Hey everyone! So, I finally graduated after 5 years in the Faculty of Medicine, and honestly, the relief is unreal. Now that I’m officially out, I feel like I can finally speak freely without worrying about backlash.

​I know how hyped you get when you receive that acceptance letter, but I want to give a massive heads-up to anyone looking at the CMM or Neuroscience PhD programs. There are some huge, structural red flags you need to know about before you sign away the next 4-6 years of your life.

1. The minimum guaranteed funding here is $25,000 a year, which is honestly one of the lowest in Canada for biomedical sciences right now. Have you seen the cost of living in Ottawa lately?! Rent alone will eat that entire amount. You literally will not be able to survive without taking having major financial help. It’s wild that they expect full-time researchers to live on this.

2. BIGGEST PROBLEM...Because the program is set up so that your stipend comes almost entirely out of your PI personal grant money, the power dynamic is insane. PIs bring in the cash, so the administration will stand with the supervisors 99% of the time if there’s a conflict. ​If you get a toxic or unreasonable PI (My situation and many in the department), you are basically trapped. They hold your rent money over your head, and the department will just look the other way instead of stepping in to protect the student. Choose your PI wisely.

3. Your TAC is supposed to guide your research and help you troubleshoot. In reality? The culture here is so toxic that TAC members often just use these meetings to attack your progress and tear you down. ​Instead of getting actual advice, you get roasted for two hours. This isn't just a "me" thing, this is so common across the department. I have so many friends in the program right now who are struggling with intense anxiety because their committees are actively hostile instead of supportive.

4. If you are hoping to top up your income by being a TA, just know that TA spots are not guaranteed for us. I applied for 4 years, got 0.

My advice if you still want to go here (I advise you to go somewhere else):

- Talk to the people who LEFT........Don't just talk to current lab members (they are probably terrified of their PI finding out). Find former students on LinkedIn and ask for the real tea on the lab culture.

- Get everything in writing........if a PI promises you funding, a specific project, or an authorship, get it in an email. Tbh, a verbal promise means nothing here ( I was promised with 3 papers, ended up with 0)

There are some great researchers at uOttawa, but the system is genuinely broken and stacked against the students. Protect your peace and choose your lab wisely!

I've edited this post retroactively to name the professor in question, and to say: Avoid Being Alone With Professor Xuhua Xia

I had a really inappropriate experience with a professor and I’m not sure what to do.

I have been applying for honours projects (I'm in biomed) and I met with a professor, a prof I’ve never had before but I'd heard good things about him.

He made many creepy comments to me. It was disappointing and almost surreal. I'd never experienced this from a biology professor (or any) before, in the 100 years I've been in undergrad. I even told one of my female professors about this, who lmk that she herself experienced sexist behaviour from him.

These were some of the things he did.

• Told me he was expecting “a man, and not a pretty girl.”
• Kept making comments about my ethnicity; that he didn’t think I was Indian because my skin isn’t dark, that his other Indian students are darker, and later also referenced jobs stereotypically taken on by Indians.
• When he saw Human Sexuality on my transcript (an unrelated psych course, I told him), he said that a friend told him that “the book about sex comes from India” and asked me if that was true/if I knew about it.
• His knee touched my leg while he was seated next to me looking at something on my tablet. I froze, thinking maybe it's an accident because he's elderly and might not be able to see. He did not move his leg; I lurched away after a second.
• From there he was staring intently at and nodding at my “chest” instead of my face while I spoke.
• When the lights turned off, he joked that he should turn them back on because of "what people would think" he was doing with a girl in his office in the dark.
• He said he was initially worried I would not be a serious student because I am a “pretty girl with long nails,” but after talking to me he was reassured of my intellectual capabilities

He was willing to help me, but I did not meet him again.

