MELBOURNE OR GRIFFITH? (HELP)

[Thelimz]

I got a first round offer for biomedicine at Uni of Melb, but now, today I received an offer for Medical science at Griffith with a basically guaranteed MBBS. I don't know which one to pick now, because graduate medicine at Melbourne is very hard to get into, but I like the prestige, whereas Griffith is 6 years all up and I will have an MBBS. What to do?

[aes_999]

If you really really really want to become a doctor, MBBS at Griffith.

[iamtom]

If it's guaranteed you will get into MBBS after your Med Science degree, and you want to do medicine, go to Griffith. Prestige isn't a big deal - you're still qualified the same way.

[Thelimz]

What if I'd like to work overseas? Wouldn't Melbourne Uni be a better one to finish? because to be honest, no one outside of Australia would have even heard of Griffith.

[aes_999]

Not sure about it, but I has heard u need to do extra testing to be able to to practice overseas. Sure Melbourne's a more prestigious uni, but what use is it if you can't do what you want? There's a lot of people who can't be what they want to be due to the Melbourne Model, like... Melbourne JD from arts. It's better not to risk your chances becoming a doctor UNLESS you know your chances of getting in Melbourne MD is pretty good.

Well, judging from your Biomed first pref, you should have a slightly better chance of getting Melbourne MD, but hey, your choice.

[Starlight]

Do griffith uni, postgraduate at biomedicine is most likely going to be much more difficult with all the competitive/ large amount of students wanting to do medicine, but it is still a good course. As for working overseas, just e-mail griffith uni so they can let you know the possibilities.

[Thelimz]

yeah, what is attracting the the no hassle with worrying if i'll get medicine, but what isn't is that i'll have to move, settle into a completely new life style, not sure if i can get a masters there (have to check), again the international thing. With melbourne, there may be some competition, but even if i don't get into melbourne uni, i will surely get into other graduate schools. Its a very tough choice.

[jasrulz63]

but even if i don't get into melbourne uni, i will surely get into other graduate schools. Its a very tough choice.

That's not something you should really rely on though, graduate medicine will be very competitive come 2015 entry (more so then now IMO) judging by the clearly-in increases of biomed and science at Melbourne as an example. Considering that everyone that doesn't get into MD at Melbourne will probably have Deakin and Monash as second preferences (only other Victorian graduate schools), it makes those graduate schools pretty competitive too. It's not something that I'd take as a given. There's obviously interstate schools, but that gives you the same problem as Griffth with the lifestyle.

There's also the GAMSAT as another variable. I know people with less than 80 ATAR's get 70+ in the GAMSAT, while I know others that scored 95+ ATAR's that struggle to break 60. Both sets of people do well in uni.

I agree with everyone that everyone has said above, if you know you want to do medicine, I'd personally take the safe option and go with the Griffith option. There's just so much risk with going the graduate pathway when you have an MBBS there available if you want it.

[Thelimz]

But with the increasing cutoffs to even make it into biomedicine of science, wouldn't that regulate the number of people doing these, and in effect regulate the number of people applying for medicine. Remember that 56% of the biomedicine cohort this year are SEAS applicants, and this number seems to keep rising, decreasing the actual competition to get into medicine. And most of the people from other biomedical science courses are again less competition as most/all of them would have had biomedicine at melbourne as a higher preference. So this actually leaves the better part of the biomedicine cohort at UoM as my competition, so around 150 people. So maybe its not as bleak as I or you may think.

[paulsterio]

There are essentially 3 issues.

1) For medicine, alma mater does not matter, so go to Griffith.

2) If you want to work overseas, you'll have to sit the licensing exam in that country anyway, like the USMLE for the USA. Hence, alma mater isn't that important.

3) Getting into UoM MD or Graduate Medicine anywhere isn't easy at all, you have guaranteed MBBS at Griffith, why not?

[jasrulz63]

But with the increasing cutoffs to even make it into biomedicine of science, wouldn't that regulate the number of people doing these, and in effect regulate the number of people applying for medicine. Remember that 56% of the biomedicine cohort this year are SEAS applicants, and this number seems to keep rising, decreasing the actual competition to get into medicine.

