Trinity Western University VS. University of Alberta?

Hi - I'm a family physician who did a Bachelor of Arts at Trinity Western....definitely a phenomenal preparation for medical school, but more importantly for the practice of medicine. Profs at TWU were amazing (including Dr. Stringham who replied earlier), the education second to none, and the community experience is life changing.

TWU?? Absolutely.

Heidi James BA (TWU, 1998), MD (Dalhousie, 2004), CCFP

Family Physician

Trinity Western University Tuition

Hi there:

I've been a Biology Professor at TWU for 14 years. I am also an NSERC Canada Research Chair (which means I have a nationally recognized funded research program). I am also the pre-med academic advisor at TWU. I can give you my personal perspective as an academic who completed my undergraduate studies at a big university (Manitoba) and a Ph.D. at a research intensive institution with a great reputation (UBC), and as a professor at a small institution. When I was a science major in my undergrad years the classes were large (300+ back in 1981) and I never got to know my professors until my fourth year. I did enjoy the smaller fourth year classes at U of M but it was 3 years of slogging through the hallways of anonymity to get to that point. Graduate school at UBC was different because I was in a close knit group of students who shared a discipline focus (in my case genetics). But I truly did not enjoy my undergrad years. Too many multiple choice exams and not enough hands on interaction. There were few opportunities to develop and express my own ideas in oral or written format. At TWU the climate is completely different. Teaching and mentoring students is our primary concern. My second year Cell Biology class has 40-50 students, my fourth year Cancer Biology class for the fall semester has only 19 students. I know each one of my students by name, and if they don't show up for class, I notice and I CARE. Why? Because I would rather invest my knowledge, experience and time in a few individuals who will truly be motivated and transformed by my mentoring than waste my time droning at a few hundred who will forget everything the following week. It means that I assign lab reports, term papers, oral seminars and collaborative case study assignments that make you think beyond the basic lecture material. This is the kind of preparation that not only helps you get to medical school, but benefits you once you are IN medical school.

You said you liked the idea of doing a bilblical studies minor. Well, I incorporate my faith into all of my courses. Here is an example. In my Cancer Biology course we study the biology of cancer, including the chemical nature of carcinogenesis, hereditary cancers, epidemiology and risk factors, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy etc. But we also consider the spiritual element too. Each student is teamed up with a cancer patient who they pray for throughout the semester. They research their patient's particular cancer and write a report. They "walk" with their patient through their illness and get to see the human impact behind the disease. Now, if you want to be a physician, don't you think a cancer biology course that addresses the entire person physically and spiritually would be helpful preparation?

There are many roads to medical school and University of Alberta is a good school. But perhaps the question you need to ask is, "what kind of a doctor do I want to be"? That might help you find the best fit for your situation. By the way, with a 90% average you would receive an excellent scholarship from TWU. Just ask an admission counsellor for details.

Blessings,

Eve Stringham, Ph.D.

Professor of Biology, Trinity Western University

Canada Research Chair in Developmental Genetics and Disease