ATAR Notes: Forum

Uni Stuff => Faculties => Health sciences => Topic started by: Russ on January 18, 2012, 01:48:20 pm

Title: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on January 18, 2012, 01:48:20 pm
This is something a lot of people ask about, so I'll write this once here and not have to worry about it again.

The GPA (Grade Point Average) is an important part of the application process. Generally you'll have to have above a certain level (hurdle). Some universities will also use your GPA as part of the admission criteria, rather than just using it to eliminate unsatisfactory students.

GPA is calculated by GEMSAS for the universities in the consortium. It's a rather simple process.

Your most recent 3 years worth of subjects (300 points / 24 subjects) are used to calculate your GPA. They are arranged into 3 "years" worth of subjects that GEMSAS calls "Final", "Final minus 1" and "Final minus 2". I find that annoying so I will use GPA1/2/3 for ease of understanding. GPA1 is your first year GPA etc. Subjects are allocated to years by counting backwards - your most recent 8 subjects are all in GPA3. Your next 8 are GPA2 and your first 8 are GPA1. If you've done more than 3 years of tertiary study, only the most recent 3 are relevant. If you have overloaded a semester, subjects will be arranged to maximize your GPA.

Once you've allocated subjects to GPA years, you need to convert your marks to the GPA scale. GEMSAS uses a 7 point scale and conversions are as follows (if your university is crazy and you don't receive marks but only grades such as HD/D/etc. you will need to look up the conversion for your university on the GEMSAS website)

Unit score - GPA grade
      >79     -    7.0
    75-79    -    6.5
    70-74    -    6.0
    65-69    -    5.5
    60-64    -    5.0
    55-59    -    4.5
    50-54    -    4.0
    45-49    -    3.5
     <45      -    0.0

You average the marks for each GPA year to create three numbers - GPA1, GPA2 and GPA3. You then weight these as follows:

and divide by 6 to calculate your overall GPA.

EG: To calculate a GPA1 year with marks of:

75, 74, 76, 85, 90, 92, 60, 65 will become (respectively) 6.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7, 7, 7, 5.0, 5.5

This averages out to 6.3125

Assuming GPA2 is 6.5 and GPA3 is 6.4, the overall GPA is 6.41 (you work it out via the formula above).

This GPA is what is passed to universities for use in your application. If your degree is incomplete at the time of application, GPA3 will obviously be underweighted, thus placing an emphasis on GPA1 and GPA2. Your first semester results for GPA3 will be included if you attend an Australian university. Don't slack off.

Any questions or anything I've forgotten, post below.

One key point: Yes, getting 100 makes no difference to getting 80. No, this is not unfair. Do not complain about it in this thread.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: dc302 on January 18, 2012, 05:51:30 pm
Nice write up but according to gemsas, they use percentages and not grades.

edit: http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf

Quote
Note also that your manual calculations will use GPA grades, but GEMSAS will use percentage results
to calculate your GPA (where they are available).   If you calculate your GPA it will be an
approximation for your information only.

So this probably means 80 =/= 100
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: vea on January 18, 2012, 05:57:11 pm
What GPA is considered nice and competitive if you want to get into the Melbourne MD? I'm guessing about 6.7+?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: mankay on January 20, 2012, 09:51:44 am
Nice write up but according to gemsas, they use percentages and not grades.

edit: http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf

If you actually read your own link properly, you would have seen that it shows in a table that in  fact 80% == 100% == 7.0
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Peedles on January 20, 2012, 04:29:22 pm
We've had a thorough discussion about this before.

Please read the following thread =)

Music Psych Score Change Possible?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: dc302 on January 20, 2012, 09:38:04 pm
Nice write up but according to gemsas, they use percentages and not grades.

edit: http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf

If you actually read your own link properly, you would have seen that it shows in a table that in  fact 80% == 100% == 7.0

If you actually read my link properly, you would see that that score system is for US to calculate ourselves for ESTIMATES only.

And did you even read the quote I put up just for people like you who choose not to read the whole link?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: superstar1 on January 20, 2012, 10:42:11 pm


Dc302 I think you're wrong because if you look at column f you will see that that is why Melbourne uni uses and if they use that then 80=100.... because all of them give you 7.0.. Therefore for Melbourne uni 80 does equal 100
 
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: dc302 on January 20, 2012, 10:43:46 pm
Nice write up but according to gemsas, they use percentages and not grades.

edit: http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf

If you actually read your own link properly, you would have seen that it shows in a table that in  fact 80% == 100% == 7.0


Dc302 I think you're wrong because if you look at column f you will see that that is why Melbourne uni uses and if they use that then 80=100.... because all of them give you 7.0.. Therefore for Melbourne uni 80 does equal 100
If you actually read my link properly, you would see that that score system is for US to calculate ourselves for ESTIMATES only.

