HSFY 2019

[Fili]

Hi, I wasn't sure which thread to ask about this. I'm applying for post-graduate medicine at the end of this year and I've calculated that I'll have ~an 8.625 weighted GPA after semester 2 this year assuming it goes well. Is this a good enough weighted GPA to get into medicine at Otago? Also can someone please explain how the UCAT thresholds work? If I were to not meet the thresholds would that mean that my application is invalid and I have no chance at Otago entry? I only got a 70th percentile in the UMAT when I did it 2 years ago and I honestly hate these kind of tests.

A weighted GPA of ~8.625 should be good enough to get off the waitlist since the cutoff last year for Otago was 8.7 something and the lowest I know off waitlist was 8.2 something. No one's really sure how the UCAT threshold will be like but I think it might be on the site? In the past it was a threshold per section so it will probably be like that again. If you get above it then they'll judge you based on your GPA but even if one section is below the threshold then yes your application is invalid and your GPA won't be considered for entry.

 

[cookies&cream]

Hey everyone,

I'm just curious about the new POPH192 (which some have said to be similar to PUBH192 from previous years. How did you guys study for it? We were told by the lecturer to study the essential readings and relate what we learned to the actual lectures. I started doing mind maps and planning to do practice questions. Do you guys think that's the good way to do it? What's the best way to approach this paper?

Cheers.

 

[Cathay]

Hey everyone,

I'm just curious about the new POPH192 (which some have said to be similar to PUBH192 from previous years. How did you guys study for it? We were told by the lecturer to study the essential readings and relate what we learned to the actual lectures. I started doing mind maps and planning to do practice questions. Do you guys think that's the good way to do it? What's the best way to approach this paper?

Cheers.

So HEAL192 (the original paper code - it became PUBH192 and now POPH192) is a bit different to the rest of HSFY papers, in that they require you to really understand the conceptual stuff, like what epidemiological studies use what methods to arrive at what conclusion, the differences between these, and most importantly, the "here's a scenario, what type of study should we use and why" kind of questions.

If it's anything like our year (2011), it's not until later on in the epidemiological studies section of things where you really start to grasp what's going on. I remember the early days of HEAL192 (i.e. first two weeks) to be quite confusing and disorientating as to what's going on, what to know, etc. But by 2/3 of the way I had gained a better understanding of what they're really trying to teach us.

I actually used to do PASS for HEAL192 in 2nd year - and (perhaps somewhat unfairly for you guys) I found that more exposure to epidemiological stuff in medical school teaching (in things like Evidence-Based Practice and Public Health) really helped me to contextualize the HEAL192 stuff much better.

Yes, for now the practice questions and review questions in the coursebook should give you an idea as to what sort of things they want you to take away from each lecture.

It's a confusing paper initially, hang in there - it'll get better.

 

[cookies&cream]

So HEAL192 (the original paper code - it became PUBH192 and now POPH192) is a bit different to the rest of HSFY papers, in that they require you to really understand the conceptual stuff, like what epidemiological studies use what methods to arrive at what conclusion, the differences between these, and most importantly, the "here's a scenario, what type of study should we use and why" kind of questions.

If it's anything like our year (2011), it's not until later on in the epidemiological studies section of things where you really start to grasp what's going on. I remember the early days of HEAL192 (i.e. first two weeks) to be quite confusing and disorientating as to what's going on, what to know, etc. But by 2/3 of the way I had gained a better understanding of what they're really trying to teach us.

I actually used to do PASS for HEAL192 in 2nd year - and (perhaps somewhat unfairly for you guys) I found that more exposure to epidemiological stuff in medical school teaching (in things like Evidence-Based Practice and Public Health) really helped me to contextualize the HEAL192 stuff much better.

Yes, for now the practice questions and review questions in the coursebook should give you an idea as to what sort of things they want you to take away from each lecture.

It's a confusing paper initially, hang in there - it'll get better.

Thank you Cathay! I feel much better now. My lectures at the moment is a bit related to a paradigm in the context of health. They also mixed it with humanities along with emphasizing how health & medicine should not only be seen as a 'biomedical context'. The lecturer made it clear that the phenomenological properties are just as important in terms of understanding the broader context of how different populations view their health. I think it's very interesting and is most definitely a totally unique paper compared to every HSFY papers. Thanks again for giving me some insight about this!

 

[Cathay]

They also mixed it with humanities along with emphasizing how health & medicine should not only be seen as a 'biomedical context'. The lecturer made it clear that the phenomenological properties are just as important in terms of understanding the broader context of how different populations view their health.

That, in my day, would be something taught in Med2 in either the HIC (Healthcare In the Community) or Professional Development module.

Not to be overly critical of faculty, but I’d wonder if HSFY is a little too early to be bringing in that particular line of content. It was hard enough to try and integrate it into our Med2 learning (which admittedly focused heavily on the biomedical narrative so I guess we arguably needed the balancing act to make us more well-rounded and socially acceptable before we head into clinical years), but to bring it forward to HSFY, where there’s heavy competitive pressure and the desire to learn the crap out of everything, I think it might just be a little too confusing. After all, HSFY is a different environment to Med2 completely, and only a minority of the cohort will be in Med2 next year.

