First Year (FY) BHSc/BSC 2016 Chat/Enquiry

[Kiwiology]

Interview average is 165-170/240 according to the entry lecture earlier in the year

So each interviewer scores you out of 30 or something? The "old" panel interview was out of 10; and if you got 10/10 you were given "automatic entry" but I do not think they do that anymore.

165/240 is 68% which for an average seems reasonable for the style and "expectations" of the interview; given there are no real "wrong" answers (apart from "I am a sociopath who wants to be a neurosurgeon" which is pretty much what the person I know who didn't get in with a 9.0 GPA said). Some of my friends in North America have really been put through the ringer in MD program interviews but pfft #planetamerica.

 

[Rob]

Yep! Each interviewer marks you out of 10 on three attributes. They are pretty chill relative to some other unis, but it is often hard to know what the interviewers are thinking behind the smiles and reassuring comments haha. I think most people do decently, but certainly saying things like that will earn people a low score! And no there is no longer automatic entry/out anymore - it would be basically impossible to get 24 or 240 anyway.

 

[smallgondola]

If this post is to be believed the actual ranking might be a bit different and more complicated than this (not that I am going to pretend to understand the statistical mumbo-jumbo in the pdf in that post). But certainly an 8.5 is an excellent GPA which gives you a very good chance. I imagine that this would be above average for those who get an interview given that the interview cut-off is around 7.25 or so usually.

From my interpretation and to put it simply, I think that post is taking into account the range/distribution of the cohort of that year. I don't understand how it works mathematically, or how it really affects certain rank scores though.

Also, I believe this years cut off was 6.75, same as last year

 

[Kiwiology]

I heard at careers day from the FMHS that last year a core GPA of 6.5 got you an interview, and each year we see a number of people with GPAs in the "high sevens" get a place.

Yes, it's not easy, it takes hard work and I don't think anybody would ever say different, and yes, each year I imagine a very small number of people with "killer" GPAs don't get in but I have heard "in the wind" they are the "bad buggers" Cecil Lewis intended the interview to "weed out".

An an aside, several friends in the USA who have very high GPAs (what we would call 8.5 to 8.75), very good scores on the MCAT (a very big science test, sort of like the UMAT and GAMSAT put together), many letters of recommendation and experience elsewhere in healthcare or doing "doctor shadowing" (required in the USA) do not get into an MD program .... at least we don't have it as tough eh?!

 

[blueeyes89]

An an aside, several friends in the USA who have very high GPAs (what we would call 8.5 to 8.75), very good scores on the MCAT (a very big science test, sort of like the UMAT and GAMSAT put together), many letters of recommendation and experience elsewhere in healthcare or doing "doctor shadowing" (required in the USA) do not get into an MD program .... at least we don't have it as tough eh?!

MCAT is absolutely insane, it's over 6 hours long and I'm pretty sure it's almost entirely knowledge-based

 

[Kiwiology]

MCAT is absolutely insane, it's over 6 hours long and I'm pretty sure it's almost entirely knowledge-based

It makes Embryology look like dream come true!

At the risk of getting tarred and feathered .... embryology isn't that bad, you just need to be able to endure blinding mental pain.

So what're y'all doing to pass the time between now and when offers come out? I'd be going absolutely mental climbing the walls! Not looking forward to it next year eh ..... (but a bit more than say. embryology).

If you want something to pass the time have a read of "The First Year" blog by NZMSA members who are (or have been) House Surgeons in PGY1. It's very interesting and insightful. The link is here NZMSA | The First Year Blog

 

[Rob]

It makes Embryology look like dream come true!

At the risk of getting tarred and feathered .... embryology isn't that bad, you just need to be able to endure blinding mental pain.

So what're y'all doing to pass the time between now and when offers come out? I'd be going absolutely mental climbing the walls! Not looking forward to it next year eh ..... (but a bit more than say. embryology).

If you want something to pass the time have a read of "The First Year" blog by NZMSA members who are (or have been) House Surgeons in PGY1. It's very interesting and insightful. The link is here NZMSA | The First Year Blog

Working and anxiously checking SSO every day in case offers come out early like last year. Time is passing quickly as usual though, not long to go now!

Yeah MCAT sounds like a nightmare. Makes umat look like a walk in the park by comparison. embryology was OK, still lost a fair few marks in the questions though! Good old 107 midterm.

Yeah, found that blog earlier in the year, was a great read! Nice to get some extra insight into what the job is like, didn't quite scare me off though!

 

[Rob]

How's the wait going for everyone? Could be out pretty much any day next week!

 

[Hanzo]

How's the wait going for everyone? Could be out pretty much any day next week!

Waiting nervously, but trying not to be haha. I asked my refs and they said they haven't filled out or received anything as of now except for a "do you wish to be this person's reference thing", where as some other people have said their references got questions to fill out?

 

[Rob]

Waiting nervously, but trying not to be haha. I asked my refs and they said they haven't filled out or received anything as of now except for a "do you wish to be this person's reference thing", where as some other people have said their references got questions to fill out?

That is weird, but your VCA requirement said complete, so it should be all good.

 

[catty]

That is weird, but your VCA requirement said complete, so it should be all good.

Hi where in application can you see vca is completed

 

[Rob]

Hi where in application can you see vca is completed

It popped up in the 'things you need to do' section under the application. It disappeared yesterday though

 

[smallgondola]

It popped up in the 'things you need to do' section under the application. It disappeared yesterday though

Mines still there

Waiting nervously, but trying not to be haha. I asked my refs and they said they haven't filled out or received anything as of now except for a "do you wish to be this person's reference thing", where as some other people have said their references got questions to fill out?

maybe graduates are later? also thats weird that it says complete when ur referees havent been asked yet.

also last year, most people only got conditional offers first because their vca and police vetting hadnt been checked yet. dont know if this yr will be different?

 

[Rob]

Mines still there



maybe graduates are later? also thats weird that it says complete when ur referees havent been asked yet.

also last year, most people only got conditional offers first because their vca and police vetting hadnt been checked yet. dont know if this yr will be different?

I think last year they did their vca thing later than us, so might not be conditional this year. Strange that yours is still showing.

 

[smallgondola]

I think last year they did their vca thing later than us, so might not be conditional this year. Strange that yours is still showing.

Hm, i just refreshed mine and its gone now. Strange.

 

[catty]

I can't see mine too.

 

[Kiwiology]

How many VCA references do you need to supply, one or two?

 

[smallgondola]

How many VCA references do you need to supply, one or two?

Two.

 

[Rob]

Does anyone recall how long it took for the offers to no longer be conditional last year?

 

[blueeyes89]

Does anyone recall how long it took for the offers to no longer be conditional last year?

I don't know about last year, but my cousin was in the intake for the year before and she said it was sometime in early Jan? It'll be around the time waitlist offers come out, I assume.