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Common pitfalls to avoid for year 12 school leavers and other medicine applicants

I don’t simply want to repeat what others have said, however, it seems to me like you are possibly searching for someone to validate your choice to study the clinical science degree, despite the overwhelming reasons provided by everyone here not to. At the end of the day it’s your decision and nobody here can change that, but the replies speak for themselves I think.
Yeah for sure, I've understood that now. Thanks for the help.
 

BFUCAT

Member
I’ve read the Common pitfalls thread. My UCAT percentile was 88.9 – I took a 4 min restroom break (rookie error). I’m prepared to move anywhere in Aus. I’m a predicted OP1 from a school that performed well in the QCS. My marks were:

Physics/VHA 4 (Rank 7), English/VHA 4 (Rank 8), Maths C/VHA 7 (Rank 7), Maths B/VHA 8 (Rank 4), Chemistry VHA 9 (Rank 1).

Firstly:
a) Should I resit the UCAT in 2020?
b) If I start a Physio Degree in 2020 and resit the UCAT can I still apply to Med as a school leaver (Excl UQ) and would this put me at any disadvantage as opposed to a Gap Year (resitting UCAT).

Secondly:
c) Any Idea what my ATAR will be based on above? Thinking I have no hope at Griffith?
d) Can I/Should I resit English and Physics in 2020 to boost my ATAR and does Griffith/other Uni’s allow this? I'm confident I can lift both to at least a VHA 6 or 7.

Thanks in advance
 

DrDrLMG!

Resident Medical Officer
Administrator
I’ve read the Common pitfalls thread. My UCAT percentile was 88.9 – I took a 4 min restroom break (rookie error). I’m prepared to move anywhere in Aus. I’m a predicted OP1 from a school that performed well in the QCS. My marks were:

Physics/VHA 4 (Rank 7), English/VHA 4 (Rank 8), Maths C/VHA 7 (Rank 7), Maths B/VHA 8 (Rank 4), Chemistry VHA 9 (Rank 1).

Firstly:
a) Should I resit the UCAT in 2020?
b) If I start a Physio Degree in 2020 and resit the UCAT can I still apply to Med as a school leaver (Excl UQ) and would this put me at any disadvantage as opposed to a Gap Year (resitting UCAT).

Secondly:
c) Any Idea what my ATAR will be based on above? Thinking I have no hope at Griffith?
d) Can I/Should I resit English and Physics in 2020 to boost my ATAR and does Griffith/other Uni’s allow this? I'm confident I can lift both to at least a VHA 6 or 7.

Thanks in advance

Hello!

Firstly:
a) if you don't get a med offer this year, then yes, definitely. There are only really a few people who can say something definitely (rather than ability) affected their score and this is absolutely something you can rectify if you sit again. Others can also improve their scores, but it's much easier to do so when there is a concrete thing you know you can do differently!
b) If you start physio in 2020, then no, you can't apply as a school leaver as you won't be a school leaver! Haha. You will be a non-standard applicant with a tertiary record. You would be eligible to apply to JMP, JCU, WSU, UNSW, and Bond. If you accept, but defer, your physio offer, then you would be treated as a gap year student and be eligible to apply everywhere except UQ on the basis of your ATAR. There are pros and cons to this that really only you can answer (ie. what else would you do with your year, etc).

I have no idea about your Secondly section, sorry. Crow will likely be able to help.

Other: Have you applied to the WA unis and UTAS? Your 88 may well be competitive for them coupled with a 99+ ATAR if that's what you end up with. UTAS in particular is a big unknown for 2020 entry.
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
I’ve read the Common pitfalls thread. My UCAT percentile was 88.9 – I took a 4 min restroom break (rookie error). I’m prepared to move anywhere in Aus. I’m a predicted OP1 from a school that performed well in the QCS. My marks were:

Physics/VHA 4 (Rank 7), English/VHA 4 (Rank 8), Maths C/VHA 7 (Rank 7), Maths B/VHA 8 (Rank 4), Chemistry VHA 9 (Rank 1).

Firstly:
a) Should I resit the UCAT in 2020?
b) If I start a Physio Degree in 2020 and resit the UCAT can I still apply to Med as a school leaver (Excl UQ) and would this put me at any disadvantage as opposed to a Gap Year (resitting UCAT).

Secondly:
c) Any Idea what my ATAR will be based on above? Thinking I have no hope at Griffith?
d) Can I/Should I resit English and Physics in 2020 to boost my ATAR and does Griffith/other Uni’s allow this? I'm confident I can lift both to at least a VHA 6 or 7.

Thanks in advance
a) Yes
b) No, if you’ve completed tertiary study then you are considered non-standard.
c) It would seem unlikely you’ll get an ATAR high enough for Griffith with those scores, but “well on QCS” is pretty difficult to quantify and you’ll probably just have to wait for official results.
d) I think you’d be better off starting tertiary study given the reasons outlined in this thread, but that’s up to you.
 

