Getting an Interview at NOSM

[waitingINwonder]

Hi there,

I've heard that in order to have received an interview invite from NOSM, an applicant would have had to have lived in a rural community - is this true? Are there ppl out there who were invited for interview but have not really lived in a rural or underserviced community? I think the answer is probably yes, so silly me for not having applied!

[Kidha]

I've been waiting for someone to post here but I think people are resting up since the interview.

First of all hope everyone's interviews went well and that they learned alot from the process.

As for your Question.

I don't think that you have to be from a rural community. Although, getting an interview would be tough. If you have volunteered in a rural community for significant amount of time over a period that might suffice. It would be interesting to know if anyone from the charter class had never lived in a rural community at least for a few years. I know people have said that so and so got in and they are from a big city. Well that doesn't really mean anything if they spent 10 years at some point in a small town somewhere. The only way to really to know is if someone in the charter class has solely lived in a Urban centre (and if that person has had any volunteer work in rural setting - which i believe they probably would).

I was wondering if TBAY and Sudbury are technically rural. There are so many def for rural that it depends I would think. According to some def's they might not be and under others they are.

www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/rh-sr/paper_e.html (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/rh-sr/paper_e.html)

I guess what I'm saying is that if you are from one of these regions the school would consider them rural. At least I hope they would.

I would think that if you have never lived in a rural community you better have a crazy high average and amazing EC's.

I know I haven't been all that helpful and ultimately I am asking the same question. I have spent 18 years in a rural community. Applied last year and interviewed, but didn't get in. This year I interviewed and I'm holding my breath.....so please hurry..lol.

Best of luck

[Filledunord]

Kidha,

NOSM is not only concerned with "rural communities" (which does have a pop. size component), but also "remote" communities. While one could not say that Thunder Bay is rural in terms of its population size, it is certainly remote (ie., the pop. is not fed by a nearby large urban area, unless you count Winnipeg, a mere uh, 8hrs away :p ).

I lived in Timmins until I left for University down south, and certainly would define the area as "remote". Perhaps not as remote as Moonbeam, or Moosonee, but remote nonetheless.

Another thought occurred to me: NOSM is concerned with bringing more doctors to Northern Ontario. As long as you have lived in the North (and thus, in an overall less populated area of the province of Ontario, OR any other Canadian province) you have good contextual prospects. You probably understand what it is like to grow up in a medically underserviced area.

Timmins may have ~45 000 people, but there was and is a paucity of specialists and GPs. You still have to drive several hours, to (ironically) Sudbury, North Bay, or even Toronto, to get most specialty medical services rendered. To me, this qualifies as remote for the purposes of applying to NOSM.

And yes, the wait is killing me. :(

[Kidha]

That's true TBay is remote....I am sure sudbury is as well, but both years I interviewed at tbay.

Hang in there Filledunord...it will be over soon :)

[popcorn girl]

it would help if we knew the outcome of the interviews, a range of marks, and the actual formula they will be using for the 50% non interview, we would then have an idea whether to even keep wondering for the next month 4days!!

[Kidha]

That's a good point Popcorn girl!

I tried last year to ask the admissions how I placed in each section relative to others. All they said was above average...or really really good etc. They wouldn't give me an exact score.

However, if you wanted to see your file I'm sure that you can and probably how its scored as well. That's a legal right but most people don't follow through on it. I remember that a few guys at ubc did that one year......

The section that I'm most interested in is "context" or where you are from score. I feel that NOSM needs to be more forward with how they score in this section. It can make a significant difference. For example do you get awarded 1% less than those from NO or do you get awarded 1/2 of what NO students do?

The reason is that if I could know whereabouts I sit in relation to those in this section....I can make an informed decision on whether I ought to apply again next year. Interviews are expensive....lol.

All the best everyone....take up a hobby for the next month......cheers.

[DalGal84]

I interviewed at NOSM this year as well, and like you Kidha, I'm also very interested as to how the "context" score is determined. I've spent 18 years in the Northwest Territories/Nunavut and still continue to spend my summers in the NT when I am not in school. I'm curious to know if my context score would be comparable to those applicants from Northern Ontario. Hopefully this is information I will be able to access in the event that I don't get it, because it would be interesting to know.
Good luck to those waiting! :D

[popcorn girl]

Dear DalGal84, i dont think any of us, even the locals, could beat NWT for 18yrs!!! score! i just hope it is your plan return to the north...

[waitingINwonder]

So I guess no one really knows the answer to this which is expected since they would likely never flat out say, "don't apply if you're not from rural or NOrthern communities," because then they get less applicants = less money. But, it would be great to know where the people who've received interviews or, are in the current class, are originally from since that would be very telling. Okay, well thanks for trying and good luck in the wait which I know is not fun.

[anadaki]

Hi, I hope that people are not discouraged from applying to medical school at NOSM, our current year is made up of a variety of people, some rural, urban and some not from Ontario. I am not from Ontario and grew up in a rural community. I am not sure exactly how people are chosen, I know that the idea of chosing people from the north is so they will stay and practice here, but I think that can discriminate against people who may of grown up in a urban setting and would love to practice in rural northern place. I must also add I still wonder why they consider Thunder Bay north, as I spent time time in the Yukon and Alaska and that is north. I know we were told that the majority of our class spent 10 or more years living in a rural place, but that could of been when they were young, and I am not sure if they consider Thunder Bay rural with its pop of 100,000 +. Even as a student they never reveal the secrets (LOL). I do wish you all luck and hope to have you as my classmate in the fall.

[popcorn girl]

how many of last year's class are from OOP?

[Kidha]

Don't quote me on this....But I remember asking this question last year on this forum and to the admissions committee....I came up with 4-6. But like I said I don't quote me for sure.

[anadaki]

In response to the question, on the West Campus there are at least 7, I am not sure of the east campus that are OOP

[popcorn girl]

that is helpful (and hopeful) so no quotas it seems...

[sandy apple]

Just wanted to let you know that my friend grew up in Toronto and received an interview this year.

However, he has lived in Sudbury for the past 8 years. He has never lived in a rural place but, having discussed this with many Torontonians who applied and were rejected pre-interview, it seems obvious that if he had not lived in the North he would not have gotten an interview.

So it seems that for those of you Southerners who are serious about practicing in the North your best, although not the most practical, approach is to move up there and put in a few years to improve your chances (or focus your attention on the Southern schools). NOSM is serious about recruiting Northerners not just those who think they want to be (really not meant to sound harsh but not sure how else to say it).

PS He is a great guy and would be an asset to the class (and to the profession) so I am glad they did not hold his birth place against him!