University Preferences (Medicine Goal) HELP Desperate!! (1 Viewer)

[sointoyourself]

I think it's unlikely that you'll get a transfer into UNSW.. but by all means, you could end up smashing the UMAT and receive one.

If you only want Medicine - I would suggest UNSW Med Sci. UNSW at least has a 'lateral entry scheme' - I know it's competitive, but its better than nothing and USYD Med Sci has no scheme. The reason I suggest Med Sci over Physio is because Physio is a 4yr course.. so it will take longer before your eligible to sit the GAMSAT (if needs be) and it will take longer before you can enter postgraduate medicine.

I only mentioned Newcastle as a place to study medicine. Medicine is the most competitive course to enter - and you really have to be willing to travel anywhere (even interstate) if you want to study it. It's quite rare that one has the ability to pick and choose which medical school they will attend. Generally, the best place to study medicine is the place that your being offered.

Hmm I see. Thanks for helping out. I feel like I'm going to end up choosing something last minute.

 

[lvella10]

Yeah. The benefit of the Adv Sci course is that the UMAT cut-off drops even further - because I was an Adv Sci student I managed to receive an interview with a 144. (albeit I was the 6th and final spot).

Oh wow, nice work. Guess the gamble to study adv science paid off. Just saw your gpa too, which I think I should congratulate you on

 

[lvella10]

The reason I suggest Med Sci over Physio is because Physio is a 4yr course.. so it will take longer before your eligible to sit the GAMSAT (if needs be) and it will

Would agree with this if you have absolutely no intention of ever actually pursuing a career in physio.

 

[Dylanamali]

Oh wow, nice work. Guess the gamble to study adv science paid off. Just saw your gpa too, which I think I should congratulate you on

Haha yeah - thank you.

UWS Adv Sci truly was the best decision I could make. I, like sointoyourself considered UNSW Med Sci, USYD Physio even UNSW Optom.
But the advantageous of UWS's program are unmatched.. a quite significantly decreased UMAT threshold, the ability to attain a high GPA with relatively minimal effort, scholarships etc. Looking back, I couldn't have made a better choice.

 

[sointoyourself]

Yeah Ivella is correct, you can still apply to UWS as a nonstandard (university student) - you'll still need to meet UMAT thresholds around (151 for GWS, 160+ for non-GWS) and a 6.1 GPA.

See that doesn't sound half bad.

 

[Dylanamali]

See that doesn't sound half bad.

Medicine isn't competitive because of the GPA thresholds. I will tentatively say that the majority of medical applicants should be easily able to achieve a 6.0+ GPA. The difficulty in gaining an interview or gaining entry is definitely the UMAT cut-offs.
If you are a non-GWS, the cut off of 160+ weighted is greater than 90%ile. So essentially you'll have to be in the top 10% of UMAT applicants - that is quite a difficult task. The Adv Sci program drops that down to having to be within the top 20%.

 

[lvella10]

Haha yeah - thank you.

UWS Adv Sci truly was the best decision I could make. I, like sointoyourself considered UNSW Med Sci, USYD Physio even UNSW Optom.
But the advantageous of UWS's program are unmatched.. a quite significantly decreased UMAT threshold, the ability to attain a high GPA with relatively minimal effort, scholarships etc. Looking back, I couldn't have made a better choice.

Well I'm looking to be accepted into uni as of jan 16th, and if It wasn't for the work experience I did in speech pathology that got me interested in a different career path, I'd definitely have UWS as my first preference too. They really should be commended on the accessibility of the extra positions they allow.

 

[Dylanamali]

Well I'm looking to be accepted into uni as of jan 16th, and if It wasn't for the work experience I did in speech pathology that got me interested in a different career path, I'd definitely have UWS as my first preference too. They really should be commended on the accessibility of the extra positions they allow.

What course are you applying for?

 

[lvella10]

Medicine isn't competitive because of the GPA thresholds. I will tentatively say that the majority of medical applicants should be easily able to achieve a 6.0+ GPA. The difficulty in gaining an interview or gaining entry is definitely the UMAT cut-offs.
If you are a non-GWS, the cut off of 160+ weighted is greater than 90%ile. So essentially you'll have to be in the top 10% of UMAT applicants - that is quite a difficult task. The Adv Sci program drops that down to having to be within the top 20%.

This pretty much. UMAT is a major hurdle for most med applicants, and not necessarily the ability to maintain a high gpa, as with sufficient and sustained effort a 6.0GPA wouldn't be too much to handle.

 

[lvella10]

What course are you applying for?

Usyd speech pathology is my first preference solely because the macq course is a 5 year program ( Although their facilities are second to none ) and then acu as it's a brand new course and I'm slightly sceptical of how this would effect me

 

[Dylanamali]

Usyd speech pathology is my first preference solely because the macq course is a 5 year program ( Although their facilities are second to none ) and then acu as it's a brand new course and I'm slightly sceptical of how this would effect me

Ah k, so I take it your not continuing to pursue Medicine as a potential career?

 

[lvella10]

Ah k, so I take it your not continuing to pursue Medicine as a potential career?

I am, but I think I wouldn't be able to improve my umat by enough to get into medicine as an undergrad and the adv sci thing isn't going to be my thing If I fail to transfer. So I'm going to rely on getting a good gamsat, albeit without a science degree and go from there. I'll apply australia wide for grad medicine then.

 

[Dylanamali]

I am, but I think I wouldn't be able to improve my umat by enough to get into medicine as an undergrad and the adv sci thing isn't going to be my thing If I fail to transfer. So I'm going to rely on getting a good gamsat, albeit without a science degree and go from there. I'll apply australia wide for grad medicine then.

