Health Sciences Program

For my post-secondary education, I would like to study in the Health Sciences Program at McMaster university for four years to receive my bachelor degree, and then to follow this, apply to medical school. The reason for why I want to go specifically into the Health Sciences Program at McMaster university is because of its very unique approach to teaching their students the studies of health, wellness, and illness. The program is the only program in Ontario that has a full range of departments within health sciences, including clinical departments of medicine, pathology and molecular medicine, psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences, clinical epidemiology, and biostatistics. The university provides students with exposure to research labs and
interaction with healthcare professionals and practitioners. The program offers a very high-quality post-secondary education, and thus, with all the knowledge gained in your undergraduate studies, renders it easier to pass the MCAT and receive admission into medical school.

Financial Post Secondary Planning:

The route to becoming a pediatrician is one filled with quite a few expenses. Although undergraduate programs aren’t too expensive, medical schools are very hard to afford. Thus, it is important to maintain a strong academic status in order to be able to apply for scholarships to reduce tuition fees. The Health Sciences undergraduate program at McMaster university costs $7,208.19 annually, summing up to be a total of $28,832.76, discluding the cost for a meal plan, residence, as well as, books and supplies. Residence cost at McMaster university ranges between $5,000 - $8,300 depending on the residence style you choose to live in. The meal plan cost is also a range ($2,400 - $4,000) depending on whether you choose a minimum, light, regular, or varsity plan. In order to cut down the expensive cost of this program, individuals may choose to remove their housing plan after the first year if the cost they will spend on transportation to the university would be less than the live-in cost. In total, it would cost me around $55,000 - $75,000 to attend the Health Sciences undergraduate program at McMaster university depending on whether I choose to live-in, have a meal plan, as well as, depending on which textbooks and materials I would be required to buy throughout my four years of study.

Earning/Wages:

The earnings for a pediatrician vary depending on their practice setting, as well as, the geographic area they work in. Earnings for pediatricians range from $142,000 - $200,000, and sometimes go even higher depending on their work situation. For instance, a pediatrician can open up their own clinic, or even a set of clinics, and earn a much greater salary than the already sufficient amount they get paid. Pediatricians receive a great amount of benefits especially if they work in a hospital environment. However, many pediatricians are self-employed, and thus, pay for their own health and dental insurance. Pediatricians earn a sufficient salary, and I know that with these earnings I will be able to support the lifestyle I am hoping to enjoy one day.
Working Conditions/Work Environment:

Pediatricians have a number of working environments including private practice offices, public health clinics, community health centres, and hospitals.
Most pediatricians have offices and examination rooms as their work space. An average pediatrician works around 50 hours a week. During these 50 hours, they spend time at the office seeing patients, visiting patients in the hospital, and completing paperwork. Office hours usually begin around 9:00 am in the morning, and continue until 4:00 - 5:00 pm, with a one hour lunch break in between. The work environment can be stressful at times because working with children can be an onerous task if they are not cooperating. However, at the end of the day it is all worth it because a pediatrician’s work environment is quite comfortable, and vacation days are available with flexible dates even spanning up to 1
month.

Job Satisfaction/Job Stress:

Doctors have a high job satisfaction level because the immense benefits they receive from their occupation outweigh some of the setbacks they might experience in their working environment. Pediatricians have a high-paying salary, and are among one of the highest paid physicians. Due to their steady income, they are able to have security, and can live a happy lifestyle with their family. In my opinion, the best satisfaction a pediatrician receives from their job is the satisfaction of helping sick children. Putting a smile on someone’s face, and relieving a child’s family, is the best feeling a doctor can receive because they know they have done their job well and helped someone live their life better. Being a pediatrician can also be a stressful job depending on the patients that come into the office. Children can have different fears of doctors, and can sometimes be hysterial, and hard to work with. This is why pediatricians must have a lot of patience when dealing with children. Also, at times, pediatricians need to work long and irregular hours due to paperwork or emergency situations. During certain situations, it can be emotionally-difficult to work with children if they are in a life-threatening condition, and they are depending on you to treat them.

Related Jobs, Future Trends, or Self-Employment Opportunities:

Pediatricians have a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree, which opens up a lot of alternate job opportunities for them. Since they are already a doctor, they have the ability to specialize in a different field if they choose to continue their studies because they have already went through medical school. Some related careers they are able to specialize in include:
Family physician
Anestheologist
Opthamologist
Allergist
Epidemiologist
Dermatologist
Cardiologist
Geneticist

Community Involvement and Apprenticeship Opportunities/Exposure:

I am an active member in my community because I have commited to volutneering weekly at the Baycrest Hospital.
I assist the elderly in various programs such as arts and crafts and bingo, as well as, provide adminstrative support at the volunteer office. I have already acquired around 200 volunteer hours, however, I plan on continuing to volunteer at a variety of places in the future to continue to contribute and give back to my community.

The trade I have chosen from the Service sector is Child Development Practitioner. This trade entails planning various intellectual and physical activites for preschool and school-age children. Child Development Practitioners also care for infants and toddlers, as well as use teaching methods and childcare developmental theories to supervise and lead children in activites such as reading, writing, arts and crafts, and music. The personal qualities you need to succeed in this position are patience, dedication, and problem-solving skills. Children can be difficult to work with, and they require lots of time and work put into them in order to be able to succeed in taking care of them, and enriching them with knowledge. By being a Child Development Practitioner, I would gain first-hand experience on what it is like to work with children. This would be very useful as I am planning to go into medicine because in the future I would be working with children as a pediatrician. It is
important that I develop all of the personal traits I need to be able to succeed in my future career.