The University of
Western Ontario
Pre-Medical Society
The Oracle
Volume 5, Issue 3
January 2007
Need Easy Marks? These are the Courses for you!
Shannon Winterburn
Ever wondered what to take as an elective? Try one of these student-certified “relaxed courses” to give yourself a break, and earn great marks
while you’re at it!
Course Name: Religious Studies 130 – An Introduction to the Living Religions of the World
Description: Broad overview of history, faith, and practices of the major living religions around the world (old and new ones). At Huron College.
Methods of Evaluation: 3 exams, non-cumulative. The final exam includes an essay, but the prof gives the topics in advance.
Workload: Medium
Interesting: *** You get to go on field trips!
Easy-scale: ***
Course Name: Psychology 152a/b - The Psychology of Physical Health and Illness
Description: Role of psychological factors in prevention and treatment of illness.
Methods of Evaluation: Two midterms and a final, non-cumulative.
Workload: Light
Interesting: *** Very relevant to everyday life!
Easy-scale: ***
Course Name: Chemistry 393a/b - Medicinal Chemistry
Description: Enzyme action and metabolic activity as it relates to pharmaceuticals, as well as the chemical and biological structures of drugs.
Methods of Evaluation: Two in-class tests and a final.
Workload: Light – a review for anyone in Biology or Medical Science
Interesting: **
Easy-scale: **
Course Name: Computer Science 031 – Introduction to computer & communication software
Description: This is an intro course for basic computer software and programming language and Excel.
Methods of Evaluation: Two exams and a few assignments with step-by-step instructions. The exams focus on being able to write the script for given
screenshots of simple programs with basic history and concepts.
Spread the Net: Bed Nets Against Malaria
Jonathan Yu
In Canada and the rest of the Western world, mosquitoes are simply a nuisance in the summer.
However, Anopheles mosquitoes, which thrive predominantly in warmer climates, are highly
potent vectors of malaria – a disease which has not directly affected Canadians since the 1820s.
When travelling to tropical and subtropical regions where malaria is endemic, visitors must take
a course of prophylactics to prevent infection. In fact, malaria alone is estimated to be directly responsible
for one to three million deaths annually, and is not only a disease associated with poverty, but also a cause
of poverty and an obstacle to sustainable economic development.
A recent initiative jointly launched by politician Belinda Stronach and comedian Rick Mercer
aims to help eliminate the spread of this affliction using a novel but inexpensive approach: bed nets. A
simple
understanding of the behaviour of these mosquitoes –namely, the fact that they usually strike during the
late night—combined with the installation of simple bed nets can significantly reduce the transmission of
malaria with minimal impact on daily activities.
Studies have shown that sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net can reduce the rate of
transmission of malaria by over 50%. This simple solution costs only $10 per net and can protect someone
from malaria for up to five years.
These nets have the potential to save an entire poverty-stricken population, helping them rise
above poverty. If you would like to contribute, Spread the Net needs you to donate to this worthwhile
cause online at http://spreadthenet.org/ or help spread the word. You have the potential to play an integral
role in saving an entire poverty-stricken population; eliminating the barriers to sustainability and helping
people rise above poverty.
QNUCM: A Review
Danielle Hammond – 2007 UWO Ambassador
19 UWO Pre-Med members, included myself, attended QNUCM 2007 held November 16-18 at Queen’s University. This year’s conference
brought together more than 300 university students and health care experts from across Canada to discuss the challenges facing our current health care
system—specifically in health care delivery— and what these mean for those entering the field in the next five to ten years.
On Friday night, a “meet and greet” was held for the delegates. Western’s social prowess was evident as we chatted with students from
McMaster, McGill, U of T, and the slightly awkward Queen’s crew. Saturday morning opened with the first keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Rachlis, who
previously was a federal health policy consultant. Dr. Rachlis convincingly made the case that Canadian Medicare must make the transition from
treating acute illness/injury to preventing chronic disease and outlined how this could be realized. He discussed how quality control methods used in
the business manufacturing sector could be applied to improve the translation of medical research into health care practice. He also strongly
encouraged universities to modify their teaching practices and train their health care students to work as interdisciplinary teams.
Next, we participated in icebreakers and observed the very impressive entries in the undergraduate research poster competition, whose
topics ranged from designing better prosthetics to more effective lung cancer detection.
