Auckland OLY1 chat - archive

[hca12]

last year was on 19 september, at about 5 pm. (don't ask me why i remember that lol)

 

[Hopefully]

Lol, so precise Yay, I'm actually looking forward to them after forgetting about it...

 

[hca12]

Lol, so precise Yay, I'm actually looking forward to them after forgetting about it...

best of luck to you and all the other OLYers

 

[Hopefully]

Thanks!

 

[Lemons]

I've developed an extreme case of avoidance. I didn't look at my results for semester 1 until a month after they came out, nor have I looked at any of my results for the tests I sat before the mid-semester break.

I have no clue why I volunteered that information, but chances are I won't even look at my UMAT results when they do come out :] I shall remain blissfully oblivious.

 

[BC mso]

I've developed an extreme case of avoidance. I didn't look at my results for semester 1 until a month after they came out, nor have I looked at any of my results for the tests I sat before the mid-semester break.

I have no clue why I volunteered that information, but chances are I won't even look at my UMAT results when they do come out :] I shall remain blissfully oblivious.

Just a reminder to not be blissfully oblivious to the med application closing date on the 1st of Nov

 

[Hopefully]

I've developed an extreme case of avoidance. I didn't look at my results for semester 1 until a month after they came out, nor have I looked at any of my results for the tests I sat before the mid-semester break.

I have no clue why I volunteered that information, but chances are I won't even look at my UMAT results when they do come out :] I shall remain blissfully oblivious.

That is an interesting stance, because most people I know run to find out their results

 

[AlteredState1]

Most of the time I accidentally see my results, but I have on occasion sprinted to the nearest computer to check them. I had a friend who had the same avoidance technique, whom I had to bug for over a month before she would check them. I can't judge how people live their lives, but don't you think its a little like pulling off a band-aid?

On a side note: Does anyone know from past years whether or not they will give us non-stylized coronal sections of the brain for the questions related to lab two? or do they mostly relate to brain function and/or the ventricles? If they do, what the hell!?!

 

[Lemons]

Just a reminder to not be blissfully oblivious to the med application closing date on the 1st of Nov

Haha, no worries there . Say, how exactly do they want us to format our supporting statements? Bullet points or paragraphs? And how much should we write?

Does anyone know from past years whether or not they will give us non-stylized coronal sections of the brain for the questions related to lab two? or do they mostly relate to brain function and/or the ventricles? If they do, what the hell!?!

I know that on Piazza, under the practice lab questions, it says that it is unlikely for us to be given any images/pictures in the mid-sem test?

 

[Hopefully]

Adding to what [MENTION=15195]Lemons[/MENTION] said about the mid-semester test, I think that since we were already tested by lab MCQs that were primarily diagrammatic/visual, it would follow that we may be more likely to get questions that are more physiology-related, so that they can test further aspects of what we were taught However, I'd brush up on them nevertheless.

 

[BC mso]

Haha, no worries there . Say, how exactly do they want us to format our supporting statements? Bullet points or paragraphs? And how much should we write?

I wrote a paragraph style statement on my MH03 last year, about 200 words, mind you they use that as a guide for interview questions. There is no set limit, its just like a mini cover letter

 

[Lemons]

So what kind of questions did they ask you about your two supporting statements?

 

[hca12]

yeah apparently the brain lab questions are the hardest any tips?

 

[AlteredState1]

Strangely enough I do not trust the faculty when they use phrases such as "It is not likely but...".

I've hit a brick wall with my MH03 form. I've gotten it down to 4000 characters, but the limit is 3000 (with spaces, bastards). I've just written it as a mini-essay.

 

[Rotors]

I've hit a brick wall with my MH03 form. I've gotten it down to 4000 characters, but the limit is 3000 (with spaces, bastards). I've just written it as a mini-essay.

Perhaps you are over-answering the question i.e. to state briefly why you want to undertake the MBChB?