And did you even read the quote I put up just for people like you who choose not to read the whole link?
Can people really not read? Did you read the part that says, the GPA table is for us to calculate as an ESTIMATE ONLY? Gemsas uses percentages to calculate, and we DONT KNOW the official way of calculating GPA. =="
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: superstar1 on January 20, 2012, 10:55:02 pm
Nice write up but according to gemsas, they use percentages and not grades.

edit: http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf

If you actually read your own link properly, you would have seen that it shows in a table that in  fact 80% == 100% == 7.0


Dc302 I think you're wrong because if you look at column f you will see that that is why Melbourne uni uses and if they use that then 80=100.... because all of them give you 7.0.. Therefore for Melbourne uni 80 does equal 100
If you actually read my link properly, you would see that that score system is for US to calculate ourselves for ESTIMATES only.

And did you even read the quote I put up just for people like you who choose not to read the whole link?
Can people really not read? Did you read the part that says, the GPA table is for us to calculate as an ESTIMATE ONLY? Gemsas uses percentages to calculate, and we DONT KNOW the official way of calculating GPA. =="

oh yeh I guess you're right now tht I think about it.. Sorry, it's just it was really confusing the way different unis had different ways to calculate it.. So right now let's say I got 86 but a frend of mike got 96, does that mean his GPA will be higher???
Thanks and sorry once again for the misunderstanding
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: dc302 on January 20, 2012, 10:56:53 pm
oh yeh I guess you're right now tht I think about it.. Sorry, it's just it was really confusing the way different unis had different ways to calculate it.. So right now let's say I got 86 but a frend of mike got 96, does that mean his GPA will be higher???
Thanks and sorry once again for the misunderstanding

Yeah I'm sorry I sounded like a dickhead too, but I was annoyed as that was the third time I said that. Anyway, no one is supposed to know how they actually calculate it, so I can't say for sure that 96 will be better than 86. However, I would like to think so, although if gemsas decides that we should estimate our GPA via the method outlined, I would assume that that is indeed a reasonable estimate to work with.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: superstar1 on January 20, 2012, 11:06:43 pm
oh yeh I guess you're right now tht I think about it.. Sorry, it's just it was really confusing the way different unis had different ways to calculate it.. So right now let's say I got 86 but a frend of mike got 96, does that mean his GPA will be higher???
Thanks and sorry once again for the misunderstanding

Yeah I'm sorry I sounded like a dickhead too, but I was annoyed as that was the third time I said that. Anyway, no one is supposed to know how they actually calculate it, so I can't say for sure that 96 will be better than 86. However, I would like to think so, although if gemsas decides that we should estimate our GPA via the method outlined, I would assume that that is indeed a reasonable estimate to work with.

oh ok, fair enough thanks :)
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: paulsterio on February 11, 2012, 11:09:41 am
How do you convert between a 4.0 scale (i.e. Monash) and a 7.0 scale (i.e. UoM)?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on February 11, 2012, 01:06:56 pm
Your 4.0 Monash GPA is irrelevant, there's no need to convert
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: paulsterio on February 11, 2012, 01:22:49 pm
So if someone does a BSc at Monash and wants to apply to UoM MD, they'll just take the unit scores and calculate a 7.0 scale GPA?

Btw, how are 4.0 GPAs calculated anyway?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Panicmode on February 11, 2012, 01:25:50 pm
So if someone does a BSc at Monash and wants to apply to UoM MD, they'll just take the unit scores and calculate a 7.0 scale GPA?

Btw, how are 4.0 GPAs calculated anyway?

Not sure this'll help much but here is wikipedia to the rescue
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on February 11, 2012, 02:01:52 pm
So if someone does a BSc at Monash and wants to apply to UoM MD, they'll just take the unit scores and calculate a 7.0 scale GPA?

If they want to apply to any graduate program, not just the MD then yes.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: jinny1 on March 29, 2012, 06:08:56 pm
how does overloading affect  GPA for postgrad medicine?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: VivaTequila on June 30, 2012, 10:10:20 am
What is the minimum GPA you need to be considered at Melbourne University? My Sem1 results have got me averaging 6.125 so far, so I'd imagine I need to bump it up a fair amount.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on June 30, 2012, 10:28:53 am
That was my average after first semester of first year and I ended up with a GPA of ~6.8. That 6.125 isn't that big a deal in the scheme of things.

But yes, you'd want to bump it up. Aim for mid 6.xx to be competitive, which isn't that much higher than what you have now
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: VivaTequila on June 30, 2012, 12:11:51 pm
Cheers ty :)

Never, ever touching maths again.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: anonymous1 on June 30, 2012, 04:28:03 pm
Cheers ty :)

Never, ever touching maths again.

haha that's why i avoided it :P
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: jinny1 on July 30, 2012, 07:12:39 pm
Hey Spice, Do you know how overloading would affect the GPA??