David Zakus, Director of U of T’s Centre for International Health, then talked with us about major global health issues and the effectiveness
of current aid organizations. Zakus emphasized how interdependent the Western World’s health has become with that of developing nations due to
our increasingly globalized marketplace. He concluded that good international health policy is a necessary measure to protect Canadians’ health.
Students also had the opportunity to attend seminars of their choice whose themes included: religion and culture in relation to medicine;
computer-assisted orthopedic surgery; and laughter in medicine. That evening, there was a banquet dinner and dancing, and delegates got a chance to
show off their slick dance moves (or lack thereof).
Sunday concluded with a keynote delivered from the very dynamic Dr. Peter Lin, past Medical Director at the University of Toronto Health
and Wellness Center. Dr. Lin explained how understanding how the human body has evolved can be used to design more effective treatments. I
learned that innovation and an interdisciplinary approach are the future of Canadian health care, and it’s our job as future healthcare providers, to
pursue these paths.
Women in Surgery: Why Women have it so Hard
Alex Ratzki-Leewing
As a male dominated profession with a scattering 95:5% ratio of men to women, the surgical field has become a pasture for female
“pioneership” however more poignantly a hotbed for gender discrimination and neglect. As a woman and aspiring doctor, my curiosity led me to two
central questions: Why are there so few women in the medical profession? And when compared to men, is it harder to be a female surgeon?
Dr. Jennifer Svahn and Dr. Mary Ann Hopkins have an explanation. Both agree that the main reason for such poor female interest in the
surgical field is the simple factor of intimidation: the long hours, the family sacrifices, the inevitable divorce, the military-like training, the yelling, the
screaming, the fear of rejection, the physical and the emotional challenge. One might argue that these very factors are also experienced by males in the
same profession—however is this entirely true?
From birth, women and men are subject to gender distinction and for both men and women this pressure to fulfill stereotypical gender roles
becomes prevalent at a very young age. Consider: if you enter university at 18 and complete a 4 year undergrad you’ll graduate with a degree at the age
of 22. To become a fully certified surgeon it takes (on average) 10-12 years. This means that by the time you can practice surgery you’ll be about 32-34
years old. This timeline conflicts with the socially-acceptable ideas of womanhood (marriage, pregnancy, motherhood) and consequently may
represent one of the main reasons for the lack of female surgeons.
However, there is also the prevalent issue of gender discrimination. It was reported in the Boston Globe that 3 female neurosurgeons
charged Dr. Arthur Day, a nationally respected neurosurgeon, with gender discrimination—providing the women with fewer hours than male
colleagues while being denied time off to attend professional meetings. Mary Margaret Kemeny, professor of surgery at Mount Sinai School of
Medicine, comments on her experiences in medical school, “There were no women surgeons at Columbia and no male surgeons who thought that
women going into surgery was a good idea.” The idea of male domination in the surgical field is pronounced and felt. Thus gender discrimination is
often a deterrent for women interested in venturing into/staying in surgery.
Furthermore, female surgeons often receive fewer excellent performance rating than male surgeons in surgical rotations. This can be
attributed to a lack of mentorship or encouragement from supervising male surgeons. Women may be directed to participate in more “female-friendly”
medical practices like nursing. Moreover, the lack of regard towards female surgeons is evident in the fact that most standard surgical equipment is too
large for the average stature of a woman. This encumbrance only emphasizes the stereotype that women “just can’t handle it” and once again cultivates
gender discrimination. The lack of consideration for females in the surgical field and gender discrimination are among the chief causes for so few
female surgeons and moreover stand as the reasons for why women have to work harder than men to uphold their reputation as a competent surgeon.
Eventually as the notion of women in surgery becomes a social norm, female surgeons will cease to be judged against the standards of a capable man
and instead be evaluated against the standards of a capable surgeon.
M-C-A-T (cue the ominous music). The four most dreaded letters in the English language for aspiring doctors and
veterinarians. There is no magical path which will lead you to a high MCAT score. Preparation and practice are what
will take you to your destination. One part of that preparation for students is taking an MCAT prep course that reviews
material that will be on the test, explains MCAT-specific test taking strategies, and gives you an opportunity to write
practice tests with feedback. Most importantly, they help you keep on track and motivated by providing a structured
study plan and the presence of fellow students. The following is a concise comparison of the classroom format of the last
2 prep courses being analyzed.
