Choosing Between Universities and Offers

[joweyenne]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UQ Dent
Offer 2: UAdel Dent
Any scholarships offered: None
Any accommodation secured: Not yet but looking at International House in QLD and Lincoln College in SA
Internship location preference: Nope
Other important information:
Both of these universities are outside of my home state however I've been told by multiple Adelaide residents continually that there is nothing to do there. I've also researched/heard that both these universities are good for doing dentistry and they both take 5 years to complete as well. I'm just looking to find out which university would be better for societies and making friends haha.

 

[Tomato]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UQ Dent
Offer 2: UAdel Dent
Any scholarships offered: None
Any accommodation secured: Not yet but looking at International House in QLD and Lincoln College in SA
Internship location preference: Nope
Other important information:
Both of these universities are outside of my home state however I've been told by multiple Adelaide residents continually that there is nothing to do there. I've also researched/heard that both these universities are good for doing dentistry and they both take 5 years to complete as well. I'm just looking to find out which university would be better for societies and making friends haha.

You won't be wrong to choose either of them. If I were you, I will choose UAdel dent for the following reasons.

1. UAdel dent has the integrated course.

2. It is convenient to travel between the health building and the locations (for some sim or practical sessions) within the UAdel main campus. For UQ dent you have to travel between St Lucia campus and Herston dental school in the first two years. No direct bus or train, you have to change the transport somewhere.

3. You have plenty of things to do at the CBD in Adelaide, including socials and activities. Potential friends are always there. You have to find them.

4. If you are from NSW, you may find majority of the corhot are from NSW, lol.

5. This point is not such important UAdel dent was ranked the No 1 in Australia by QS and another big four university ranking organisation.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Question/advice needed! I'm a NSW rural applicant and have been offered entry into the USYD DDMP, UQ Provisional, and am feeling confident about my chances at Monash. I also have exceeded the ATAR needed for biomedicine at Melbourne, and been offered scholarships there, at Monash and usyd...but I have no idea where to choose!!!!! any advice is MUCH appreciated tysm

Please use the attached format for posting this kind of question: Choosing Between Universities and Offers

 

[Lawso]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UNSW - Port Macquarie - CSP (Unbonded)
Offer 2: University of Adelaide - CSP (Unbonded)
Any scholarships offered: Nope
Any accommodation secured: Haven't heard back from either, but its going to be college most likely for both. (Cost about the same)
Internship location preference: NSW
Other important information: Specifically wanna ask, would it be possible to get internships in NSW/VIC after completing degree in SA ? Either way, and help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Caffeine]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UNSW - Port Macquarie - CSP (Unbonded)
Offer 2: University of Adelaide - CSP (Unbonded)
Any scholarships offered: Nope
Any accommodation secured: Haven't heard back from either, but its going to be college most likely for both. (Cost about the same)
Internship location preference: NSW
Other important information: Specifically wanna ask, would it be possible to get internships in NSW/VIC after completing degree in SA ? Either way, and help would be greatly appreciated.

Yes you can get internships in NSW/Victoria after completing your medical degree in SA however as an interstate applicant it would be harder to get your preferred location for NSW/Vic. If you would like to take an internship there it's best to take the UNSW offer as it's guaranteed you would get an internship in NSW. For Victoria, both would be put in the same category group so it wouldn't make a difference. In that case it's best to choose between the universities

 

[Lawso]

Yes you can get internships in NSW/Victoria after completing your medical degree in SA however as an interstate applicant it would be harder to get your preferred location for NSW/Vic. If you would like to take an internship there it's best to take the UNSW offer as it's guaranteed you would get an internship in NSW. For Victoria, both would be put in the same category group so it wouldn't make a difference. In that case it's best to choose between the universities

Lovely, UNSW it is !

 

[Lawso]

Yes you can get internships in NSW/Victoria after completing your medical degree in SA however as an interstate applicant it would be harder to get your preferred location for NSW/Vic. If you would like to take an internship there it's best to take the UNSW offer as it's guaranteed you would get an internship in NSW. For Victoria, both would be put in the same category group so it wouldn't make a difference. In that case it's best to choose between the universities

WAIT sorry ahah. After internships, PGY-1, would moving back homestate to NSW be an option? Or does it become significantly more difficult?

