Guide: Choosing Between Multiple Offers for Medicine/Dentistry

[Mana]

Hi there so I have an offer for UNSW and for Curtin. I already live in Perth and started my first degree at Curtin but my family live rural in WA so I don't live at home though. It may seem like an obvious answer to pick curtin seeing as I already have friends here and am comfortable with the campus, BUT, my friends who are currently doing med at curtin keep recommending UNSW is better and that I should move over there (I moved around a lot as a child so am used to it and can easily make friends anywhere I go).

The only reason I would be leaning towards curtin is the fact that I already go here, all other factors as you have mentioned such as placements, resources etc point me towards UNSW. I know people talk a lot about prestige, and while I don't believe in it, I do wonder if UNSW is a better program due to said factors you have mentioned. I think that the 5vs6 year thing would probably affect my decision more if the extra year at unsw wasn't for research, but because that is the reason why then I am 100% fine with having to do an extra year.

If anyone has any advice or can weigh in on this situation, please feel free to help me out. I know it should be a no-brainer, but something in my gut really is telling me to go to UNSW...

Prestige doesn't matter so ignoring this.

You have plenty of opportunity to do a research year after you finish your medical degree at Curtin.

It's probably a good idea to talk to people at UNSW as well for opinions but remember that very few people will have attended both medical schools and thus you may need to take these recommendations with a grain of salt. If I were in your position, I'd already have declined UNSW.

 

[tree32water]

Derm placements are going to be hard to get anywhere, to be honest, so this is one of the times where I don't think it'll matter much at all.

Re: Adelaide's attrition - there is a newer report I believe that has some updated numbers showing that Adelaide's attrition has come into line with the remainder of medical schools. It's also been around for 125+ years and has placements in all the major Adelaide metro hospitals.

Hi Mana, can you please provide me with a link to the newer report that shows that Adelaide has come into line with the remainder of medical schools. And thanks so much for all of this amazing info !!!

 

[MD]

Hi Mana, can you please provide me with a link to the newer report that shows that Adelaide has come into line with the remainder of medical schools. And thanks so much for all of this amazing info !!!

Choosing Between Universities

 

[Henzells]

Hi Mana, can you please share a few pros and cons of JMP vs WSU? Assuming both offers were unbonded and the commute was equal....

 

[Mana]

Hi Mana, can you please share a few pros and cons of JMP vs WSU? Assuming both offers were unbonded and the commute was equal....

The commute isn't going to be equal unless you are living somewhere equidistant from Newcastle (or Armidale) and Western Sydney... and if you lived that far from the universities you would need to commute a very, very long way anyway so you would have to move regardless. This would give you a pretty clear choice if you had these as your two unbonded offers - if you live in Sydney (or have relatives that live in Sydney), go to WSU, and if you don't, then go to JMP, because the rent is way cheaper.

 

[Henzells]

The commute isn't going to be equal unless you are living somewhere equidistant from Newcastle (or Armidale) and Western Sydney... and if you lived that far from the universities you would need to commute a very, very long way anyway so you would have to move regardless. This would give you a pretty clear choice if you had these as your two unbonded offers - if you live in Sydney (or have relatives that live in Sydney), go to WSU, and if you don't, then go to JMP, because the rent is way cheaper.

And you don't think either uni/course has any pulling factor outside of geography?

 

[Mana]

And you don't think either uni/course has any pulling factor outside of geography?

Given that both courses are five years, are resourced relatively well and are AMC accredited, and are in the same state (and therefore will give you equal opportunity at NSW internship) and we don't have any experience from anyone who happens to have attended the medical degrees at BOTH these universities, I would say the the geography (and therefore your logistics of living - which is a BIG factor) far outweighs any difference in the course qualities between JMP and WSU.

 

[MrWhippe]

Need one of these threads for Dentistry too

 

[Mana]

Need one of these threads for Dentistry too

While there isn't a "ranking list" like the ones I posted, you could almost certainly use the same factors to make your decision, other than the "where do you want to practice" thing because the vast majority of dental graduates work in the private sector and do not require an internship.
I'm sure I could whip one up... give me a moment!

 

[MrWhippe]

While there isn't a "ranking list" like the ones I posted, you could almost certainly use the same factors to make your decision, other than the "where do you want to practice" thing because the vast majority of dental graduates work in the private sector and do not require an internship.
I'm sure I could whip one up... give me a moment!

Haha no no please! I don't want to burden you. Don't think you have to do that, especially so late at night.

I could even potentially do it within the next few days if you'd like. It's a dilemma I'm having at the moment (received La Trobe offer, anticipating Griffith and potentially James Cook or Adelaide)

 

[Crow]

Haha no no please! I don't want to burden you. Don't think you have to do that, especially so late at night.

I could even potentially do it within the next few days if you'd like. It's a dilemma I'm having at the moment (received La Trobe offer, anticipating Griffith and potentially James Cook or Adelaide)

As much as it pains me to say it, Griffith should be last on your list given the full fee masters component (unless you live or have family in SEQ, which might change things).

