Requirments for Medicine and what unis offer it/which are good etc???

[Greggler]

Hey guys,
I've been really wanting to medicine for probably the past two years since i did work experience.
I'm pretty keen on going to Melbourne and going through the Biomedicine pathway, however i'd just like some advice from anyone who has done this/done biomed/is doing biomed or anyone that is doing med at the moment really....
You see the annoying this is, am im sure you're all aware, graduate Medicine is going to be really competitive and UoM hardly even know what the requirements are going to be.

Therefore i've been now looking at Monash and other universities interstate and i was just wondering what are some recommended Unis outside of Vic for undergrad medicine. Also, i don't really consider myself a 99.9 student but i back myself as a 95+, so what are the chances i get a decent UMAT score and interview and get a gig at Monash?

I've talked to the careers guy at our school, but all he says is just apply for Biomed or science at both UoM and Monash; he doesnt really recommend interstate...

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys

[iamdan08]

I wouldn't say that grad med is more competitive than undergrad, if anything, its less competitive. There are 12 grad med schools in Australia (3 in Victoria - Melb, Monash and Deakin) compared to 9 undergrad (i think) in Australia, with only one undergrad course in Vic, this being at Monash. Melbourne will be releasing their entry requirements early next year, but according to one of the people designing the course, it will be GPA (5.5-6.0), GAMSAT and interview.

Of course, yes, there is the risk that you may not meet these requirements and won't be accepted, but you need to ask yourself how badly you want to pursue a career in Medicine if you don't get into Monash. In my opinion, if you were offered a spot at Monash, you would probably be better off taking that because of the certainty of it. However, if you are confident you can make the entry requirements or you are unsure if Med is exactly what you want to do, then Biomed may be a better option because it's a bit more flexible.

As for Medicine interstate, again it depends how badly you want to do it, and whether you are happy to leave family and friends to pursue the career, or whether you would prefer to take the biomed option and stay in your home state. It really is a personal decision that you would have to make if that opportunity came.

[Greggler]

Yeah, the more i think about it i will probs end up at Biomed and attempt Grad medicine. But how hard is the GAMSAT, is it 'dodgy' in a similar fashion to the UMAT or is it just an exam/test based purely on skills you can study for or whatever?

However if i do somehow manage to attain some kind of high score, i will be applying interstate and seeing what i can get into as i would much rather feeling secure in a course then relying on numerous factors such as a GAMSAT and GPA.

I have no problem moving interstate... its just i have no idea what Uni's are good for medicine.. lol

[iamdan08]

The GAMSAT is less "dodgy" than the UMAT. It consists, like the UMAT, of three sections. The first section is based on humanities reasoning, which, in short is similar to section 1 of the UMAT, where you read passages and answer questions, however i think it is a little less dodgy than the UMAT from the questions i have seen. Section 2 is two essays, one is a personal/reflective essay and the other is an argumentative essay where in both cases you are given several prompts you can choose from. The third and most weighted section of the GAMSAT is reasoning in sciences, where there are 110 multiple choice questions based on first year biol, chem and year 12 physics.

[Greggler]

Yeah, thanks alot dan08.

I guess im just going to try the hardest i can really, and just see where that takes me..
perhaps if i work my ass off next year i can get a decent UMAT score paired with a respectable enter and see what happens then

[iamdan08]

No worries. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask!

[Red_x_Lily]

Just to add a bit more info on the GAMSAT path:

Even though there may be 12 graduate entry universities, bear in mind that you can only have one interview. (For those who may not know, you list three preferences (kinda like VTAC) then you're granted one interview for the highest preference your GAMSAT qualifies for.) While it may seem harder because you get only one shot each year, it does increase your chances of getting a spot.

(for me, however, this was a factor that led me to choose the undergrad pathway again...)