Ah okay fair enough.

I know what you mean - by no means do I have a desire to become a scientist. But the way I see it is - if by worst case scenario - I graduate having completed the GAMSAT twice and the UMAT a total of 4 times and I haven't made it into medicine, I should have at least graduated with a high GPA which will allow me to study virtually any course I desire. e.g. a Juris Doctor in postgraduate Law, Masters of Physiotherapy, etc.

Are you sitting the UMAT in 2013? I'd definitely recommend it.
In 2011 I only got 50th percentile.. this was also attending a prep course.
In 2012 I increased to 80%+, I just did 10 papers and the official Acer papers (no prep course).
I truly believe - that as much as prep is quite important - the way you feel on the day, your attitude and your mindset play a big part in your performance in the UMAT (as well as luck).

 

[lvella10]

Ah okay fair enough.

I know what you mean - by no means do I have a desire to become a scientist. But the way I see it is - if by worst case scenario - I graduate having completed the GAMSAT twice and the UMAT a total of 4 times and I haven't made it into medicine, I should have at least graduated with a high GPA which will allow me to study virtually any course I desire. e.g. a Juris Doctor in postgraduate Law, Masters of Physiotherapy, etc.

Are you sitting the UMAT in 2013? I'd definitely recommend it.
In 2011 I only got 50th percentile.. this was also attending a prep course.
In 2012 I increased to 80%+, I just did 10 papers and the official Acer papers (no prep course).
I truly believe - that as much as prep is quite important - the way you feel on the day, your attitude and your mindset play a big part in your performance in the UMAT (as well as luck).

That's a good way to look at it I suppose. But I just didn't want to put myself in a position where i'd need to complete a second degree that wasn't medicine.

I think I will re sit, I mean it never hurts to try. I'd have to agree with the whole prep thing. I mean I did the Acer papers, but I was by no means capable of performing at a top level. I felt like I understood the introductory level questions, but lacked the knowledge of how to actually interpret and decipher the harder ones.

 

[RishBonjour]

hey dylanamali, so does that mean AFTER you finish your current degree, you will have to sit the GAMSAT and then earn an interview spot if you do well in it? Also, out of the 6 interviewed, how many are taken into UWS med?

 

[Dylanamali]

hey dylanamali, so does that mean AFTER you finish your current degree, you will have to sit the GAMSAT and then earn an interview spot if you do well in it? Also, out of the 6 interviewed, how many are taken into UWS med?

I've already had an interview for UWS and UNCLE Medicine. So I'm hoping I'm in Medicine for 2013 - however my UMAT was extremely borderline, which will decrease my prospects slightly.

If I don't gain a place in Medicine this year, then I will sit the GAMSAT this year (you can sit it in your penultimate year) and the UMAT again.

So you don't have to wait till after you graduate and finish your degree. You sit the GAMSAT in your 2nd last year and again in your last year and use the higher score.

Regarding your last question - I can't really say. Once you've been given an interview (top 6), your considered like any other applicant (your pooled together with all the other standards and non standards) - you no longer technically have an 'advantage'. So it depends on how well you go in your interview.

 

[Survivor39]

Dylanamali and lvella10 have both provided excellent responses so I will keep mine short. Judging by your statement about 'the goal is getting intoMedicine as quickly as possible to minimise fees', B Physiotherapy certainly doesn't help you in this case. You are really left with MedSc at UNSW or USyd since you are not interested in UWS or Newcastle.

Then I should say go for UNSW MedSc because at least you have a lateral transfer into UNSW Medicine (straight into 3rd year I think, once you complete the requirement for MedSc Hons). The USyd MedSc program does not offer any real advantage compared to the UNSW one in terms of getting into Medicine.

 

[sointoyourself]

Thanks I understand what everyone's saying about UNSW lateral entry scheme advantage, however isn't sydney slightly better if you mean to do GAMSAT and post-grad medicine at Sydney? (compulsory physics etc though I suppose you could always elect to do it at UNSW)

 

[Dylanamali]

Yeah not really, in terms of preparation for GAMSAT, I'd say both USYD and UNSW would give you the foundational basis of knowledge for section 3 of the papers - first year chem, bio and HSC physics.
USYD Medicine, however, is probably the most competitive graduate medical course to gain entry into. The GPA hurdle is only 5.5, but the GAMSAT score required is around 67 (which is close to 95%ile), and once again this is only the minimum score which was excepted this year.

 

[RishBonjour]

I've already had an interview for UWS and UNCLE Medicine. So I'm hoping I'm in Medicine for 2013 - however my UMAT was extremely borderline, which will decrease my prospects slightly.

If I don't gain a place in Medicine this year, then I will sit the GAMSAT this year (you can sit it in your penultimate year) and the UMAT again.

So you don't have to wait till after you graduate and finish your degree. You sit the GAMSAT in your 2nd last year and again in your last year and use the higher score.

Regarding your last question - I can't really say. Once you've been given an interview (top 6), your considered like any other applicant (your pooled together with all the other standards and non standards) - you no longer technically have an 'advantage'. So it depends on how well you go in your interview.

Do you know anyone with HDs in the course you are doing at UWS? because your GPA is incredible!
ohh, i thought right.. so the chances of getting in are still pretty slim :/
good luck man.
If you do UMAT next year, can you still apply to transfer? or will it be too late for you? (i thought only 1st years could apply for undergrad med)
Also, if you did some a course in USYD and sat the UMAT and did very well (around 90+ ish), could you transfer into UWS medicine?