The UoM Biomedicine & Science Thread

[mikee65]

ey president do you plan to do pg study at melb, med?

[dptjandra]

Ok, so I'm debating between biomed at unimelb and biomed at unsw. Both are equally good options, which makes it even harder to decide unfortunately. One thing I'm wondering about though is the unimelb biomed cohort. I've heard that the cohort is extremely competitive and some of the people are so determined to get into med that they cut themselves off socially and even take sneak peeks at other peoples lab reports for their own gain. I've HEARD..i dont know if it's true. Even if it is true I know its probably just a minority and most of the people are fine but I dont know...I dont want to be in that sort of environment.
It'd be much appreciated if anyone can offer some insight/advice. thanks

I would say biomed is quite a mixed bag (my year at least) - there is a lot of competition and there would be people who shut themselves off entirely like you said (and I daresay would go to any lengths to get higher marks).  However, there are also a lot who relax a bit and are quite outgoing and social.  It's hard for me to decipher to actual breakdown because there some in the former category are internationals (for them, competition is even greater...only 30 places for international full fee!!)  But I would say that the overall biomed feeling is largely competitive (those who are more social, you actually see more often - but there are large numbers of people I see in lectures who I never see out and about or chatting or at the pub).  Also, the attrition rate of people in the course seems fairly high.  I know heaps who moved to commerce/science, or are going to an undergrad course elsewhere next year...not sure if that skews competition in or against your favour (I suspect against, seeing as those who are working really hard would probably not bother moving)

What do other biomed students think?

[Russ]

I've heard that the cohort is extremely competitive and some of the people are so determined to get into med that they cut themselves off socially and even take sneak peeks at other peoples lab reports for their own gain

You'll get people like that in any course. They're usually the people who sit in the front row and go up to the lecturer after EVERY lecture to clarify half a dozen completely irrelevant points.

Based on my experience over the degree it's a mixed bag. It's competitive but people are aware that helping somebody isn't going to severely disadvantage you. Everyone can (theoretically) get H1s and GPA is only part of the medicine consideration. Most people are sociable in lectures/around uni but don't go to events (other than the major ones, like the ball) so it's not a collection of shutins who only care about marks.

And as for PG med statistics, based on the estimates of students applying the maximum amount of biomed students in the MD is 40%. Nobody knows the real number and we won't until...mid January probably. Mark Hargreaves will probably tell some of us if we ask him but they've been kinda quiet about it

[Slumdawg]

There's a ball? ^ 

[dptjandra]

Haha...the ball this year was lots of fun (though relatively tame)!  but yeh, even that was relatively scarcely populated (considering that it was meant to cater for all 3 years of biomed students at once and the place was pretty small).

[Russ]

There's a ball? ^ 

Every faculty has a ball, some clubs have one as well, the colleges around campus have them...there's a major event almost every week (but they're always expensive haha)

[rustic_metal]

Fuck yeah, eng ball!

[busterBluth]

Ahh ok well thanks for the info Russ and dptjandra. I think I'm leaning towards unsw..I mean I might not even get into unimelb biomed. That would actually be better...I'm so indecisive.