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Auckland Medicine Entry Rumours

Sophi

Member
Haha yes - too true [MENTION=10716]frootloop[/MENTION] - I think that potentially futile debate would need its own separate topic.:wacko:
RE the ballot system - I was quite intrigued to see that they considered that but then of course it has its own set of positives and negatives.
They also mentioned at the auckland medical school entrance talk we had in October that they were thinking about changing the format of the interviews to MMI (like they have in some australian universities) for future years just to make it logistically easier somehow - whether that happens ever or not - well that's just another rumour ;)
 

hca12

Member
just to further dispel any of the previous myths about racism considering the interview from earlier in the thread - i was interviewed by a chinese guy and a korean lady, so can confirm that this is definitely not the case haha.
 

takuro

Member
Just putting it out there that any rumours you hear regarding a MASSIVE MBChB curriculum change/overhaul in 2013 are true. Also of note is that there are currently high level meetings occurring where apparently the medical school is trying to remove the interview as a selection tool.

I've never actually posted on the forum before, so I apologise in advance if this post doesn't comply with the forum guidelines, which I haven't had a thorough look at. From the "rumors" I've heard, the reason why they are removing the interview is because of its cost, and the sense that it isn't a very good discriminator. Apparently, over the last few years they've found that if they rank all the applicants by GPA + UMAT (as opposed to GPA + UMAT + Interview), they've found that the places they fill have > 90% overlap with the people that actually get in to med. But again, as with any rumor, I am unsure of how much truth is really behind it.

---

Back to the topic of the original post though, an interesting rumor that I have heard (probably from physics labs as well haha) is that "once you get an interview offer, your GPA doesn't actually matter, it's the interview that makes or breaks it". Though the rumor isn't exactly 100% true, (for most people the interview is worth 25% and just that), I reckon there are a few truths that can be distilled from it haha:

1. Yes there are those "superstars" (we were told in fact told at the medical admissions seminar, 5 - 20 each year) that score a 10 in their interview, and those rare and unfortunate people (less than 5 each year), that score a 1 in their interview. In those cases, yes, the interview accounts for 100% for admissions.

2. But I guess more importantly, when receiving an interview offer, the interviewee should remember that there is nothing they can do about their GPA at that stage, and thus should focus on letting the best come through during the interview regardless. The interviewers, will have no clue about interviewee's GPA in order to prevent bias. Therefore, when the interviewer is not concerned at all about the interviewee's GPA, there is little reason why the interviewee should be concerned about it at that stage too.
 

greenglacier

Emeritus Staff
Emeritus Staff
I've never actually posted on the forum before, so I apologise in advance if this post doesn't comply with the forum guidelines, which I haven't had a thorough look at. From the "rumors" I've heard, the reason why they are removing the interview is because of its cost, and the sense that it isn't a very good discriminator. Apparently, over the last few years they've found that if they rank all the applicants by GPA + UMAT (as opposed to GPA + UMAT + Interview), they've found that the places they fill have > 90% overlap with the people that actually get in to med. But again, as with any rumor, I am unsure of how much truth is really behind it.
Hey, welcome to MSO!

They've actually decided to keep the interview (after a lot of consideration) - the previous page of this thread has a link to an article where they outline their reasoning.
 

xenopus

Member
1. Yes there are those "superstars" (we were told in fact told at the medical admissions seminar, 5 - 20 each year) that score a 10 in their interview, and those rare and unfortunate people (less than 5 each year), that score a 1 in their interview. In those cases, yes, the interview accounts for 100% for admissions.

And that right there is in my opinion reason enough to keep the interview, to make sure those that really shine in the interview make it in, and to make sure that those that have an absolutely awful interview are kept out - and let's be honest it would have had to have been a shocker to get a score of 1.
 

nicolasm

Member
I have seen the report on ~30% Asians are being accepted into Auckland Medical school. However, I have heard rumours that most of these Asians are citizens, is there any truth?
 

frootloop

Doctor
Moderator
I have seen the report on ~30% Asians are being accepted into Auckland Medical school. However, I have heard rumours that most of these Asians are citizens, is there any truth?

