Choosing Between Universities and Offers

[Crow]

When you talk about "go where you want to live", I think anyway OP will return back to Sydney after graduation.

Yep, hence why my comment makes no mention of which university the OP should go to! I literally meant “go where you want to live” I.e. go where you want to attend university - my post makes no mention of CSU or Adelaide specifically.

RE: transport/living costs: a 1hr flight from Adelaide to Sydney is almost always going to cost significantly more than a 3 hour drive.

 

[Mowgli]

Hi
I got an offer for Curtin 5 years MBBS and also have receive an offer for Bonded place at Adelaide. Not sure which one I should choose.

 

[Crow]

Hi
I got an offer for Curtin 5 years MBBS and also have receive an offer for Bonded place at Adelaide. Not sure which one I should choose.

Are you still coming from NZ? If you're an NZ citizen, I am unsure as to why you were offered a bonded position given NZ citizens aren't eligible.

However, if I were you, had to move away from home regardless and had no ties to Adelaide, I'd be choosing Curtin given the shorter duration of the program, and CSP trumps BMP.

 

[Mowgli]

Are you still coming from NZ? If you're an NZ citizen, I am unsure as to why you were offered a bonded position given NZ citizens aren't eligible.

However, if I were you, had to move away from home regardless and had no ties to Adelaide, I'd be choosing Curtin given the shorter duration of the program, and CSP trumps BMP.

Thank you so much Crow.

 

[Surgical Bounce]

Yes, there is definitely an interview after third year. It's a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) with, I believe 8 stations. I think someone has mentioned that you must pass 5 of them, and a couple might be compulsory?

With the MMI you are assessed on each station, it is not a simple pass/fail as you are assessed and ranked against all the other candidates that do that station on the interview day. You can learn more about the different types of station/question here and how they are assessed: 7 Challenging Types of MMI Questions You Need to Know

 

[Crow]

With the MMI you are assessed on each station, it is not a simple pass/fail as you are assessed and ranked against all the other candidates that do that station on the interview day. You can learn more about the different types of station/question here and how they are assessed: 7 Challenging Types of MMI Questions You Need to Know

Given LMG! has sat multiple MMIs herself, I think she knows how they work!

This answer was given as a response to someone with a Chancellor’s “guaranteed entry” position at UniMelb - students in this position don’t compete against others in the MMI, but they need to “pass” 5 out of 8 stations in order to progress to the MD at the end of their undergrad.

 

[Megha Prasad]

Hey everyone! Recent member, first-time poster. I was just wondering what are some of the pros and cons + differences between Monash and the University of Melbourne for medicine?

TIA

 

[Crow]

Hey everyone! Recent member, first-time poster. I was just wondering what are some of the pros and cons + differences between Monash and the University of Melbourne for medicine?

TIA

Depends - are you aiming for undergraduate or postgraduate entry?

If you're a school-leaver then Monash would by far be the better choice - 5 year program vs 7 years at UniMelb (as well as the fact that you need to pass an interview and maintain a 75+ WAM to get entry into UniMelb at the end of your undergrad, so the "guaranteed" entry isn't so guaranteed).

 

[TKAO]

In WA there is the option of Curtin and UWA for med. However, they vary and though I haven't got a place in either as of yet, I'm curious to see which would be a better option out of the two. On the UWA hand, you've got a 6 year course that's more established and with higher cutoff requirements, and on the other hand you have a shorter course but a newer (and probably more inexperienced) faculty. What is more valuable in this situation and why?

 

[Mana]

In WA there is the option of Curtin and UWA for med. However, they vary and though I haven't got a place in either as of yet, I'm curious to see which would be a better option out of the two. On the UWA hand, you've got a 6 year course that's more established and with higher cutoff requirements, and on the other hand you have a shorter course but a newer (and probably more inexperienced) faculty. What is more valuable in this situation and why?

Given that prestige of the medical school counts for nothing at all, and that Curtin have had at least two years (by the time you apply) to have ironed some things out, the year's worth of finishing earlier (and thus working as a doctor for a year longer and paying one fewer year's worth of university fees) really does weigh heavily in favour of choosing Curtin over UWA, which is my recommendation in the other thread about choosing between universities (see my signature for the link).

 

[Harry99]

They do not - source: a contact who used a 2 year degree and had a very good GAMSAT.

I just finished my BMedSci at Griffith last year, and I know of at least two people from my cohort alone that used their accelerated BMedSci to get into USYD medicine?

 

[Lyyrre]

I just finished my BMedSci at Griffith last year, and I know of at least two people from my cohort alone that used their accelerated BMedSci to get into USYD medicine?

Yeah the GEMSAS Admission Guide 2020 states that for some unis, 2 year bachelor degrees aren't accepted, but 2 year accelerated degrees with 3 years equivalent FTE are considered. Ofc, that depends on each specific uni.

 

[Meddie]

Western Sydney University (5 yrs undergrad MD) or Griffith University 2 year med sci + provisional entry into 4 year MD?

Obviously WSU is shorter, but any opinions on the course, internship opportunities, teaching,

 

[chinaski]

Do you want to work in NSW or Queensland?