 

[dotwingz]

Internships = PGY1 (post grad year 1)

There’s a few factors at play that would limit your ability to come back to NSW.

For one, you would have lower internship priority which means youre unlikely to be in more competitive hospital networks.

Two, NSW (as it stands) offers two year contracts to their new grads, so there’s little PGY2 positions going around (also very few NSW’ers applying for those positions however)

Three, after 6-7 years in Adelaide… chances are you have a bit of a footing there, a life with commitments… i’m not sure if you would be so open to tearing up all of that to NSW

That being said, my understanding is, that as time moves on it only gets more difficult to move around in medicine. So as a younger doctor you probably have a better shot but in saying that, the piece of advice has always been study where you want to practice

Pick UNSW

 

[Tomato]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UNSW - Port Macquarie - CSP (Unbonded)
Offer 2: University of Adelaide - CSP (Unbonded)
Any scholarships offered: Nope
Any accommodation secured: Haven't heard back from either, but its going to be college most likely for both. (Cost about the same)
Internship location preference: NSW
Other important information: Specifically wanna ask, would it be possible to get internships in NSW/VIC after completing degree in SA ? Either way, and help would be greatly appreciated.

Both are good, but UNSW Port M may be better for you if you are planning to practise in NSW. May the facilities be better at UAdel? They have a beautiful health building with RAH nearby. The main campus is not far away either.

 

[Lawso]

Internships = PGY1 (post grad year 1)

There’s a few factors at play that would limit your ability to come back to NSW.

For one, you would have lower internship priority which means youre unlikely to be in more competitive hospital networks.

Two, NSW (as it stands) offers two year contracts to their new grads, so there’s little PGY2 positions going around (also very few NSW’ers applying for those positions however)

Three, after 6-7 years in Adelaide… chances are you have a bit of a footing there, a life with commitments… i’m not sure if you would be so open to tearing up all of that to NSW

That being said, my understanding is, that as time moves on it only gets more difficult to move around in medicine. So as a younger doctor you probably have a better shot but in saying that, the piece of advice has always been study where you want to practice

Pick UNSW

How about this situation. I'm fine with an internship in SA, even for 2 years. But, most of my family will be based in NSW, in terms of being able to see them, i'm more than fortunate enough to have the bank of mum and dad who are willing to shout all the flights to go see them, through my program in Adelaide and even after graduating. Main question is, would it be possible and if so, likely, to be able to move to work in NSW after PGY-2/3 ?? (or whenever my internship finishes in SA).

Thank you !!

 

[MyHeadee]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UNSW - Wagga Wagga - CSP (Unbonded)
Offer 2: University of Adelaide - CSP (Unbonded)
Any scholarships offered: Nope
Any accommodation secured: Sorted out accomodation at Wagga, sorting it out rn in Adelaide too.
Internship location preference: NSW/SA, Not too concerned about this, but i'd lean towards NSW if i had the choice.
Other important information: Not too keen on Wagga, wanted to see what city life would be like with heaps of things to do. Kinda feel like i'd get bored to death in Wagga, (Already got like 12 years under my belt in a town a little smaller than Wagga, honestly don't know if i have it in me to keep that up lol). With that said its closer to family, but i'm fortunate enough that i'll get the chance to see them often, flights for visits (well fingers crossed), regardless if i'm in wagga or adelaide. As for friends, don't know anyone in wagga, or adelaide (although i imagine making them would be significantly easier in adelaide, just by the sheer number of people there on campus, as opposed to the 10-15 others i'll be with in wagga) Not too concerned with the ILP, my time on MSO has shifted my view on its importance, so idk if i'd consider it. Any advice would be super appreciated!

 

[dotwingz]

Main question is, would it be possible and if so, likely, to be able to move to work in NSW after PGY-2/3 ?? (or whenever my internship finishes in SA).

Study where you want to practice

It’s possible yeah, probably not extremely difficult as a registrar, many people move around in their careers around this time.

