LET’S TALK: GRAD SCHOOL

x

A brief crash course on Ontario rehabilitation applications

LET’S DO AN INTRO

BENEFITS AS A GM

WHAT IS WRC?

GOALS OF WRC

$10 MEMBERSHIP

CONNECT WITH US!

• Networking
• Mentorship and volunteering opportunities
• Career Panels
• Workshops and Experiential Learning
• Wellness Events

A club created in 2022 that aims to provide support in the Western community for students interested in rehabilitative studies.

​

​

To build a supportive network of like-minded students passionate about rehabilitation sciences while providing resources, connections, and opportunities in the field.

​

@westernrehabclub

@westernrehabclub

@westernrehabclub

linkedin.com/company/western-rehab-club

​

rehab.club@westernusc.ca

Speakers & Programs

Lauren Denusik

Grace Norris

Olivia Crozier

Erica Lo

Master Student (HRS: Health & Aging)

Year 2

gnorris4@uwo.ca

MCISc/PhD Candidate

Year 4

ldenusik@uwo.ca

MScOT/PhD Student

Year 2

ocrozier@uwo.ca

MPT/PhD Student

Year 1

elo45@uwo.ca

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - PT

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - OT

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - SLP

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - AUDIOLOGY

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - COMBINED SLP/OT/PT/Aud PhD

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - HEALTH SCIENCE MASTERS

FINANCES

ORPAS FEE

UNIVERSITY FEES

TRANSCRIPT FEE

CASPER FEE

$190

$100 for 1 program per university

$200 for 2+ programs per university

University of Toronto charges a $100 university fee regardless of the number of programs selected

​

​

$17

$50 for the test

$16/school for distribution

​

​

GENERAL TIMELINE

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

MARCH

& BEYOND

FINALIZATION

Following up on completion of references

Finish supplementary materials and share for proofreading

Dec 7: last possible CASPER date for U of T OT

Start transcript request process

​

​

FEB 15

SLP and Audiology Combined program application due

​

​

PREPARATION

Contact references

Prepare for CASPER

Familiarize yourself with ORPAS

Start writing personal statements, resumes/CVs, experience summaries, etc.

​

​

CASPER & APPLICATION DEADLINES

​

​

INTERVIEWS + RESULTS

Jan 5: application deadline for OT/PT/SLP/Aud programs

Jan 10: last possible CASPER date for Queens PT

Jan 25: last possible CASPER date for UWO PT & OT, and University of Toronto PT

Jan 30: deadline for initial transcript to be sent to ORPAS

​

​

​

​

Interview offer dissemination begins

April 1: PT and OT Combined program application due

April 3: SLP and Aud offers begin

May 15: OT and PT offers begin

June 1: MSc Kin application due

June 30: MSc Health & Rehab Sciences application due

​

​

​

​

REFERENCES

CHARACTER

ACADEMIC CAPABILITIES

PERSONAL QUALITIES

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES (IF APPLICABLE)

Your referee should be able to make statements regarding your…

APPROACHING YOUR REFEREES

Approach Referee ASAP!

• Have more than 1 conversation if possible
• Say something beyond “I really enjoyed your class”

Establish a Genuine Relationship

• Let them get to know you and your plans
• Ask for advice/tips for your application/career plans

Provide Them With Your:

• CV/resume
• Student record
• 3-4 examples that relate to characteristics you wish you highlight in your application (ideally from interactions with your referee)

• Ensure it aligns with your story and the rest of your application

Some professors may want you to prepare a draft

SAMPLE REFEREE REACH OUT EMAIL

SIGNING UP FOR CASPER

You can register for the CASPER at: https://takealtus.com/casper/

​

CASPER - LAST POSSIBLE DATES AND TIMES

CASPER TIPS

• PrepMatch - mock CASPER tests�
• Review frameworks for each type of questions
• Do not stress if you run out of time to answer certain questions
• Know the format of your responses
• Personal reflection

​

​

SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS

HOW TO…

GPA CALCULATION

• Must request transcript through ORPAS application�
• OUAC collects transcript request fees on behalf on your institution�
• Last date to request transcript: January 30, 2023
• Guidelines: https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/orpas-transcript/

• Pass/Fail courses are not included in the calculation of an applicant’s sub-GPA for all programs�
• Dropped courses (before specified drop date) will be shown as withdrawn (WDN) on your transcript
• Not included in sub-GPA calculation
• Having 1-3 WDN on your transcript is not a problem, more however may be viewed as an issue/pattern

Accessing/Submitting your transcript on OUAC

“Add Transcript Request” button will only appear once you have filled in your postsecondary education info !

