UoM Biomed & Science!!

[iheartu]

Hi, I am in year 12 atm and I am confused as to what to do.... biomed or science!

Are both courses practically the same or does one lead to more career pathways?

Also, I heard about the guaranteed graduate entry spot if you achieve >99..... how does that work?

For GAMSAT, how many people try out each year and what are the chances of studente getting into med, dentistry and optometery?

Is science or biomed more relevant for the GAMSAT?

What if you fail GAMSAT and graduate with a bachelor of biomed/science degree... what career opportunities are out there?

THanks for your help!!
 

[98.40_for_sure]

My understanding is that you can do exactly the same subjects in BSc as in BBiomedSc... so it really doesn't matter if you plan to do postgrad medicine

But i've also heard that with BBiomedSc, the course is rather rigid, whereas BSc you have more flexibility to choose what you like/want

[Russ]

Science is broader and has more options. You can do majors in chemistry/maths/biology/psych/etc., whilst Biomed really does limit you to the health sciences. Biomedicine is a course streamlined to develop students for careers like medicine, whilst Science leaves you to set your own course (more so).

If you get >99 you're guaranteed a full fee spot in the MD if you maintain an H2A average and pass the interview. If you get >99.9, it's a CSP spot.

The GAMSAT is brutal. It's an exam that runs for an entire day and a competitive score is probably about top 10% or so. If you put in the study over the summer holidays, achieving at that level is perfectly possible. A few thousand people sit it? Not actually sure on that. The 1st year of biomed prepares you really well for the GAMSAT, whilst science would require you to pick the right subjects.

If you don't get into postgraduate medicine/dent/etc., your major options are probably to go into research or academia? It really depends on the person.

Overall, if you do a science degree and pick the right major/subjects you're just as capable of getting into postgrad than your equivalent in BBiomed.

My understanding is that you can do exactly the same subjects in BSc as in BBiomedSc... so it really doesn't matter if you plan to do postgrad medicine

A lot of the subjects in the BBiomed are restricted to students in that degree, so you have to do equivalents (for some there are no equivalents though).

[vexx]

^ There is no full guarantees with the full-fee spots and it is why this is the last year they are doing it for 99+ because there is a chance they can just say, there aren't enough places regardess of any scores you've achieved. You are considered a head of the other full-fee applicants but since there is few places for everyone they aren't allowed to guarantee all 99+ wanting to do medicine.

And to study just over summer for the GAMSAT, from what i read, is going to barely enough to do that well unless you have studied all day everyday (usually people study for hours for many months to do well) as it is extremely difficult and competetive requiring skills in a range of things. I have asked around about this and it is not a pleasent exam to sit at all, and you will be encouraged to sit it by the uni even if you get 99+

And yes biomed can pretty much=science however, there is an extra major in biomed and you are limited to biomed subjects and are forced to do subjects.

[98.40_for_sure]

Some people said that getting into medicine is easy, that you can do it through TAFE etc...

From what i've heard on VN, medicine is super hard to get into, even post grad. It would be like taking a lollipop from bruce lee

[Russ]

Ah right, didn't realise they were phasing that guarantee out.

Studying over summer for the GAMSAT is all that's needed if you do it properly (and if you don't have to work). The people who are studying for a year in advance are generally either working alongside that or are overreacting. Don't scare the poor guy! I did a few hours a day for January and February and got top 4%

[vexx]

Ah right, didn't realise they were phasing that guarantee out.

Studying over summer for the GAMSAT is all that's needed if you do it properly (and if you don't have to work). The people who are studying for a year in advance are generally either working alongside that or are overreacting. Don't scare the poor guy! I did a few hours a day for January and February and got top 3%

That's so good!!
Well everyone is different but the average was what i said before, hmm. Just them older folks trying to scare me!

[Russ]

Thanks! I have doubts about what the average is, since ACER refuses to release the information it has. I'm sitting it again next year, I might start studying earlier this time if I can. But yeah, a lot of people will talk it up (I do it myself) because it is extremely hard. Not a reason to get worried, you just have to work at it.

[vexx]

Thanks! I have doubts about what the average is, since ACER refuses to release the information it has. I'm sitting it again next year, I might start studying earlier this time if I can. But yeah, a lot of people will talk it up (I do it myself) because it is extremely hard. Not a reason to get worried, you just have to work at it.

Yeah i've heard it requires a lot of work, and you already have a good score behind you so you'll be able to do even better, that's so good! How did you study/what did you do? Can i assume that biomed first year was enough to cover the entire science section?

[Russ]

Yes. Biomed 1st year prepares you for section III very well (prepared me better than a friend in science who sat it). I wrote essays and worked on getting my approach down, since two full length essays in an hour is a massive pain. Did a lot of reading of literature for section I so that was comfortable interpreting and working with the stuff given.

And sample questions. Lots and lots of them. (lots)

[vexx]

Yes. Biomed 1st year prepares you for section III very well (prepared me better than a friend in science who sat it). I wrote essays and worked on getting my approach down, since two full length essays in an hour is a massive pain. Did a lot of reading of literature for section I so that was comfortable interpreting and working with the stuff given.

And sample questions. Lots and lots of them. (lots)

ooh i see thanks. guess ill worry about it towards the end of first year uni when/if i need to!

[Edmund]

Yeah, having done 2 semesters of first year Physics rather than just Year 12 Physics really helped

[Russ]

Yeah, having done 2 semesters of first year Physics rather than just Year 12 Physics really helped

I never did year 12 physics, but it seemed that there was a lot of stuff on there beyond the "year 12 only" that they claimed. Confirm/deny?

[vexx]

^ yeah two years would be more beneficial than just one, but in biomed is the single subject 'physics for biomedicine' cover everything needed for the gamsat?

[Russ]

bout 90% of it. most of the physics stuff was relatively simple (charge, circuits, forces etc) but there was some stuff on optics/refraction that I had to work out myself in the exam. the physics questions are probably the easiest to do logically, most of the chem/bio requires prior knowledge.