How to really, really screw up important interviews: a ragecomic presentation

I'm not in med school- as much as I'd like to be, I'm not. This is because I am apparently terrible at interviews (or severely lack experience with interviews, which is also the case), which led me to screw up my med school interviews in the past cycle. Here I have a graphic presentation on how to really, really screw up a med school interview. There are lessons to be learned:

Figure 1. Three awesome people I wish I would never meet again.

Figure 2. One does not simply walk into med school.

My MMI went similarly- few excellent, some good, average, and 2-3 terrible stations. Fortunately, I learned some things:

• Prepare. Prepare early and intensely if you don't have a lot of experience with interviews, or if you're just not good with such situations (especially with MMIs).
• Don't try to be something you're not.
• This was my biggest mistake. Panels 6, 7 clearly show my failed attempts at trying to be someone I wasn't and the disastrous consequences that followed. You hear this advice all the time regarding interviews, but you don't actually realize it until it's too late (i.e. halfway through the interview).
• Never get nervous.
• Never. I was told that I lost points (during an MMI) because I seemed too nervous. I'm guessing they're not looking for people who'll grow up to be twitchy, emotionally wrecked doctors...

On the bright side, I'm really enjoying my lab work and for the first time actually glad that I got rejected (yes, seriously. Science is hard but research is awesome). Hopefully in time I'll be able to draw on some good news!

Matt

Big List of "Back-Up" Plans for Premeds- Part 3: PT/OT

This is Part 3 of my Big List of "Back-Up" Plans for Premeds series, intended to give a brief introduction to some alternate careers in health care that premeds might consider pursuing.

I would like to introduce physiotherapists (PT) and occupational therapists (OT)- both professions play critical roles in healthcare, helping patients improve in ways different from medicine. They work in a variety of healthcare settings- hospitals, private practice, home care, industry, government.

PTs are responsible for "evaluating, restoring and/or enhancing physical function and independence" through their "knowledge of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones of your body along with a thorough understanding of how they all work together." (Manitoba Physiotherapy Association)
OTs  "provide the skills for the job of living and solves the problems that interfere with peoples ability to do the activities or occupations that are important to them." (CAOT)

PTs and OTs perform a wide range of services for patients to improve their quality of life- you can find out more from Canadian Physiotherapy Association and Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Important points regarding PT/OT Programs in Canada:

• Generally 2-year long course-based Masters programs with integrated clinical education.
• GPA is most important factor in admissions (sometimes the only factor in admissions), with some schools placing emphasis on extracurriculars and interviews.

Here are some large charts summarizing general information and prereqs regarding PT/OT programs in Canada- information regarding francophone schools (Laval, Montreal,  Ottawa) has not been included because all information is in French only:

Figure 1. Canadian Physiotherapy Programs-click to enlarge

Figure 2. Canadian Physiotherapy Programs prereqs- click to enlarge.

Figure 3. Canadian Occupational Therapy Programs- click to enlarge

Figure 4. Canadian Occupational Therapy Programs prereqs- click to enlarge

Statistics
Regarding Ontario OT/PT programs, there are ~600-1300 applications for ~60-80 seats per school- see stats at ORPAS. For other programs, competition seems fairly lax- anywhere from 100-700 applications for a decent number of seats.

Non-academic
Most schools require you to submit CVs, personal statements/letter of intent detailing your personal aspirations and extracurricular activities. Check school websites for more details.

Potential salary & Job security/market

In both professions, salaries can vary greatly depending on your experience, scope and location of practice (hospital or private, Ontario or Alberta, for example).

In 2010, PTs' hourly wages ranged from $26.55 to $41.52. In Alberta, pay scale can range from $32.00 to $48.00. According to CAOT, new OTs earn from $40,000 to $45,000- hourly wages for OTs ranged from $29.32 to as high as $42.50 in Toronto (2010). 

Links to school websites

Dalhousie University: PT OT
McGill University
Queen's University
McMaster University
University of Toronto: PT OT
Western University: PT OT
University of Manitoba: PT OT
University of Saskatchewan (PT only)
University of Alberta
UBC: PT OT

You wouldn't believe how long it took me to make those charts... definitely longer than what was needed. I think I will stop with overly-detailed charts from now on. Part 4 will feature Nursing, Accelerated/Compressed Nursing programs in Canada.

Matt

How I got my first research position: a ragecomic illustration

I've been fairly inactive lately, but I made some comics to explain why I've been so quiet/useless for a while.

So this past summer was quite a frustrating time for me, what with getting rejected from med schools and finding myself without a backup plan. The only plan I had was to get a position in research since I had really bad luck with research in the past--this was an area in my application that was definitely lacking since I had absolutely no research experience whatsoever.

As a result, I found myself applying to (literally) a hundred different research positions in a month.

Figure 1. Before it all began.

Figure 2. Why applications for anything anywhere generally suck all the time.

Of course, I didn't get a single callback. Not only did I have no experience in research, I also didn't have any legitimate employment experience either (just a couple of "self-employed" positions that really holds no value). 

In the second month, I applied as a volunteer research assistant to dozens of labs. I received one reply, had an interview, and was accepted into a lab. Even though what I did was very basic, I worked ridiculously hard considering I was a volunteer. I was extremely grateful for the opportunity since this position gave me what was needed to get my first research position, as well as my first legit paid job.

After two months of volunteering, an opening for a paid research position opened up in the same hospital I was volunteering at. I applied, and somehow got an interview.

This is how the interview went (slightly dramatized):

Figure 3. Getting a job with sheer will and eagerness.

...and that's what I've been doing for a few weeks now, living up to my promise of insane work ethics. I'm having a lot of fun so far but still working like a lunatic, hoping for a publication. Although,

Figure 4. At the end of the day.

...but this really is the best opportunity I've ever had and I've learnt some ridiculous amounts of stuff since I started. Persistence really does pay off.

On another note, I will be posting some stuff that are actually useful in the near future. Stay tuned.


Matt