There is a thread which details common pitfalls and that includes lots of info against choosing biomed as a pathway to medI feel like there’s already a thread similar to this but I can’t find it. Perhaps the discussion is just spread all over the forum…
If I find an existing thread I’ll merge them
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Choosing An Undergraduate Degree: Questions and Discussions
- Thread starter Pattyy1112
- Start date
Yeah, not quite what I wanted for this discussion (which I hope to be more broad, degree option-wise, and more specific, topic-wise!).
Thanks though!!
It’d be useful to have a little more info about you to facilitate this discussion. What are your academic interests? Non-academic interests (if relevant). And it’s also useful for you to start thinking about and being open-minded about other things you could see yourself doing (hard, I know, but important nonetheless).
I will be interested to see if there is another thread. I’d really like to see pros and cons or interesting points about courses such as Physio pharmacy nursing and allied health in terms of preparation for possible future medicine. Hopefully there are graduate med students who could contribute some insights into how their undergraduate degree has helped them.
Lazy_Penguin
Member
I'm an 18 year old school leaver I have always loved the sciences and as for non-academic interests I have pursued classical piano (achieving a diploma in it a few years ago). As for doing something else I am afraid that even thinking about it makes me very sad at the moment. I am willing to do anything at my disposal or take GAMSAT as many times as necessary until I am able to get in as there is nothing else I can imagine myself doing.
It’s really important that you do, when you’re ready after this current disappointment, start at least thinking about alternative undergrads with an open mind or you’ll potentially find your uni experience pretty awful/difficult. You don’t need to make a plan B decision today, but obviously you only have a few weeks. Maybe give yourself a little time, offers aren’t even close to finished coming out assuming you applied more widely than just JCU?
Lazy_Penguin
Member
I have applied pretty much everywhere but my UCAT was pretty average and my ATAR isn't competitive for the courses that select on ATAR.
Great job on your ATAR and you do have a couple of pathways/options. The most straight forward ones however are very expensive which are either applying to Bond or going through the Melbourne FFP pathway. If these aren't options that you'd like to consider then I think it's important to choose based on what you'd want to do if you never got into medicine as the GAMSAT is a very challenging exam and the interview after is still competitive. I've compared each option below but I wouldn't recommend a health based career just because it's similar to medicine
To compare/contrast each of your options
Biomedicine
- Pros
Good foundational base for medicine
Like minded cohort = lots of friends to prepare for GAMSAT
Better suited for health volunteering than non-health degrees/research related volunteering for medicine
- Cons
Very limited jobs outside of research and you have to really make sure you want to do research
Not as essential for the GAMSAT as people believe so could be considered waste
High competition due to cohort often targeting medicine
Nursing
- Pros
Good job pathways in different areas/health
Constant exposure to hospital based environments can develop communication skills/create a better understanding of if Medicine is for you
Cohort is not as competitive and more friendly
Still a solid number of study groups for GAMSAT possibly
- Cons
Scientific exposure is limited compared to Biomed/Physio but still doable
Quite different to medicine as an actual job
Physiotherapy
- Pros
Good foundational base for medicine
Like minded cohort = lots of friends to prepare for GAMSAT
Good job pathways
- Cons
It's a very physical job and has high attrition rate so you should be prepared for that
Competitive cohort
Lazy_Penguin
Member
Thankyou very much this is very useful!! I am afraid that financially I am unable to pursue bond.
When you say high competition do you mean that it is hard to get a high GPA? Also how much of a commitment do you think the science aspect of GAMSAT is considering I did highschool chem and phys but not biology?
My thoughts on the above:
1. You shouldn't need to "extensively study" for GAMSAT - in my opinion it is a study smarter, not harder approach and aptitude for the exam + exam strategy plays a big role.
2. No degree is objectively easier/harder to achieve a high GPA in. Pick whatever you're most interested in and you will be more likely to engage with the content and thus achieve better in the assessment. Don't pick on the basis that the cohort may be more or less "competitive".
