Registered  members with 100+ posts do not see Ads

UQ/Ochsner and Griffith MD Programs

Hello!

I am an international student accepted to the UQ-Ochsner and Griffith International MD Programs. However, I’ve began to hear rumors that international students are given unfair treatment during exams and that professors would deliberately fail you for reasons other than ‘the student did not study hard enough.’ Is this true for both programs? Also, do both of these schools give guidance to international students as to how to successfully secure an internship in Australia after graduation?

Thank you!
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
Definitely no discrimination against international students at Griffith from what I’ve gathered. Everyone in my cohort seems to be doing very well, and international students are also guaranteed metro placements in clinical years.

I don’t really see how the markers of written papers would even know a student was international unless they specifically looked it up. I can’t comment on OSCEs and clinical year exams yet as I’m not at that level, however it’s not a problem as far as I’m aware.

Internship allocations largely come down to the priority groups that international students are placed at. I hear some JCU international students are often offered jobs at the hospitals they are doing their rotations at as students (because these are undersubscribed hospitals) but that’s not something I’ve heard of at Griffith or UQ (presumably because the teaching hospitals for these unis are oversubscribed rather than undersubscribed).
 

chinaski

Regular Member
Hello!

I am an international student accepted to the UQ-Ochsner and Griffith International MD Programs. However, I’ve began to hear rumors that international students are given unfair treatment during exams and that professors would deliberately fail you for reasons other than ‘the student did not study hard enough.’ Is this true for both programs? Also, do both of these schools give guidance to international students as to how to successfully secure an internship in Australia after graduation?

Thank you!
If anything, a med school's best interests would be to pass all their international students indiscriminately - you guys are cash cows to them so there is no advantage to failing you and kicking you out of the course (and gaining a bad marketing reputation in the process).

No med school can give you special guidance or any advantage regarding securing an internship in Australia beyond advising you to apply and hope for the best. Beware of any school who claims you have any guarantee. Med schools have zero power or influence over the internship market - they don't own or manage hospitals, the government does.
 
Crow Could you expand on what the classes are like at Griffith? Also, are supplementary exams or makeup exams given to students who did not pass the first time? What is the graduation rate like at Griffith?
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
Crow Could you expand on what the classes are like at Griffith? Also, are supplementary exams or makeup exams given to students who did not pass the first time? What is the graduation rate like at Griffith?
Sure thing. Just acknowledging your post and I’ll write up a proper answer in the next day or two (it’ll probably be a longish post).
 
Sure thing. Just acknowledging your post and I’ll write up a proper answer in the next day or two (it’ll probably be a longish post).

Thanks so much for replying, and I'm sorry to rush you, but could you provide a shorter version of the answer you'll type up? I have my offer due in the next few days, so I need to make a quick decision. Sorry again for rushing you, hope you understand.
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
Thanks so much for replying, and I'm sorry to rush you, but could you provide a shorter version of the answer you'll type up? I have my offer due in the next few days, so I need to make a quick decision. Sorry again for rushing you, hope you understand.
Ok, so classes are split into four themes: Medical science (DKHI), law and ethics (DLEPP), public health (DHC) and clinical/communication skills (DP).

Much like any other medical schools, we have a combination of lectures, PBL, anatomy/pathology practicals and communication workshops (basically simulated scenarios with simulated patients). Griffith’s anatomy facilities are outstanding and we have a 3 hour anatomy prac almost every week of the year.

To pass the year, you need to pass all 4 themes. In first and second year, the assessment pieces are: anatomy prac exam in April, mid year theory exams (one short answer paper and one multi choice paper: combined DKHI, DHC and DLEPP in each paper) and final year exams (two short answer, two multi choice and one anatomy/pathology prac exam - again; the theory exams combine the three themes).

You just need to pass each theme overall, so hypothetically you could fail the end of year exam for a theme or two but have enough marks from the mid year exams to make up for it, and vice versa.

If you have failed one or more of those themes after all exams are complete, you’ll be offered a supplementary exam which supersedes all other exam results (i.e. you only need to pass the supp to pass the year).

You’ll only have to repeat the year if you fail the supp, or fail DP.

For DP, there are “competency based assessments” throughout the year which are pass/fail: for clinical skills, system examination skills and communication skills. If you fail an assessment, you get three repeated attempts for each assessment until you pass.

From 2nd year you also start doing OSCEs at the end of the year, which I believe you must pass to move on to the next year.

The school definitely wants everyone to pass and offers plenty of extra assistance to students who are struggling.

Out of the current 2nd year cohort of just under 200 students, there are 3 in our year that are repeating, so very few students actually end up failing and the school emphasises that it’s usually very exceptional circumstances that would lead to this point.

Hopefully that gives you some info you need. Happy to answer more specific questions if you have them.
 

Registered  members with 100+ posts do not see Ads

Top