 

[MrWhippe]

As much as it pains me to say it, Griffith should be last on your list given the full fee masters component (unless you live or have family in SEQ, which might change things).

Haha while I'm aware of the fee, personally Griffith is quite high on my list. Compared to Melbourne University's $260k Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine which I received an offer for in 2019 (and very nearly took), Griffith seems like a bargain.

And frankly lots of family around there, a big community of non-standards (I've heard some say 2/3rds of Griffith's Dental program are non-standards like myself), and the beautiful bogan Gold Coast itself has immense appeal. If it's a well-taught and well-supported course with a great culture, paying ~70k more over 5 years is a small price to pay imo.

Though obviously this is why a thread about "Choosing Between Medical Degrees" would be very helpful

 

[ucatboy]

Haha while I'm aware of the fee, personally Griffith is quite high on my list. Compared to Melbourne University's $260k Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine which I received an offer for in 2019 (and very nearly took), Griffith seems like a bargain.

And frankly lots of family around there, a big community of non-standards (I've heard some say 2/3rds of Griffith's Dental program are non-standards like myself), and the beautiful bogan Gold Coast itself has immense appeal. If it's a well-taught and well-supported course with a great culture, paying ~60k more over 5 years is a small price to pay imo.

Isn't it 120K for years 4 and 5?

I've heard good things about Adelaide dent, but that might be too far from where you reside/you might not have many friends or family living in Adelaide.

 

[Cal]

Isn't it 120K for years 4 and 5?

yeah; they purposely split it so that the fist degree is government subsidised; while the masters isn't because the govt has the possible CSP dental spots Capped atm I think; so it should be a total of about 150k for the whole thing.

 

[ucatboy]

yeah; they purposely split it so that the fist degree is government subsidised; while the masters isn't because the govt has the possible CSP dental spots Capped atm I think; so it should be a total of about 150k for the whole thing.

I wasn't even aware of this arrangement until I skimmed past it on MSO - had to warn my friends who had no idea. It's a bit sneaky and definitely lacking transparency imo.

 

[MrWhippe]

Isn't it 120K for years 4 and 5?

I've heard good things about Adelaide dent, but that might be too far from where you reside/you might not have many friends or family living in Adelaide.

Haha, I'm downplaying the amount I'll owe already! Dissonance is strong.

Does that 120K need to be paid upfront, or can it be put on HECS?

Adelaide is supposedly a spectacular course. Have spoken with several alumni from there (recent and old), as well as practicing Dentists who didn't go there, and consensus is generally that Adelaide is either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd best in the country, and always in enormous demand. Probably my first preference for that reason, tho don't know much about the culture and social scene.

Personally, I feel I've been busting my hump and sacrificing my social life for so long now in order to achieve perfect grades. Whilst I'll always hold my studies and endeavors to a high standard as its in my nature, I'm kinda ready to stop living like a studious robot and achieve some better balance in all aspects of my life. Incidentally, courses and institutions with great social cultures (particularly where there's a mixture of and ages) are definitely going to contribute to my decision-making. Some may think that's incredibly short-sighted of me, but I'm of the mind that Dentistry and Medicine are both very long and challenging paths, where relationships and social support are essential to staying sane.

 

[Cal]

Haha, I'm downplaying the amount I'll owe already! Dissonance is strong.

Does that 120 need to be paid upfront, or can it be put on HECS?

Adelaide is supposedly a spectacular course. Have spoken with several alumni from there (recent and old), as well as practicing Dentists who didn't go there, and consensus is generally that Adelaide is either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd best in the country, and always in enormous demand. Probably my first preference for that reason, tho don't know much about the culture and social scene.

Personally, I feel I've been busting my hump and sacrificing my social life for so long now in order to achieve perfect grades. Whilst I'll always hold my studies and endeavors to a high standard as its in my nature, I'm kinda ready to stop living like a studious robot and achieve some better balance. Incidentally, courses and institutions with great social cultures are definitely going to be a priority for me.

since it is a postrgrad course; it needs to be paid upfront; but you can get a max 150k FEE-Help loan for it; which is like hecs; but I think there are some different interest rates or something.

I wasn't even aware of this arrangement until I skimmed past it on MSO - had to warn my friends who had no idea. It's a bit sneaky and definitely lacking transparency imo.

Yeah; last year I had my heart set on it because of my sub-par umat score and a chance at a high atar, without knowing it wasn't a CSP in the masters program; so it is kinda a blessing in disguise I didn't get it because then I wouldn't have sat the ucat again with the possibility of getting into a uni with a csp lmao. Pretty dangerous; you can put yourself into large amounts of debt.

 

[Mana]

Updated the first post to include a list for dentistry MrWhippe

 

[MrWhippe]

Updated the first post to include a list for dentistry MrWhippe

Therrreee goesss my hero. Watch him as he goes

Edit: Thanks Mana.

 

[John Johnson]

I’m wondering whether accepting provision entry to Griffith med through USC bachelor of medical science would be risky since they are yet to gain AMC accreditation? Would JCU be a better option instead?