Yes. The NZ medical schools accept very few international students, so pretty much everyone (Asian or not) is a citizen/PR.
 

nicolasm

Member
Yes. The NZ medical schools accept very few international students, so pretty much everyone (Asian or not) is a citizen/PR.

So do residents stand an equal chance of entering Auckland medical school compared to a citizen?
 

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BC mso

Regular Member
I have seen the report on ~30% Asians are being accepted into Auckland Medical school. However, I have heard rumours that most of these Asians are citizens, is there any truth?
In our year, only around 20 international students, with the majority being from Malaysia on scholarship. As others have said, no differentiation between residents and citizens.
 

nicolasm

Member
Permanent residents are treated the same as citizens for admissions purpose.
Thanks greenglacier. I have not heard any residents entering Auckland for the past year...So I am concerned

In our year, only around 20 international students, with the majority being from Malaysia on scholarship. As others have said, no differentiation between residents and citizens.
Hi, was your year in 2011? I remember that Auckland has stopped agreement with Malaysia's IMU for the twinning program. SO I am concerned about Asians being marginalised due to the selection of students for Auckland Medicine
 

BC mso

Regular Member
Thanks greenglacier. I have not heard any residents entering Auckland for the past year...So I am concerned


Hi, was your year in 2011? I remember that Auckland has stopped agreement with Malaysia's IMU for the twinning program. SO I am concerned about Asians being marginalised due to the selection of students for Auckland Medicine

My selection year was 2012. The Malaysian programme is still definitely in effect (although not broadly publicized due to obvious reasons). International students on these "programmes" dont sit the interviews/UMAT. Residents and Citizens are treated the same regardless of race. The only area in which there is room for marginalisation is the interview...which is as objective as much as an interview can be..
 

xenopus

Member
My selection year was 2012. The Malaysian programme is still definitely in effect (although not broadly publicized due to obvious reasons). International students on these "programmes" dont sit the interviews/UMAT.

What is this twinning programme and why wouldn't it be publicised as much?
 

BC mso

Regular Member
What is this twinning programme and why wouldn't it be publicised as much?
Because these students dont have to sit the new zealand admission process and there was a bit unhapiness due to the "lack of places" for domestic students whilst places were given to full paying international students on scholarship
 

frootloop

Doctor
Moderator
Because these students dont have to sit the new zealand admission process and there was a bit unhapiness due to the "lack of places" for domestic students whilst places were given to full paying international students on scholarship
I don't really see the problem? Otago has internationals too (not many, but we do have some), and they're not 'stealing domestic places'. They have places that wouldn't otherwise exist. With or without them, the number of domestic places the government funds would be the same....
 

BC mso

Regular Member
I don't really see the problem? Otago has internationals too (not many, but we do have some), and they're not 'stealing domestic places'. They have places that wouldn't otherwise exist. With or without them, the number of domestic places the government funds would be the same....
Never said there was a problem. Just explaining why its not very much publicized. Was told personally by one of them that they were instructed to not tell others too much about the scheme.
 

nicolasm

Member
Never said there was a problem. Just explaining why its not very much publicized. Was told personally by one of them that they were instructed to not tell others too much about the scheme.
I would have thought that IMU has ended its partnership with NZ universities on the twinning programme in 2011. It seems like it is still going on. It means that there may even be less places for domestic students in medicine, I guess
 

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BC mso

Regular Member
I would have thought that IMU has ended its partnership with NZ universities on the twinning programme in 2011. It seems like it is still going on. It means that there may even be less places for domestic students in medicine, I guess
I believe the partnership is with INTEC in malaysia.
 

xenopus

Member
Because these students dont have to sit the new zealand admission process and there was a bit unhapiness due to the "lack of places" for domestic students whilst places were given to full paying international students on scholarship

Ah I see, I never had even heard of this scheme.
 

greenglacier

Emeritus Staff
Emeritus Staff
I would have thought that IMU has ended its partnership with NZ universities on the twinning programme in 2011. It seems like it is still going on. It means that there may even be less places for domestic students in medicine, I guess
IMU students no longer go to Otago. Don't know about Auckland.
 

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