I will say, though, that even in the HEAL192 days, it was probably the most “med school” of the HSFY papers - and also its content (at least the epidemiological part) was both relevant for later use in medicine and NOT re-taught (in 2012 at least - but doubt they would’ve inserted a dozen epi lectures into the busy med curriculum). So for those of you intending on Otago medicine (including via grad entry or alternative category later on), do NOT burn/delete/discard your POPH192 notes! (If you do lose them though, I’m pretty sure med school arranges for the lecture slides to be available on Med Moodle - but better to have your own notes to go with it!)

 

[Chilling]

That, in my day, would be something taught in Med2 in either the HIC (Healthcare In the Community) or Professional Development module.

Not to be overly critical of faculty, but I’d wonder if HSFY is a little too early to be bringing in that particular line of content. It was hard enough to try and integrate it into our Med2 learning (which admittedly focused heavily on the biomedical narrative so I guess we arguably needed the balancing act to make us more well-rounded and socially acceptable before we head into clinical years), but to bring it forward to HSFY, where there’s heavy competitive pressure and the desire to learn the crap out of everything, I think it might just be a little too confusing. After all, HSFY is a different environment to Med2 completely, and only a minority of the cohort will be in Med2 next year.

I will say, though, that even in the HEAL192 days, it was probably the most “med school” of the HSFY papers - and also its content (at least the epidemiological part) was both relevant for later use in medicine and NOT re-taught (in 2012 at least - but doubt they would’ve inserted a dozen epi lectures into the busy med curriculum). So for those of you intending on Otago medicine (including via grad entry or alternative category later on), do NOT burn/delete/discard your POPH192 notes! (If you do lose them though, I’m pretty sure med school arranges for the lecture slides to be available on Med Moodle - but better to have your own notes to go with it!)

Speaking as an ELM3 this year. When I did ELM2 last year the department held health science revision tutorials for public health (3 sessions at 2 hours each). These were helpful as I did another degree before entering medicine and had long forgotten health science content.

 

[Cathay]

Speaking as an ELM3 this year. When I did ELM2 last year the department held health science revision tutorials for public health (3 sessions at 2 hours each). These were helpful as I did another degree before entering medicine and had long forgotten health science content.

Ahhh true! I forgot all about those (didn't actually attend as I'd went straight in from HSFY and was actively "tutoring" HEAL192 so I was current with the epi stuff.)

 

[cereal]

Anyone know if the UCAT threshold gets publicly released?

 

[newcomers]

Anyone know if the UCAT threshold gets publicly released?

And does anyone know if it will be an average threshold. 4 out of my 5 are high while one of them is really low. R.I.P

 

[huzi01]

And does anyone know if it will be an average threshold. 4 out of my 5 are high while one of them is really low. R.I.P

unfortunately, it is definitely a threshold for each section individually, this is stated on medicine entry requirements page for otago. As for UCAT threshold release, on their website they say ~ after testing period so sometime in early august.

 

[Amadeus]

"An applicant must have a current UCAT result and achieved a score in all five of the UCAT sections at a threshold level determined annually by the Medical Admissions Committee."

"Selection for applicants who have met these criteria will be based on their academic score."

 

[huzi01]

unfortunately, it is definitely a threshold for each section individually, this is stated on medicine entry requirements page for otago. As for UCAT threshold release, on their website they say ~ after testing period so sometime in early august.

whoops i meant to say Pearson release percentiles early august, and ofcourse otago will release threshold sometime later in the year, (otherwise how would we know if we would be even able to apply)

 

[Cathay]

ofcourse otago will release threshold sometime later in the year, (otherwise how would we know if we would be even able to apply)

I don't share that same confidence. Maybe you'll have to apply anyway and hope for the best. It's a single online application for all the Health Science professional programmes (opens around August I think?), and back in our day we had to apply before UMAT results even came out.

The likes of Dentistry used UMAT as a threshold for interviews, and they didn't release the threshold either - you just applied, and either got an interview or didn't.

 

[newcomers]

unfortunately, it is definitely a threshold for each section individually, this is stated on medicine entry requirements page for otago. As for UCAT threshold release, on their website they say ~ after testing period so sometime in early august.

Praying that the VR thresholds low, like really low. Fml

 

[huzi01]

Cathay I've had family who have applied for dentistry, and they were told the threshold.

 

[Cathay]

Cathay I've had family who have applied for dentistry, and they were told the threshold.

Before they submitted the application, though?

 

[huzi01]

Before they submitted the application, though?

oh no sorry, should have clarified, this way definitely after, and with emailing to the department.

 

[Cathay]

oh no sorry, should have clarified, this way definitely after, and with emailing to the department.

Ah yes. That would sound about right (I was having trouble picturing the admissions office sending out the threshold information en-masse).

I've just had a look at the admissions guidelines, and this year's applications open 1st August and close 15th September. While I can't exclude the possibility that they may provide the threshold information afterwards (especially on request), I don't think they're likely to publish the threshold, let alone do so in time to be useful guidance in whether or not you should apply.

For newcomers and anyone else that don't feel too confident in their UCAT results, I would definitely apply for medicine anyways and see what happens. It's much better to have tried, than to find out that you could've got in but didn't apply. (I thought I should just say this, on the off chance that someone was considering not applying.)

 

[Austerus]

Hey! I've emailed them and they aren't releasing thresholds until November

 

[Bootleg]

Lets just hope VR threshold is like 470 ))))))))