Auckland OLY1 chat - archive

[juna]

Hey guys, somebody (a past student from Auckland who did health science two years ago) are offering to sell me his textbooks. Should I buy them? How important are the textbooks in Auckland? Because I know that for Otago, if you know everything on the lecture slides, then that's better than learning off textbooks. Is Auckland like that?
Thanks.

 

[Cathay]

Hi guys,

Just wondering, does anybody know what sort of ATAR is required to get into Auckland HSFY (as part of the cohort wanting to get into medicine the next year) and how willing they are to give offers to students not in New Zealand - I am a NZer, but I'm just living in/studying in Aus... don't have Aus citizenship/ permanent residency, I am NZ citizen ?

It may interest you to note that the Auckland first year programme is called OLY1 - Overlapping Year 1, and can be taken either as a Bachelor of Health Sciences, or a BSc in Biomed. The two have four papers in common (hence "overlapping"), and those are the four you'll be judged on for purposes of admission to med.

Entry requirements:
For Bachelor of Health Sciences, an ATAR of 85, and you'll need at least one subject from English, Geography, History, Classical Societies and Cultures (VIC), as well as one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics, Accounting, Physics.

For Bachelor of Science in Biomedical sciences, you'll need an ATAR of 85.

Note that unlike Otago's ATAR 80 guarenteed entry threshold, Auckland's ATAR 85 is the minimum - above this threshold you'll be competing with everyone else who applies for the same programme for spots.

Oh and I just read above the note about studying in university for two full years - so does that mean that if I get into Auckland HSFY next year and that is my first year of study, then I won't be considered for MBBS entrance in 2013?

I hope you also noticed the part where it says "Dental Admission Committee", because that's for Otago Dent School's Second Year applicants. Yeah, with dent, you get one chance after health sci, a second chance after second year, and another chance after third year when you finish your BSc or whatever...

It may also interest you to note that in New Zealand the med degree is called MBChB, which I think sounds much cooler than MBBS, and not just because it's latin but that's just me.

 

[Nimbus2000]

[MENTION=9988]cathay808[/MENTION], thanks again! ok... i shud seriously improve my skim reading, what a fail I am ><. MBChB... got it LOL, it does sound cooler hahah thanks again

 

[italianopalo]

How did everyone find the medsci exam?

 

[4everAlone]

Hey guys, somebody (a past student from Auckland who did health science two years ago) are offering to sell me his textbooks. Should I buy them? How important are the textbooks in Auckland? Because I know that for Otago, if you know everything on the lecture slides, then that's better than learning off textbooks. Is Auckland like that?
Thanks.

I say no. I bought all my first year textbooks which was a bad move...I didn't open the chem or biochem ones once. The biosci one I read but just for interest on other topics (!), but I did use tortora anatomy and physiology. In saying that, don't buy any. You can get them all from the library. Philson library (the med one) has literally a whole shelf full of tortora that you can get out for 2 months at a time, and I swear no one knows they're there so there's always heeeeaps left. For the other ones, if you need them, can just get them from short lone city library (or philson).

Basically, don't waste your money buying them when you'll probably never use them, and the ones you do, just get from the library =)

 

[Vorticose]

Speaking from a health science perspective (so not sure how well this applies to Biomedders) I found that because the course material is very basic , its very easy to find information online if you need clarification on what you are learning. Biosci 101 in particular can be done without a textbook, especially since they give you free access to masteringbiology (since you have to use it to do online assignments) which covers pretty much everything you could get from the textbook anyway. The health science specific papers generally require you to do research and readings outside the lectures if you want to do well , but the required readings are all given to you anyway so it shouldnt be an issue.

 

[juna]

Cool, thanks guys! (I'm really broke at the moment) That's good news

 

[Midi2Med]

Auckland OLY1 (BSc/BHSc) 2012 chat/enquiries

I thought I would start up this thread

I have applied for both the BHSc and BSc OLY1 programmes. I have also submitted a MAPAS application as well, in case my GPA from previous university study isn't sufficient (which it should be). Have already applied for my student loan, and was approved in only 2 days. Have childcare sorted for next year as well. So all I have to do is wait and see if they will offer me a place for OLY1.


Moderators note: OLY1 discussion from previous years can be found here: https://www.medstudentsonline.com.au/f115/auckland-oly1-chat-archive-2302/

- greenglacier (NZ mod)

 

[Midi2Med]

Thanks for those tips [MENTION=7190]4everAlone[/MENTION] and [MENTION=12757]Vorticose[/MENTION] Kinda reminds me of last year for midwifery where I only used one textbook (for anatomy and physiology) and the rest weren't even used!

 

[qbob]

so you're undecided about whether to do BHSc or BSc ?

My 2c:
BHSc is "easier" in the sense that it is less work - there is less rote memorisation. Instead, it is more "wordy" if you are that way inclined.
BSc has a huge advantage though in that the non-core papers will give you a fantastic foundation for the core papers, and there will be a lot of times where you can draw connections between the two. People who do health science won't be able to make these connections. Doing a BSc is also helpful in that some (not much) content that is covered in biosci107 is also covered in 101.

