UBC vs UofT

[WanderingGold]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice about the pharmD programs at UBC and U of T. I've been accepted to both, so I'm trying to decide which is the best fit for me. I know that U of T is very competitive and has 8 courses the first semester and 6 the second semester in first year while UBC has 6 courses the entire year but 2 are huge courses. It seems that U of T is more academically challenging than UBC, can anyone confirm/deny? I'm from Ontario, so U of T is closer, but is it worth it to go to UBC if I can get A's whereas if I go to Toronto I can only get B's? I think I want to do a residency/fellowship after my 4 years, would better grades or the prestige of the school I go to affect this?

Thanks for any advice.

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[Jloyay]

UBC and UofT should be be on the same level of difficulty. TBH if you live in Ontario go to UofT the tuition will be lower and if you live in the GTA you can even live at home which will shave off cost of residence.

 

[Nanuq]

I'd say that the difficulty variance between the schools is subjective and no one has the answer unless they were to attend both. I just finished my first year of UBC pharmacy and I can say that I did not find the pharmacy courses to be all that difficult, however, the challenge came from only taking 1 year of university prior to pharmacy so I had to tack on micro, anatomy, statistics and physiology.

We have a beautiful new building and I'd say that the professors are lovely and helpful.

 

[Ms Student Pharmacist]

A little late but… I would suggest UT as this is the first year that UBC is rolling out their new curriculum.

 

[vanpharm]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice about the pharmD programs at UBC and U of T. I've been accepted to both, so I'm trying to decide which is the best fit for me. I know that U of T is very competitive and has 8 courses the first semester and 6 the second semester in first year while UBC has 6 courses the entire year but 2 are huge courses. It seems that U of T is more academically challenging than UBC, can anyone confirm/deny? I'm from Ontario, so U of T is closer, but is it worth it to go to UBC if I can get A's whereas if I go to Toronto I can only get B's? I think I want to do a residency/fellowship after my 4 years, would better grades or the prestige of the school I go to affect this?

Thanks for any advice.

Hey, I was just wondering what your GPA was, and PCAT score, if you're willing to share? Thanks!
I'm hoping to apply to U of T and UBC as well for sept 2016 admission.

 

[WanderingGold]

I ended up going with U of T. Tomorrow is my moving day, then classes start next week. I'm super excited!

My GPA was 3.3, and my PCAT was in the 98th percentile. I think my PCAT made up for my GPA and that the interview went well for me. Do practice for the interview, it's one of the deciding factors. Good luck!

 

[deleted287769]

I realize my response is late but I figured I could chime in for others wondering the same thing. You can't really say one school is more academically challenging than the other. The entry-level PharmD program at U of T has gone through a few more iterations than the one at UBC, so you could possibly infer there may be fewer hiccups down the road. Both schools are reputable and will prepare you well for pharmacy. To be honest, where you went to school rarely matters once you graduate.

A factor you should consider is where you want to ultimately practice. Each province has slight nuances in pharmacy jurisprudence and scopes of practice so it might be easier to adapt to pharmacy practice in the province where you did your schooling. With that said, it's not impossible to practice in another province.

Also, if you're considering residency, it might be easier to get a residency in the province where you did your schooling. It's not set in stone, but the social connections you make during school and placements may influence your chances at a residency. And that's much easier to accomplish at a school affiliated with the hospital(s) to where you want to apply.

Hope this helps.
As an aside, I've been a student at both UBC and U of T and have applied to both schools, so I'm familiar with the programs. I have also had to make a decision between the west coast and the east coast before pharmacy school and so far, I don't regret my decision.