A1

Rookie Doc
Moderator
I’ve read the Common pitfalls thread. My UCAT percentile was 88.9 – I took a 4 min restroom break (rookie error). I’m prepared to move anywhere in Aus. I’m a predicted OP1 from a school that performed well in the QCS. My marks were:

Physics/VHA 4 (Rank 7), English/VHA 4 (Rank 8), Maths C/VHA 7 (Rank 7), Maths B/VHA 8 (Rank 4), Chemistry VHA 9 (Rank 1).

Firstly:
a) Should I resit the UCAT in 2020?
b) If I start a Physio Degree in 2020 and resit the UCAT can I still apply to Med as a school leaver (Excl UQ) and would this put me at any disadvantage as opposed to a Gap Year (resitting UCAT).

Secondly:
c) Any Idea what my ATAR will be based on above? Thinking I have no hope at Griffith?
d) Can I/Should I resit English and Physics in 2020 to boost my ATAR and does Griffith/other Uni’s allow this? I'm confident I can lift both to at least a VHA 6 or 7.

Thanks in advance

a) Definitely yes.

b) After starting a uni course you are eligible to apply with a new UCAT to JCU, JMP, WSU, UNSW. With a gap year, the above plus Monash Adelaide UTas UWA Curtin. If redo a few subjects to improve ATAR, all the above plus UQ Griffith Flinders.

An important point here is will your ATAR be competitive enough for these schools to justify a gap year or redo. You don't know until you get your ATAR, so wait until then.

c) No idea, sorry.
 

BFUCAT

Member
Hello!

Firstly:
a) if you don't get a med offer this year, then yes, definitely. There are only really a few people who can say something definitely (rather than ability) affected their score and this is absolutely something you can rectify if you sit again. Others can also improve their scores, but it's much easier to do so when there is a concrete thing you know you can do differently!
b) If you start physio in 2020, then no, you can't apply as a school leaver as you won't be a school leaver! Haha. You will be a non-standard applicant with a tertiary record. You would be eligible to apply to JMP, JCU, WSU, UNSW, and Bond. If you accept, but defer, your physio offer, then you would be treated as a gap year student and be eligible to apply everywhere except UQ on the basis of your ATAR. There are pros and cons to this that really only you can answer (ie. what else would you do with your year, etc).

I have no idea about your Secondly section, sorry. Crow will likely be able to help.

Other: Have you applied to the WA unis and UTAS? Your 88 may well be competitive for them coupled with a 99+ ATAR if that's what you end up with. UTAS in particular is a big unknown for 2020 entry.
Thanks so much! Yes I've applied to WA unis and UTAS but have given up hope based on how Adelaide and JMP (albiet change from threshold scores) UCAT went up.

I thought both WA uni's give preference to locals and the few spots left for interstaters would go to those with higher UCATs than me who missed out on Adelaide and JMP?
 

DrDrLMG!

Resident Medical Officer
Administrator
Thanks so much! Yes I've applied to WA unis and UTAS but have given up hope based on how Adelaide and JMP (albiet change from threshold scores) UCAT went up.

I thought both WA uni's give preference to locals and the few spots left for interstaters would go to those with higher UCATs than me who missed out on Adelaide and JMP?

We rarely get very much info on UWA and Curtin, so find it really difficult to predict. Mostly, I was just holding out some hope for you with a 99+ ATAR! Haha! UTAS are saying UCAT is a threshold, so your 88 MAY not matter so much there and it'll depend what your ATAR ends up. That's assuming that is reality, which it may not be! Hahah!
 

BFUCAT

Member
a) Yes
b) No, if you’ve completed tertiary study then you are considered non-standard.
c) It would seem unlikely you’ll get an ATAR high enough for Griffith with those scores, but “well on QCS” is pretty difficult to quantify and you’ll probably just have to wait for official results.
d) I think you’d be better off starting tertiary study given the reasons outlined in this thread, but that’s up to you.
So if I apply as a non-standard are there less spots I'd be competing for or do you go in the same pool/number of available spots as the school leavers?
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
So if I apply as a non-standard are there less spots I'd be competing for or do you go in the same pool/number of available spots as the school leavers?
Definitely less spots available, but you’re progressing towards an alternative career path / opening up graduate entry for yourself in the process (while still being eligible to apply for medicine along the way).
 

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DrDrLMG!

Resident Medical Officer
Administrator
So if I apply as a non-standard are there less spots I'd be competing for or do you go in the same pool/number of available spots as the school leavers?