Developing Your Story

Reflection Activity:

Who do you want to be in 5-10 years?

What are your current experiences?

How do those connect to the person you want to become?

What are the underlying values/motivations in your current experiences?

What skills have you built to work towards this goal?

Throughout the Application:

How can you portray your story in the rest of your application?

How can you leverage your statement, references, CV, etc. to make your story cohesive?

View Olivia’s Reflection Activity Document

PERSONAL STATEMENT

• Provide examples of how you exemplified certain characteristics that contribute to your story�
• Provide examples that can support other aspects of application without being repetitive�
• Frame your story using the core values, guiding principles, and competencies of the profession and school

NON-PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

EVIDENCE OF EXPERIENCE

PROFESSIONAL

RELATED

PROFESSIONAL-RELATED EXPERIENCE

NON- PROFESSIONAL

• Highlight experiences that connect with your story and goals you hope to achieve in your career�
• Experiences that exemplify unique insights/skills / competencies that you took away from the experience

• Think about transferable skills and specific experiences that emphasise the skills you can bring into the profession from other faculties/fields
• E.g. conscientiousness, organization, ethical, communication, empathy, multiple perspectives, life-long learner

Don’t have relevant experiences? Seek opportunities!

• Contact local clinics
• Reach out to relevant professors
• Speak to clinicians
• Get involved with clubs and campus activities

MCMASTER KIRA TALENT INTERVIEW

Website: www.kiratalent.com

​

​

​

What is it?

• A virtual interview consisting of written and video recorded questions
• No interviewer
• 6-8 questions
• Each question takes 3-5 minutes to complete
• Small preparation time for the verbal response (30-60 seconds)
• Costs $55 CAD

​

Required: McMaster OT and PT applicants who have met minimum academic requirements

​

​

​

U of T - Computer Administered Profile (CAP) Test

What is it?

• Top 300-350 applicants will be invited to write the CAP in March
• Test will take place in April
• 10 questions in 2 hours
• Open-ended exam (short and long answers)
• Assesses personal characteristics/attributes, life experiences, knowledge of the profession, critical-thinking and problem‑solving skills

​

​

MCMASTER MMI (MULTIPLE MINI INTERVIEWS)

Website: www.studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca/multiple-mini-interviews-mmi

​

​

​

​

What is it?

• Evaluates core skills and attributes, including critical thinking, decision making, communication skills, interpersonal abilities, compassion, ability to work as team, etc.
• Interviewees will be evaluated in a series of discrete short interviews (5-10 minutes) at interview stations with independent evaluators
• Stations can include role play, answering a typical interview question, discussing your opinion or decisions about a scenario, working on a task with another person, or writing within a specific time frame
• ~150 applicants will be invited to complete the interview in March
• $55 fee

​

Required: McMaster SLP applicants

​

​

​

PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS

SELF-RECORDED

INTERVIEWER PRESENT

• Positioning
• Background
• Clarity of voice / audio
• Minimize distractions
• Consider items the same as you would if the interview was in person

​

• Starts with personal reflection (i.e., apply your personal story in a consistent way - a continuation of your story)
• Prepare scenarios or common questions (practice, maybe involve family members, etc.)
• Can use resources in CASPer test prep doc as an example
• Engaging body language - for both virtual vs in-person
• Finding external resources (YouTube, Instagram, etc.)

