Evan's Medical School Tuition
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Hello,
My name is Evan Rogers, I am 29 years old, and currently living in Victoria, British Columbia—and I would like to share my story.
I have been a practicing kinesiologist for a little over two years at Shelbourne Physiotherapy and for as long as I can remember, I have dreamt of becoming a doctor. Three years ago, I began the application process for medical school. First, I applied to the University of Alberta (where I did my BSc in Kinesiology)—rejection. Second, I applied in my home province to UBC medicine and was rejected again with a low academic score. I enrolled in a third-year Biochemistry course at the University of Victoria to boost my GPA, and scored an A+, and then applied to UBC again, as well as Memorial University in Newfoundland—and read once more, “We regret to inform you…” Finally, fate intervened, and I took on a new patient: a retired General Surgeon in Victoria, who was involved in training resident surgeons from UBC. He took it upon himself, along with another colleague, an MD graduate from UCC in Ireland, now GP in Victoria, to mentor me. I felt honoured that despite the arduous application process, people of medical merit believed in me. With their help, and the support of the many other wonderful people in my life including my parents and partner, April, my fourth application to Atlantic Bridge, an application service for seven Irish Medical Schools, was accepted. I was invited to travel to Toronto with two weeks notice for an interview.
Something to note is that Ireland has a similar population to British Columbia, yet they have seven medical schools to our one. Every year, the school admits one hundred and thirty applicants, and forty-five of those spots are given to International students. Forty of those forty-five students are typically Canadian.
The interview was held two weeks later in Toronto. I was so nervous that I spent the week going to sleep at 9pm to adjust for the time change and an 8:00 am interview. In the interview, I sat across from two professors for 20 minutes and attempted to answer their questions to the best of my ability. Three days later, I received a call.
I was accepted!
I felt a surge of self-worth and excitement. My drive had paid off; I deserved this. I was, and am, so grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dream. I'm aware that not everyone gets this. Though, the reality is, tuition per year is 41,000 EUR, which runs just over 60,000 CAD, and the program is 4 years long. This will total well over 200,000 CAD before I can return to Canada to complete my residency. As supportive as my family and partner are, my parents are retired and April and I simply do not have the money.
However, before I can ask for help, I believe it only fair for you to understand my current practice in kinesiology and use it as a window into the type of doctor I hope to become.
The part of this job which I enjoy the most is connecting with my clients and helping them overcome their problems; whether it be a recent surgery, osteoarthritis, whiplash, concussion, depression, obesity, fibromyalgia, or any particular ailment, each initial assessment provides a unique challenge.
Though my current scope is limited to active rehabilitation, I always try to provide complete care by exploring all relevant aspects of their lifestyle. Asking the right questions and really connecting with a patient can lead to an educated referral, encouragement to seek additional treatment, and empowerment to make the most of what they have.
My practice as a Kinesiologist has grown quite large, with a 2-3 week wait-list This is particularly of note when considering that kinesiology is not covered in our public health care system. Aside from motor vehicle accident injury claims covered through car insurance (ICBC), everyone I see pays out of pocket.
I should also mention sport as a major influence on my growth and maturation throughout high school and Universty. Many pounds heavier, I played linebacker for the University of Alberta Golden Bears for six years. At the time, it was the most important thing in the world to me. I absolutely loved it. Though my grades suffered from my commitment to sport, it taught me the level of drive and commitment required to be part of something great—and it is one of the main reasons why I had to apply to an overseas medical program. With the current shortage of Canadian Medical Schools, hopes of getting in without a near perfect GPA are about as slim as Trump rallying for democratic socialism. Additionally, after having four surgeries from various sports injuries, I am no stranger to the mental and physical processes of rehabilitation. This has paid dividends in my ability to connect with rehab clients which i plan to continue into my career in medicine.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Regardless of your support, be it financial or in your thoughts, I am grateful. Please know that any amount is a huge help and your support is greatly appreciated.
I will update with progress as much as I can, and if you would like to know more about either the University of Limerick or Altantic Bridge , feel free to click the links!