For these sorts of things ("in 100 words or less explain ...", "briefly outline why ..." etc) I've always used bullet points with one or two sentences per bullet point. Try that, it might help and also remember your MH03 from (AFAIK) is not used officially to grade or rank you in any way, from reading MSO it seems the interviewers might ask you about what you wrote, if they feel like it but that's it so you don't need to give a great deal of information, I would give some succinct bullet pointed tidbits which can be expanded upon in the interview if the interviewers feel like it.

Rather than writing something like "at high school i had a leadership position as captain of the XYZ club where i worked with members to set yearly goals and budget, recruit new members, arrange meetings, prepare minutes and agendas, create flyers, organise fundraising and X Y and Z which are all relevant to medicine because a doctor has to be able to multi task and blah blah blah" I would write "Captain of XYZ Club in Year XX - set and managed yearly goals and budget, coordinated meetings and fundraising, prepared professional documents, worked with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external"

The first piece is 348 characters, the latter is 210

Also, alas I can't take CHEM150 prior to CHEM110, why must chemistry be so scary?

 

[BC mso]

Strangely enough I do not trust the faculty when they use phrases such as "It is not likely but...".

I've hit a brick wall with my MH03 form. I've gotten it down to 4000 characters, but the limit is 3000 (with spaces, bastards). I've just written it as a mini-essay.

I wrote bullet points last year and was commended for it as it made asking me question about them easier and more succinct. But all it really does is give interviews a bit of a heads up to who they are interviewing before you step into the interview room

 

[Hopefully]

Biosci test results are out now!

EDIT: on second glance, only my MCQs have come out?! :S

 

[Hopefully]

@anyone who has done the first MEDSCI test before - Did many MCQs that are diagrammatic (i.e. labelling and whatnot) pop up? (for curiosity's sake )

 

[Rotors]

I have never had an MCQ that was based upon a diagram or picture (and that includes my science papers) but it is theoretically possible I suppose

Hope your MEDSCI marks (and BIOSCI for those doing 106) are as good - or better - than you want!

Can anybody help me out with a syllabus or list of lecture topics or textbook chapters used from CHEM110? I am not asking you to distribute anything copyrighted to the University but "... [explores] the diversity and reactivity of organic compounds. A systematic study of reactivity focuses on the site and mechanism of reaction including application of chemical kinetics. A quantitative study of proton-transfer reactions features control of pH of fluids in both living systems and the environment." to me don't mean a lot, chemistry was not my strong point at school, I can't do CHEM150 beforehand and 110 is a core paper .....

 

[hca12]

I have never had an MCQ that was based upon a diagram or picture (and that includes my science papers) but it is theoretically possible I suppose

Hope your MEDSCI marks (and BIOSCI for those doing 106) are as good - or better - than you want!

Can anybody help me out with a syllabus or list of lecture topics or textbook chapters used from CHEM110? I am not asking you to distribute anything copyrighted to the University but "... [explores] the diversity and reactivity of organic compounds. A systematic study of reactivity focuses on the site and mechanism of reaction including application of chemical kinetics. A quantitative study of proton-transfer reactions features control of pH of fluids in both living systems and the environment." to me don't mean a lot, chemistry was not my strong point at school, I can't do CHEM150 beforehand and 110 is a core paper .....

First lecture block was general chemistry (general rxn mechanisms, isomerism, naming compounds). Second block was organic chemistry (esp halogenoalkanes, alkenes, alkynes). 3rd block was spectroscopy (NMR - SPEND ALOT OF TIME ON THIS. IVE WRITTEN THIS IN CAPITAL LETTERS FOR EXTRA EMPHASIS!!!! Also, less importantly, IR spectroscopy, UV vis spectroscopy etc). Block 4 was acids and bases, and then the rest was organic (aldol reactions, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols). Spend time learning the rxn mechanisms, its basically just rote learning. i hope this helps you. PS watch out for the 2nd test, everyone does horribly. (Or nearly everyone) lol