​

MSc or COMBINED APPLICATION

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Applications open October 15

• MSc and PhD Programs� June 30 (domestic)� March 1 (international)
• Combined MScOT/PhD� April 1
• Combined MPT/PhD� April 1
• Combined MClSc/PhD (SLP)� February 15
• Combined MClSc/PhD (Aud)� February 15

Kinesiology MSc

November 1 – Online applications open

• Domestic Applications - June 1
• International Applications - January 31

*NOTE: Decisions are often made well in advance of the posted deadline dates (usually between January – April). Supervisors agree to supervise a limited number of students each year. It is to the advantage of the applicant to ensure their application is complete and submitted as early as possible.

FINDING A SUPERVISOR

• Explore and contact!
• Search up UWO supervisor list for your program
• Look at supervisor research interests
• Send out personalized emails
• Talk to profs you have relationships with (e.g. “I’m interested in ____, who may be good to work with?”)
• Are your interests compatible with the potential supervisor?
• Ensure you are interested in their field/area of work
• Explore their published papers (e.g. via Google Scholar, their website, UWO page)
• Build a relationship
• Ideally speak with your potential supervisor 2-3x before deciding
• It is as much as an interview for the supervisor as it is for you!

FINDING A SUPERVISOR (cont’d)

• Understand the working environment
• Talk to existing grad students about their experience (i.e. How do things work in the lab? What is the supervision style?)
• Look for an opportunity to work with the potential supervisor before deciding
• Will this be a win-win relationship for both you and the supervisor? Is there opportunity to grow and learn?
• If your experience of your supervisor is not what you thought it would be, don’t hesitate to try something else

WRITING A CV

INCLUDE HONOURS, AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS

BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF EXPERIENCES

QUANTIFY AND EXPAND ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

A GOOD RESOURCE FOR CVS CAN BE FOUND HERE:

This includes internship awards, academic excellence awards, and other noteworthy achievements

Some of these can include: research experiences, work/volunteer experiences, clinical activities, conference & workshop participation

E.G. Emailed advertisements as well as posters of events on campus to a group of 20 first years on a weekly basis emotionally supporting them and easing their transition from high school to university

​

http://career.uwo.ca/prepare/resume_cv/index.html

​

Go to “Master’s Application”

​

​

RESEARCH INTEREST STATEMENT

Introduction Sentence

Brief Problem Statement

• What is the issue you are interested in studying? Why is it important?�
• Brief description of issue/health condition, its epidemiology/prevalence, consequences/impacts for people with the condition, meaningful statistics or numbers that are impactful

Done in collaboration with your supervisor

Personal Interest & Experience

Possible Research Questions

References

• What are some possible research questions related to your area of interest?�
• Questions can be broad (e.g. types of research questions I would pursue are…I am especially interested in exploring…)�
• Include methods related to the suggested research questions if possible

• How do your interests tie into your CV?
• How does it relate to your story?

ALTERNATIVE MASTERS PROGRAMS

• Global Health - one-year (three-term) professional master's degree consisting of eight (8) months of course work followed by a capstone (300 hour) summer practicum.

​

• Public Health - one-year case-based learning program. During the Program, you will learn from faculty from a wide-variety of disciplines, participate in seminars and workshops, experience a 12-week practicum in Canada or around the world, and develop the skills you need to become a public health leader.

​

• Health Information Sciences - joint graduate program with the FHS and FIMS. Choose between:
• one-year course-based program, or
• two-year thesis-based program.

​

• Epidemiology and Biostatistics - 2-year thesis based program

DECISIONS ARE OUT ….. WHAT’S NEXT?

Gain new experiences

Expand your network

Learn from your previous application

Think about your story and identify experiences that would enhance your story (e.g. working or volunteering).

Continue reaching out to explore options and gather more information (i.e., WRC mentorship program, find a mentor)

Engage in self-reflection activities and re-evaluate

It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get in!

Don’t give up!

RESOURCES

Western Writing Support Centre

01.

CASPer Prep

03.

Western Employment Resource Centre

02.

Western Rehab Club

04.

http://writing.uwo.ca/

Olivia’s document

http://career.uwo.ca/prepare/resume_cv/werc.html

Expand your network, informative events/panels, opportunities to get involved, access resources

Resources and videos mentioned in this slideshow will be posted on the WRC website or the OWL website for RS4970E

Q&A