Griffith Griffith Medicine: Medical Science/MD Provisional Entry Q&A

[Jeremy223]

I have a friend who is studying at USC so I know a little bit about the program. Probably the most important thing to say about USC is that it's a very small, tight knit cohort of ~30 people. You'll be with the same USC-Griffith provisionals for the entire 7 years (who you'll get to know very well) because even when you start Griffith MD you'll be doing it at Sunshine Coast Hospital so you don't mix with the rest of Griffith MD, is what I heard. Versus a bigger cohort at Melbourne. I don't know which is better.

Second is yes you are right Sunshine Coast is quite small, for example there is only one nightclub there so it comes nowhere near Melbourne in terms of city size, food options, entertainment options, etc. But it's around an hour drive from Brisbane so if money is not problem I reckon you could get a car and drive down to Brisbane during the weekends to get some good food if you really miss it lol. I heard a lot of people have cars up there.

Third is certainty of getting into medicine. I'm not an expert on Melbourne FFP but I've read a few explainers by A1 and it doesn't seem like a very certain pathway to me. With USC you're guaranteed into MD, but ~6 out of the ~30 provisionals will be getting bonded medical place depending on their overall Med Sci GPA. Personally I think I'd be a bit stressed out about this but in the end you end up as a doctor nonetheless.

Thanks for your insight, helps better me understand what I'm signing up for. Would you know of the type of accommodation most usc med students acquire.

 

[A1]

Does anyone know whether it's too late to shift JCU above an existing offer and still be considered for second round offers at JCU?

If you have accepted USC unconditionally you won't be considered for any other offer.

Assuming you accepted conditionally you should be able to shift JCU to higher than USC (I'm not sure if it's past the pref-change date yet for the next offer round). But beware if you then get JCU the USC offer will be automatically withdrawn to go to another applicant, that's the meaning of conditionally. And being 2nd round a JCU offer could be bonded, whereas you have 72% chance progressing USC to unbonded.

 

[Kota]

does anyone know how to complete Nathan offer by completing enrolment ? how many subjects we need to pick to complete our enrolment ? if the subjects are full what do you do ? is this affect to your enrolment? and are there any conformation email that your enrolment is complete?
Thanks

 

[ucat3300+]

Thanks for your insight, helps better me understand what I'm signing up for. Would you know of the type of accommodation most usc med students acquire.

I heard many people share an apartment/house close to
Uni with housemates. This is considerably cheaper than living in a dorm, but you won’t get any meals, no room cleaning, etc so requires you to be a bit more independent

 

[dachshund]

I’ve been enrolling into subjects at USC and found that you can enrol at the Moreton Bay campus which is preferable because it’s closer to Brisbane. Does anyone know how long I can continue doing my classes at Moreton Bay for?

 

[foddsie]

I heard many people share an apartment/house close to
Uni with housemates. This is considerably cheaper than living in a dorm, but you won’t get any meals, no room cleaning, etc so requires you to be a bit more independent

Ok. I live on the Sunshine Coast, which btw is an absolutely spectacular place to live (beaches galore, surfing, National parks). And I’m not sure where “one nightclub” and a lack of “good food” came from!!! There are plenty of great places. As for USC, the university has no “dedicated” residences or dorms. However, the 3 they do offer are almost all totally filled each year with students. The 3 are all a 5 minute walk to campus. Not sure if any have any vacancies. Each has there own website. Unicentral and Varsity Apartments are both on Varsityview Ave in Sippy Downs. The Village is on Scholars Ave in Sippy Downs. Check out their websites. An easy walk on footpath to University with each. And each one offers shared apartments. Zero meal plans at any.

 

[dotwingz]

But it's around an hour drive from Brisbane so if money is not problem I reckon you could get a car and drive down to Brisbane during the weekends to get some good food if you really miss it

 

[ucat3300+]

And I’m not sure where “one nightclub” and a lack of “good food” came from!!! There are plenty of great places.

Lol my bad

 

[Kai897]

If possible could I have advice on my current plan: Schedule all my first year classes at Morten Bay unisc and become a resident at Raymond residential college. The travvelling timd is approximately 54 public transport.

 

[Sew’n’sew]

Thanks for your insight, helps better me understand what I'm signing up for. Would you know of the type of accommodation most usc med students acquire.

