Although our lives may be full of extracurricular activities, being a student of medicine is the priority right now. The difficult bit is that while we were all experts in the field that we came from, we’re still learning to become experts in medicine. As a result you may find that things aren’t going quite as smoothly as they used to. For tips on how to keep up your “A” game, there is the School Matters section. Here you’ll find tips on simple things like where to go if you have a question, all the way up to deciding if your study style needs a complete overhaul. Have a look and take what you need. Happy studying.
Medical school is expensive, but there several ways to help lighten the financial load as well as several services to help manage/minimize your debts.
First is a heads-up! Tuition payment is required in August rather than in the fall like you would see in other undergraduate programs, so make sure to pay to avoid late fees.
Bursaries, scholarships and awards are available to help cover your school expenses; there are also provincial loans and grants that can be obtained through OSAP if you are an Ontario resident. Most bursaries are automatically applied for through a ‘Financial Assistance Profile’ that you can fill out under myPRESENT on your Student Services account.
Lines of credit are offered to medical students to help pay for school and life expenses. Most of them are set with an interest rate at prime, though conditions vary between banks in regards to co-signers, future repayment schedules, and perks. Managing all of these considerations and balancing your budget can be difficult, but Financial Services on campus and MD Financial through the CMA are available for free financial consultations. Also, don’t overlook the student reps associated with your chosen bank; they are available for consult and several even show up on campus to chat, so look up when they are free.