Getting to Calgary

After at least 10 years of planning, dreaming, scheming, and work I began medical school. July 29th, 2009 will be a fairly important date in my life I believe. I guess I should start with a bit of background.

Since I was seven or eight I wanted to become a doctor. As a kid I didn't really think much about what it entailed other than to know I needed to do well in school so I could get scholarships. As my years at secondary school progressed the knowledge that entrance to medical school was competetive provided sufficient motivation to keep me working. As a child and young teenager I informed the world that I wanted to become a neurosurgeon. As my understanding of the world, process of medical training, and life increased I became much less set on this specific specialty.

My three years at Acadia University in Nova Scotia and one year in New Zealand were all shaped by my intention to apply to medical school. I had fabulous years during my undergraduate degree but I think I can safely say that other than driving my relatives car off a cliff while in New Zealand applying to medical school was one of the most stressful situations in my life.

The application process began in September when the applications for the Ontario schools were due. Then, University of Calgary in October, and finally McGill in November. I had written the MCAT twice (another excessively painful experience) and I submitted my scores, hoping they were good enough. With the submission of all my documents I heard nothing from any of the schools until the first week of February when I found out that I had interviews at Queen's University and the University of Calgary. Then came the worst part of the process.

The interviews themselves were alright but they were completed by the end of February. Then came the agonizing wait. Between the 1st of March and the 15th of May I had no personal communications in regards to my application from either school. During this time period I completed my undergraduate (BSc, biology, minor-history) and returned to Alberta to await the results. During this period I was plagued with doubts, questioned my motivation, plans, choices to that point, and was quite unhappy. However, on the 15th of May I received word that I had been accepted to the University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine, and I was on the waitlist for Queen's. After some thought and discussion I accepted the position at Calgary and took my name off the wait list at Queen's.

In June I came to Calgary and found an apartment within walking distance of the Health Sciences Campus and here I am.