My name is Evan Rogers, I am 29 years old, and currently living in Victoria, British Columbia—and I would like to share my story.
I have been a practicing kinesiologist for a little over two years at Shelbourne Physiotherapy and for as long as I can remember, I have dreamt of becoming a doctor. Three years ago, I began the application process for medical school. First, I applied to the University of Alberta (where I did my BSc in Kinesiology)—rejection. Second, I applied in my home province to UBC medicine and was rejected again with a low academic score. I enrolled in a third-year Biochemistry course at the University of Victoria to boost my GPA, and scored an A+, and then applied to UBC again, as well as Memorial University in Newfoundland—and read once more, “We regret to inform you…” Finally, fate intervened, and I took on a new patient: a retired General Surgeon in Victoria, who was involved in training resident surgeons from UBC. He took it upon himself, along with another colleague, an MD graduate from UCC in Ireland, now GP in Victoria, to mentor me. I felt honoured that despite the arduous application process, people of medical merit believed in me. With their help, and the support of the many other wonderful people in my life including my parents and partner, April, my fourth application to Atlantic Bridge, an application service for seven Irish Medical Schools, was accepted. I was invited to travel to Toronto with two weeks notice for an interview.
Something to note is that Ireland has a similar population to British Columbia, yet they have seven medical schools to our one. Every year, the school admits one hundred and thirty applicants, and forty-five of those spots are given to International students. Forty of those forty-five students are typically Canadian.
The interview was held two weeks later in Toronto. I was so nervous that I spent the week going to sleep at 9pm to adjust for the time change and an 8:00 am interview. In the interview, I sat across from two professors for 20 minutes and attempted to answer their questions to the best of my ability. Three days later, I received a call.
I was accepted!
I felt a surge of self-worth and excitement. My drive had paid off; I deserved this. I was, and am, so grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dream. I'm aware that not everyone gets this. Though, the reality is, tuition per year is 41,000 EUR, which runs just over 60,000 CAD, and the program is 4 years long. This will total well over 200,000 CAD before I can return to Canada to complete my residency. As supportive as my family and partner are, my parents are retired and April and I simply do not have the money.
However, before I can ask for help, I believe it only fair for you to understand my current practice in kinesiology and use it as a window into the type of doctor I hope to become.
The part of this job which I enjoy the most is connecting with my clients and helping them overcome their problems; whether it be a recent surgery, osteoarthritis, whiplash, concussion, depression, obesity, fibromyalgia, or any particular ailment, each initial assessment provides a unique challenge.
Though my current scope is limited to active rehabilitation, I always try to provide complete care by exploring all relevant aspects of their lifestyle. Asking the right questions and really connecting with a patient can lead to an educated referral, encouragement to seek additional treatment, and empowerment to make the most of what they have.
My practice as a Kinesiologist has grown quite large, with a 2-3 week wait-list This is particularly of note when considering that kinesiology is not covered in our public health care system. Aside from motor vehicle accident injury claims covered through car insurance (ICBC), everyone I see pays out of pocket.
I should also mention sport as a major influence on my growth and maturation throughout high school and Universty. Many pounds heavier, I played linebacker for the University of Alberta Golden Bears for six years. At the time, it was the most important thing in the world to me. I absolutely loved it. Though my grades suffered from my commitment to sport, it taught me the level of drive and commitment required to be part of something great—and it is one of the main reasons why I had to apply to an overseas medical program. With the current shortage of Canadian Medical Schools, hopes of getting in without a near perfect GPA are about as slim as Trump rallying for democratic socialism. Additionally, after having four surgeries from various sports injuries, I am no stranger to the mental and physical processes of rehabilitation. This has paid dividends in my ability to connect with rehab clients which i plan to continue into my career in medicine.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Regardless of your support, be it financial or in your thoughts, I am grateful. Please know that any amount is a huge help and your support is greatly appreciated.
I will update with progress as much as I can, and if you would like to know more about either the University of Limerick or Altantic Bridge , feel free to click the links!
Organizer
Evan Rogers
Organizer
Victoria, BC