Differences between bachelor of biomed and bachelor of science?

[spectroscopy]

are they "why med" "why monash" interviews or MMI's?

[Stick]

There's not a lot of detail available since this is still a work in progress at Monash. I'll keep in touch with them though and relay the information as I get it.

[816]

To  be honest, choosing a degree with the prospect of what you're going to do after the degree is a terrible waste of time in your life.

I'd be hesitant in choosing a degree at Monash just because it allows you to go onto Medicine.

[Russ]

Why are anecdotes more valid than actual data like the spread of marks?

The data posted (I have no idea where it came from, but I'll accept it for argument's sake) doesn't demonstrate that one course is more or less challenging than the other. If the disagreement was over me saying that nobody gets H1s or that everybody fails subjects, it would be substantially more relevant. I absolutely disagree that you can look at data on pass/fail rates and draw conclusions about subject difficulty, without taking context into account. Private schools produce better marks than public schools, but presumably the subjects taught there aren't of a lesser difficulty or assessed easier (yes, the analogy is inexact, but all analogies are).

For obvious reasons the argument in itself is not conclusive.

Just I've known ~20 or so Biomed students (from high school and uni) and they weren't a particularly talented bunch. Above average, yes, but no so much that 20%+ of them should get H1s. I have a feeling they actually make it easier to get H1s in Biomed because they know everyone wants med.

I cannot tell what you are trying to say here, but I thought I was the one being criticized for making sweeping generalizations based on no evidence.

Rubbish really. Especially considering that our third year subjects, where the GPA matters the most, are identical to the science ones.

Except the biomedicine exclusive ones?

Actually...I wouldn't blame them so much. Apparently Gippsland Medical School has blown their budget on their delivery of the MBBS.

And a university is a business, after all.

I think a far more pertinent fact is that Gippsland was sold to Ballarat Uni, and this is having all sorts of under the hood issues with delivery of the MBBS course apparently. I was talking to a doc last night in downtime and he elaborated a bit.

[816]

The data posted (I have no idea where it came from, but I'll accept it for argument's sake) doesn't demonstrate that one course is more or less challenging than the other. If the disagreement was over me saying that nobody gets H1s or that everybody fails subjects, it would be substantially more relevant. I absolutely disagree that you can look at data on pass/fail rates and draw conclusions about subject difficulty, without taking context into account. Private schools produce better marks than public schools, but presumably the subjects taught there aren't of a lesser difficulty or assessed easier (yes, the analogy is inexact, but all analogies are).

I cannot tell what you are trying to say here, but I thought I was the one being criticized for making sweeping generalizations based on no evidence.

Except the biomedicine exclusive ones?

I think a far more pertinent fact is that Gippsland was sold to Ballarat Uni, and this is having all sorts of under the hood issues with delivery of the MBBS course apparently. I was talking to a doc last night in downtime and he elaborated a bit.

You haven't addressed what I said in its entirety.

I said, firstly, that I know several Biomedicine students (10-20) and that I had classes with the ones who were doing a bioengineering major. They were nothing special and they got average (70-80) grades in the subjects I had with them. There were 2 guys (out of 10-15 that I knew) that were excellent, the rest were average.

They didn't represent a demographic of which 20%+  of people should be getting H1s and certainly not 40%+ as in first year.

Yes, I know, bla bla bla, 10-15 people is not a large enough sample space. I don't care enough to do much further research. I spoke to those guys a couple nights ago and they said that there marks were about the same in Linear Algebra and bio-eng subjects as in their standard Biomedicine subjects.

All this is not an exact science, but I don't care enough to do further research, I simply doubt that Biomedicine is any harder than Science given my experiences.

Not exactly on topic, but you're going to have a very tough time explaining to me that you need to be more intelligent to do biomedicine than engineering .

[vox nihili]

Except the biomedicine exclusive ones?

Yes, all three possibilities. The two capstones, which are the bane of Biomed according to everyone I've spoken too (and which, in science, can be replaced by easier, relatively speaking, science subjects) and the one possible subject that is particularly to Defence and Disease. Otherwise, 75% of the third year GPA is coming from science anyway.

[Shenz0r]

Shouldn't it be 50% coming from Science, since the 2nd & 3rd year Biomedicine cores count as a double subject.

[vox nihili]

Shouldn't it be 50% coming from Science, since the 2nd & 3rd year Biomedicine cores count as a double subject.

Third year core doesn't count as a double.

[pi]

On a slightly related note (but more my own curiosity), is there talk of anyone in UoM Biomed transferring to Monash Biomed given the new changes?

[Stick]

Wouldn't it be too late? It's for first year students starting next year.

[pi]

Wouldn't it be too late? It's for first year students starting next year.

Oh is it?

My apologies then, I haven't read the details clearly haha

[slothpomba]

I think you actually still probably could transfer but they'd only credit a years worth of subjects.

[Russ]

I don't see why you'd want to go through the hassle of transferring, given you don't get a guaranteed place, you just get an increased chance for a single university. If it was a guarantee, people would probably take it, but for a marginal advantage it just seems not worth moving universities.

Yes, all three possibilities. The two capstones, which are the bane of Biomed according to everyone I've spoken too (and which, in science, can be replaced by easier, relatively speaking, science subjects) and the one possible subject that is particularly to Defence and Disease. Otherwise, 75% of the third year GPA is coming from science anyway.

That's completely different to what you said, which was that the third year subjects in biomedicine are identical to the science ones. The capstone subjects can't be replaced by science subjects, since they have no equivalent subjects in science. The semester 1 capstone is excellent, the semester 2 capstone is average.

[thushan]

I don't see why you'd want to go through the hassle of transferring, given you don't get a guaranteed place, you just get an increased chance for a single university. If it was a guarantee, people would probably take it, but for a marginal advantage it just seems not worth moving universities.

That's completely different to what you said, which was that the third year subjects in biomedicine are identical to the science ones. The capstone subjects can't be replaced by science subjects, since they have no equivalent subjects in science. The semester 1 capstone is excellent, the semester 2 capstone is average.

On the other hand, it is nonetheless an increased chance. Competing against only about 200 people (assuming they all want to do med, less if otherwise) for 50 spots where GAMSAT is not assessed and chances of getting into other medical schools not inhibited? That would be enough motivating for me.

[vox nihili]

That's completely different to what you said, which was that the third year subjects in biomedicine are identical to the science ones. The capstone subjects can't be replaced by science subjects, since they have no equivalent subjects in science. The semester 1 capstone is excellent, the semester 2 capstone is average.

Fair enough, I should have been more specific. The subjects that form a major are identical. Science students get the choice of doing an elective, Biomed students have to do the capstone subjects.