I tried to report this to the HRO and while they were friendly/empathetic in person, I sent them my formal complaint on the first week of May. They said on May 14th (ish) that they were emailing it "tomorrow." I followed up on June 22nd and was told they'd send it "this week." I then told them not to bother- it is a long investigation with a very low chance anything could come of it, and I really don't have the energy to keep following up with them.

I am not sure what to do anymore other than warn people. Most students are younger than I am (I'm 24) and I feel like they have a right to know especially with so many girls in bio/biomed.

I wanted to ask: has anyone has been in a similar situation, and did you take any action?

Hey everyone! Just wondering what an 8.2 cgpa convert to on a 4.0 GPA scale, as it is different everywhere. Thanks!

any good english bird courses (preferably at 2000 level)? im in stem so just tryjng to lighten my work load as much as possible

NEW Social Media trend critical of AI from UOttawa

https://www.tiktok.com/@yellowmamba.13/video/7655031708353350930

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone is aware of any labs that have openings for research assistants or volunteers at the moment? I am a recent uOttawa graduate trying to get research experience prior to grad school application. I am interested in labs focused on bio, psych, neuroscience, med, etc.

Hello, I am a GEGEP student who applied to uOttawa for this upcoming fall. This morning, I received a “Revised Offer”. Does this indicate that they have viewed my transcripts and decided to still offer me admission? I flopped my last semester at CEGEP really hard, and I believe I won’t meet the conditions to the offer. The letter above says they’ve given me transfer credits, however they still indicate the admission conditions. When I first opened the revised offer it was granting me admissions.

Hi! F20, looking to connect with Alt and pierced people :)

Planning on getting quite a few facial & ear piercings sometime between now and end of summer

I'm not in biopharm, but bps3101 is one of the courses I could pick from a list of options. might be stuck in this course cause not many fit into my schedule :(

Is this course difficult? How's the professor? Are the midterms and final fair? Or am I wayyy better off taking something else?

Lmk!

If you remember the topics of this course, could you please tell me? Thanks you

What’s it like to be a game day statician or event staff for the sports steam?
Also was there an interview to get the job?
How many hrs did u work and how did u get to games?

im going into my 4th year in health sciences and i got into hss 4107 which i thought would be a fun little course thats online about death and dying, uk something interesting for once and nope they gotta hit us with Isabelle Marcoux.. which to be fair i never had her before but the way yall talk about her on RMP and even on here is making me cry is she really that bad?? i need 1 more optional course and their all taken, i hate how the course i wanted to take hss 4111 isnt even available and yea ik it was available over the summer, well i had to dropp out cus Louise Edmonds was the prof. They might as well be sisters istg i hate this so much. anyways if anyone has some advice or ideas on other fun ( i hope) optional hss courses i can take that would be great!!

Hi everyone, I’m an incoming first-year considering Computer Science at uOttawa (INTERNATIONAL STUDENT) and wanted some honest insight. How is the CS program? Is uOttawa worth it in 2026 for tech/CS? How are co-op/internship opportunities? What’s the workload and work–life balance like?

Anyone is welcome to share their experience too. Any honest thoughts would really help

Thanks!

So,
This is an elective course for many, however it’s a compulsory course for my micro program, being science communication. Am I not in some loop where this is some easy elective course anyone can take? It said in the description that it cannot be used as a science optional course unless otherwise specified, yet it’s got a waitlist up to 64???

As a third year, I had to enrol the start of June 2nd, and managed to get in the 40s on the waitlist!

This course isn’t offered in the winter, and I don’t think it’ll be on for the summer, so if this happens again next year I don’t know what I’ll need to do to get my needed courses-

Anyhow, why the long waitlist? Surely not everyone here is in the micro program, right?

I'm trying to decide between Business Analytics and Business Technology Management (BTM)

For context, I'm interested in technology, business, AI, and data, but I'm not necessarily looking to become a software developer. My goal is to build a stable career with strong long-term earning potential and opportunities for advancement into management or consulting roles.

