Hi swtster,
I'm actually currently enrolled at the University of Melbourne for the Doctor of Optometry so maybe I can help out. Also, i'm Canadian as well and understand what you're going to have to do to get a visa, etc.
But there are some good points you bring up:
-class size is small (45, you said?).
I think it's highly doubtful to find that in the other schools in Canada or the States. I'm in a class of 22 right now and the interaction with students and staff is on a level that I can't explain to you. It was nothing like i've experienced in undergrad - it's more personalized. For a graduate-level, professional program, you're essentially getting tutorials for all your lectures, labs, and preclinicals. There's many more benefits that I won't get into here but feel free to PM me.
-the research component
I actually haven't done this part yet - it's part of my 2nd year. What's really helping me prep for it though are the seminars we've been doing. I think i'm done 6 group seminars this year, the first 3 were 20 mins, the last 3 were 40 mins. The constantly going back into the literature to understand more about a subject matter is making me very comfortable with research and if I do well in the research component next year, I know it's because the seminars prepped me well for it.
- in terms of visiting the campus
It's a pretty big campus. I dont' know what region you live in so I can't give you any comparisons but I come from Toronto, so it's like the U of T St. George campus: an open campus that sprawls and fuses itself into the city. Getting downtown is only 20 mins away (walking) or you can take the streetcar. Again, PM me, if necessary.
- accreditation
In terms of accreditation, I feel your uncertainty. Haha, trust me. There's another Canadian in my year and, at the beginning, we were constantly talking about this. I'll give you what info I do have.
It really depends on what part of Canada you live in if you want to come back after 4 years. Any worries you have are really validated if you plan to come back to Ontario (to my knowledge, this is the province you need to keep an eye on in terms of leglislation), otherwise, you'll just do the bridging program at Waterloo. No big deal. (Also, i've asked around, it seems that even when the University of Melbourne was teaching Optometry at the undergrad level, the students did well in the bridging test so I don't think quality of education is an issue.). People are people no matter what and the things you learn about ocular health apply to people any where in the world.
In terms of clinical training, I don't know if you'll get the "best" because I can't really be sure how you want to gauge it. For me? I feel like I am getting the best because I have demonstrators that are enthusiastic about the profession, program, and ocular health of the public. Although true, i'm sure this feeling will be diluted if I have a bigger class size. In clinicals you'll realize that there's no right answer to accomplish one task because they teach you a variety of ways to do it and every specific demonstrator has their own way of doing things: all valid. I'm pretty sure it's like this in dentistry, medicine, anything that has a clinical component. You pick the way you want to do it and as long as you can justify it (and your justification is valid), you'll be right. This was a huge learning milestone for me in terms of learning to be dynamic in a clinical setting but without the support of a teaching staff with the traits i've already outlined above, I don't even know where i'll be in terms of clinic... definitely not good enough to do the bridging program back into Canada, haha..
Anyways, i'm going to cut if short because I have exams to study for. Hopefully, i've cleared things up somewhat. I'll leave you with the bottomline though: this is your life. No school can train you to become the Doctor you want to be. That's all from you. All the schools will, however, train you well enough to pass regional licensing tests and make sure you're not sued by your patients AT BARE MINIMUM. What you need to figure out now is which one goes above and beyond that? I took a risk with the University of Melbourne coming here because I didn't feel that the program was structured as well as the other schools but having spent a year with the teaching staff (and constantly questioning everything they do - haha, have I got stories for you..), I feel that I couldn't have asked for a better start to my optometry career.
So, yea, it's your life. Make decisions. No regrets.
PM me if you have any concerns or comments and i'll try to get back to you as soon as I can. Have fun figuring out your life! Coming back to Canada to snowboard after examssss alsdjfja;osdfijds;f!!!!?! (Sorry, that's an aside.)