[Red_x_Lily]

Haha I'm not studying; on a gap year. Managed to boost my UMAT score and hoping to get into Monash next year. *fingers crossed* xD

[Red_x_Lily]

Hope I get in somewhere interstate? Haha, well, if that doesn't work out either, I'd start Pharmacy (which I deferred). I chose it mainly because I want to continue something I'd be happy with if I don't get in via graduate entry either, or leave the option of applying for med years down the track if other life plans change by then. 

[Red_x_Lily]

Well, my main reason for avoiding Biomedicine/Biomedical science was that in the chance I didn't get into Med right after, I wouldn't really be happy with a career in it. Or even only working for a year/few years while reapplying. Also, I was getting worried with the sheer number of Biomedicine and Science graduates from both Monash and Melbourne...firstly, not everyone's gonna get into med. The rest are going to have to find a job, or continue their studies. And I'd expect you'd have to be performing quite well if you want to secure a job in that field after graduation (due to the competition). I guess the same could be applied in terms of graduate numbers for Pharm, but at least it's directly in the health care field, and I think I'd enjoy working hard for it (both to get a job and during the career).

But these were my reasons. Other people I know don't care about "the odds", and they get where they want to.

So yes, essentially, I am a pessimist; I didn't like my chances in the post-grad pathway either, so I thought I'd rather be studying medicine from the beginning, so I'd rather take a gap year, work, get some life experience.

Would you consider Biomedical science at Monash, or it's only the Biomedicine pathway at Melbourne that interests you?

[QuantumJG]

I have a friend who is doing biomedicine and a friend who is doing optometry and they are both enjoying their courses. My friend who is doing optometry I think got a lower ENTER than Red_x_lily so I don't know why this person is delaying study. Even if they did biomedicine they would be well off with getting into a graduate medicine degree with Melbourne. With Melbourne uni most science and biomed students are wanting to get into postgraduate medicine so I can see why a lot of people are pessamistic about this option.

I could never consider myself studying medicine, I would go pale everytime my friend spoke about things that have happened.
 

[Red_x_Lily]

Well, I love Biology lol. I'd consider Biomedical Science at Monash if I didn't get into Biomedicine at Melbourne or undergraduate medicine . (Doubt my performance in the UMAT next year though)
I've looked into the graduate courses and further studies available at Melbourne, including medicine, and I would enjoy doing most of them .
Medicine is many peoples dreams, mine too, but it may not happen for me. That's why I actually like the flexibility of Melbournes Model and how I can enter many fields if I complete a Bachelor of Biomedicine there.

That's pretty good - it's also good that you've considered all of this already. As for the UMAT, don't worry, you can definitely improve with practice - so make sure you do!

My friend who is doing optometry I think got a lower ENTER than Red_x_lily so I don't know why this person is delaying study. Even if they did biomedicine they would be well off with getting into a graduate medicine degree with Melbourne.

Maybe, but everyone has different reasons. I had my reasons for delaying study. It wasn't really about getting into any course I could only for the purpose of studying something.
(Coincidentally, I also have a friend in Optom right now who I tagged along to a few lectures with...can't see myself studying it.)

[Greggler]

yeah... the UMAT seems like a large hurdle that if one can leap successfully, a number of other factors such as enter can become less important
and im not really keen on paying 1000 dollars for some preparation lectures, or are they really worth it? if not, what would you/or others reccommend?

[shinny]

yeah... the UMAT seems like a large hurdle that if one can leap successfully, a number of other factors such as enter can become less important
and im not really keen on paying 1000 dollars for some preparation lectures, or are they really worth it? if not, what would you/or others reccommend?

Well yeh, it's not $1000, but it's still quite a lot of money. However, I'd say it's definitely worth it in the end if it gets you what you want to do because I can objectively say that it does actually help.

[Greggler]

mmmm... yeah ive seen medentry and it costs a fair bit
on the other hand i know some one last year from my school who got an ENTER of 96, was never aiming for medicine and never thought he would get in and was always looking at biomed or science. however he aced the UMAT on pure awesomeness, he did not do one practice question for it lol, and he is now doing med