Resitting UCAT isn't a way of figuring out whether you want to spend the next decade training to be a doctor (or actually being one in the first place). Don't take a gap year to sit an exam. Take a gap year (or gap years, pleural) in order to learn, mature and gain insight - and you can do so by working, travelling and just getting life experience. If you use years out of study wisely, this is never a wasted effort.
-
Welcome to MSO!
We are an online community for current and prospective medical, dental and allied health students and early career professionals from Australia and New Zealand.Please read: About MSO | Annual Welcome and Important Information | MSO Rules
Quick Links To Forums
Tests/Interviews: UCAT | GAMSAT | Interviews Entrance Discussion: Graduate Medicine | Undergraduate Medicine | Dentistry -
Please consider registering on MSO. Benefits of registering are:
- Able to post and participate in the forum
- After 10 posts: Private Message Other Users
- After 25 posts: Access to the Chatbox
- After 100 posts: Custom user titles and Ad-free experience
If you would like to get involved with MSO or have ideas, suggestions, comments, criticisms or other feedback please Contact Us
General Medicine Entry Discussion and Advice Requests
- Thread starter H2.
- Start date
Resitting UCAT isn't a way of figuring out whether you want to spend the next decade training to be a doctor (or actually being one in the first place). Don't take a gap year to sit an exam. Take a gap year (or gap years, pleural) in order to learn, mature and gain insight - and you can do so by working, travelling and just getting life experience. If you use years out of study wisely, this is never a wasted effort.
Hi Guys,
I am currently in my fourth and final year of the B Health Science/ M Nursing at USYD. I've always been passionate about studying medicine, but didn't get the ATAR so decided to go into nursing. I think my GPA is currently sitting around 5.3, and I'm sure I'd be able to push it up to the 5.5/5.6 mark this year. Obviously I don't have the GPA to be a competitive applicant for any postgrad medicine courses, so I've been looking at entering an undergrad course as a non-standard student with a completed undergrad and masters degree. If you have your masters, you need a pass average for JMP, and a 5.4 for WSU (non-GWS).
My question is, are unis reluctant to accept postgrad students into undergrad medicine courses? Would there be other students in a similar situation to me or would I stick out in the cohort as the weird older person who couldn't get into postgrad med? (I'd be 22 if I started in 2021 so I'm not that old). I'm thinking about sitting the UCAT this year but I would be interetsed to hear from anyone who has opinions about this or are in a similar situation..
I am currently in my fourth and final year of the B Health Science/ M Nursing at USYD. I've always been passionate about studying medicine, but didn't get the ATAR so decided to go into nursing. I think my GPA is currently sitting around 5.3, and I'm sure I'd be able to push it up to the 5.5/5.6 mark this year. Obviously I don't have the GPA to be a competitive applicant for any postgrad medicine courses, so I've been looking at entering an undergrad course as a non-standard student with a completed undergrad and masters degree. If you have your masters, you need a pass average for JMP, and a 5.4 for WSU (non-GWS).
My question is, are unis reluctant to accept postgrad students into undergrad medicine courses? Would there be other students in a similar situation to me or would I stick out in the cohort as the weird older person who couldn't get into postgrad med? (I'd be 22 if I started in 2021 so I'm not that old). I'm thinking about sitting the UCAT this year but I would be interetsed to hear from anyone who has opinions about this or are in a similar situation..
Definitely not.
Absolutely!
This is definitely not “old” at all, and certainly not old enough for you to be concerned that unis might think of you as a “weird older person who couldn’t get into postgrad med”. If you get into any schools that accept non-standard applicants I’d think there would be quite a number of people in the cohort of similar and older age to you (particularly so at JMP and WSU).
Good luck
On the contrary, there is anecdotal evidence from current students that mature-aged applicants are more likely to be successful for entry at both WSU and JMP, likely due to life-experience leading to a more well-rounded interview performance. You will not ‘stand out’ due to your age in the slightest (I can confirm that last part from experience).
Also, your GPA is enough to apply to USyd via GAMSAT (and possibly others).
not true, there’s a fair amount of hurdle post grad schools like USYD where all applicants above a gpa of 5.0 are considered on equal footing where the gpa is simple a hurdle
also when I went to my Newcastle interview there were students helping out the staff there and a lot of them looked towards their late 20s. One of the students there I talked to was 35, and I think we had someone on MSO who was 40 and got into Newcastle. I believe a majority of people there are non-standards (those who have come from another degree and not straight out of high school)
There’s actually just the one.
