Biomed Monash or Melb?

[DarkVisor]

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone would be able to give me a little info on the Biomed courses between the two unis?
I'm considering doing grad med, but if that does not work out i'd love to do research in the health industry!

Is there any significant difference in quality of subjects/teaching level/interesting material between Biomed at UoM and biomedical science? Why does everyone seem to be swaying towards the Melbourne degree? Location is not really a factor for me cos i'd be boarding, as I live in a regional area.

I was also pretty interested in doing an elective subject in something like computer science, or music? I hear the breadth in Melb is alright, but Monash offers you a choice of an extra subject too, don't they?

Thanks a heap, i've searched through every relevant topic on the forum and am still unswayed!

[schmalex]

Biomedicine at Melbourne is probably the area they are most well reknowned for. They're consistantly ranked in the top 20 in the world for Biological type stuff and put a lot of effort into the program I suppose. I can't really tell you anything about Monash though, sorry.

[paulsterio]

It just depends where you want to go!
In terms of convenience, where would you rather be at Monash or Melbourne?

Both uni's have excellent programs, but I personally think Melbourne has more of a "vibe" towards it, but in the end, it shouldn't really matter too much!

[Russ]

They're not substantially different. Perhaps the melbourne course has a slightly greater emphasis on practical application than the monash course but they're fundamentally similar. Either one is fine for graduate medicine or research pathways.

People want UoM because the location is better, the campus is better and the ranking (prestige) is better. None of those are directly relevant to how you'll be taught or the quality of education you'll receive as an undergrad though.

You can do electives in both courses afaik, UoM have a bunch of interdisciplinary subjects that were created specifically for the Melbourne Model, which I enjoyed and are mostly pretty good.

[iffets12345]

And in terms of getting into grad med at Melboure uni, doing biomed there purpotedly has no advantage. hmm

[Graphite]

Cut off substantially higher too..I think many people don't actually know you can do biomed elsewhere with correct subject selection to get into Melbourne's postgraduate programs

[paulsterio]

I've brought this point up elsewhere as well, but it's circular reasoning, the reason that BBioMed at Melbourne has such high ATAR requirements is because it has a lot of demand, compared to say BSc at Melbourne - which can get you into the same Post Grad courses - so why the high demand? Because it has high ATAR requirements - a lot of people choose BioMed because the feel as if it's a waste to do a Science degree

Circular reasoning I know - but it makes sense even though illogical

[iffets12345]

No, most people are poorly informed too.
Imo, science is the way to go, if you can fit in engineering and med pre-reqs in because at least if you are disappointed you have an engineering degree that you can complete.

[Russ]

No, most people are poorly informed too.
Imo, science is the way to go, if you can fit in engineering and med pre-reqs in because at least if you are disappointed you have an engineering degree that you can complete.

Most people are ill-informed and think that it's a feeder for the MD, which is why they all want to do it. As for engineering, it doesn't technically have prereqs if you're willing to do an extra year of masters

[iffets12345]

All the more reason to take science hehe

[DarkVisor]

Mm, I guess partly the reason why i'm doing it is to not feel as if i've 'wasted' my ATAR.. I mean after dedicating my life to 2 years of hardcore study, it does feel like a bit of a waste to tell yourself that you didn't have to work that hard... y'know? But I am also very interested in immunology/pathogen research etc.. and just as much interested in physics (quantum, mathematical etc..) so it's a bit of a dilemma!

Is it possible to do an engineering masters then, after finishing Biomed?

What do you mean in terms of a 'vibe'? In terms of a social scene is Melb or Monash more active?

[Russ]

Is it possible to do an engineering masters then, after finishing Biomed?

Yes (it's possible after every degree). Unless you took the engineering pathway within the degree, however, your ME will be an extra year because you have to cover the basics. But do immunology. Immunology's cool

What do you mean in terms of a 'vibe'?

People want UoM because the location is better, the campus is better and the ranking (prestige) is better

[slothpomba]

Most people are ill-informed and think that it's a feeder for the MD, which is why they all want to do it. As for engineering, it doesn't technically have prereqs if you're willing to do an extra year of masters

I agree with this. To be honest, Biomed isn't some fantastic new degree that is far far superior to science, it's pretty much the same thing. You study the same areas, most of the time you got the same people teaching, still in the same uni, ect.

More than anything i really believe it is just a clever repackaging of what is essentially a science degree and they do this for marketing purposes. Considering its basically the same as science they now have a creative way to recruit even more students into the science faculty.

I know i might be slightly biased but i still hold the opinion that science is actually a better option because it is more restricted and less fluid. Both are very good options though.

Like many above me have said, it doesn't even really matter where you go to university. UoM/La Trobe/Monash all have excellent teaching quality and all the staff are still PhD qualified. Undergraduate stuff in the grand scheme of things isn't *that hard* to teach to a large degree, thats why we even have many student tutors for example. I wouldn't worry about rankings that much because the universities go to great lengths to manipulate them. Monash for instance recently made a bunch of staff redundant to hire "research superstars" in their place, i'm sure, at least partially, in an effort to boost their ranking to where it used to be.

RMIT does very well in some things as well, after that it gets slightly more iffy for me though with swinburne/VU/ect.. If you're on this forum though chances are you're already trying at least decently hard and will get the atar to get into one of the above mentioned institutions.

PS:I think you do actually need some Undergrad maths for engineering.

Also, prepared to have a backup. The number of people in *biomed* degrees alone in Victoria far outstrips the number of medical places in Victoria. This is just biomed degrees as well, you have science kids applying, lots of arts people even apply for places without the UoM type prerequisites (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry). So, that obviously tells you something. Now, i know everyone says "But that won't be me! I'll definitely get in" you sure might but *just in case* i'd have a backup plan, i really would.

So, if you're happy to go into research if you don't get into medicine and you won't see it as "second best" for the rest of your life thats fine. As someone else even mentioned the engineering option as well, ect..