My daughter is entering 3rd year at USC. She’s at the Village, 3’ walk to campus, even at night it‘s very well lit. She shares a townhouse with two other girls. Rent $418/ fortnight. Spots can be tight at Village, Varisty etc. With rents skyrocketing outside, some non-student residents are staying put. Obviously the accomodation can’t compare to an appartment (where a fancy one might be $500/week for a 2BR). However as she doesn’t have a car, the convenience can’t be beat. Good places to eat, might need to drive. Beach a 20’ bus ride away. She’s very friendly with the cohort now and had a great 2nd year. Don’t forget, if you really wanna get back to metro, you can sit the GAMSAT and enter a post grad course, but she is planning to finish the 7 years with her friends.

 

[Billy.m73]

Do we think it is possible that the atar for second round offers for usc bachelor of medical science would go down to a 99.6? Otherwise does anyone know about the accelerated biomed course at usc. I am concerned the course being accelerated will be too hard to maintain a high gpa.

 

[Jeremy223]

If possible could I have advice on my current plan: Schedule all my first year classes at Morten Bay unisc and become a resident at Raymond residential college. The travvelling timd is approximately 54 public transport.

Seems reasonable to me.

 

[sunnyday32]

Do we think it is possible that the atar for second round offers for usc bachelor of medical science would go down to a 99.6? Otherwise does anyone know about the accelerated biomed course at usc. I am concerned the course being accelerated will be too hard to maintain a high gpa.

no it won’t reach 99.6 and there are no second round offers

 

[Medkeen]

no it won’t reach 99.6 and there are no second round offers

How are you so sure there won’t be a second round offer for USC?

 

[DrDrLMG!]

How are you so sure there won’t be a second round offer for USC?

I’m actually not sure about USC specifically, but often unis that offer graduate entry spots (Griffith in this case) just fill any unaccepted provisional slots in the corresponding year’s grad entry.

Subsequent rounds and top ups are rare (though not unheard of). Griffith have sent a small amount if later offers out in other years, but it’s hard to say whether this really equates to a whole round. It’s not really a super consistent thing.

Of course, given USC’s situation, they may operate differently/more predictably. Time will tell!!

Best of luck!

 

[sunnyday32]

How are you so sure there won’t be a second round offer for USC?

Hasn’t happened in the last idk 5 years & if you ring them they will tell you.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Hasn’t happened in the last idk 5 years & if you ring them they will tell you.

I don’t think USC has been operating for that long? (eta: looks like 2023 could be the fifth year?). I know they operate alongside Griffith for the Med part, but they may have more flexibility with the undergrad entry portion to ensure they have the students.

ETA: I’ve just gone through the offers reported here the past few years and there is definitely evidence of both Griffith and USC making offers after the initial QTAC round, including as recently as last year. Whether that’s a substantial round or simply a couple of lucky top ups is impossible to say. That said, the ATAR requirement rarely drops much (or even at all in some years).

 

[sunnyday32]

I don’t think USC has been operating for that long? (eta: looks like 2023 could be the fifth year?). I know they operate alongside Griffith for the Med part, but they may have more flexibility with the undergrad entry portion to ensure they have the students.

Yes sorry, I was wrong, it has been operating for 4 years, not 5 like I said initially.

ETA: I’ve just gone through the offers reported here the past few years and there is definitely evidence of both Griffith and USC making offers after the initial QTAC round, including as recently as last year. Whether that’s a substantial round or simply a couple of lucky top ups is impossible to say. That said, the ATAR requirement rarely drops much (or even at all in some years).

Sorry where? I cannot find those "top ups" you speak of.
Edit: double checked & cannot find a single top up. Furthermore, a top up would not make logical sense as an ATAR of 99.80 was required for a first round offer & the website displays the ATAR of 99.80 as the min. for an offer. If there was an alleged "top up", the minimum ATAR on the website would show 99.75.

 

[A1]

there is definitely evidence of both Griffith and USC making offers after the initial QTAC round

Here are two USC top-ups mid-Feb 2019
> Med and Dent - 2019 Entry (Offers)

They were top-ups since the QTAC round cutoff was 99.60 and the OPs said they received individual call/text from QTAC/USC.

 

[sunnyday32]

Here are two USC top-ups mid-Feb 2019
> Med and Dent - 2019 Entry (Offers)

They were top-ups since the QTAC round cutoff was 99.60 and the OPs said they received individual call/text from QTAC/USC.

you said in the last year?

A1 replies: DrLMG said the past few years including last year. I didn't watch last year so not sure. At least it shows USC (and Griffith Nathan) top-ups do occur.