This Strike has Triggered an Unsettling Event…

Posted by Joshua
January 7, 2009

This afternoon a friend of mine from York messaged me, asking if I got an email from Queen’s Medical School (and yes, York’s union is still on strike).

I actually hadn’t checked my normal email account today, so I hastily logged in, only to find some unsettling news.

An admissions officer sent an email to third year York University applicants basically saying that even if we are offered an interview, if we don’t make alternate arrangements to get this year’s credits completed by June 30, 2008, we will not be allowed into their medical school. The email then ends asking me to reply saying whether or not I have made alternate arrangements to complete my credits.

If you don’t know, Queen’s medical school requires at least three full years worth of course credits completed by the time you enter their program. So if I don’t have those completed this year, I wouldn’t be allowed in.

The problem with the email is that it seems to suggest either that they believe we are definitely going to lose the year at York (since it never considered the possibility that I would still be able to complete my credits this year), or that even if classes resume at York, that I wouldn’t be able to complete my credits by June 30 (which I guess is possible, depending on how long the strike goes for). So the whole thing is a bit weird but also scary.

In addition, the reality is that I simply can’t make worthwhile re-arrangements. I cannot transfer to another university and ask to complete an entire year’s worth of credits in half a year – that would never be allowed. My only shot at finishing my credits on time this year is staying at York. Which is why I’m confused I got this email in the first place.

I’m going to discuss this with my dad tonight, and come up with the best possible plan for approaching this. At this point, I think most likely scenario is I’m going to call them tomorrow to clarify the whole issue. I really don’t like replying by email for important stuff like this because getting responses for clarification is so much faster and easier via phone.

This first event also worries me because it may or may not be the first in a line of other responses from other medical schools I applied to. I would be very upset if I was automatically rejected from medical schools this year because of this instance. It’s not just the fact that I would’ve wasted several hundred dollars and hours of my time putting the application together.

I feel like I’m ready for medical school right now, and I’d be pretty upset if I am disqualified because of something random out of my control.

Hopefully I’ll have some good news to present tomorrow…

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Comments

But hasn’t the fall semester been cancelled and therefore you can’t make it up without taking courses in the summer?

Comment by Anonymous on January 7, 2009 @ 4:17 pm

I haven’t heard of the fall semester being canceled, and I doubt they would do that since it was already half completed.

I would be devastated of the fall semester was officially canceled, because that would mean all my applications would now be worthless! =P

Comment by Joshua on January 7, 2009 @ 4:24 pm

Yeah that would suck, York made the wrong move in shutting down the entire university. I have heard U of T’s support staff might strike as well, hopefully they don’t make the same decision. For your sake, I hope they don’t cancel the semester!

Comment by Samantha on January 7, 2009 @ 9:00 pm

Thanks for keeping us updated on your application process. I too am a York student stuck in this strike mess. With the speculation that a 2-year contract will lead to a repeat of this strike in just two years, I am concerned about possible consequences for my med school applications. Looking forward to hearing more updates!

Comment by Nadia on January 7, 2009 @ 9:14 pm

Hey Samantha,

Thanks =) I really doubt that we will lose the year, but at this point, I’m kind of more concerned about my applications.

Unfortunately, if we don’t resume classes soon, it’s possible I might be ineligible for every Ontario medical school I applied to as I hear they all have the same due date for final transcripts.

I hope that isn’t the case, and it doesn’t come to that, but not much I can do right now besides hope for the best. It really sucks to not have things in your control during times like this =P

Comment by Joshua on January 7, 2009 @ 9:47 pm

Hey Nadia,

It’s kind of good to hear from another student sharing similar frustrations =P

Supposedly, tomorrow evening, there is an opportunity for members to pass a motion for a ratification vote on York’s offer, but they would need a lot of general members showing up who are in favour of accepting the deal for such a motion to be passed.

Apparently, when the actual vote for the strike occurred last fall, only 22% of the union members showed up to vote, but 75% of them voted yes to a strike.

So for that reason I’m not very optimistic anything will happen tomorrow…

Comment by Joshua on January 7, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
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