3. Why do you want to do medicine? Write a list for yourself. Which alternative career path will allow you to satisfy the most items on your list? Pick that.
1. You shouldn't need to "extensively study" for GAMSAT - in my opinion it is a study smarter, not harder approach and aptitude for the exam + exam strategy plays a big role.
2. No degree is objectively easier/harder to achieve a high GPA in. Pick whatever you're most interested in and you will be more likely to engage with the content and thus achieve better in the assessment. Don't pick on the basis that the cohort may be more or less "competitive".
3. Why do you want to do medicine? Write a list for yourself. Which alternative career path will allow you to satisfy the most items on your list? Pick that.
prospectivestud
Member
Hi yall, I'm in some sort of mid-life-conundrum. Looking for realistic advice and also gain a clearer perspective about choosing between staying in current course or switching and starting anew, and not to mention an end-li-goal to do med in the future.
About me: graduated school in 2020 with a ATAR of 89. Started Physio (4year degree) in 2021 resulting in a GPA of 4.5 both semester alike. The conundrum being i have no clue on what I actually want to do for a career - albiet it, I do have a liking towards medicine and practicing it. I really enjoy the sciences and learning the human body and the sciences. However, given my poor GPA i worry if i continue Physio i will not get a boastful GPA to apply for Med (as I have heard 2nd year Physio is insanely tough). This is where i have started to look at alternatives, I recently received an offer for B. Engineering (software) (4year degree).
My mind is telling me if I switch I to this degree I can start afresh for my GPA, I've heard that this degree is also not as tough as studying physio (as in less barricades to achieve greater academic success - i welcome other opinions). By doing this degree, if i do give into med, I would have two different career backgrounds; i like that idea.
To a degree I worry that I; a) wont enjoy software engineering, otherwise, b) if continuing with Physio, increase my chances of getting a much better GPA as I got a 4.5 in my 1/4 years.
Would appreciate any opinions or strategies/practices to tackle things like this. I ultimately think my fear of not knowing what I exactly want in life prevents me from making a firm decision in the now and on what I should do. tytyty for reading this far ^^
About me: graduated school in 2020 with a ATAR of 89. Started Physio (4year degree) in 2021 resulting in a GPA of 4.5 both semester alike. The conundrum being i have no clue on what I actually want to do for a career - albiet it, I do have a liking towards medicine and practicing it. I really enjoy the sciences and learning the human body and the sciences. However, given my poor GPA i worry if i continue Physio i will not get a boastful GPA to apply for Med (as I have heard 2nd year Physio is insanely tough). This is where i have started to look at alternatives, I recently received an offer for B. Engineering (software) (4year degree).
My mind is telling me if I switch I to this degree I can start afresh for my GPA, I've heard that this degree is also not as tough as studying physio (as in less barricades to achieve greater academic success - i welcome other opinions). By doing this degree, if i do give into med, I would have two different career backgrounds; i like that idea.
To a degree I worry that I; a) wont enjoy software engineering, otherwise, b) if continuing with Physio, increase my chances of getting a much better GPA as I got a 4.5 in my 1/4 years.
Would appreciate any opinions or strategies/practices to tackle things like this. I ultimately think my fear of not knowing what I exactly want in life prevents me from making a firm decision in the now and on what I should do. tytyty for reading this far ^^
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Hi,
I’m looking for advice. I finished Year 12 this year with an ATAR of -- and an -- percentile UCAT. I’m a metro student and don’t have any special considerations. I got an interview offer for Monash this year but unfortunately didn’t get an offer to study there. I got into a degree. I am very interested in pursuing a career in either medicine or dentistry and always have been and it remains my first preference. I’m confused to what to do as I have a few options now:
1. Take a gap year, decline the offer and try again with UCAT next year. Do you think my chances (with my ATAR) would be good enough to get into medicine next year?
