Equivalent of UoM's BBiomed?

[Starlight]

What's in a name?

some people have misconceptions about what biomed actually entails. Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes, but some people think it confers a greater advantage to do biomed than science as they believe they have a stronger chance of getting into graduate med.

[Starlight]

What's in a name?

biomedicine

[paulsterio]

some people have misconceptions about what biomed actually entails. Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes, but some people think it confers a greater advantage to do biomed than science as they believe they have a stronger chance of getting into graduate med.

For all we know UoM might well favour BioMed students over Science students, we just don't know

[Tomw2]

Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes

How's that?

[thushan]

some people have misconceptions about what biomed actually entails. Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes, but some people think it confers a greater advantage to do biomed than science as they believe they have a stronger chance of getting into graduate med.

For all we know UoM might well favour BioMed students over Science students, we just don't know

For all we know UoM might favour Melbourne supporters over Collingwood supporters. Oh wait, anyone would favour anyone over Collingwood supporters.

[charmanderp]

What's in a name?

some people have misconceptions about what biomed actually entails. Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes, but some people think it confers a greater advantage to do biomed than science as they believe they have a stronger chance of getting into graduate med.

Haha yes I realise mate, was just reeling off a bit of Shakespeare.

[Starlight]

Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes

How's that?

I mean, their first year biology isn't as broad as what science has. It's more focused on the health science aspect, as opposed to botany.

Also, quoting stonecold:

'One advantage of biomed is that you get to learn a lot more broadly in biomed than science.  Our 2nd year core subjects cover 8 topics. These are obviously not in as much detail as the individual subjects but you get to learn a lot of the foundations and this will most likely come in useful later.  If you really enjoy biology, then you will like biomed.  If you don't then it is tough because you are forced to learn lots of different aspects of biology, some of which many people do not enjoy.  Still, nearly everything we have covered this year seemed relevant to medicine and I am sick of hearing the whinging and complaining, mostly from people who have NFI and 'think' that they want to study medicine.'

[Starlight]

What's in a name?

some people have misconceptions about what biomed actually entails. Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes, but some people think it confers a greater advantage to do biomed than science as they believe they have a stronger chance of getting into graduate med.

Haha yes I realise mate, was just reeling off a bit of Shakespeare.

haha I take everything too literally.

[Tomw2]

Perhaps it is structured better for the gamsat yes

How's that?

I mean, their first year biology isn't as broad as what science has. It's more focused on the health science aspect, as opposed to botany.

Ah I see. That makes sense. Though I would argue a broader biology syllabus is somewhat better than a biomed-oriented biology syllabus as a GAMSAT foundation.

Also, quoting stonecold:

'One advantage of biomed is that you get to learn a lot more broadly in biomed than science.  Our 2nd year core subjects cover 8 topics. These are obviously not in as much detail as the individual subjects but you get to learn a lot of the foundations and this will most likely come in useful later.  If you really enjoy biology, then you will like biomed.  If you don't then it is tough because you are forced to learn lots of different aspects of biology, some of which many people do not enjoy.  Still, nearly everything we have covered this year seemed relevant to medicine and I am sick of hearing the whinging and complaining, mostly from people who have NFI and 'think' that they want to study medicine.'

Also makes sense, though IMO it's debatable how "useful" such a foundation really is. Grad med and dent teach the basic medical sciences in a very different context. My experience is that no particular science background seems to give a tangible advantage. Wish they had more data on such things!

[slothpomba]

Biomed is the creation of a marketing department and little else. Essentially anyway.

You can do all the subjects the biomed kids do in a science degree. Quite often, same lecturers, very similar content. It's not like they're going to withold knowledge from you just because you're in a science degree. You still will learn the same stuff.

The upside of a science degree is greater flexibility as well. In biomed you're forced to take a long list of core subjects, partly because its part of their idea of a "comprehensive program" which is fine but its nothing you couldn't actually decide for yourself to do in science (rather than have the uni decide for you and be locked into it). In a science degree you have much more room for electives as well (i've done philosophy...history...astrobiology...and more philosophy over summer). Indeed, in the monash Bsc anyway, you have so much latitude it's possible to have 2 majors in your science degree and one of those majors can be even outside science (which im not sure you can do at UoM). So, you could get a Bsc majoring in Biochemistry AND French for example. If you really cant make your own decisions in life, biomed might be for you but otherwise, you can pretty much do it all in science along with a lot more choice and freedom.

If you told universities a fair while back they could just rename a degree and suddenly double their enrollments AND attract a bunch of high achievers, they would of (potentially) looked at you funny. Biomed does just that though. It's a creative repackaging of science. It's good for the university, they get more students, i'd say a good 80-90% of the cohort is there on the false hope they'll all get into medicine and someone else will miss out. Clearly, a large proportion of these people won't get in and yet they were all hoping to, thats why they chose biomed. Lets not forget all the science students out there either (not to mention arts, etc also applying for med). The science and health faculty have doubled their enrollments too just by changing the name. Good for the university, good for the faculty. A tad bad for the student. The market already has way too many graduates in general in my opinion. This isn't helping nor is selling the false hope.

I think a lot of people fall into the category of doing it just because they can or for the prestiege or to please their family.

[Russ]

There's plenty of marketing but if you're talking about the UoM biomed degree, as I've said several times before it's factually not true that

You can do all the subjects the biomed kids do in a science degree

There are things you get out of it that you don't get from science, just sayin'

[slothpomba]

There are things you get out of it that you don't get from science, just sayin'

Oh, i realise that. Didn't want to overcomplicate my posts. A smaller cohort which is good for a lot of reasons, socially it cant hurt. More like minded people and higher achievers. Pretty much guaranteed people like that in biomed. Some of the subjects are a bit more intergrated as well but like i said, nothing that would be impossible to get in a science degree, just in terms of subjects.

[Starlight]

There are things you get out of it that you don't get from science, just sayin'

More like minded people and higher achievers.

Depends on how you look at it. Generally they have received the atar to get in but do they keep that standard throughout the course? after all it's more of an independence thing in uni.

[slothpomba]

Depends on how you look at it. Generally they have received the atar to get in but do they keep that standard throughout the course? after all it's more of an independence thing in uni.

Haha, i know people in biomed. They're party animals. Also pretty mean drinkers/potheads. So, yeah, i see your point. Just trying to find both sides of the coin.