# Are there any biologists or other scientists? What is living in Canada like?



## Big F (Aug 20, 2004)

> It would be great if you could give me some hints or advices. I did like to make a doctor degree so I would need to find a nice university. Do you know some places? Would it be difficult for a German to work on a canadian university or would I be welcome?


I can't speak for alot of Canada's universities, its a big place and theres alot of schools. In Ontario (a province within Can) theres a number of schools you can seek for medicine, Masters and PhD programs. (University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, and Queens University are the 'big 3'). I'm currently at Western finishing up my undergraduate...as for post undergraduate streams theres Medical, Dentisry, Ivey School of Business and a ton of masters and PhD programs at Western. Do a google search and check out the university websites. You can send emails or phone the registrars, student admissions, student help lines, or even professeurs for program questions.

If your looking for BioChemistry I'd recommend looking at U of T. For mathematics I don't think you can beat the Universtiy of Waterloo which is a smaller school, but very well known for math and engineering.

As per a German student being accepted...international students are encouraged and accepted in the university community. The cultures at these schools are very diverse. In fact I just finished running a study with an interesting fellow from Australia. 



> I did also like to know what the career outlook would be like for a biochemist. Sometimes I'm even considering to stay at a university as I like giving lectures in spite of the fact that I'm always pretty nervous .
> There many things I'm really interessted in and I like to increase my skills. So I did even like to make an advanced education in mathematics and informatics (I really like playing wiht Unix systems). Are there possibilities doing this?


If your looking to stay within a university community long term, I think your a PhD candidate. There isn't a shortage of BioChem masters and phd programs around. Looks at the websites and send some emails...you can get answers fast. 

Hope this helped a little


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks a lot for your reply.

Currently I'm finishing my "Diplom" which can be compared to a master, actually the "Diplom" will be totally replaced by master in Germany soon (to make things more international). The next step I'm thinking about is the PhD, here it is known as "Doktor" in short "Dr.", which I refered to as doctor degree.

I will sure do some investigation via google, but I really like to talk to people who are able to talk about the experiences they have made during their own education. It's a bit more personal than just looking at a website.


I still need to mention something. The next week I might be away and perhaps I'm not able to access the internet. So please excuse me if I don't answer soon.


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## hoody123 (Aug 11, 2004)

As Big F says, I'll also recommend University of Waterloo for any pursuits in the Mathematical, Engineering or Computer Science realm (I've got an Honours Math and Computer Science degree from there, and it's served me very well!)


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## Megabucks (Feb 24, 2008)

I'd like to recommend you look at McMaster University. 

Great for Math, Engineering, Med.


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Sorry for not responding earlier, but I didn't have internet access all the week.

Thanks for your answers. I will keep on gathering as much information as possible.

Do you have some ideas what the career outlook for a biochemist/molecular biologist are like within Canada?


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## NockOn (Feb 24, 2003)

If you want to be near an ocean, on the east coast (Atlantic side), there is Dalhousie University that is Top Notch

Here's a link to the Science/Biochemistry department:
http://science.dal.ca/DEPARTMENTS/

Cheers,


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Hi,

thanks. Looks very interessting and their website is really nice. But aren't they mostly speaking french on the east side of Canada? I never had as much trouble learning something as I had with learning French :embara:. This is what I still can remember: Je ne parle pas français.


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## richardslc (Oct 6, 2006)

The french speaking part of Canada is in the east (Quebec) but it is quite a ways away from the east coast. The maritimes is mainly english speaking.


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks for the clarification!

I just got another thought: what is skiing in Canada like? I really love this sport. I love archery too, but need sometimes a bit more action. And skiing is that much fun. I could spend the whole winter within the snow (sometimes I think I should have become a ski instructor :wink.


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## cdhunter (Feb 4, 2006)

Paramecium said:


> Thanks for the clarification!
> 
> I just got another thought: what is skiing in Canada like? I really love this sport. I love archery too, but need sometimes a bit more action. And skiing is that much fun. I could spend the whole winter within the snow (sometimes I think I should have become a ski instructor :wink.


for skiing your looking west cost in the Rockies ubc or university of calgary. most biology jobs are government jobs. My brother in law and his wife work for the province of nova scotia studying fish populations. Most biochem work is done here in Winnipeg or in Montreal. Winnipeg is the only level 5 lab in Canada, basically the equivalent of Atlanta's center for disease control. The only skiing you will be doing in Winnipeg though is cross country and it takes a special kind of individual to want to spend all winter outdoors on the prairies in January the average temp is -24c before any windchill.


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks. -24C that is pretty tough. I like alpine skiing. It's that much fun. Aren't there any biochemists needed within the Rockies? That would be great - lol.

That level 5 lab is sure very interessting, but working within such an laboratory might scare me a bit too.


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## russ (Jul 29, 2002)

Paramecium said:


> Thanks. -24C that is pretty tough. I like alpine skiing. It's that much fun. Aren't there any biochemists needed within the Rockies? That would be great - lol.
> 
> That level 5 lab is sure very interessting, but working within such an laboratory might scare me a bit too.


Generally -24 is relative and you'll get accustomed to that fairly easily (believe it or not!). If you live in Calgary you won't see temp's like that very often anyway. Calgary has a very strong archery community and one of the largest clubs in Alberta (Calgary Archery Club) and has 2 other clubs in neighboring communities that are very good also. Plus, you'll only be living a little over an hour away from the Rockies. With Sunshine Village & Lake Louise in Banff and both have hosted FIS World Cups in the past.


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks! That sounds really interessting. Now there should only be a biochemist needed within Calgary.


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## Iron Mike (Oct 15, 2007)

For skiing and great academic programs (not real sure about Medicine/Science) you may want to consider British Columbia. My sister is currently finishing up her Phd at the University of British Columbia and has nothing but good things about the school and the province. After finishing her Masters at U of Guelph, thats where she choose.

Just another $0.02 for you to consider.:cheers:


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## cc46 (Jan 22, 2005)

have heard that Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic coast is a good school for marine biology, take a look at the links below, good luck 

http://science.dal.ca/DEPARTMENTS/


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## Paramecium (Apr 13, 2006)

Thanks!

I already heard about Dalhousie, seems to be a nice university. And there is even a department for biochemistry. I really like biochemistry, currently I'm at an institute for biochemistry, where basic research is performed that my result in the posibility too cure cancer and a lot of other diseases. Highly interessting.


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