But why bother moving to Adelaide if you want to practice in NSW?

 

[Lawso]

Study where you want to practice

It’s possible yeah, probably not extremely difficult as a registrar, many people move around in their careers around this time.

But why bother moving to Adelaide if you want to practice in NSW?

Alrighty, thanks dearly dotwingz

 

[dotwingz]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: UNSW - Wagga Wagga - CSP (Unbonded)
Offer 2: University of Adelaide - CSP (Unbonded)
Any scholarships offered: Nope
Any accommodation secured: Sorted out accomodation at Wagga, sorting it out rn in Adelaide too.
Internship location preference: NSW/SA, Not too concerned about this, but i'd lean towards NSW if i had the choice.
Other important information: Not too keen on Wagga, wanted to see what city life would be like with heaps of things to do. Kinda feel like i'd get bored to death in Wagga, (Already got like 12 years under my belt in a town a little smaller than Wagga, honestly don't know if i have it in me to keep that up lol). With that said its closer to family, but i'm fortunate enough that i'll get the chance to see them often, flights for visits (well fingers crossed), regardless if i'm in wagga or adelaide. As for friends, don't know anyone in wagga, or adelaide (although i imagine making them would be significantly easier in adelaide, just by the sheer number of people there on campus, as opposed to the 10-15 others i'll be with in wagga) Not too concerned with the ILP, my time on MSO has shifted my view on its importance, so idk if i'd consider it. Any advice would be super appreciated!

I agree with you. The ILP (UNSW) and Pre-intern year (Adelaide) are nice additions but (without knowing too many specifics on either of them) wouldn’t consider them to be “defining” aspects of each program

The Adelaide and UNSW programs are both great. Sounds like you’ve made your mind up that Adelaide is where you would rather be over Wagga…

 

[Juicecan]

I have a sunshine coast offer and Melbourne Chancellor's scholarship offer, which one should be take? or better gap year, ATAR 99.9, UCAT 92, anyone know fail rate of MMI interview in Melbourne? Thanks

 

[dotwingz]

Use the format provided

 

[Juicecan]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: Biomedicine -Melbourne Chancellor Scholarship
Offer 2: Medical Sicence- Sunshine Coast
Offer 3: Sydney U -Physio
Any scholarships offered: Mebourne, Sydney U
Any accommodation secured: NA
Internship location preference: NSW
Other important information: ATAR 99.9, UCAT:92

Do I need consider GAP year?

 

[peterparker]

Home state: QLD
Offer 1: UQ (CSP unbonded) 7yrs
Offer 2: Monash (CSP unbonded) 5yrs
Any scholarships offered: 60K at UQ
Any accommodation secured: For UQ I would live at home with a super convenient location. For Monash I haven't looked at all.
Internship location preference: Don't mind
Other important information: I’m leaning towards UQ but I feel like that’s partly because I had fully mentally prepared and planned life for UQ, and I don't wanna uproot my life just yet. Is the 2 years early grad worth it (5 year degrees seem so coveted)? For those that did a separate undergrad, did you feel it was a long, kinda useless time, or was it nicer to have some chiller years to transition and hang with friends (most of my friends are going to uq)? I do love Melbourne and I really want to leave the Brisbane bubble for at least once in my life, but also at UQ life would be so simple lol.
Also, if I do go to UQ, is it possible to intern in syd/melb (just to leave boring bris) then move back to qld after? I have absolutely no idea how that stuff works. Thanks so much <3

 

[Caffeine]

Home state: QLD
Offer 1: UQ (CSP unbonded) 7yrs
Offer 2: Monash (CSP unbonded) 5yrs
Any scholarships offered: 60K at UQ
Any accommodation secured: For UQ I would live at home with a super convenient location. For Monash I haven't looked at all.
Internship location preference: Don't mind
Other important information: I’m leaning towards UQ but I feel like that’s partly because I had fully mentally prepared and planned life for UQ, and I don't wanna uproot my life just yet. Is the 2 years early grad worth it (5 year degrees seem so coveted)? For those that did a separate undergrad, did you feel it was a long, kinda useless time, or was it nicer to have some chiller years to transition and hang with friends (most of my friends are going to uq)? I do love Melbourne and I really want to leave the Brisbane bubble for at least once in my life, but also at UQ life would be so simple lol.
Also, if I do go to UQ, is it possible to intern in syd/melb (just to leave boring bris) then move back to qld after? I have absolutely no idea how that stuff works. Thanks so much <3

