Choosing An Undergraduate Degree: Questions and Discussions

[Jim'sGarden]

Heyo,
Little bit confused right now on about what to do. My first preference is to do medicine, however, since I was unsuccessful this year, I am okay with doing Engineering (biomedical or mechanical) as a stepping stone into medicine. I received an atar of 99.35 so I have a couple of options.

1. Defer my engineering offer at usyd/unsw and try ucat with a gap year.
2. Go into engineering and try as a non standard and later go through GAMSAT.

If I am being honest, I would like to just start university as I feel taking a gap year to study for UCAT which boils down to a 2h exam in the end is a bit of a gamble. If I take engineering, I will at least have a years worth of study that I have worked towards. I also feel that taking a gap year with my atar is not competitive enough? Any advice?

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Heyo,
Little bit confused right now on about what to do. My first preference is to do medicine, however, since I was unsuccessful this year, I am okay with doing Engineering (biomedical or mechanical) as a stepping stone into medicine. I received an atar of 99.35 so I have a couple of options.

1. Defer my engineering offer at usyd/unsw and try ucat with a gap year.
2. Go into engineering and try as a non standard and later go through GAMSAT.

If I am being honest, I would like to just start university as I feel taking a gap year to study for UCAT which boils down to a 2h exam in the end is a bit of a gamble. If I take engineering, I will at least have a years worth of study that I have worked towards. Any advice?

Honestly, if you're NSW-based (which I'm assuming from the unis you've listed), then UNSW, JMP, and JPM are all readily available to you as a non-standard applicant, and then you're also working your way to being closer to USyd and UNDS grad entry, etc. I would definitely head into starting uni if I was NSW-based.

 

[Jim'sGarden]

Honestly, if you're NSW-based (which I'm assuming from the unis you've listed), then UNSW, JMP, and JPM are all readily available to you as a non-standard applicant, and then you're also working your way to being closer to USyd and UNDS grad entry, etc. I would definitely head into starting uni if I was NSW-based.

Im just afraid doing engineering will effect my GPA for gamsat entry? Also starting uni now means less places I can apply.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Im just afraid doing engineering will effect my GPA for gamsat entry? Also starting uni now means less places I can apply.

I can't comment on engineering and your capacity for GPA achievement, but starting uni now actually means you are on your way to opening up the most possible places to apply to: all non-standard places, and all grad entry places (grad entry alone being ~half of all places on offer).

ETA: your ATAR, while fantastic, quite significantly limits your options for school-leaver only entry anyway. You'd be eligible for JMP, JPM, JCU, Bond - all of which you'd be eligible for as a non-standard anyway. UQ you can't apply to on a gap year. You're not competitive as an interstater for Monash, Curtin, UWA or UTAS, flat out no to Griffith, Flinders, UMelb, USyd, and UNSW with 99.35. So the only Med option that a gap year would make available to you is UAdel, where you would need to hinge everything on a massive UCAT as an interstater (97th%ile this year, I believe). And this would be offset anyway by a top GPA opening up the currently closed to you option of UNSW.

 

[dotwingz]

Yeah I agree with LMG. You will open more doors going non standard than you had as an highschool leaver

It only sorta makes sense to have a gap year if it opens up significantly more options for you. Your ATAR, whilst fantastic, doesn’t **really** put you in a great position for a gap year.

 

[med23]

Hi guys, I have been trying to decide between physio, psychology or optom. For grad entry into med, what would be the better option?

 

[futuredoc2003]

Hi, I'm an international student I'm confused about which pre-med to choose in order to have a stable backup in case I don't get into med school. Forensic Science, Medical Science, and Biomedical Science are the degrees I have in mind. Biomedical Science seems to be too common so employment isn't guaranteed. Forensic Science has not much scope for Intl students. Could someone help me out? I'm having a hard time choosing between these.

 

[Deboza]

Hi guys, I have been trying to decide between physio, psychology or optom. For grad entry into med, what would be the better option?

The one you're most interested in and be able to achieve the highest GPA in.

 

[TKAO]

Hi, I'm an international student I'm confused about which pre-med to choose in order to have a stable backup in case I don't get into med school. Forensic Science, Medical Science, and Biomedical Science are the degrees I have in mind. Biomedical Science seems to be too common so employment isn't guaranteed. Forensic Science has not much scope for Intl students. Could someone help me out? I'm having a hard time choosing between these.

What are you interested in genuinely? I wouldn't recommend medical science in general though, it's not functionally very useful unless you plan on doing higher degrees or research.

 

[futuredoc2003]

What are you interested in genuinely? I wouldn't recommend medical science in general though, it's not functionally very useful unless you plan on doing higher degrees or research.

Hey! So I plan on taking up medicine aft my bachelor's, but I'm uncertain of getting into med school as it's not only competitive but being an overseas student, domestic students are given more priority. So in case, I'm not able to get into med school I need a strong backup that will help me get a stable job with a good income.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Hey! So I plan on taking up medicine aft my bachelor's, but I'm uncertain of getting into med school as it's not only competitive but being an overseas student, domestic students are given more priority. So in case, I'm not able to get into med school I need a strong backup that will help me get a stable job with a good income.

Substitute “I plan on taking up medicine…” with your plan b career or career pathway (medicine can still exist obviously, but in the context of this conversation isn’t particularly helpful). Whatever goes into that sentence as a substitute is often a good place to start with a back up degree.

