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Auckland OLY1 chat - archive
- Thread starter Nealie
- Start date
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That's because there are so few Aucklanders here. Do spread the news. I'm really the main Aucklander here aside from toaster who is around.
HSFY and Otago med is just that more exciting. 
Maybe Auckland biomed students are more confident so would generally not seek out sites like MSO, while Otago HSFY students are a bit more nervous and paranoid lol. There were two other Auckland biomed people but they disappeared after admissions came out for med 
Maybe Auckland biomed students are more confident so would generally not seek out sites like MSO, while Otago HSFY students are a bit more nervous and paranoid lol. There were two other Auckland biomed people but they disappeared after admissions came out for med I met a med student yesterday during the courses and advice events. He told me that Auckland only takes a small proportion of Asian students each year( something like 10%-15%). I thought there isn't any rules for med entry based on race unless you are Maori or Pacific. Just a bit (or vEry) shocked when i heard it. Is it true?
I was at course advice day (albeit I only helped out at the stand for a grand 10 minutes when I walked past), and I don't know which idiot told you that. The current 2nd year class I would say is at least 30-35% of asian descent. The thing is, most asians who get in are ones who have been here a while already and grown up here. My class is more 20-25%. It's not because they weed them out, it's just that a lot of the asians in first year have migrated to NZ in the last 3-5 years and are not very "kiwi"
What do you mean by very "kiwi"? and how "kiwi" do you have to be to get into med? lol. I'm not trying to be nosey. But I myself only lived here for 5 years and becoming a doctor has been my dream ever since i was little. So it isn't any point for me to try for Auckland if they are cutting out people like me. Not trying to be offensive or anything, just wanting to get my best shot.lol
I would highly doubt there is some systematic anti-asian bias at Auckland. In fact one of my interviewers was of asian descent himself. If what Lordgarlic says is right, that 30-35% of 2nd year med is asian, then that would probably reflect the proportion of the biomed first year class that is asian, showing there isnt any anti-asian thing going on. I personally know of quite a few asian people that got in this year, including myself (0.5 of an asian haha).
I think what Lordgarlic means by "kiwi", is speaking communicating well in English as you would expect at Dr in NZ to be able to do, and to have a good understanding of the issues and culture in NZ. I would expect they would judge all applicants on this criteria in the same way, regardless of their ethnicity.
I think what Lordgarlic means by "kiwi", is speaking communicating well in English as you would expect at Dr in NZ to be able to do, and to have a good understanding of the issues and culture in NZ. I would expect they would judge all applicants on this criteria in the same way, regardless of their ethnicity.
Gigaoblivion
Member
I'm probably like toaster as well, being 0.5 of an asian lol. The dean told us that in each year, 40% who make it are asian so its not too bad.
Leafie I don't think you should give up Auckland unless your one of those people who has problems speaking english, where you would probably be better off down at Otago.
But otherwise you just gotta be prepared for anything during the interview. I got asked really specific questions on maori health, medical research being done at Auckland uni and research on pig islet cells. Maybe I was just unlucky and got harsh interviewers or because I'm asian, who knows eh lol... Just be yourself and good luck.
Leafie I don't think you should give up Auckland unless your one of those people who has problems speaking english, where you would probably be better off down at Otago.
But otherwise you just gotta be prepared for anything during the interview. I got asked really specific questions on maori health, medical research being done at Auckland uni and research on pig islet cells. Maybe I was just unlucky and got harsh interviewers or because I'm asian, who knows eh lol... Just be yourself and good luck.
When I refer to "kiwi" as such, I refer to kids of asian descent who have grown up here or kids who have come in recent years and fully immersed themselves in the New Zealand culture.
mikeylikesit
Lurker
Hey all, sorry to break up this intriguing discussion.
Just curious now, and Lordgarlic might be the best one to respond to this, but can somebody please tell me on what scale the Auckland MBChB papers are graded on?
ie. honors/pass/fail, percentage, etc etc
thanks,
mikeylikesit
Just curious now, and Lordgarlic might be the best one to respond to this, but can somebody please tell me on what scale the Auckland MBChB papers are graded on?
ie. honors/pass/fail, percentage, etc etc
thanks,
mikeylikesit
Last edited:
I don't know if things have changed but MBChB II and MBChB III is graded in a D- to A+ scale with A+ being roughly 85+ post scaling
You still need to have good English to register. And I also have my doubts you could get the GPA 8.5> and a high UMAT at Otago if your English was really that bad.