Edit : Think I need a bit of a break, sorry Monash is 5 years, not 6

but even then UQ makes financial and personal sense in this scenario. A 60k scholarship, friends, family being close as well mean that it makes far more sense than Monash. An undergrad can feel extremely useful and useless at the same time. It depends on if you enjoy the general specifics of the undergrad course you choose. The 2 year difference means the additional income that can be earned by graduating early would still be less than the scholarship/accomodation expenses you'd save by going to UQ.

 

[dotwingz]

Home state: NSW
Offer 1: Biomedicine -Melbourne Chancellor Scholarship
Offer 2: Medical Sicence- Sunshine Coast
Offer 3: Sydney U -Physio
Any scholarships offered: Mebourne, Sydney U
Any accommodation secured: NA
Internship location preference: NSW
Other important information: ATAR 99.9, UCAT:92

Do I need consider GAP year?

Hm tough one. I’d say USC.

My impression that UniMelb requires a 65 wam every sem (roughly equivalent to a 5.0 gpa) whilst USC is only graduate with a 5.0… add the MMI into the mix and USC seems like the “safer bet” (even considering the possibility of bonded)

I don’t see the need for a gap year tbh… Assuminf your top prefs are those in NSW you can still apply non standard to JMP/JPM/UNSW doing either degree… and also then apply with a GAMSAT to USyd/UoW/UNDS/and if you want me to

Home state: QLD
Offer 1: UQ (CSP unbonded) 7yrs
Offer 2: Monash (CSP unbonded) 5yrs
Any scholarships offered: 60K at UQ
Any accommodation secured: For UQ I would live at home with a super convenient location. For Monash I haven't looked at all.
Internship location preference: Don't mind
Other important information: I’m leaning towards UQ but I feel like that’s partly because I had fully mentally prepared and planned life for UQ, and I don't wanna uproot my life just yet. Is the 2 years early grad worth it (5 year degrees seem so coveted)? For those that did a separate undergrad, did you feel it was a long, kinda useless time, or was it nicer to have some chiller years to transition and hang with friends (most of my friends are going to uq)? I do love Melbourne and I really want to leave the Brisbane bubble for at least once in my life, but also at UQ life would be so simple lol.
Also, if I do go to UQ, is it possible to intern in syd/melb (just to leave boring bris) then move back to qld after? I have absolutely no idea how that stuff works. Thanks so much <3

I’m a UQ student entering 3yr undergrad next sem… i’d consider the undergrad part a positive aspect of the program, if you use it right. A lot of people pick biomed and slog themselves “waiting out” for the MD which is really just a waste of opportunity

2 years of your life at a young age is realistically not the worse thing in the world. Medical training is so long and conplicated anyways that picking the “straightest path” isn’t really doing yourself much favours, remember what you pick as an area to specialise in is realistically what you will spend the rest of your time as a doctor doing. It doesn’t hurt to approach thag stage a tincy bit older with a bit more of a diverse background under your belt. A lot of users in this forum sorta dogmatically prescribe that shortest = best, but that’s not always true.

Some users will point out that it’s like $130k in lost income but tbh I wouldn’t bother thinking about it like that… life is more than just “accumulating wealth” (maybe cause i haven’t tried to buy a house yet?)

I definitely enjoy my undergrad. It gives me time to live a normal life, and i definitely feel more mature and ready to take on med school than i was as an 18 year old… even if most of it was robbed by rolling covid restrictions and online uni.

Either way, 2 great choices. You will undoubtedly escape your “Brisbane Bubble” if you want by simply making friends at uni. You don’t need to move to Monash to experience that. I’d say UQ tbh, it makes more sense considering your personal situation.

PS: Monash is 5 years, not 100% sure what the other user is saying.