Personally, I'm completely torn between which programme to recommend, as they both have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

[qbob]

you don't need to buy any textbooks. There are heaps of copies floating around uni. I was given tortora and derrickson (the main textbook) and I used it a bit so I appreciated having it at home, and it was definitely useful, but would not be worth the investment.

 

[Midi2Med]

Not undecided, just applied for the two to see which programme they will offer me a place in. I have no idea how they will rank me according my Bursary results and previous university study. If they still did Bursary, I would have got in no sweat.

I suppose after doing so much law and politics study, along with a year of midwifery, I'm pretty much use to writing essays. I would prefer the BSc, but not sure how I would handle the physics paper, unless they do the refresher course for that before the semester starts.

 

[Midi2Med]

That is good to hear. I will probably buy the Tortora textbook, as I think the one I have from midwifery last year covers the material differently. I have pretty much forgotten all of the anatomy and physiology stuff from last year, yet still remember the female reproductive system quite clearly. The practical skills I can still do, like taking baseline obs, neonatal assessment, IM/SC injections, and IV cannula insertion. And some of the pharmacology stuff as well, although it was only a beginners approach to it last year. I remember on a clinical placement last year being grilled by a consultant on nifedipine, as it is used routinely to halt preterm labour.

I'm looking forward to no night shifts and being on call 24/7 in case a woman goes into labour and I have to attend the birth.

I was wondering from med students if you only have one chance to pass your Procal assessment? We did last year for midwifery, and the we had to get at least 95% to pass, which is understandable, because you don't want to be giving someone too much of a drug (especially neonates!).

(sorry for going off topic!)

 

[4everAlone]

That is good to hear. I will probably buy the Tortora textbook, as I think the one I have from midwifery last year covers the material differently. I have pretty much forgotten all of the anatomy and physiology stuff from last year, yet still remember the female reproductive system quite clearly. The practical skills I can still do, like taking baseline obs, neonatal assessment, IM/SC injections, and IV cannula insertion. And some of the pharmacology stuff as well, although it was only a beginners approach to it last year. I remember on a clinical placement last year being grilled by a consultant on nifedipine, as it is used routinely to halt preterm labour.

I'm looking forward to no night shifts and being on call 24/7 in case a woman goes into labour and I have to attend the birth.

I was wondering from med students if you only have one chance to pass your Procal assessment? We did last year for midwifery, and the we had to get at least 95% to pass, which is understandable, because you don't want to be giving someone too much of a drug (especially neonates!).

(sorry for going off topic!)

I have no idea what that even is (lol!) one of the later yearers will probably know...

 

[E2011]

hi there,
i have to agree with what has already been said about textbooks. however i did buy Urone for physics 160 because i found the lecturers were simply inadequate (id rather use another word but don't want to get into trouble). Also i remember that Totora was circulating as a pdf so you can get it free. (not that i condone counter-fitting copyright material)

on another note, could someone tell me if there are any differences between posting the mh03 form online or handwritten?
cheers

 

[qbob]

submit the mh03 form online. it makes their job a hell of a lot easier

 

[4everAlone]

submit the mh03 form online. it makes their job a hell of a lot easier

Does the admissions office end up typing out all the written ones for the interviewers anyway or something?

 

[juna]

Hey guys, this is a rather personal question rather than an information based one. I was told by one of my teachers, basically that I shouldn't waste my time doing health science in Auckland, because it's really hard, and the best students come to Auckland. He said that because I wasn't the top student at school, there would be no point. Then I pointed out to him that I got level 2 excellence endorsed, and level 3 endorsed with excellence, and that I just wasn't the top student in our year. After that, he said that I still should reconsider because hard work is important, but at the end of the day, you need brains to get into medicine. (of course he was implying that I wasn't smart enough)
Guys, how much of this is true? Do you need to have dux, done STAR courses to actually have the "brain" good enough to do well in Health sciences in Auckland?

 

[frootloop]

Hey guys, this is a rather personal question rather than an information based one. I was told by one of my teachers, basically that I shouldn't waste my time doing health science in Auckland, because it's really hard, and the best students come to Auckland. He said that because I wasn't the top student at school, there would be no point. Then I pointed out to him that I got level 2 excellence endorsed, and level 3 endorsed with excellence, and that I just wasn't the top student in our year. After that, he said that I still should reconsider because hard work is important, but at the end of the day, you need brains to get into medicine. (of course he was implying that I wasn't smart enough)
Guys, how much of this is true? Do you need to have dux, done STAR courses to actually have the "brain" good enough to do well in Health sciences in Auckland?

Your teacher is a fool, to put it lightly. I barely got UE, and had level one with merit, two with achieved, and three by a credit. And I'm sitting on a 90% average at uni. Your school marks mean jack sh*t the second you walk into a uni lecture theatre. Auckland doesn't really sound any/much harder to get into med (in academic terms, I can't see why it would be, the competition is from a very similar group of kids), so I'd imagine it's applicable. To put it this way: Yes, you have to have a brain. But really, that's secondary to how well (*not* much) you work.

 

[juna]

But frootloop, you probably didn't study that much for those exams, but I've worked really hard this year. I think my teacher is saying that there is a difference between people who don't study and get bad marks and those who study and still get good/average marks (not top of the class). He definitely was putting me in the latter category. Urrghh! I'm already really insecure about myself, and he says something like this....