UBC September 2014 Applicants

Kiawa · Feb 27, 2014

Thanks for the advice guys :) I'll make sure I email my tutor so I can be certain.

amychow0 · Mar 1, 2014

are you taking the full course or challenge exam? i just completed my challenge exam from Athabasca yesterday! Does anyone know how long it takes the get the mark from that? Thanks.

IslandnurseG · Mar 10, 2014

Hey!

I am just wondering if anyone knows when we might expect to hear about an interview?

Thanks!

Gen

futurenursecanada · Mar 11, 2014

I emailed them last week and they hope to start inviting applicants for interviews the third week of march (next week)

Lily333 · Mar 11, 2014

I emailed them last week and they hope to start inviting applicants for interviews the third week of march (next week)

Thanks for the info - good to know!

Are there any applicants from Ontario?

IslandnurseG · Mar 11, 2014

Thanks for the info - good to know!
Are there any applicants from Ontario?

Hey! I'm applying from Quebec but I did my undergrad at Carleton...

Lily333 · Mar 11, 2014

Hey! I'm applying from Quebec but I did my undergrad at Carleton...

Oh nice! I did my masters at Carleton...is UBC your first choice? I'm debating between UBC and U of T...

nikkigee · Mar 12, 2014

Oh nice! I did my masters at Carleton...is UBC your first choice? I'm debating between UBC and U of T...

Nice, I'm also applying to UBC and UofT. I hope we hear back from both schools soon...I think UofT is my first choice but not really sure. What do you think are the pros/cons between the two programs? Or does it just come down to where you prefer to live?

Lily333 · Mar 12, 2014

Nice I'm also applying to UBC and UofT. I hope we hear back from both schools soon...I think UofT is my first choice but not really sure. What do you think are the pros/cons between the two programs? Or does it just come down to where you prefer to live?[/quote']
I hope we hear soon too...I think it mostly comes down to where you prefer to live...but I want to look into whether it makes a big difference in terms of getting hired in Ontario after school...I'm assuming they would probably be more likely to hire an Ontario graduate than a BC graduate, but I don't know for sure.

nikkigee · Mar 12, 2014

I hope we hear soon too...I think it mostly comes down to where you prefer to live...but I want to look into whether it makes a big difference in terms of getting hired in Ontario after school...I'm assuming they would probably be more likely to hire an Ontario graduate than a BC graduate, but I don't know for sure.

Hmm yes, I'm considering that as well. Please let me know what you find out re: job opportunities for new nursing grads. I wonder if either of these factors affect job prospects after graduation: the SCHOOL you graduate from or WHERE you plan on working after grad (i.e. Does it matter if you are a UBC grad but want to live and work in Ontario?).

If school is a factor, then one point to consider is that during practicums at UofT you would get a chance to work in hospitals/care-centers in the Toronto area. That experience may increase your post-grad opportunities if Toronto/Ontario is where you want to live. From my understanding, jobs can be very limited in your area of choice when you're a new grad, therefore networking and making key connections as a student might be really important. For example, you would already have first-hand experience in the Ontario healthcare system which I think would be an advantage if competing against UBC grads for the same job. And vice versa if you train as a UBC student in the BC healthcare system.

However, while being a student in one province might increase your chances of getting a job in that same province, I think that we will all graduate as RN's capable of working across Canada (and internationally). So perhaps the point is moot.

I am currently an Alberta resident but grew up in BC and am pretty familiar with Vancouver and UBC. I'd really like the new and challenging experience of Toronto and UofT has a pretty stellar program. Of course, I would be thrilled to be admitted to UBC as well - they also have an awesome program and gorgeous campus! So what I really want to know is where the best jobs will be when we graduate. I think Alberta salaries are probably the highest, but things have definitely slowed down here and AB healthcare is currently going through some major revamping, so it's difficult to know what nursing job prospects will be like in the next few years...

So for now I'm just trying to assess job prospects for new nurse grads in BC and ON. I'd be happy to hear your thoughts and welcome those from anyone else with similar questions! :)

Kiawa · Mar 12, 2014

I've done a bit of research on this as well, and from what I've read it seems the job situation isn't great anywhere in Canada, and for new grads it seems like the easiest way to get hired is the place you do your preceptorship in your last year. I would think its easier to get a job in the province that you graduate simply because you make connections. And I know UBC has an program where you can start working as a student nurse, which I think would also give you a leg up on competition as would be able to apply to jobs as an internal applicant rather than external. Just by browsing some of the other threads on this forum I've read that this can be a huge factor in getting hired as there are so many internal applicants, external applicants don't always get looked at. So I think if you want to live and work in Ontario after graduation it would be better to go to school there, but if you want to live and work in BC it would be better to go to school in BC. Thats not to say you couldn't work in another province because technically you can work anywhere in Canada, I just think you would have better job prospects where you graduate since you'll have done clinicals and have work experience in those hospitals.

skigirl8 · Mar 13, 2014

Good to know there are other people in this boat of choosing where to go to school/where you want to live in the future. I know for Alberta, AHS has a mandate to have 70% of new hires from Alberta graduates. Not sure if other provinces have this as well. I will be looking into it further when we hear from UBC, since my heart is set on going there but my mind says stay in Calgary.