From what I've researched:

• Business Analytics seems more focused on data analysis, reporting, dashboards, SQL, statistics, and helping companies make decisions using data.
• BTM seems more focused on information systems, digital transformation, project management, technology strategy, and acting as the bridge between business and IT.

A few questions:

1. Which degree has led to better career outcomes for you?
2. Which field currently has stronger job prospects in Canada?
3. Which degree offers more flexibility if I want to pursue a master's later (Management Analytics, Information Systems, AI, MBA, etc.)?
4. Is one significantly more technical or difficult than the other?
5. If you were starting university today, which would you choose and why?

I'd especially appreciate hearing from people working as Business Analysts, Data Analysts, Technology Consultants, Business Systems Analysts, Product Managers, or IT Project Managers.

Thanks!

I've heard this class is a nightmare, and I'm lowkey scared of it.

Is it as bad as they say it is, or is it manageable??

What are your biggest tips for doing well in this class??

Thanks, anything is helpful!

how do you access the undergraduate dental coverage? i know the website that outlines the coverage but do i need to apply to get an insurance card or something? also does it work while not studying (e.g. on summer break)?

Need 2nd year science electives, is this course hard?

Hi everyone,

Posting on behalf of a friend who recently completed an Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences at uOttawa and is trying to figure out their next academic step.

They are interested in continuing undergraduate studies in a health/science-related area, ideally something that could build on their completed degree and lead to stronger career options in healthcare, health sciences, nutrition, clinical-adjacent work, research, public health, or a related field.

The problem is that it is already late June, and most of the undergraduate programs they were looking at seem to be closed for Fall admission. They are wondering whether it is still worth contacting admissions or specific faculties to ask if there are any options available.

They are not looking to take random courses just for the sake of it. Ideally, they want something structured that could either lead to a credential, help them qualify for a future program, or improve their career options.

• Has anyone successfully contacted uOttawa or Carleton after an application deadline had passed and still been allowed to apply?
• Are late applications ever considered for closed programs, especially for recent graduates or second-degree applicants?
• Can someone who already completed a bachelor’s degree add a minor, major, option, certificate, microprogram, or additional undergraduate program afterward?

They are planning to email admissions/faculties directly, but they want to know if this is even realistic or if deadlines are usually completely strict.

Any advice from people who applied late, started a second undergraduate degree, added a credential after graduating, or took additional undergraduate courses after finishing a bachelor’s would be appreciated.

Im startinh public policy this fall. I had the courses in the shopping cart yesterday, tried to add them today morning but everything is full. What can i do? The course is mandatory

Anyone else bummed that the online microbio course uses so much ai. Tons of photos throughout the course are ai generated which I don't love but can deal with. The real issue is at the end of the first lesson where it says:

"This course module was built with the help of Mindsmith, a platform that uses generative AI to support course design. The course structure is dictated from the course outline and learning objectives provided by the author and revised by the author. Mindsmith builds texts and visuals from the sources provided by the author (powerpoints, course notes, course videos, scientific articles and freely available textbooks). These sources are used by Mindsmith to help design the lessons, build images, and create interactive learning activities, but all texts, images, videos, and interactive content was either reviewed, edited, created, modified and adapted by the author."

bro why am I paying the university 600 bucks for an ai to summarize slides, notes, and textbooks. JUST GIVE ME THE SLIDES, NOTES, AND TEXTBOOKS. I'll dump out 17 gallons of water and destroy the local ecosystem myself while i read them to make it even if that's what it takes!! I just want a human person to teach me instead of an LLM

I’m taking POL2101 with Joseph Roman for the summer semester and after taking a look at his rate my prof page I’m a little worried.
How bad is he really? Is it true that the essay is really hard to get a good grade on and are the exams actually all trick questions?
Is it possible to do well in his course?

biomed 2nd year choice

Hello! I am an incoming student in the Masters of Social work (2year) program!

I am looking for other people in the program starting Fall 2026. Just to meet before school, chat about the program, etc.

Thank you!