 

[Meddie]

Do you want to work in NSW or Queensland?

I don't really mind, I am an international student actually, and is the internship situation different for Griffith and WSU graduates? I know there are more med schools in NSW than Queensland, so would it be harder to get an internship after graduating from WSU than Griffith?

 

[A1]

I don't really mind, I am an international student actually, and is the internship situation different for Griffith and WSU graduates? I know there are more med schools in NSW than Queensland, so would it be harder to get an internship after graduating from WSU than Griffith?

There are more med schools/graduates in NSW but there are more intern positions. From memory after allocating internships to Aus in-state graduates there are about 100 "surplus" positions in NSW, about 60 in QLD.

Int'l graduates are more disadvantaged in NSW since they are given lower priority (for these surplus positions) than Aus graduates studying med interstate now wanting to return/move to NSW. Whereas in QLD int'l graduates are pooled together with these and selected on merit.

That said, I think you would be better off studying at WSU. It's a year shorter and your chance for a QLD internship is the same as if you study in QLD.

 

[Meddie]

There are more med schools/graduates in NSW but there are more intern positions. From memory after allocating internships to Aus in-state graduates there are about 100 "surplus" positions in NSW, about 60 in QLD.

Int'l graduates are more disadvantaged in NSW since they are given lower priority (for these surplus positions) than Aus graduates studying med interstate now wanting to return/move to NSW. Whereas in QLD int'l graduates are pooled together with these and selected on merit.

That said, I think you would be better off studying at WSU. It's a year shorter and your chance for a QLD internship is the same as if you study in QLD.

Ohh so as an international NSW graduate I won't be disadvantaged against an international QLD graduate?

In QLD, I forgot to add.

Ohh so as an international NSW graduate I won't be disadvantaged against an international QLD graduate?

In QLD, I forgot to add.

Have a look in the bottom half of this link (ignore the top half okay?)
> National Internship Crisis | Australian Medical Students’ Association

For QLD you'd be in group C. It makes no distinction between int'l graduates of QLD or other states, no inherent priority structure between B/C/D either. Do keep in mind this table is not set in stone, although it has been like that for several years it could change any year in future.

==========
Wow, I knew internships in Australia for intl grads were bad but I didn't think MOST intl grads won't get an internship. Guess I'll have to have a backup plan.

Wow, I knew internships in Australia for intl grads were bad but I didn't think MOST intl grads won't get an internship. Guess I'll have to have a backup plan.

Actually the last few years about 2 out of 3 int'l graduates got internships. If you patiently work out the numbers in this report
> https://www.coaghealthcouncil.gov.au/Portals/0/Report on the National Audit of Applications and Acceptances for Medical Internship and the Late Vacancy Management Process for 2017 Clinical Year.pdf

For 2017 intake about 400 out of 550, 2016 was 350 out of 500. But do have a backup plan all the same.

ETA: Also keep in mind you do 6 years at Griffith but the fees will be close to 7 years' worth, since the 2-year undergrad has the same number of units as other 3-year degrees.

Actually the last few years about 2 out of 3 int'l graduates got internships. If you patiently work out the numbers in this report
> https://www.coaghealthcouncil.gov.au/Portals/0/Report on the National Audit of Applications and Acceptances for Medical Internship and the Late Vacancy Management Process for 2017 Clinical Year.pdf

For 2017 intake about 400 out of 550, 2016 was 350 out of 500. But do have a backup plan all the same.

ETA: Also keep in mind you do 6 years at Griffith but the fees will be close to 7 years' worth, since the 2-year undergrad has the same number of units as other 3-year degrees.

That sounds a bit better. Tysm for the infor!

 

[worldno8]

I'm currently filling out my TISC application and am a bit lost as to whether I should rank UWA provisional or Curtin as my first preference. Btw, I'm a NSW applicant so it's the same trek to WA for either university.

Could someone please advise me about any potential downsides to each degree (incl location of internships) or advantages? Thanks!

 

[jayson]

Mod Note: Answered

It seems you were right A1... I was off 99%ile by a score of 10

Applying for: MEDICINE
Application Type: non-standard
Predicted ATAR/GPA: 98.55 (99.95 with EAS)/ 6.29 GP, completed degree. Combined academic rank (for UNSW) is a bit more than 99.50 but let’s use 99.50 as my score
UCAT Percentile Rank: 98
VR: 650
DM: 700
QR: 880
AR: 890
Total: 3120
SJ: 657
Current State: NSW
Applying to: UNSW, WSU & JMP
Rural Applicant: NO
GWS Applicant: YES
Indigenous Applicant: NO
Other: EAS
Specific Question:
We still looking at 70-80% chance for a UNSW spot or is it slightly lower now?

which one is better? WSU or JMP. If you can get in both of them?which one r u going?

 

[Smelly Boy]

which one is better? WSU or JMP. If you can get in both of them?which one r u going?

Not the place to be discussing this (hopefully mod can move this to a more appropriate thread) but I’d choose WSU since I’m a GWS resident, love western Sydney, wouldn’t have to move etc.