 

[futuredoc2003]

Substitute “I plan on taking up medicine…” with your plan b career or career pathway (medicine can still exist obviously, but in the context of this conversation isn’t particularly helpful). Whatever goes into that sentence as a substitute is often a good place to start with a back up degree.

Well medicine is my first choice, and I'm moving to Aus to pursue it but nothing is certain yeah, so I need some help deciding on choosing a strong backup since I'm not familiar with the job opportunities there in Aus. I've done my research part but I'm not able to get proper information on any of this, esp Forensic. Do you think that would be a good choice?

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Well medicine is my first choice, and I'm moving to Aus to pursue it but nothing is certain yeah, so I need some help deciding on choosing a strong backup since I'm not familiar with the job opportunities there in Aus. I've done my research part but I'm not able to get proper information on any of this, esp Forensic. Do you think that would be a good choice?

I realise this, but as I said, it’s not helpful to this conversation. Set medicine aside for a moment, what is your back up? I can’t comment on whether Forensics is a good choice for you because I don’t know your interests. Have you looked at the career pathways? Do you know whether you’d need a postgraduate degree to be employment competitive. Does this pathway interest you long term? If you know the answers to these and the option still appeals to you, then yep, it’s a good choice.

You won’t find the answer to this question anywhere on the internet as it varies from person to person. You have to figure out what is right for you, specifically. For some it’s pharmacy, physio, teaching, science, IT, commerce… for you it might be forensic science.

 

[futuredoc2003]

I realise this, but as I said, it’s not helpful to this conversation. Set medicine aside for a moment, what is your back up? I can’t comment on whether Forensics is a good choice for you because I don’t know your interests. Have you looked at the career pathways? Do you know whether you’d need a postgraduate degree to be employment competitive. Does this pathway interest you long term? If you know the answers to these and the option still appeals to you, then yep, it’s a good choice.

You won’t find the answer to this question anywhere on the internet as it varies from person to person. You have to figure out what is right for you, specifically. For some it’s pharmacy, physio, teaching, science, IT, commerce… for you it might be forensic science.

Thank you for the reply! I'm not sure abt Forensics, tho I'd say I'd take up LLB aft that to get into criminal law. Does Biomedical Science give you a higher chance of getting into med school?

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Thank you for the reply! I'm not sure abt Forensics, tho I'd say I'd take up LLB aft that to get into criminal law. Does Biomedical Science give you a higher chance of getting into med school?

You don’t need a forensics degree to be a criminal lawyer in Aus (at least, you didn’t when I last looked a few years ago). You could start the LLB now and not spend the extra $$ on forensic science.

And no, it doesn’t. All degrees are considered the same as long as you meet any pre-requisite subjects required (and at the moment, I think UQ is the main Uni with these? Most don’t have any at all.)

 

[futuredoc2003]

You don’t need a forensics degree to be a criminal lawyer in Aus (at least, you didn’t when I last looked a few years ago). You could start the LLB now and not spend the extra $$ on forensic science.

And no, it doesn’t. All degrees are considered the same as long as you meet any pre-requisite subjects required (and at the moment, I think UQ is the main Uni with these? Most don’t have any at all.)

Yes true, I don’t need a forensic degree to be a lawyer. However I do need an undergrad degree to take LLB. So in order to be safe, I’m choosing a bachelors that can get me into med school. If not, then get into law school

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Yes true, I don’t need a forensic degree to be a lawyer. However I do need an undergrad degree to take LLB. So in order to be safe, I’m choosing a bachelors that can get me into med school. If not, then get into law school

Any bachelors can get you into Med school (I came from BA for example). And you don’t need an undergrad to get into law, you can do law as the undergraduate degree itself. I’d assume there are undergrad law degrees in Aus open to international students. You could use the law degree to get into Med.

 

[dotwingz]

Any undergraduate degree (Arts, Science, Engineering, etc) can get you into any post grad or non-standard medical degree in Australia (minus a few exceptions), the difficulty in entering from any undergraduate degree over another is negligible

Whats important is that you enter an undergrad degree that you are interested in, with good career prospects, and you will be able to achieve in.
With bonus points for expanding your world view and interests in other fields.

The reason why members of this forum discourage Biomedical Science/Medical Science/etc - is that most people *arent* interested in it, interest in it is contingent on getting into medical school after - something that can be achieved from all undergrads. Add that to the fact that career prospects arent great, nor is it particularly exploratory, it adds up to be an all-in-all pretty poor choice for most applicants.

I would suggest trying to think on what you like that is completely separate to the field of medicine. No, not 'whats the closest you can be to a doctor without being a doctor' - something completely different... then pick that

Is forensic science something completely seperate for you? or is it the closest you can kinda get via an undergraduate degree. I cant say ive heard too many positive things about the field employment wise, but I cant say ive looke dparticular hard either

P.S. A good place to start might be the skill shortages list, especially as an international student if you wish to stay in Australia

P.P.S. domestic students dont get 'priority' - international admissions and domestic admissions are seperate completely

 

[Jim'sGarden]

Do med schools look at what degree/courses you took or just your GPA? For example, if i did Math 1a compared to Higher Math 1A (which is harder), would it matter?

 

[2xq]

Do med schools look at what degree/courses you took or just your GPA? For example, if i did Math 1a compared to Higher Math 1A (which is harder), would it matter?

No. From what I understand, universities that offer different level maths already take that into account in their marks.