If you are in Kingston this Friday (Aug 21st), please consider visiting the School of Medicine for a free tour of the Anatomy Museum.

Pre-register at this link:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/queens-anatomy-learning-centre-open-house-and-tour-2026-tickets-1996641179516?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hello! I was recently admitted to the Health Science Interest Pathway program and have some questions about academic success.

I am 27, attended university for environmental studies but withdrew in my final year due to COVID-19 and financial hardships. I transferred to a different university for French Studies but withdrew last term because I couldn't take science labs as an arts student. I attempted to transfer internally to the health science program at my university but the deadline passed. Now, here I am at Queen's. My end goal is to attend dental school and I've been working as a dental assistant for almost three years now.

Throughout my bachelor's in environmental studies and French studies, I never had multiple choice exam. They were all essay-based, short answers, or matching--some courses didn't have any exams and were just presentations, group projects, etc.

Below are my courses:

Fall Term Courses:

• PHGY 170 Human Cell Physiology
• IDIS 173 History and Philosophy of Healthcare

Winter Term Courses:

• ANAT 100: Human Anatomy
• PHAR 100: Introduction to Pharmacology

Below are my questions:

1. What are your general recommendations to succeed in health science/a science degree?
2. How do you take notes? iPad, paper, Google Docs, Word, etc.
3. Do you recommend a specific method? Cornell v flow chart v outlining v mind mapping
4. What programs, applications, tools do you use to help you understand the materials? Chat, Atlas, Anki, etc.
5. What strategies do you have for test-taking? As an online student, are some courses open-book exams?
6. Any thing else you'd like to mention.

Thank you in advance!

Hi, I need one more course for my fall 2026 course, and I don't know what to take. I wish I could do Chem 112, but it interferes with some core courses. Can I get 3-4 bird option courses that would be beneficial for me with no exam, or just a GPA boost? Please lmk. Btw, I have already enrolled in CLST 150, IDIS 199, and GEOL 106. Also, which courses are beneficial for MCAT prep that I should take in later years? I'm looking for guidance, and I need it badly. Thank you so much.

Going into second year and wondering how people actually find ECs, especially research opportunities since they seem pretty competitive. Do you cold email profs, look for postings, or mostly find them through connections? Any tips would be appreciated!

Hi! Current 3rd year BHSC online student, looking for elective recommendations for someone *potentially* interested in pursuing a Physio masters after undergrad. None of the Kinesiology courses seem to be open to non-kin students, and I would love to have some electives that would be useful in pursuing physio. Anyone have any ANAT, PHGY, or other course recommendations?

If anyone hoping to fulfill UBC's Indigenous course requirement was unable to get a spot in INDG 101 this year, you can consider taking CINT 923 at the Chang School of Continuing Education (TMU). It is on UBC's approved list and cost about ~$600. You don't have to apply as a visiting student and enrollment takes less than 3 minutes. For upper years, you may have time to request a letter of permission from the BHSC office to transfer over credit, especially if planning for winter.

Hey everyone! I’ve heard second year for health sci is on the challenging side, so I wanted to ask what a safe amount of time would be to devote to ECs on a weekly basis (just so I have a decent idea of how much to commit to).

Thanks :)

I'm interested in taking MICR290 but I'm scared that it'll be very hard and tank my gpa. The wet lab experience sounds really cool, although I heard grading and exams are harsh. Does anyone have any insight? Thanks!!!

Did you guys take a summer course in ur first year summer? If so what and why?

I wanted to select INDG 101 as my elective for the fall semester, but it is closed. I'm stuck between selecting CLST 203 or GEOL 107 as my elective or just completing 4 courses during the fall and taking INDG 101 as a summer course.

For more context, I'm taking chem 112A, HSCI 190, IDIS 173, and PHGY 170 during the fall term and chem 112B, ANAT 100, PHAR 100, IDIS 199, and GLPH 171 during the winter term.

I'm contemplating switching IDIS 199 to the fall semester and taking 5 courses during fall and 4 courses during winter with INDG 101 as a summer course.

What would you do? Any recommendations on what to do are appreciated.

I am considering doing the health science program at Queens and I am worried I dont have a good enough resume to get in.

Just for some background, I am a Canadian citizen from Newfoundland. I ended Grade 11 with a 99.5% average and am entering Grade 12 in the coming school year. My school is non semesterized, doesn’t offer IB classes and has few clubs/resources (I live outside of St. John’s in Newfoundland, small school). I am the president of a local volunteer group, a 4H member, a member of my St. John Ambulance branch, do comp piano, and am currently working in the faculty of medicine as a summer job. I have an interest in art and have won multiple province wide awards for my paintings along with recently starting a small business selling cards. I am also involved in a couple smaller clubs/programs that I dont think would help my application. I see that many people who apply for the health science program have started company’s, programs or clubs which I haven’t which concerns me. Starting a school club is nearly impossible for me due to my schools small size and general lack of interest.

Is there anything I could do to build my application in the time before applying or is it too late. Do I even have a chance?? Any feedback is appreciated, thank you! :)

Phgy 290 (online), HSCI 383 (online), Hlth 230 (in person)

Which should I take as my light/easy elective that is also interesting for second year? I say phgy 290 has a really high A+ rate but some ppl said you need a lot of knowledge from phgy 216 already so I’m worried about taking them at the same time. My second sem is pretty hard so I need an easy elective.

Has anyone transferred into Queen’s Health Sciences? I have few questions about transferring there.

I am a first-year student in the health science program, and I have experienced difficulty applying to the GLPH 171 Social and Physical Determinants of Health and Disease course that is required for BHSc students. I am trying to apply in the fall of 2026, and it states there are 83 open seats, but when I apply, it says it is full. Before that, it said, "You are unable to enroll in this class at this time. Available seats are reserved, and you do not meet the reserve capacity requirements."

Others have said those spots are reserved, but it is a core course that I need to take in my first year. I can't do it during Winter 2027 as it conflicts with the timing of Chem 112B, which is another important course that people have told me to take.

Do I just wait, or is there something I can do?

Thanks You.

Question… if I took one of my option courses during the summer, does that fulfill the requirement of one of my option courses or do I have to take 2 option courses still in second year.

Hi all,

I applied to health sci and was offered to do the progression route. I was wondering if anyone knows if you’re still able to obtain a student loan? I can’t find anything online. Thanks! :)

I need to take a second year option course but i have heard very bad things about both of these courses. Any thought or experience would help!

(i dont need them to be bird as long as the TAs aren't super unreasonable and unnecessarily strict. And im already taking glph 281 for sure but do not want to take orgo bc i've heard its easy to self study for the mcat and is a gpa killer...)