UoM Chancellor's Scholar's program Vs Monash MBBS

[mr.politiks]

@ Stonecold

So... U look like you might be wanting to do MD down the track. How would kids who already have MD confirmed fit into a cohort that is effectively kind of competing for MD via GAMSAT/GPA/Interview?
Also, with those scores, you were probably unlucky to miss out on Monash MBBS, so were you going for it? Just thought I might ask.

[Russ]

It's not three years of people trying to sabotage everyone else to get a place in the MD, you having a guaranteed place will be the subject of some jealousy, sure, but it's not going to be anything serious.

[Sellingman]

Pick MBBS ffs.

Guaranteed Med degree, no ifs or buts. You're straight in medicine, studying what you intend to study.

[iffets12345]

By the way, is it really guaranteed? I thought there was an interview pending for medicine...

[aes_999]

Once u get in that undergraduate, ur set on getting
that degree (as long as u don't fail ur subjects).
If not, a biomed undergraduate in Melb. still needs
to pass GAMSAT to be able to do graduate med.

[samad]

Sorry guys, that info is slightly inaccurate. This thread focusses on Chancellor's scholar's program , so you pass the interview after yr 12 and your guarenteed MD after biomed (no GPA or GAMSAT required). 

[dc302]

By the way, is it really guaranteed? I thought there was an interview pending for medicine...

I thikn they have offered people to take the interview in yr 12, but I'm not sure.

Even so, yes I would say it IS very guaranteed. The interview is merely a check to make sure sounds will actually come out of your mouth. My friend went up to the coordinator of medicine to ask what 'adequate communication skills' really means, since that's the criteria for the guaranteed entry, and the coordinator responded by saying that he thinks my friend easily had adequate comm skills just because he went up to him and asked!

[stonecold]

@ Stonecold

So... U look like you might be wanting to do MD down the track. How would kids who already have MD confirmed fit into a cohort that is effectively kind of competing for MD via GAMSAT/GPA/Interview?
Also, with those scores, you were probably unlucky to miss out on Monash MBBS, so were you going for it? Just thought I might ask.

Hey mate.

The people who are on guaranteed entry seriously haven't got a worry in the world.  They all seem so chilled and relaxed.  And you will be even better off than them, because they still have to pass the interview, whereas you have already done it.  The guaranteed entry is truly unconditional.  The only way you could lose it is if you fail the undergrad degree, which is never going to happen.  You mention the travel time it will take you to get to Monash.  This is something to consider.  Then again, so is the scholarship they will give you.  It is like the most generous thing I have ever seen.

As for me, my UMAT was very bad (55 overall, 73rd percentile), so I had no hope.  Really annoyed to miss out on the guaranteed entry though.  I missed 99.90 by 0.04 aggregate points. :/

[mr.politiks]

As for me, my UMAT was very bad (55 overall, 73rd percentile), so I had no hope.  Really annoyed to miss out on the guaranteed entry though.  I missed 99.90 by 0.04 aggregate points. :/

Man, ouch. that must have felt like nothing was going for you. However, given your capabilities (clearly reflected in your study scores) I'm sure you'll get through the GAMSAT fine. after that, the interview is at least not as competitive as the monash mbbs interview, so you can make it.

Thanks for the advice- in your personal opinion, then, is it better to opt for the guaranteed entry at melb?

[stonecold]

As for me, my UMAT was very bad (55 overall, 73rd percentile), so I had no hope.  Really annoyed to miss out on the guaranteed entry though.  I missed 99.90 by 0.04 aggregate points. :/

Man, ouch. that must have felt like nothing was going for you. However, given your capabilities (clearly reflected in your study scores) I'm sure you'll get through the GAMSAT fine. after that, the interview is at least not as competitive as the monash mbbs interview, so you can make it.

Thanks for the advice- in your personal opinion, then, is it better to opt for the guaranteed entry at melb?

Haha, yeah.  Nothing really went right last year.  Things are looking better with the GAMSAT pathway though.

Umm, it is a really tough one, because if I was in your position this time last year, I would have gone with Monash.  But now after a year at Melbourne, I have to say I am quite happy and I guess things do happen for a reason.    There are many factors for you to consider.

Monash - The two main pros are 1).  that awesome scholarship.  It would be amazing to walk away from uni with a med degree, no debt and 30k in the bank.  2). The fact that you finish 2 years earlier is also a big win.  The negative is that Monash is a really big pain to get to unless you live in the area which I guess you don't.

Melb  -  The major pros here are that you will be able to kick back and relax a fair bit in your undergrad degree...enjoy uni life.  Also, the travel time to Melb will be much less for you.  The Melb degree/resources/clinical schools are also arguably better.  Melb is also probably more well recognised internationally if you ever want to practice overseas, although each country has their requirments.  The big cons are that the Melbourne scholarship sucks compared to the Monash one, and the Melb route will take another 2 years.  7 years at uni is a long time.

