UoM General Chat

[hobbitle]

If I were 10 years younger, there would be no question about medicine.  But I'm 26 and if I did Medicine it would be to become an oncologist.  That's 10 years of study/training before I get even close to qualified - I've done 1 year.  I'll be 36.  I'm not scared of the amount of time and study, but I am wondering if it's wise or worth it.

[lzxnl]

Waaaaait

You're 26
And you're NOT worried about the study time? I would have that the older someone became, the more concerned they were about study time.
To be honest, I'm not too sure what to do in your case.
It's not impossible to build a career starting from 35. My mum started practising medicine in Australian when she was around 40, and a decade later she has her own medical centre. If you like oncology, then go for it. Age shouldn't be too much of a hindrance if you're motivated enough. It may be slightly inconvenient or demoralising at times though.

[hobbitle]

I'm concerned about the study time from an age point of view, but I don't care about the idea studying for 10 years, if that makes sense.  I like studying.  But I also am not sure if I can be 35 and just starting a career.

[Russ]

Age is unfortunately something to consider in medicine. You're not particularly old compared to some of the people I know in my course, but you are giving up a significant chunk of your life to study. If you're 26 now then you'll be 32 when you finish medicine and close to 40 by the time you're able start building a career properly. It's not the end of the world but the opportunity cost for things you could otherwise be doing with those years is significant (as you pointed out). Age comes with certain challenges as well when you're trying to get employed in certain positions.

I'd recommend you try to get in touch with some people who've been in similar situations and find out their thoughts on it. There are definitely better forums for this than AN, probably pagingdr.net (otherwise it's horrible, just get in and get out fast).

Hey guys.  Relative to how many hours I put in, I was kind of disappointed by my overall average this year (82% average across the 6 subjects I took).  I'm supposed to start taking the MD prerequisite subjects next year in case I decide I want to do the GAMSAT and apply for PG Med… but if 82% is too low, or borderline, then I'm thinking maybe I'm just not cut out for Medicine and maybe I should take some other subjects instead?  What do you think?

This, however, is plenty fine. 82% is an excellent average (I certainly didn't average 82% in my first year at uni.), although your GPA rather than your average is what matters. 82% is not anywhere near low or even borderline. Whether you're cut out for medicine is not a product of how genuinely intelligent you are or whether your marks are near perfect but is about how hard you're willing to work.

tried to push him into wom*n's room, etc.

oh god why

[Starlight]

El2012 is a good person to inquire regarding Fundamentals, she did very well in it.

Thanks Ballerina.  Paging El2012?

Lol there are plenty of others who did better than me, but thanks
I *may* have the lecture notes but i'm not entirely sure, i'll double check later on and PM you if I find them.
I didn't do anything extra before the subject, they go at a fast pace but if you keep up with the lectures and practice questions then you will be fine.

[Belgarion]

Thanks Ballerina.  Paging El2012?

Hey guys.  Relative to how many hours I put in, I was kind of disappointed by my overall average this year (82% average across the 6 subjects I took).  I'm supposed to start taking the MD prerequisite subjects next year in case I decide I want to do the GAMSAT and apply for PG Med… but if 82% is too low, or borderline, then I'm thinking maybe I'm just not cut out for Medicine and maybe I should take some other subjects instead?  What do you think?

Someone correct me if im wrong but from a few things ive read (such as Russ's old post on calculating GPA for med) i dont think its the percentage score that matters but more of the grade which is then represented by a number (e.g H1=7, H2A=6.5, etc). Not only that but first year is worth the least out of the 3 years of an undergraduate degree so dont give up on med yet unless you really want to!

[hobbitle]

Isn't the % and the GPA (number.. 6, 7 whatever) basically the same thing just expressed differently?

[ChickenCh0wM1en]

Isn't the % and the GPA (number.. 6, 7 whatever) basically the same thing just expressed differently?

No, because lets just say you have 4 subjects in 1 year.

80,80,70,90

That WAM (average) = 80
BUT, for the GPA you have 7.0,7.0,6.0,7.0 which is averaged to be a GPA of 6.75.

That means that even though you may have a H1/HD average, your GPA is not the perfect 7.0.

[hobbitle]

Gotya, thanks

[Belgarion]

Isn't the % and the GPA (number.. 6, 7 whatever) basically the same thing just expressed differently?

this should explain it for you: GPA for PostGraduate Medicine Explained

[Hancock]

So the UniMelb subforum is going to lose a lot of traffic since this thread has been moved to a different subforum...

[charmanderp]

AN Meet 2013/14
^
Is anyone going to the ATARnotes meet up on Monday at Flagstaff Gardens? LeviLamp, simpak and I will be there. Outnumbered by Monash students.

I spent a lovely few hours in front of Rowden White Library yesterday night with a fascinating individual. A PhD student in genetics. Rub on tattoos, origami, tried to push him into wom*n's room, etc. We leave our belongings unattended for a few minutes to get a coffee and when we return, my laptop is GONE. VANISHED. NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.

I have a nervous breakdown. I sprint to Union House security, where a tired security guard nods. He lectures me repeatedly that there's nothing they can do, you should never leave your belongings unattended, this event occurs all the time. Especially at libraries. I follow him to the elevator and while informing me that laptops are the most commonly stolen items on campus, he unlocks a door. Neatly tucked underneath a table in the storeroom is MY LAPTOP. He hands it to me and says he placed it there for safekeeping, and that he hopes I learnt my lesson. I hugged him repeatedly and yelled that I would never do it again and that I had learnt the true meaning of Christmas. He even looked a bit like Santa.

TL;DR: I was trolled by the Union House security guard.

Yeah don't leave your belongings unattended.

[LeviLamp]

I feel like most of the posts in here are genuinely helpful so I don't know know why this chat was also moved to a respect-free subforum but oh well :/

Anyway, I'm really posting here to restress what Ballerina posted before; I don't want to be drowned by the scary Monash people plz come!

[vox nihili]

I feel like most of the posts in here are genuinely helpful so I don't know know why this chat was also moved to a respect-free subforum but oh well :/

Get on that suggestion topic thingomabob. I've mentioned it there!

[simpak]

Sigh, can someone please move this back to the actual university boards?  Plenty of help actually goes on in this thread I don't see why it was moved.

Move the results if you want but this is just annoying to check etc etc.  And why?

Results generate like heaps of respect for a single post (eg +20 or whatever for some of them) whereas here, you might get a post in which someone isn't 'genuinely helping' or whatever that gets +3 or something but then multiple posts that DO help that get +1, +3, +5, +whatever, it doesn't matter, this belongs in a different place.