Some of the interviewers are full time researchers and thus seem to live on other planets. I think the Auckland interviewers sometimes forget you can ask tough questions without being a tough interviewer (it goes back to the academic environment which can be quite confrontational and argumentative). However those questions don't sound too bad if you had prepared tbh.
mikeylikesit
Lurker
Thanks LordG.
completely possibly I know of numerous cases that have got 9.0 GPAs in OLY1 in Auckland and HSFY in Otago. High UMAT not so possible, high GPA is dead easy
Well i don't have problem speaking as such but i do an accent though, maybe not completely Asian accent but definitely not a kiwi accent lol. Hope the interviewers don't mind that.
Currently i don't know much on maori health nor medical researches in Auckland Uni, I will try my best to broaden my knowledge during the year. Do you think it is good idea (or necessary) to read the health section of NZ Herald everyday?
Well i don't have problem speaking as such but i do have an accent though, maybe not completely Asian accent but definitely not a kiwi accent lol. Hope the interviewers don't mind that.
Currently i don't know much on maori health or medical researches in Auckland Uni, I will try my best to broaden my knowledge during the year. Do you think it is good idea (or necessary) to read the health section of NZ Herald everyday?
What you can do is go to the FMHS page and read the news section and media releases. Go to the nz herald site and start reading the health section. I'd also encourage you to do some reading about the Cartwright report (facinating stuff and it influenced medical ethics worldwide). The NZ Health survey was completed recently and you can order that free from the MoH. It's a thick tome, but you get a broad picture having a thumb through it. A few choice facts and figures don't hurt in an interview either. The smoking obesity and diabetes stats are what you should be mainly paying attention to.
There are a few publications that discuss Maori health and how it is viewed within the context of Tiriti O Waitangi ('the treaty'). Partnership, Protection and Participation - if you know the three P's and how they summarise the treaty then you're doing well. Basically you need to understand that the treaty stipulates a bicultural society in NZ (not a multicultural society). Thus understanding the political history of the Crown and its interaction with the maori people will take you a long way too. If you are asked and can discuss clearly how today we must acknowledge the ramifications of the treaty as well as address multiculturalism you'd look pretty awesome.
Finally know about the cutting edge bits of research going on around the world. Big topics at FMHS and Liggins are:
Epigenetics
Pre-conceptual and in utero fetal programming
Stem cell research
- brain stem cells e.g. Prof Richard Faulls work
- know where diff stem cells come from: embryonic, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid, various tissues, reprogrammed differentiated somatics cell, primordial germ cells
- by knowing that not all stem cells come from fetuses you can discuss the ethics more robustly
There's also work going on looking at RNA interference and antisense oligonucleotides for treatment of macular degeneration in the opthalomology dept. Prof Green is running that stuff
DMXAA and other anti-neovascular drugs for solid tumours was a big breakthrough at the cancer centre, so you could discuss that. Bill Denny and Bruce Baguley were heading that.
They're also trying to develop in house cancer cell lines, rather than relying on old lines from ATCC.
That should keep you busy for a while. but if you do your homework and have a reasonable grasp of the basics of this stuff you will impress the interviewers. They certainly won't care about your accent that's for sure! Besides you might even find some of it interesting.
Gigaoblivion
Member
lol Leafie don't worry about accents. You will meet med students, some with Asian accent, some Kiwi accent, Indian accent, a whole variety lmao. So really, don't worry about it, just be yourself.
You will get an introduction to maori health in poplhlth111 and see all sorts of statistics regarding their health. But yea, Mcnerdy has given you a good list on what you can read up about.
Well, you should be reading the newspaper anyway, not just because of the interview, but to know whats going on in the world. I do recommend reading the health section, well I do it anyway. How much you want to read is up to you depending on how interested you are.
You will get an introduction to maori health in poplhlth111 and see all sorts of statistics regarding their health. But yea, Mcnerdy has given you a good list on what you can read up about.
Well, you should be reading the newspaper anyway, not just because of the interview, but to know whats going on in the world. I do recommend reading the health section, well I do it anyway. How much you want to read is up to you depending on how interested you are.
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