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Choosing Between Universities and Offers
- Thread starter bbydaisy
- Start date
What data specifically are you after? Everyone in UQ provisional chooses their own degrees, so the data probably wouldn’t tell you much. Better to look at pass/fail rates in the MD itself rather than the undergraduate degree.
betty crocker
Member
Hi. Does the "prestige" of a university like UWA make it's MD course more desirable than a new MBBS at Curtin? Or does the reputation of a university not mean much after you graduate? Asking this since parents are convinced Curtin is too "risky".
Prestige means nothing in medicine. The university you studied medicine at once you're working as a doctor is as irrelevant as the ATAR you received once you've commenced university study (although UNSW apparently thinks ATAR is still important at that point
). Choose the university that you'd prefer - Curtin being 5 years instead of UWA being 6 years may be a selling point to go to Curtin instead of UWA.
I agree with Crow prestige means little for med, in Curtin's case there's a side factor. Both the WA gov and the school lobbied hard with the federal gov for the new CSP places on the basis they need more doctors for rural areas. I think I have seen in print Curtin school is geared toward providing regional/rural services. Speculative only but it's possible Curtin grads will be more directed to outer metro/regional hospitals for their internships. UWA/UNDF may quote this statement to put up resistance if Curtin students are to join into their already crowded clinical/intern grounds.
lillysayse
MBBS V
In all honesty, if I was in the fortunate position of choosing between UWA and Curtin, I would be picking UWA by a mile.
There are many reasons for that, one being the uproar around Curtin even having a school.
In saying that, the UWA MD has copped a fair share of flak itself - I believe the main issues are the first year MD students being thrown in with podiatry and dentistry students and doing barely any med-specific learning (even the exams were the exact same for the three courses, apparently).
I think they’re slowing working to address this now due to a lot of negative feedback from the students - so by the time the current provisional entry MD applicants get to the MD in a few years time, you’d expect them to have addressed this and made the appropriate changes.
MarioWoofWoof
Member
I've pretty much got a guaranteed entry into La Trobe Dent, and UniQ Dent. But I'm having trouble deciding.
I currently live in West Melbourne, so La Trobe would be closer, but I'll still have to rent closer to the uni.
My questions are similar to this thread Dentistry @ UQ, worth the trouble? in 2012.
Things may have changed.
1) I would like the option to move back to Melbourne after graduation to work. Would this make a diff if I went to UniQ. ie. Melbourne dentists employers favour La Trobe or UniMelb grads. And UniQ grads are expected to stay in Queensland to work.
2) From my understanding, both uni degrees are 'the same' as they both allow grads to do Dentistry anywhere. But does one have any 'extra' benefits?
3) Which course teaching/ facilities are better? More clinical practice?
4) Which Uni has a 'better' Dentistry cohort, which Uni has better student life?
5) Which Uni has better employment prospects/ monetary compensation for grads?
6) Is this website accurate? Top Dental Schools in Australia | Uni Reviews
7) When should I start booking accommodation at a residency college?
8) Which Uni best prepares students for setting up a practice? (Business management skills)
Thanks in advance!
Yamster
blues10
Mana
I currently live in West Melbourne, so La Trobe would be closer, but I'll still have to rent closer to the uni.
My questions are similar to this thread Dentistry @ UQ, worth the trouble? in 2012.
Things may have changed.
1) I would like the option to move back to Melbourne after graduation to work. Would this make a diff if I went to UniQ. ie. Melbourne dentists employers favour La Trobe or UniMelb grads. And UniQ grads are expected to stay in Queensland to work.
2) From my understanding, both uni degrees are 'the same' as they both allow grads to do Dentistry anywhere. But does one have any 'extra' benefits?
3) Which course teaching/ facilities are better? More clinical practice?
4) Which Uni has a 'better' Dentistry cohort, which Uni has better student life?
5) Which Uni has better employment prospects/ monetary compensation for grads?
