Dentistry in 2017 - My questions

[Joseph A. I.]

Greetings everyone! This is my first post on this forum and as the title suggests, it regards my interest to study dentistry in 2017.

Firstly, I will provide some background information that will help you in assisting me with my queries:

• Currently studying Biomedical Science at Monash University (1st year)
• Completed my Year 12 in Victoria
• ATAR: 99.35 VCE Subjects: English, Further Maths, Maths Methods, Specialist Maths, Chemistry & Physics
• Not from a rural background
• I will not be sitting the UMAT in 2016

At the beginning of this year I was interested in pursuing medicine as a career, and until very recently this had been the goal that I was working towards. However, a few weeks ago I started to consider dentistry as another option in the event I would not be offered a place in graduate entry medicine in two years time. What I initially thought of as a monotonous and repetitive profession changed when I discovered that you can specialise in different areas of dentistry, meaning there is potential to work up the ranks similar to becoming a specialist in medicine. Also, upon consideration of the lifestyle benefits that dentistry can provide compared to medicine, I am now interested in pursuing this career path. And this is where I would appreciate some help.

I have done some research and have discovered that it is possible to 'transfer' into dentistry courses without fully completing an undergraduate degree and this is where my sights are set. Ideally, I would like to be studying dentistry next year and have no university preference (I will happily study interstate).

I have currently had a look at Griffith University and James Cook. I would like to know my chances for both.

Will my ATAR of 99.35 be used for Griffith University or will they use my Monash University GPA? If ATAR is used, do you think that it will be high enough? If my university GPA is used (I don't have any formal university results yet), will 6.7 or 6.8 be high enough? I saw other threads with students receiving GPAs of 7, but it will be hard to achieve in my current course as a lot it revolves around biology which has been completely new to me, so that is a reason why my GPA may be lower.

In regards to James Cook entry, do you think my ATAR of 99.35 is high enough (assume my written application is on par with the average)? Since, I am not from Queensland and not from a rural area, will it be a decisive disadvantage? Also, do they have interviews for dentistry?

Finally, are there any other universities that you think I should be looking at if I want to study dentistry next year (whether it is my university results or year 12 results that determine whether or not I get an offer)?

Thank you for reading through this long post and I hope that I can assist the community in the future.

Cheers,

Joseph

 

[cc101]

Defienetly consider CSU. Look at CSU forum for last year to get more info. Most of the students there are who have done first or more years of uni.

 

[Joseph A. I.]

Defienetly consider CSU. Look at CSU forum for last year to get more info. Most of the students there are who have done first or more years of uni.

I was perusing the CSU website and it mentioned that you are required to sit the UMAT which I'm not going to do. I have seen people say that they do not take the UMAT into consideration but I'm not too sure. It must be a recent change to their admission process.

Link: http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/dental-science

 

[cc101]

oh - they must have changed this year.

 

[applecider]

Hello,
It's me - I was just wondering, do you actually want to do dent next year? By choosing not to take the umat you're really limiting your options and let's be honest, if you're not willing to take a three hour exam to go into a course which will last half a decade and for most people, become a part of their lives for many decades thereafter then maybe it isn't for you, but hey - who am I to judge? Rhetorical question, you posted in an open forum.

For the question about whether they will use your atar/gpa - search it up yourself.

For JCU
- if they are willing to use your year 12 atar then by all means it is high enough (with the limited info that is released stat's can be hard to procure, but the general consensus is such that I am willing to say this)
-with the number of people from interstate studying that course it does not seem to be much of a disadvantage
-honestly, if you really want to do dent at jcu you would have searched up their website and checked whether or not interviews are a requirement

Calling up the universities of interest can be very useful and I'm not as eloquent as Chinaski, but generally try to see if you can find the answer to your own question before posting. Being a bit harsher than usual since you've already been at uni for a while Study well - uni marks are important for tertiary transfers~

 

[Mana]

..., it regards my interest to study dentistry in 2017.