If i overload first year and end up doing 9 instead of 8. What happens??

thanks
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on July 30, 2012, 07:20:21 pm
As it alludes to in the first post, you still need to form 3 groups of 8 but you get to decide which of the subjects from the overloaded semester goes in that semester or the next one. Make sense or do you want an example?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: jinny1 on July 30, 2012, 08:01:50 pm
As it alludes to in the first post, you still need to form 3 groups of 8 but you get to decide which of the subjects from the overloaded semester goes in that semester or the next one. Make sense or do you want an example?

Thanks :)

So they ask me which subject i want to group together?? Or do they automatically group the lowest 8 GPA subjects out of the 9 as my first year group?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on July 30, 2012, 08:10:03 pm
They automatically do it so as to be most favourable
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Peggycn on August 25, 2013, 11:47:17 pm
3 years undergraduate degree
4 years medicine degree
1 year.  Intern
1year+ resident  (at least)
2years+ specialist training (2 to 8 years depends on the course)
----------------------------------------
=11 years minimum to have a Medical practice code ( no code no Medicare claim, so ONLY can work
                                                                                    In PUBLIC hospitals to have wage ONLY >:( )
As a mother I am sobbing......
My son is in Melbourne High School and wants  to do medicine.
TO ALL OF KIDS LIKE YOU SHOULD DO POLITICS
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on August 26, 2013, 08:22:22 am
Whilst the training pathway is longer than most (all?) other professions, your son is still being paid for his work after graduating from university. Ultimately, once he finishes his specialist training it won't suddenly mean that he never works in a hospital again and will be doing private practice immediately - working in the public system is a large part of many doctors lives.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: VivaTequila on August 29, 2013, 09:49:45 pm
He might change his mind when he's in his undergraduate degree too. I sure did. After seeing what uni was like and discovering the inspiring world of research, I'm set on that now.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Bardia Saeedi on March 29, 2014, 09:08:00 pm
what if you do a semester at another country, exchange i mean.
and what GPA would be good for applying to MD and/or DDS
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on March 29, 2014, 11:04:51 pm
Depends on what results are reported to the university to put on your transcript. You might want to get a clear answer from GEMSAS, since some people were told they'd just be pass/fail assessed and then grades were sent and used for their application.

Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Bardia Saeedi on June 11, 2014, 10:16:52 am
Does this mean that getting a 47% isn't a fail?

Only below 45 is a fail?

I've majorly stuffed up an exam and am interested in knowing.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: ChickenCh0wM1en on July 17, 2014, 04:55:53 pm
Does anyone know how you would calculate GPA if you've failed several subjects? (asking for a friend who doesn't use AN).
If the subject is repeated and they get H1, would this H1 take over the fail and be used in the GPA?
Any calculations would be greatly appreciated! :)
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Pup on July 17, 2014, 05:17:38 pm
to what i understand, both fail grade and your H1 in the repeated subject both count towards your GPA. So you get a GPA of 0 for fail and a GPA of 7 for the H1, which when averaged gets you a GPA of 3.5 for that subject. I wouldn't think it would be fair, if you ignore the fail mark and replace it with the H1, then everyone might as well fail and repeat the subject, rather then scrape for a pass. So it's always never best to fail a subject and repeat it :S
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: excal on July 18, 2014, 12:51:31 am
to what i understand, both fail grade and your H1 in the repeated subject both count towards your GPA. So you get a GPA of 0 for fail and a GPA of 7 for the H1, which when averaged gets you a GPA of 3.5 for that subject. I wouldn't think it would be fair, if you ignore the fail mark and replace it with the H1, then everyone might as well fail and repeat the subject, rather then scrape for a pass. So it's always never best to fail a subject and repeat it :S

Basically this, but note that the effect of it is likely to be diluted provided you picked up your game in other subjects.

Read: http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: MelonBar on November 28, 2014, 10:02:46 pm
This GPA is what is passed to universities for use in your application. If your degree is incomplete at the time of application, GPA3 will obviously be underweighted, thus placing an emphasis on GPA1 and GPA2. Your first semester results for GPA3 will be included if you attend an Australian university. Don't slack off.