6) Is this website accurate? Top Dental Schools in Australia | Uni Reviews
7) When should I start booking accommodation at a residency college?
8) Which Uni best prepares students for setting up a practice? (Business management skills)
Thanks in advance!
Yamster
blues10
Mana
Last edited by a moderator:
I can only really answer this one (I’ll leave the rest to Yamster or Hutcherson) - but generally these reviews are going to be pretty subjective and definitely aren’t the be all and end all of university rankings.
The best university for you is likely to be the one that’s a) closer to home and to your support network and b) the one that is going to be cheaper in terms of living expenses (I.e. rent or college costs as well as travel expenses if you plan to visit home regularly during your studies, etc) if that’s applicable to you.
Yep, I'd agree with Crow on this one. The content you cover should pretty much be the same at all universities although sometimes the structure is arranged differently. The stats on that website look off to say the least, those cohort numbers look hella weird - I don't know of any cohort sizes that large. If it's the total number of dentistry student that each university has, it still seems wrong if you divide it over the 5 cohorts of the course. The graduate salaries are wrong as well...
For 7), apply for residential colleges asap (especially if there's no application fee). I think the main round offers for dentistry are after the main round offers for other courses e.g. commerce. So get in quick.
Tell them about your situation i.e. won't pay deposit until you receive and decide on which offer.
I think UQ has ~10 colleges, whereas there are less accommodation options (on-campus) for La Trobe afaik. Check on the websites and talk to people in the course to see which options are popular.
With currently 1 year bonded myself I would tend to choose the former. With the increase to 3 years (starting 2020 intake I think) I would definitely choose the latter if the family can afford the interstate extra costs. If they can't afford then we don't really have a choice.
(Edited by Moderator. Subsequent questions regarding BMPs have been relocated to here: [Undergrad] - Bonded Medical Places - A Guide)
Last edited by a moderator:
Your specialisation opportunities aren't really going to be influenced by the medical school you went to (however, read below RE: Victorian internship allocations).
pi has generously written a review of all Monash med units, so you may like to take a read here: pi's review of Monash Med units
Post is a current UNSW med student and may be able to weigh in about the program there too.
Usually I'd say the 5 years vs 6 years would trump all other factors, but in your case, because NSW is your home state I'd probably be preferencing UNSW if you have a choice of offers between the two (if you live near the university and can save on rent and be near your support network during your studies, this is ideal). Keep in mind that the state you graduate from is very likely where you will be doing your internship (and potentially residency and beyond), so if you ultimately want to practice in NSW, you're probably best going to medical school there.
Other considerations:
Monash - going to university in Victoria means internship allocations are made on a merit-based system (your academic results will influence whether you get into one of the top Melbourne hospitals) which is not desirable, in my opinion (effectively you'd need to compete against your classmates during medical school). This isn't the case in other states. I think it would probably be a jump to say if you don't do your internship in one of the larger metro hospitals then you'll have a tougher time ultimately ending up in one of the more competitive specialties that are only really offered in metro areas (as getting onto specialty programs is dependent on the rotations you do as a junior doctor, as well as references), but I don't doubt that it plays a part. pi or chinaski might want to weigh in there.
UNSW - you get to do an ILP (year-long research project) I believe in 4th year (?) which will give you a good research background that will come in handy in medicine. In saying that, taking an extra year to do an honours project is possible at Monash as well, if you wanted.
This really does boil down to 5 years vs 6.
Personally I think the one state versus the other is the biggest factor (one extra year is nothing in the greater scheme of things). Where would the OP prefer to live for the best part of a decade? Given they asked specifically about it, considerations of course structure/delivery/content may also be key in decision making.
Hi Pi
As stated, Vic intern selection priority is based on merits. I would appreciate if you can comment on a”competitive” yet required “cooperative” environment at Monash. Do you find any issues working together with your peers at all years? Whereas in NSW, it is sort of random hence I heard some comments that all medi can work harmoniously together.