All Posts Tagged With: "engineer"
RIM cutting 2,000 jobs
Bad news for graduates in Waterloo Region
Canada’s former smartphone leader Research in Motion announced Monday it will eliminate 2,000 jobs. The Waterloo, Ont.-based company will be cutting about 11 per cent of its workforce worldwide. That’s bad news for commerce and engineering graduates in Waterloo Region whom were often hired by the company upon graduation.
The BlackBerry maker said in a statement that the layoffs are a “prudent and necessary step for the long-term success of the company.” RIM’s first quarter profits fell 10 per cent this year, while its market share dropped nearly five per cent. Analysts attribute the company’s losses to its inability to keep up with competitors Apple and Google. After RIM cuts the jobs, it will continue to employ 17,000 people worldwide.
So you want to be a doctor
Brutal requirements, years of school, long hours—and a guaranteed job
For other professions, including engineer, architect, ad man, teacher or marine biologist, pick up Maclean’s 19th annual rankings issue, available on newsstands now.
What you’ll do
Physicians can be found in any number of health care facilities, from small family practices to high-pressure emergency rooms to research labs. One role that rarely finds its way into television shows like House and ER is that of the doctor as small-business owner: general practitioners spend their time not only seeing patients but also building their practice, managing staff and paying bills.
Is it for you?
Aside from having to be able to stand the sight of blood, doctors need to be empathetic and excellent listeners. Thoughtfully observing patients and picking up on subtle signals is essential to an accurate diagnosis, and all medical schools emphasize the need for strong interpersonal skills. Students considering medicine should also be detail-oriented, analytical, very strong academically—and willing to stay in school for years.
What you need to get in
In order to get into medical school, you have to be an exceptional student. While most schools set their minimum average in the B range, intense competition has pushed entering averages skyward. The University of British Columbia allows applicants with averages above 70 per cent to apply, but its entering class last year had an average of 83 per cent. McGill recommends applicants have a 3.5 GPA (between a B+ and an A-) to be considered competitive. The mean GPA of those accepted at the University of Alberta was 3.8. To apply at most schools, applicants must also write the MCAT exam, complete prerequisite undergraduate courses, submit reference letters and write an essay. The lucky ones who get through the first cut will be invited to an interview.
Schools to consider
There are 17 medical schools in Canada. Most limit the number of out-of-province students, so you’ll have the best shot by applying in your own province. Some schools emphasize academics more than others, so research which school’s application process will best complement your strengths and weaknesses.
Next: What you’ll study
How I almost made the biggest mistake of my life (Part 1)
I didn’t want to make teeny robots for doctors. I wanted to be the doctor
During my last couple years of high school, I started thinking about possible undergraduate degrees. Something that could work towards my dream of one day attending medical school. Maybe microbiology? Health studies? Biology?
I definitely had some decisions to make. But then I learned about some of the harsh realities of getting into med school. Out of the thousands and thousands of qualified hopefuls with high GPAs and diverse extracurricular activities who apply each year, only a handful make it in.
It’s not that these rejected applicants wouldn’t make good doctors. It’s strictly a numbers game. In Canada, government funding of med school spots means restrictions on how many doctors we can graduate each year.
Meaning, most people who apply to medical school in Canada won’t ever get in. No matter how smart, determined, or dedicated they are.
I knew the stats were working against me. In grade 12, I decided it was time to start thinking about Plan B.
Engineering?
It instantly clicked with me. Engineers solve problems using math and science. They apply their knowledge to a system, with a specific goal in mind.
Okay: so what type of engineering, and where?
Choosing a program comes before choosing a university. Once I had decided that, the University of Waterloo, renowned for its school of engineering, went straight to the top of my list.
UW was also a great fit because I lived in Kitchener and knew I couldn’t afford to go too far from home. U of T, York, Guelph, McMaster, Brock, and Western were also added to the list since all were within a doable commuting distance. I had a lot of great schools to choose from.
I looked through the different engineering programs each school offered. Mechanical, electrical, civil… then I saw it: Nanotechnology.
It sounded absolutely perfect to me. A program being offered for the first time in Canada, and best of all, at the University of Waterloo. The school’s website boasts, “you’ll apply mathematics, science, and engineering to model, design, and fabricate nanoengineered structures for sensors, electronics, biosystems, or advanced materials.”
An engineering program with biological applications in which “you’ll design nanostructures that may interact with cells.” Math and biology. Together. I was thrilled. It was like the program was speaking to me directly.
I had dreams of making tiny robots for doctors to use to kill cancer cells.
But two days before my university applications were due, I suddenly had a moment of, “What the hell am I thinking?!”
Engineering? Me? Why?
Overnight, I totally revamped everything I was about to do after realizing I was making a huge mistake. You can’t start compromising a dream before you’ve even taken a first step. Hell, of course I’d never get into med school. If I didn’t even try.
I didn’t want to make teeny robots for doctors. I wanted to be the doctor.