Could you explain this please. how does this situation differ if you had completed your degree at time of application?
Also, is the process much different for dentistry?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on November 28, 2014, 10:10:12 pm
That was written back when only your first 2 years of marks were included. Now they will get your 1st semester marks from 3rd year, although (unless it's changed again) they're not given the full weighting, to account for the fact that they don't reflect the full year.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Gutthi on January 27, 2015, 11:06:02 pm
Wait. I did a UMEP subject last year, and failed semester two. This year I'm going to be doing the subject again in semester two, and suppose if I get GPA 7 in that subject this year, would my fail count from last year? How would that be fair?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: sodium.777 on May 23, 2015, 05:04:30 pm
How does Honors affect your GPA?

I heard GPA only looks at your last 3 years. So if does it mean it effectively replaces the 1st year of your (now 4 year) undergrad course?
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: Russ on May 23, 2015, 06:06:00 pm
If you complete the degree, yes. If there aren't results available when you apply, then no
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: ChickenCh0wM1en on May 23, 2015, 06:15:29 pm
Wait. I did a UMEP subject last year, and failed semester two. This year I'm going to be doing the subject again in semester two, and suppose if I get GPA 7 in that subject this year, would my fail count from last year? How would that be fair?

The fail counts because you failed. It wouldn't be fair if you failed and then repeated and got a 7 GPA for that (ie. H1) and taht nullified your fail from the previous attempt.
How it would work IIRC is a fail is a GPA of 0, so if you get 7 the next time, you average it out (0+7/2 => 3.5).
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: ChickenCh0wM1en on March 16, 2016, 11:06:57 pm
So what if I get a fail, and complete 300 points of subjects that don't include a repeat of the failed subject? i.e. 25 subjects in total [24 passed], 312.5 points [300 passed]

Would they exclude that failed subject assuming it's my lowest mark in my entire degree, or would it leave a stain on my GPA forever unless I do more years? The GEMSAS link I'm reading seems to imply that fails must be included if they're in the last 3 years, so I'd have to include marks from all 25 subjects.

So for calculating GPA1 I would do (mark of first 8 passed subjects + mark of failed subject / 9) rather than just (first 8 / 8 )?

Also, the link says that for unimelb, any N is an auto 0, is this correct? even if it's 45-50?

And lastly, if I got 60-64 is that a 5.0, since UoM directly releases percentages? Or would I use the F column and calculate it as 4.5?

Link in question =
http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf


Pretty sure they wouldn't exclude the failed subject otherwise that would be pretty unfair.
I.e. people who think they wouldn't get H1 would then fail and then repeat to get H1 to get that GPA of 7 for that subject LOL

I think the way they do it is they take both your marks, average it and then allocate a GPA towards it.
And with regards to GPA calculation, they do it chronologically as fair as I know.

A mark <50 is a GPA of 0.

With regards to your link, I'm fairly sure they use the Uni's system so a 60-64 would be a 4.5.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: heart on March 17, 2016, 12:19:08 am
So what if I get a fail, and complete 300 points of subjects that don't include a repeat of the failed subject? i.e. 25 subjects in total [24 passed], 312.5 points [300 passed]

Would they exclude that failed subject assuming it's my lowest mark in my entire degree, or would it leave a stain on my GPA forever unless I do more years? The GEMSAS link I'm reading seems to imply that fails must be included if they're in the last 3 years, so I'd have to include marks from all 25 subjects.

So for calculating GPA1 I would do (mark of first 8 passed subjects + mark of failed subject / 9) rather than just (first 8 / 8 )?

Also, the link says that for unimelb, any N is an auto 0, is this correct? even if it's 45-50?

And lastly, if I got 60-64 is that a 5.0, since UoM directly releases percentages? Or would I use the F column and calculate it as 4.5?

Link in question =
http://www.gemsas.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/How-to-calculate-your-GPA.pdf


Its a 5. Pretty much the rule is if the uni gives a number mark you use that for the conversion.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: MelonBar on March 17, 2016, 08:54:13 pm
If you get a fail (<50 at melbourne uni) within the time frame that counts as 0. THis still applies if you do a different subject to make up the credit points, and yeah unless you do more subjects (through another degree for example) that 0 will still count.

If you want to be sure there is a gpa calculator on pagingdr, and an official calculator  on the gemsas website when the application opens every year.
Title: Re: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained
Post by: vox nihili on July 29, 2018, 11:53:48 pm
So a few days ago I plugged my Uni results (2.5 years' worth) into the GEMAS GPA calculator and got a bit of a shock as it ended up being higher than expected. This was because I did very well in my most recent semester (3rd year semester 1) and it used a semesters' worth of results for the 'full' 3rd year (triple weighted (or double weighted for Melbourne uni)) GPA. I had always assumed that since your 3rd year semester 2 results are not available until after GEMAS has released offers that only your semester 1 results for 3rd year will be used, BUT I had no idea that they would, in effect, be worth a 'whole year' in the GPA calculation. Can anyone confirm if this is indeed the case? 

They are indeed.