medical School?
PART II:     GETTING IN
CHAPTER 4: DOCTOR DEVELOP THYSELF!
Extracurriculars and Social Development
The Cross-Cultural Experience and the Financial Factor
Choosing The Ideal University Courses
The GPA
The Plan for Getting Good Grades
The MCAT
MCAT Scores Explained
MCAT Timing Strategies
The Importance of the MCAT
The day before the MCAT, I did the following:
Day of the exam:
Try, Try Again
CHAPTER 5: THE APPLICATION
Inside Your Application Package
Writing Your Personal Statement
Big Mistakes to Avoid
Getting Letters of Recommendation
Who Should Write your Letters of Recommendation?
Should I See My Letter of Recommendation?
CHAPTER 6: THE INTERVIEW
Preparing for the Interview
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Be Positive!
The Standard Interview vs. the Multiple Mini-Interview
One Time at Band Camp: Real Life Experiences During Interviews
Ethics
Ethical Questions During the Interview
The key points to take home from this are:
Interview Day Attire
CHAPTER 7: THE BACKUP PLAN
Find out what went wrong and fix it
If you’re applying near the end of your third year of undergraduate studies, apply again toward the end of your fourth year
Masters Degree, or if you have one, a PhD
Other Health Care or Helping Careers
Working
Travel
International Schools
CHAPTER 8: YOUR STAGE IN THE GAME
For High School Students
Academics
Extracurricular
Two first-year residents on their way to rounds
Volunteer
Keeping your options open:
Choosing a University
What If I Didn’t Know I Wanted to Become a Doctor Back Then?
Personal goals during High School
For University Students
Extracurricular
Social
Research
Your Summers
Volunteer
Cool Jobs
Major Tasks to Complete in University
For Graduate Students
For Aboriginal Students
Finances
Expenses in Medical School
Sources of Money
The Bottom Line
PART III: MEDICAL SCHOOL
CHAPTER 9: THE PRECLINICAL YEARS
Would You Just Have a Look at this Rash for Me?
Problem-Based Learning
The Social Aspect and Extracurricular Activities
Should I Work During Medical School?
Do You Need a Car?
CHAPTER 10: TESTING
The Oral Exam
The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
How Important are Marks?
CHAPTER 11: THE CLINICAL YEARS—CLERKSHIP!
Little Fish in a Big Pond
What is a Clerk?
You’re Part Of a Team
Tips on Surviving Clerkship
The SuperClerk
Paediatrics
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
General Surgery
Family Medicine
Psychiatry
Internal Medicine
The On-Call Kit
Peripheral Brain (PDA)
Studying During Clerkship
CHAPTER 12: THINKING ABOUT RESIDENCY
Choosing Your Specialty
Medical Electives
How Can I Use My Elective Time?
CaRMS or The Match
Match Strategies
The Match for International Medical Graduates
What If I Don’t Match?
MCCQE I
The Beautiful Six Weeks
PART IV: BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS—RESIDENCY
CHAPTER 13: THE NEW RESIDENT
The Transition to PGY1
The Happy Robot
Communication While on Call
The Rest of Your Life: Marriage, Children, Travel
Am I Stuck in This Field of Medicine?
The MCCQE Part II
CHAPTER 14: YOU, THE PHYSICIAN
Staying Human
The Truth about Being a Doctor
PART V: ENGLISH MEDICAL SCHOOLS—WEST TO EAST
CHAPTER 15: QUICK REFERENCE
CHAPTER 16: INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS
University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
University of Alberta
University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine
University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine
The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario
Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
University of Toronto Medical School
Queen’s School of Medicine
Northern Ontario School of Medicine
University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine
McGill University Faculty of Medicine
Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland
APPENDIX A: ORGANIZING YOUR APPLICATIONS – A SAMPLE METHOD
APPENDIX B: SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
APPENDIX C: ALTERNATIVE CAREERS
APPENDIX D: SAMPLE MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION LETTERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR



THE BOOK ABOUT ANNE DOCTORSTARTER.CA TABLE OF CONTENTS APPEARANCES REVIEWS CONTACT PUBLISHER BUY IT NOW Amazon.com Amazon.ca Chapters.ca Home
