Hi guys,
I have a few queries on the differences, advantages and disadvantages between choosing Science or Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne.
I am aware that both offer practically the same choices of majors and that both can lead to graduate schools in medicine. But I have a few questions:
1. Why is that Biomed's entry ATAR is far higher than that of Science when both can lead to similar pathways (although Biomed seems completely focused on medicine)
2. Why should I take Biomed when Science offers you the same majors and possibly alternatives if you happen to change your mind? E.g. I can go into I.T or engineering?
3. If I choose a Science major that is also offered in Biomed, will I attend lectures with Biomed students too?
4. When exactly are our core subjects and majors chosen (end of second year?)?
5. Are specific scholarships offered for Bachelor of Science (e.g. Commerce offers the Copland Scholar)? I have had difficulties finding them on their site.
6. If I take Science instead of Biomed, will it be tougher to get into Melbourne Medical School?
Sorry if I seem completely ignorant about all this Uni stuff. I've attempted asking my careers teacher, but he always seems to divert my questions to other things or tells me to worry about it later.
Thank you 
Naww, and only six months ago I was wondering the same things!
1. As previously stated, there are more places in Science. Also, Biomed has a fancy name! If I am having a conversation about uni with my friend and a stranger (and this isn't even hypothetical) and we are asked what we study at uni, she will say Biomedicine and the stranger will appear impressed and say 'really wow' and I will say Science and the stranger will say 'oh okay', despite the both of us recieving offers to Biomedicine and planning to take pretty much exactly the same subjects. I would say its high colloquial status also contributes to its popularity and preference over science, as what you say is true! Some people probably don't even know that there is such a huge crossover between the two degrees. I didn't realise until I started investigating thoroughly.
2. When you take Biomed, you take nifty exclusive subjects which are tailored towards the career path you are following! You should take it if you are sure you want to work in health sciences, as Russ implies.
3. No, not always! The first year subjects are extremely similar, but not exactly the same. In Science, you spend a draning three weeks on Botany which makes me want to stab my eyes out with a fork! But once you get past first year, yes.
4. Well that depends! Some majors have no prerequisites and some have prerequisites, if you need to take prerequisites some of your subjects will already be decided from the moment you walk through the door. For eg, if I know I want to do something in the life sciences, I need to take Biology subjects and if I am considering a Psychology major, I'll need to take Psychology subjects. You don't choose your major until the end of second year, but it helps to plan ahead. Or, you could be like me and forced into the position where you have to choose your major in three weeks time, despite being in first year, due to rotten university administration!
In response to Russ' comment I would like to point out that while Biomedicine's cores do leave more majors open in the degree because they are more versitile pre-reqs, one cannot presume that a second year biochemisty subject could lend itself to a major in information technology. So this is probably another point at which you would want to be sure you wanted to take a health related major as opposed to something else. One science subject lends itself to fewer science majors proportionally simply because the degree is more general and the possible majors are much more varied. Of course Biomed specific subjects can be expected to prepare a person for biomedical majors more easily than science subjects because of the more general and less streamlined nature of the Science degree by comparison.
5. No, but specific scholarships aren't really found for any of the degrees.
6. While the application process treats them equally, you will still need to prepare yourself properly. You'll need to take the prerequisites approved for the Science degree in your second year if you choose not to do Biomed or you don't get in to Biomed, and you'll need to take subjects that you feel might prepare you for the GAMSAT. Technically, you can enter Med from any degree without discrimination provided that you have taken the prerequisites. It's just making the right choices to enable your chosen pathway that counts.
Okay so now I've answered your questions, I'm going to presume you're tossing up between doing Biomed and Science which is exactly what I was doing last year. I initially applied to Biomed and got my offer, then rejected it and applied for an irregular offer to Science because I wasn't sure (and I'm still unsure) of whether I wanted to persue a career in medicine or psychology, and I cannot complete an accredited psychology major as a part of a Biomedical degree. While I felt like I might have made the wrong choice for a while, I have quickly come to realise that I have made the right choice entirely. If you're not sure of what you might want to do, there is no point in heading for a streamlined and narrow degree when you could choose something broader which provides more freedom. By all means, if you know what you want will definitely be health oriented, head for a Biomedicine degree as it probably is the greatest option if it is available to you. But if you are unsure, there is no disadvantage to taking a Science degree instead - unless you count the scorn of meaningless strangers who believe you are inadequate because you take a more general degree! Which I do not.
And, if you do decide Biomedicine is your first preference (or second after med, if that's what you're set on), I (personally, others will have different opinions) wouldn't put a Biomedical degree at another university before a Science degree at Melbourne if you have your heart set on the Melbourne MD. There's a reason all those subjects are available from both degrees - the biomedical related subjects offered at Melbourne from either degree are designed to best prepare you for the Melbourne Medical School most specifically (as well as others of course) and other graduate health/science schools at UoM.
From my own experience, I can tell you now - if you're not sure of what you want to do, or you want to keep your options open take a more general degree. There's no use wasting a year of your time in a specific degree when you could be much happier with more open doors. If you think about it, Biomedicine really remains one of the only more specific degrees left under the Melbourne Model and that's mostly because of its high reputation and the huge demand from applicants each year. So it's up to you! If you're sure, go for Biomed. If you're not sure, go for Science.
And hey, if you want to prolong your decision like the little scab I was, just apply for the one with the highest ATAR cutoff, and then ponder your offer for 1.5 months, and then apply for an irregular offer. Because if you were good enough to get in to Biomed, they will let you in to Science. Plus, you get to have TWO offers at once that way. Honestly, I don't know why everyone just doesn't cheat the system
Just don't tell your careers advisor that someone recommended procrastination to you as a handy tool to reach over the head of VTAC.
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