Medicine FAQ / So You Want To Be A Doctor

[Russ]

The bonded scholarships don't exist any more (when they did, they were fairly competitive).
It's easier to get a bonded place than a non-bonded place, but still difficult.

[nino quincampoix]

Undergrad entry isn't going anywhere, despite my low opinion of it.

If you don't mind explaining, why do you have a low opinion of undergrad med?

[Russ]

I think professional entry graduate degrees are much better, because you're no longer coming in as a high school student. I don't think there's a real difference between the course quality solely based on undergrad/postgrad but I think there's absolutely a difference in the applicants.

[sodium.777]

anyone know the median GPAs/GAMSAt score of people who got into/or got interviews at UoM Med last year?

The only info I can find is from 2012; GPA of 6.6 and GAMSAT of 65


I'd assume requirements increase slightly each year.

[ChickenCh0wM1en]

anyone know the median GPAs/GAMSAt score of people who got into/or got interviews at UoM Med last year?

The only info I can find is from 2012; GPA of 6.6 and GAMSAT of 65


I'd assume requirements increase slightly each year.

6.6/67 gamsat melbourne weighted. Just an average figure but doesn't take into account CSP/BMP/MRBS/FFP (results can be skewed towards one side) and rurality, and other bonuses.

[sodium.777]

ah ok. Thanks!

Is this for an interview offer or actual entry?

[Shenz0r]

^Interview

[MelonBar]

Hey guys, what are pathways from a medical degree if you decided you didn't want to be a Dr but something else related to med? Eg. to become a medical academic, medical educator?

[Russ]

If you want to be an academic, it's not significantly different from any other of academia. You'll need to do a PhD and then wrangle yourself a position with the university or some other research institution. Having a medical degree will make you a more attractive candidate, broadly speaking.

What do you mean by medical educator? It's a fairly broad term and there are a lot of different options.

Lots of people do move out of medicine though, quite a few people from the graduating class of 2015 are unsure about their future direction. Some are unsure if they'll work as doctors in the long term. It's a big world and you get a lot of options out of a medical degree.

[MelonBar]

Thanks for replying, I was thinking along the lines of a lecturer/tutor at uni, or an instructor at a teaching hospital (or are they all working as doctors)? What are the other options for teaching ? With that said, what are some other utilities of/paths from a medical degree?

I'm actually relieved you said there are people graduating unsure about their future, & that there's lots of options out of a med degree. I know it's wayyy early days (med interview offers aren't even out yet for GEMSAS unis) but I'm thinking about what I'd do if I was privileged enough to get a place but decided that working as a Dr (which is what I thought I wanted) wasn't for me. I start thinking about this now of all times when interviews are right round the corner haha.

Also, out of curiosity, what's life like as an intern/resident? Is it as hectic as people say?

[Shenz0r]

PagingDr is probably the best place to answer your last question: http://pagingdr.net/forum/index.php?board=20.0

[Russ]

Well if you want to establish yourself as a lecturing/teaching academic at a university, you'll be wanting to do a PhD eventually. You can obviously hold down a position as a lecturer/teacher without one, but if you want to make a career out of it then you really need the full qualification. Lots of doctors get paid to guest lecture or take tutorials, but a handful of times a year does not a career make.

Clinical teaching is a pretty big area and I imagine you could make a go of it without working as a doctor. In my experience, the majority of the positions are held by doctors who also work in the hospital. I can't imagine that there would be much reason to hire somebody who wasn't currently a clinician when so many of your applicants are actively practising.

You're pretty much priced into working for at least a couple of years after you graduate. Making money (and it's pretty good money) is important after seven years on Centrelink and there's no reason to go elsewhere without actually trying the workforce. Being a junior doctor is bad in some ways and good in others. There are definitely issues with the medical culture, relating to the workplace etc. but you also get a lot of opportunities in the first few years to learn and progress.

I'm not sure where I'll be in five years, but I think getting a couple of years of experience is going to be a good change.

[odeaa]

To those here who are studying med, what are the best and worst parts of being a doctor (or studying med if you haven't begun residency)? What is one thing you wished you knew before you chose to do medicine? Why did you choose to do medicine over all the other courses out there? Thanks in advance for any answers

[MelonBar]

Out of interest. Are all Australian hospitals (at least those that have the right wards for rotations) equipped/obliged to take on interns?

[Russ]

@odeaa - it's a very broad question that I don't feel up to fully answering currently. If you look around different forums, you can probably get a good idea. I am a self-admitted cynic, but I think that prospective medical students should inform themselves about the actual working conditions and life of a doctor, because no amount of rose-tinted glasses will save you from reality when you graduate. I've seen too many students handwave away the challenges by saying (very stupid) things like "I'll love working as a doctor" or "that won't affect me". That's not to say it's all a struggle, there are lots of great parts as well (especially the tax benefits!).

@MelonBar - you can see the Victorian list here: http://www.pmcv.com.au/computer-matching-service/resources/878-accredited-itps/file
I don't believe hospitals are legally required to take interns, but it's almost certainly in their best interests to do so.