2. Take a gap year, decline the offer and repeat certain subjects to get a better ATAR as well as repeating the UCAT and trying to get into medicine
3. Defer the law/science degree and try again with the UCAT by taking a gap year.
4. Start the degree and do the UCAT again while studying and enter through the non-standard pathway
5. Start the degree and focus on trying through the GAMSAT pathway
6. Do a degree like Biomedical or medical science
Do you think it is worth repeating subjects by taking a gap year? Considering everything above which option do you think is best?
I have already read the 'common pitfalls of a gap year' thread, and if I were to take a gap year, it wouldn't solely be for trying medicine again and I would focus on other things.
Thank you- I’d really appreciate any advice and apologies for the long post.
I’m looking for advice. I finished Year 12 this year with an ATAR of -- and an -- percentile UCAT. I’m a metro student and don’t have any special considerations. I got an interview offer for Monash this year but unfortunately didn’t get an offer to study there. I got into a degree. I am very interested in pursuing a career in either medicine or dentistry and always have been and it remains my first preference. I’m confused to what to do as I have a few options now:
1. Take a gap year, decline the offer and try again with UCAT next year. Do you think my chances (with my ATAR) would be good enough to get into medicine next year?
2. Take a gap year, decline the offer and repeat certain subjects to get a better ATAR as well as repeating the UCAT and trying to get into medicine
3. Defer the law/science degree and try again with the UCAT by taking a gap year.
4. Start the degree and do the UCAT again while studying and enter through the non-standard pathway
5. Start the degree and focus on trying through the GAMSAT pathway
6. Do a degree like Biomedical or medical science
Do you think it is worth repeating subjects by taking a gap year? Considering everything above which option do you think is best?
I have already read the 'common pitfalls of a gap year' thread, and if I were to take a gap year, it wouldn't solely be for trying medicine again and I would focus on other things.
Thank you- I’d really appreciate any advice and apologies for the long post.
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With regards to taking a gap year, I think that would be most appropriate for ATARs of 99+, as it opens up many more potential universities (apart from UQ, which I believe doesn't take gap year students). But with a 97.85, it may not be the most competitive for the universities which would be available for you otherwise. I would go with option 4, just because it is very risky to take a gap year solely to focus on the UCAT; remembering that the whole year's worth of effort comes down to a 2 hour exam, and if it unfortunately doesn't work out, then you will have to go through the same process the following year. However, starting the law/science degree means you are 1 year closer towards attaining a med/dentistry degree and have a backup option you can fall back on. I was also in a similar position to you last year, where I had started a business degree at UNSW while prepping for the UCAT, and now hopefully can secure a med offer.
Other people may have different thoughts, but that's just my 2 cents on your situation. Hope it helped
Other people may have different thoughts, but that's just my 2 cents on your situation. Hope it helped
a.mlg42021
Member
Do you know which uni’s allow first year undergrad students to resist ucat and apply for undergrad medicine again?
For med there's UNSW, JCU, JMP, WSU/CSU (JPM), Bond. This type of entry is known as 'non-standard entry'. There's heaps of threads on mso about this pathway, would definitely recommend having a read through.
Keep in mind that with JCU and Bond (the 2 QLD unis), they don't take into account UCAT when giving out med offers
Important information on the Student Learning Entitlement can be found and discussed here: Student Learning Entitlement: Questions and Discussion
Hey everyone! Just wanted some advice in terms of which undergrad degree to complete one year of and apply for med at the end of the year. My options right now are pharmacy (honours), physiotherapy (honours) and pre med. I didn't do that well in my atar, and so have to look at other pathways this year. I was also hoping to do dentistry if I didn't get into med straightaway, are you able to do one year of dent and then apply for med as well? (like the other courses I've listed above?) Thanks
Unluckydude
Regular Member
yes, you're.
But please read the thread on SLE as you may have to pay full fees if you exceed the 7-year limit.