			Table of Contents .. 1 FOREWORD: 1 PART I: INTRODUCTION TO MEDICINE CHAPTER 1: ABOUT THIS BOOK Why I Wrote This Book What Qualifies Me to Write This Book? Thanks to Those Who Contributed The Ultimate Canadian Medical School Resource Guide: What Sets This Book Apart? CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE JOURNEY The Road to Becoming a Physician, a Brief Outline What Do Doctors Do? CanMed Guidelines Residency Positions Available in Canada 2006 Who Becomes an M.D. in Canada? CHAPTER 3: ARE YOU RIGHT FOR MEDICINE AND IS MEDICINE RIGHT FOR YOU? Pros and Cons of Medicine Reasons to Become a Doctor, Reasons Not to Become a Doctor Do I Really Want to Be a Doctor? Am I comfortable in emotionally intense situations? Do they make me feel more alive? Are they overwhelming? Am I a pleasure delayer? What are my financial expectations? How important is sleep to me? How important is control over my own time? How do I feel about being constantly evaluated? Am I easily frustrated? How do I feel about working for a long time with no guarantee of success? How do I react to failure? How do I react to the feeling of helplessness? Am I comfortable with people who have fundamentally different views from mine? Is medicine something that will prevent me from being involved in certain things that are important to me? How do I feel around sick people? How do I see myself as a person in my 20’s and 30’s? How about in my 40’s, 50’s or later in life? Am I comfortable with ambiguity? How do I envision the everyday lifestyle of a doctor, and on what am I basing this assumption? What sort of stability am I expecting? Am I ready to go through puberty all over again? What do I really want to get out of this anyway? Why Apply to a Canadian Medical School? PART II: GETTING IN CHAPTER 4: DOCTOR DEVELOP THYSELF! Extracurriculars and Social Development The Cross-Cultural Experience and the Financial Factor Choosing The Ideal University Courses The GPA The Plan for Getting Good Grades The MCAT MCAT Scores Explained MCAT Timing Strategies The Importance of the MCAT The day before the MCAT, I did the following: Day of the exam: Try, Try Again CHAPTER 5: THE APPLICATION Inside Your Application Package Writing Your Personal Statement Big Mistakes to Avoid Getting Letters of Recommendation Who Should Write your Letters of Recommendation? Should I See My Letter of Recommendation? CHAPTER 6: THE INTERVIEW Preparing for the Interview Practice, Practice, Practice! Be Positive! The Standard Interview vs. the Multiple Mini-Interview One Time at Band Camp: Real Life Experiences During Interviews Ethics Ethical Questions During the Interview The key points to take home from this are: Interview Day Attire CHAPTER 7: THE BACKUP PLAN Find out what went wrong and fix it If you’re applying near the end of your third year of undergraduate studies, apply again toward the end of your fourth year Masters Degree, or if you have one, a PhD Other Health Care or Helping Careers Working Travel International Schools CHAPTER 8: YOUR STAGE IN THE GAME For High School Students Academics Extracurricular Two first-year residents on their way to rounds Volunteer Keeping your options open: Choosing a University What If I Didn’t Know I Wanted to Become a Doctor Back Then? Personal goals during High School For University Students Extracurricular Social Research Your Summers Volunteer Cool Jobs Major Tasks to Complete in University For Graduate Students For Aboriginal Students Finances Expenses in Medical School Sources of Money The Bottom Line PART III: MEDICAL SCHOOL CHAPTER 9: THE PRECLINICAL YEARS Would You Just Have a Look at this Rash for Me? Problem-Based Learning The Social Aspect and Extracurricular Activities Should I Work During Medical School? Do You Need a Car? CHAPTER 10: TESTING The Oral Exam The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) How Important are Marks? CHAPTER 11: THE CLINICAL YEARS—CLERKSHIP! Little Fish in a Big Pond What is a Clerk? You’re Part Of a Team Tips on Surviving Clerkship The SuperClerk Paediatrics Obstetrics and Gynaecology General Surgery Family Medicine Psychiatry Internal Medicine The On-Call Kit Peripheral Brain (PDA) Studying During Clerkship CHAPTER 12: THINKING ABOUT RESIDENCY Choosing Your Specialty Medical Electives How Can I Use My Elective Time? CaRMS or The Match Match Strategies The Match for International Medical Graduates What If I Don’t Match? MCCQE I The Beautiful Six Weeks PART IV: BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS—RESIDENCY CHAPTER 13: THE NEW RESIDENT The Transition to PGY1 The Happy Robot Communication While on Call The Rest of Your Life: Marriage, Children, Travel Am I Stuck in This Field of Medicine? The MCCQE Part II CHAPTER 14: YOU, THE PHYSICIAN Staying Human The Truth about Being a Doctor PART V: ENGLISH MEDICAL SCHOOLS—WEST TO EAST CHAPTER 15: QUICK REFERENCE CHAPTER 16: INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary University of Alberta University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University University of Toronto Medical School Queen’s School of Medicine Northern Ontario School of Medicine University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine McGill University Faculty of Medicine Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland APPENDIX A: ORGANIZING YOUR APPLICATIONS – A SAMPLE METHOD APPENDIX B: SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS APPENDIX C: ALTERNATIVE CAREERS APPENDIX D: SAMPLE MEDICAL SCHOOL APPLICATION LETTERS ABOUT THE AUTHOR © 2007 Dr. Anne Berndl and Writing on Stone Press Inc.