MCAT Prep
Courses; Which
is right for
YOU?
D
ll H
d
PREP101: Prep 101 provides by far the most in-class testing since it is built into each lesson. Of each 2 hour
session, the first hour is for review of key concepts and major question types by the instructor and the second hour is
split into a 30 minute mini-test and 30 minutes to take it up. Emphasis is put on doing the work BEFORE coming to class;
you are required to read the lesson and complete 24 practice questions in preparation for the lesson. Prep 101 has the
most student-geared instructor selection process; instructors are hired based on competitive auditions evaluated by
university students. And it pays off. The most common comment made by students is how phenomenal their instructors
were in terms of expertise and approachability. Prep 101’s website also offers biographies and past student ratings of
every one of its instructors. Students also have found the Master Study Guide, with an easy-to-understand review of each
topic, 40 mini-tests, and 2000 practice questions to be invaluable.
Student opinion: I found that the Booklet is excellent for studying. The instructors were extremely
knowledgeable. - Hajnal K., UWO.
LAST ISSUE:
OXFORD: Unlike the previous three courses described, Oxford provides a cram or “total immersion” style,
running the course of only two (very intense) weeks for the 48 hour option. Due to time constraints, classes focus more
on general test-taking strategies, underlying scientific principles, and synthesizing concepts rather than covering topics
in-depth. Also unlike the previous three companies, Oxford’s syllabus includes seminars on the medical school
application process (presentation of extra-curricular activities, essay-writing, how to choose good references etc.). This
course is best for those who have a good handle on the MCAT material, but who want a concise and inexpensive
refresher of the concepts and want to enhance their execution of the MCAT or any standardized test in general.
Note of caution: There is no clear-cut evidence that taking an MCAT prep course actually improves students’
test scores. They are expensive and may not necessarily live up to all of their claims. Although all the companies have
money-back and free-repeat policies, they are only valid if you attend all classes and prove you have done the majority of
the assigned homework and practice tests. If you are a UWO Pre-Med member, you are eligible to receive a discount
code honored by TPR, Kaplan and Prep 101.
Interview with Scott
– How Pre-Med helps you into
Med School
Alex Ratzi-Leewing
PMS Office
UCC Room 312
A PORT STANLEY NATIVE, SCOTT SOMERVILLE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
WESTERN ONTARIO WITH AN HONOURS SPECIALIZATION IN PHYSIOLOGY AND A MINOR IN
PSYCHOLOGY. HE IS CURRENTLY IN HIS FIRST YEAR AT THE SCHULICH SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY IN LONDON, ONTARIO.
ALEX RATZKI-LEEWING: I’m sure everyone is dying to know, how did Pre-Med help you get into med
school?
SCOTT SOMERVILLE: Easy access to info, and I had the potential to meet people experiencing the same
things I was, which is key. I lived on a science floor in first year, so I had 30 friends gunning for med
school from day one, but it’s definitely a great way to socialize with people who have the same goals as
you. It’s a lot easier putting in the hard hours and making the sacrifices you have to, when there are
people there doing it with you.
ARL: What is better, many extracurricular activities each with a shorter duration, or having fewer
extracurricular activities but participating in each for a longer period of time?
SS: Definitely fewer for longer. Anyone can sign-up to 12 teams/groups in 4th year, but I believe that
shows something. Med school takes dedication and commitment, and being part of something for many
years shows that. Not to say that joining up for something in your last year will hurt you, it won’t. But
it’s not going to look as good as someone who’s been in it for 4 years.
ARL: What’s the biggest difference between undergrad and medical school?
SS: The community. Competitiveness is non-existent. Every person in the class does what they can to
help out those who need it. We’re not competing for med school spots anymore, so we want everyone to
make it. We’re a team now, so if someone is having trouble with anatomy, someone else with their
degree in Anatomy aids them. It’s really mind-blowing.
ARL: Any particular advice you’d like to give to all of the readers?
SS: Chill. The. Hell. Out. Honestly, some people are taking things way too seriously. If it’s what you
really truly want to do, you’ll make it. One way or another, enjoy yourself.
Go out. Travel. Make the important things in your life your priority.
http://www.usc.uwo.ca/clubs/pre-med
uwopremed@gmail.com
~Newsletter Edited by Amrita Singh~