Flinders and UQ use GPA as a hurdle for interview selection, but it’s part of the criteria for place offer selection.
There’s actually just the one.
oopsies
AshleyBlaise
Member
Def not old. I'm 29 in two months and I applied for undergrad. Someone I work with is 36 and has just finished undergrad med and my eldest cousin started undergrad medicine at 45! (they and myself are/were all Registered Nurses)
Pile-on agreement about you not being too old - I'm over 40 and just got a CSP place at WSU. No one in the interview process showed the slightest interest or surprise about my age.
Hi all,
I've got two questions, firstly for SATAC Applications, I wasn't sent an offer in the offer round yesterday for Adelaide but my status is listed as eligible for consideration, does anyone know what this means? And are there any more offer rounds after yesterday or have I realistically missed out on my chance at Adelaide?
Secondly I was offered a place at Western Sydney for med but I might not go there unless I can transfer to another uni at some point. Does anyone know if transferring from one uni to another is even possible and if so what the requirements are to do so?
Any help would be hugely appreciated))
I've got two questions, firstly for SATAC Applications, I wasn't sent an offer in the offer round yesterday for Adelaide but my status is listed as eligible for consideration, does anyone know what this means? And are there any more offer rounds after yesterday or have I realistically missed out on my chance at Adelaide?
Secondly I was offered a place at Western Sydney for med but I might not go there unless I can transfer to another uni at some point. Does anyone know if transferring from one uni to another is even possible and if so what the requirements are to do so?
Any help would be hugely appreciated
))
Hi all,
I've got two questions, firstly for SATAC Applications, I wasn't sent an offer in the offer round yesterday for Adelaide but my status is listed as eligible for consideration, does anyone know what this means? And are there any more offer rounds after yesterday or have I realistically missed out on my chance at Adelaide?
Secondly I was offered a place at Western Sydney for med but I might not go there unless I can transfer to another uni at some point. Does anyone know if transferring from one uni to another is even possible and if so what the requirements are to do so?
Any help would be hugely appreciated
UAdel will likely participate in SATAC’s third round. A number of people reporting offers here yesterday also indicated their intention to reject due to already having offers elsewhere. While it’s definitely time to be planning for your back-up, don’t give up all UAdel hope just yet.
Re. transfers. They can happen (most unis have a policy of some sort) but they are EXCEPTIONALLY rare, and are typically granted only in extreme circumstances. You should absolutely not count on this being possible, because it is highly, highly likely to be impossible.
One case my family know of, the student was studying at Adelaide when his mum was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He was allowed to transfer to a home state school. Transfers are only for these extreme circumstances.
For the graduate schools unfortunately you will have to do a new Bachelor degree or a PhD (for a few schools that give 7.0 equivalent to PhD).
Otoh your Hons degree makes you eligible for two undergrad schools JMP & WSU. Focus on getting a good UCAT score to get an interview there, you then have equal chances for a place offer vs higher GPAs since it's all/mostly based on the interview. Good luck.
TMG
Member
Hey people. Just a quick question!
I am a Vic applicant and am wondering that if i play to interstate uni's like JCU, Curtin etc, will my special considerations be considered? Do I have to do a entirely different application for each state? (For example, in vic i would submit my SEAS application).
Also, in order to apply for inter-state uni's, do i have to do it through their own system. (and not through VTAC)?
I am a Vic applicant and am wondering that if i play to interstate uni's like JCU, Curtin etc, will my special considerations be considered? Do I have to do a entirely different application for each state? (For example, in vic i would submit my SEAS application).
Also, in order to apply for inter-state uni's, do i have to do it through their own system. (and not through VTAC)?
For Curtin you need to submit an SEAS application directly to them when applying (If I'm not wrong).
TMG
Member
Ah I see.
Well the real question is why not? What harm is it to apply? Should they reject your application, you can say at least you tried. Should the accept your application, then you've just opened up another door for yourself. The only cost involved really is your time and perhaps the TISC fee of ~$50.