That'd be true except that you don't need a science/biomed degree to do medicine, so those people could apply for other degrees at/outside Melbourne Uni and then apply for medicine. But the increasing clearly-in for Science means that more people are wanting to do science, well it can be assumed anyway.

Also just because they're SEAS applicants, why does that decrease the competition? It's not like those in biomed without a 99+ ATAR, they can't be as competitive in the biomedicine degree as the ones getting 99+. The Uni/GAMSAT are a different game compared to VCE. I scored an ATAR of ~93 yet I still have a competitive GPA/GAMSAT combo (6.8/69) for applying to med.

And most of the people from other biomedical science courses are again less competition as most/all of them would have had biomedicine at melbourne as a higher preference. So this actually leaves the better part of the biomedicine cohort at UoM as my competition, so around 150 people. So maybe its not as bleak as I or you may think.

Again that is implying that since they scored less ATAR-wise than you, they aren't as competitive. The fact that people get into med from science, and people in biomed miss out shows that if someone has a lower ATAR than you, they can still be your competition. I'm sure you'll be fine in uni and go well, but it's not safe to assume that your only competition are those in your cohort that got similar ATARs, and basing a decision off that.

[Russ]

If you have a problem with moving interstate, that's completely understandable. I didn't consider non VIC unis when I was in year 12 and I would have rejected an offer from USyd etc. because I didn't want to move. So if you're not comfortable moving or if it's not an option then don't feel as if you have to. That said, if you are okay with it then a bird in the hand etc.

Remember that 56% of the biomedicine cohort this year are SEAS applicants, and this number seems to keep rising, decreasing the actual competition to get into medicine. And most of the people from other biomedical science courses are again less competition as most/all of them would have had biomedicine at melbourne as a higher preference.

This would matter if ATAR was relevant.

2) If you want to work overseas, you'll have to sit the licensing exam in that country anyway, like the USMLE for the USA. Hence, alma mater isn't that important.

Licensing exam =/= job =/= job you want. Internationals I've spoken to chose UoM for graduate study over other universities in Australia/the world based in no small part on its ranking. It's something to keep in mind (this is more a semantic point though in case anybody else reads this later)

[Planck's constant]

But with the increasing cutoffs to even make it into biomedicine of science, wouldn't that regulate the number of people doing these, and in effect regulate the number of people applying for medicine. Remember that 56% of the biomedicine cohort this year are SEAS applicants, and this number seems to keep rising, decreasing the actual competition to get into medicine.

That'd be true except that you don't need a science/biomed degree to do medicine, so those people could apply for other degrees at/outside Melbourne Uni and then apply for medicine. But the increasing clearly-in for Science means that more people are wanting to do science, well it can be assumed anyway.

Also just because they're SEAS applicants, why does that decrease the competition? It's not like those in biomed without a 99+ ATAR, they can't be as competitive in the biomedicine degree as the ones getting 99+. The Uni/GAMSAT are a different game compared to VCE. I scored an ATAR of ~93 yet I still have a competitive GPA/GAMSAT combo (6.8/69) for applying to med.

And most of the people from other biomedical science courses are again less competition as most/all of them would have had biomedicine at melbourne as a higher preference. So this actually leaves the better part of the biomedicine cohort at UoM as my competition, so around 150 people. So maybe its not as bleak as I or you may think.

Again that is implying that since they scored less ATAR-wise than you, they aren't as competitive. The fact that people get into med from science, and people in biomed miss out shows that if someone has a lower ATAR than you, they can still be your competition. I'm sure you'll be fine in uni and go well, but it's not safe to assume that your only competition are those in your cohort that got similar ATARs, and basing a decision off that.

There are many truths in your post.
A 90+ ATAR from an unrepresented school, say a government school in a low SES area, is massive. This kid would almost certainly have been a 99.9 ATAR anywhere else. He'll be tough to beat at Uni

[david10d]

that is one of the most lol worthy posts i've seen on this forum.


so ignorant.

[86]

that is one of the most lol worthy posts i've seen on this forum.


so ignorant.

Well, you yourself don't seem to have contributed in any way so . . .