In general, across all places available, it's as Crow explained. But if you're talking about for specific universities, then no, you'd be in the same pool at JMP, WSU, and UNSW. In fact, it seems to hold that you'd be at an advantage for JMP and WSU as they tend to make more offers to non-standards than school leavers (speculated to be due to heavy weighing on interview and ability to perform 'better' on this with some additional life experience).
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
Yes, I should’ve clarified that sorry.

There is discussion ad nauseum on the forum regarding the pros and cons of repeating Year 12, but as Mana outlines, there is a big potential for you to just waste a year of your time and ultimately end up with the same outcome. You’d essentially be basing your entire year on doing better in a high-stakes 2 hour exam, of which anything could happen on the day.

On the contrary, pursuing the non-standard (and ultimately graduate entry) pathway will still let you apply for medicine, but also work towards a back-up career in the process. Once graduate entry opens up to you, you also have even more places available to you than you would as a school-leaver.

Of course the decision is up to you, but I think it’s a lot to hinge your chances on by repeating Year 12.
 

BFUCAT

Member
We rarely get very much info on UWA and Curtin, so find it really difficult to predict. Mostly, I was just holding out some hope for you with a 99+ ATAR! Haha! UTAS are saying UCAT is a threshold, so your 88 MAY not matter so much there and it'll depend what your ATAR ends up. That's assuming that is reality, which it may not be! Hahah!
So is the UTAS UCAT threshold only 50th percentile? Do you know what ATAR score they usually come down to? And no interview process- correct?
 

Crow

Staff | Junior Doctor
Moderator
So is the UTAS UCAT threshold only 50th percentile? Do you know what ATAR score they usually come down to? And no interview process- correct?
We have no idea what it’s going to be this year, but speculate the ATAR cutoff for interstate applicants could be around what Griffith and Flinders require (99.7+). There is indeed no interview process.
 

BFUCAT

Member
a) Definitely yes.

b) After starting a uni course you are eligible to apply with a new UCAT to JCU, JMP, WSU, UNSW. With a gap year, the above plus Monash Adelaide UTas UWA Curtin. If redo a few subjects to improve ATAR, all the above plus UQ Griffith Flinders.

An important point here is will your ATAR be competitive enough for these schools to justify a gap year or redo. You don't know until you get your ATAR, so wait until then.

c) No idea, sorry.
Just clarifying if I re-apply to JCU as a non standard - they still won't require the UCAT?
 

TKAO

oowah!
Valued Member
We rarely get very much info on UWA and Curtin, so find it really difficult to predict. Mostly, I was just holding out some hope for you with a 99+ ATAR! Haha! UTAS are saying UCAT is a threshold, so your 88 MAY not matter so much there and it'll depend what your ATAR ends up. That's assuming that is reality, which it may not be! Hahah!
Looking at TISC statistics it appears that UWA favours local WA applicants, whereas Curtin doesn't really. eg. last year UWA had 10 ish interstate students while curtin has close to 45 despite curtin being a smaller cohort of like 90 compared to UWA's 120.
 

BFUCAT

Member
Looking at TISC statistics it appears that UWA favours local WA applicants, whereas Curtin doesn't really. eg. last year UWA had 10 ish interstate students while curtin has close to 45 despite curtin being a smaller cohort of like 90 compared to UWA's 120.
What UMAT percentile has Curtin historically come down to? I looked at last years invite offer data and not enough people submitted to give an indication...
 

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TKAO

oowah!
Valued Member
What UMAT percentile has Curtin historically come down to? I looked at last years invite offer data and not enough people submitted to give an indication...
previous records are not an indication for future records especially in curtins case. This is because they have changed the way they do their backend formula, which used to favour high UMAT people. Even then, there really isn't much data on MSO that you can draw off of for Curtin cutoffs like you said. In my oinion, I think your UCAT is good enough to get into Curtin provided your ATAR and interview are decent (assuming of course that curtin does not favour local applicants over interstate ones like what is indicated in the TISC statistics.)
 

A1

Rookie Doc
Moderator
What UMAT percentile has Curtin historically come down to? I looked at last years invite offer data and not enough people submitted to give an indication...

Lowest we have seen on MSO was a 83%ile interstate non-rural in 2017, which was Curtin's first intake so maybe not as many applied.
Lowest in 2018 was also 83%ile but did not indicate whether rural or EAS. Lowest 2019 was 86%ile but coupled with 99.90.
 

REGULAR JOE

Regular Member
Hi all. I'm thinking of applying to Macquarie's 2 year clinical sciences program and I have several concerns:
1-Are the fees the same as in public unis(CSP)?
2-Can I apply for graduate medicine at all australian postgrad med schools at the end of the 2nd year?
3-Since it's an accelerated degree, will the workload be too much(not enough time to prepare for gamsat, not enough free time to enjoy with friends/family/pets)?
It would be great if someone could give their thoughts on this
 

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