Not sure if this will be important, but the degrees themselves are also worth thinking about.  Monash seems to swear by MBBS, which is a level 7 undergrad degree, even if taken at post grad level, wheareas the MD is a level 9 masters degree.  I doubt that they are much different, but it seems that unis are trending towards the MD.  UoM and UWA have already done it.  UQ looks set to do the same. (http://www2.som.uq.edu.au/som/OurSchool/Pages/mdprogram.aspx).  Hard to say, but one day it might be better to have an MD over an MBBS.  All hypothetical stuff though.

At the end of the day, from a financial perspective, Monash is definitely the winner.  In 7 years time you will have gotten 30k from your scholarship plus earned well over 100k as an intern and be debt free, whereas at UniMelb you will just be finishing your degree and still have around 25k of HECS debt remaining if you use your 15k from undergrad to pay it off.  Just typing this makes me realize why no one who gets 99.95 wants to go to Melbourne.  Sure they have the rep and a nice campus etc., but Monash's offer blows them out of the water.  It really shouldn't be about money, but what Monash are offering is too good to refuse so I would take it mate.  You've obviously worked hard, and you should take full advantage of it.

Is where your brother is choosing to go going to affect your decision?

[Russ]

Just typing this makes me realize why no one who gets 99.95 wants to go to Melbourne.

Over 50% of them nominated biomedicine at Melbourne. Just saying

[thushan]

This time, speaking to the others...think that majority are MBBSing it Just saying.

[samad]

Hi Stonecold

and the Melb route will take another 2 years.  7 years at uni is a long time.

at 5 years, monash is ultimately as short as they get, which makes it unique. however, most universities throughout Australia provide a 6 year course, so 7 years, in the scheme of things, is not too much longer, is it? if you consider those students from universities such as Adelaide and UNSW doing honours, making their degree 7 years, it's no different to a large (correct me if i'm overestimating) proportion of medical students Australia-wide.

In 7 years time you will have gotten 30k from your scholarship plus earned well over 100k as an intern and be debt free, whereas at UniMelb you will just be finishing your degree and still have around 25k of HECS debt remaining if you use your 15k from undergrad to pay it off

The scholarship at Melb definitely pales in comparison to Monash. However, the Melb MD is $9080/ year for 4 years, so ~$36 000 debt if you don't pay any of it off in uni. That isn't exactly a financial crisis, since you can take it out of your salary eventually. there might also be a scholarship available for the MD, but i am unsure. Anyone have info in regards to this?

Is where your brother is choosing to go going to affect your decision?

Yeah, it will. Going to different Unis and clinical schools might have inconveniences (eg. different Prescribed texts, etc.), so it guess it is easier if we go the same. in that regard, my bro has a umat of 92nd percentile, which means he is still largely in doubt for monash.

[thushan]

Hi Stonecold

and the Melb route will take another 2 years.  7 years at uni is a long time.

at 5 years, monash is ultimately as short as they get, which makes it unique. however, most universities throughout Australia provide a 6 year course, so 7 years, in the scheme of things, is not too much longer, is it? if you consider those students from universities such as Adelaide and UNSW doing honours, making their degree 7 years, it's no different to a large (correct me if i'm overestimating) proportion of medical students Australia-wide.

In 7 years time you will have gotten 30k from your scholarship plus earned well over 100k as an intern and be debt free, whereas at UniMelb you will just be finishing your degree and still have around 25k of HECS debt remaining if you use your 15k from undergrad to pay it off

The scholarship at Melb definitely pales in comparison to Monash. However, the Melb MD is $9080/ year for 4 years, so ~$36 000 debt if you don't pay any of it off in uni. That isn't exactly a financial crisis, since you can take it out of your salary eventually. there might also be a scholarship available for the MD, but i am unsure. Anyone have info in regards to this?

Is where your brother is choosing to go going to affect your decision?

Yeah, it will. Going to different Unis and clinical schools might have inconveniences (eg. different Prescribed texts, etc.), so it guess it is easier if we go the same. in that regard, my bro has a umat of 92nd percentile, which means he is still largely in doubt for monash.

Monash's course is only 5 years because the research year (the BMedSci) is optional. With this in mind, graduating with a MBBS/BMedSci from Monash takes 6 years, the same as for Melbourne's undergrad med degree (which is actually an MBBS/BMedSc).

Melb MD is $9080 now. In a few years time it'll be more due to inflation. Moot point though, really.

Your brother has a 99.95 ATAR! For reference, dude who went to my school got 99.95 and 55th percentile and got into med last year.

[Russ]

The government did just slash the subsidy for medical fees, but that will affect you anywhere. I'd expect a CSP for the MD to run 50k by the time you're done. Scholarships for postgrad are way harder to get than undergrad, where they'll throw money at you for prestige.