• I will not be sitting the UMAT in 2016

That's like saying you want to go to university, but you don't want to finish year 12. It is technically possible, it's just much, much harder. Besides, who knows - you could do really well in it without any practice whatsoever.

 

[Joseph A. I.]

Thanks for the responses guys!

I would like to say that I can be quite impetuous at times and this may be one of those occasions. However, I have been researching some more since my initial post and have found answers to some of those questions.

One of the main reasons that I posted was to gauge some perspective of the likelihood of being offered a place in dentistry at those particular universities based on my results that I provided.

In terms of wanting to study and practise dentistry, I can't say that I would prefer it over medicine. But in terms of a career choice, in which lifestyle is a consideration, it does seem more appealing to me than medicine. Put simply, my decision is not made up. I am sure, however, that I will apply to both JCU and Griffith University and if I were to receive an offer I would strongly consider it.

The main reason I will not be sitting the UMAT this year is because I do not want it to detract from my university studies, especially if the university results are important for admission into the said courses. I am satisfied with my university options narrowed down to the two mentioned, but I would like to think that I may have a decent chance for those two. It also does not affect me if I do not get any offers - it would just be preferable as I may have made more progress towards deciding a career choice by the end of the year and it may be better to start the course sooner.

Thanks.

 

[Mana]

Just wondering exactly how much 3 hours, $250, and most likely a bus or train trip on one day in the whole year is going to detract from your university in any meaningful or significant manner. Putting things into perspective, its the time equivalent of three lectures at university, or one and a half 2 hour tutorials.

For this you expand your options to more than triple what you had before.

Also you are making the assumption that you would need to prepare for the UMAT. Some people practice for it for months beforehand, sure, but you miss exactly 100% of the shots you don't take, and I'd be inclined, in your position, to take the UMAT without preparation over not taking it at all. That is, if you are serious about Dentistry as a choice.

 

[lemondarren]

Have you considered latrobe? 99.35 would probably get you in

 

[Joseph A. I.]

Thanks for the suggestion! Year 12 Biology is a prerequisite for Latrobe dentistry for school leavers, which I didn't study so it wasn't even an option last year. I'm pretty that the UMAT is required for students wishing to enrol once a university degree is commenced. It makes me think that taking a gap year would have been the best option, but time waits for no one so just got to look at other options.

 

[A1]

I'm pretty that the UMAT is required for students wishing to enrol once a university degree is commenced.

I'm a bit confused by this ^^, and probable you are too. Where UMAT is required it is part of the selection criteria, it determines in combination with your ATAR/GPA & Interview whether you rank high enough for a place. So everyone needs it not just those "once a university degree is commenced".

Most unis use UMAT that's why Mana is saying by choosing not to do UMAT you have deprived yourself of more options.

 

[Joseph A. I.]

"
VCE Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 35 in any English; and a study score of at least 25 in Biology; and a study score of at least 25 in Chemistry.

Year 12 and non-year 12 extra requirements
Applicants are welcome to provide supporting documentation. Non-Year 12 applicants must have completed the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test.

Applicants may wish to provide other documentation in support of their application. Non-Year 12 applicants must complete and submit a VTAC Personal Statement online for other information to be considered during the selection process e.g. details on work experience or reasons for applying.

Selection may also be based on GPA.

Applicants may be required to attend an interview."

 

[Mana]

While it is correct that the UMAT is not required for non-year 12 applicants applying to LaTrobe Dentistry, you still require the UMAT for entry to these dental courses:

Adelaide
Charles Sturt
Queensland
UWA (provisional)

Given that between these four they account for more than 50% of Australia's undergrad dental school applications, good luck to you if you want to lose your chance at a shot at those ones.

 

[Osama7]

Hey guys! I'm currently studying biomedical science at La Trobe university and I'm interested in transferring into dentistry course 2017. I just wondering what score you needed in order to be accepted ? And is it still possible to get accepted with a WAM between 80-86 ? Thanks