Otago HSFY chat - archive

[Wongtong]

I found the BIOC lecturer really amusing today in the 11 am stream -- with his running and jumping around with a stick (I think other streams would've missed out on that).

 

[Sam]

I found the BIOC lecturer really amusing today in the 11 am stream -- with his running and jumping around with a stick (I think other streams would've missed out on that).

11am does tend to be the better stream for entertainment by the sounds.

 

[Proshot]

I would just like to say: 100th post! That is all.

 

[Sam]

i would just like to say: 100th post! That is all.

congrats ommmgg

 

[frootloop]

I would just like to say: 100th post! That is all.

I'm really tempted to delete this as 'post-padding' (which it is ), but I'm not that mean haha.

 

[vavavoomvoom]

hmm... does anybody know if the cutoff score for med is likely to increase? I know it increased last year - would there be any reason this year?

 

[frootloop]

hmm... does anybody know if the cutoff score for med is likely to increase? I know it increased last year - would there be any reason this year?

UMAT curves look nearly exactly the same as last year's, and there's no reason (to my knowledge) to suspect a drastic rise in the average HSFY marks, so no, I wouldn't expect it to rise.
*Unsubstantiated* Given that last year's cut-off was higher than both the previous two (which were nearly identical), I'd almost hazard a guess that last year's cut-off was an outlier, and this year's cut-off could drop back to around what it was in 2009/10 *Unsubstantiated*.
Disclaimer: Let's face it, anything we say about the cut-off is nothing more than (semi-educated) speculation, so anyone who takes this as concrete fact will be facepalmed at.

 

[methylisothiazolinone]

Hey, does anyone know of any regulation that restricts people who did some prior tertiary studies from applying for the 2nd year Health Sciences Professional Programmes (and instead will only be given a prescribed course after completing HSFY)? Anyone (you know) who has encountered such an issue? Because just recently, I was told by the Health Sciences Admissions Department that I'm only eligible to apply for the prescribed Health Sciences Professional course stated in the Acceptance Letter sent to me back in January as my case couldn't be considered as either competitive graduate nor undergraduate HSFY (or even the Alternative Category). So right now, I'm really sort of stuck in no man's land and honestly, I find this really frustrating (especially now feeling that I've done the UMAT for nothing since the prescribed course allocated to me was Pharmacy) and even more so when the International Admissions Office failed to inform me of such a "caveat" before I applied here. But I guess on second thought, it might be arguably understandable to have such a regulation so as to level the playing field, yet it can't be helped but makes one feel like you've been betrayed and what's left behind is but just a lingering bitter aftertaste>.< c'est la vie...

 

[breezy]

What are my chances of getting an interview? ~6.0 GPA (7 point scale), 85+ ATAR, UMAT = 52 raw
s1 48
s2 47
s3 60

currently studying b.med sci

Thanks

 

[frootloop]

What are my chances of getting an interview? ~6.0 GPA (7 point scale), 85+ ATAR, UMAT = 52 raw
s1 48
s2 47
s3 60

currently studying b.med sci

Thanks

Interview for...? If your GPA is on a 7 point scale, then I'm going to assume you're studying in Australia (unless there are NZ unis that use 7 point scales?), in which case you aren't eligible to apply to Otago medicine (you need an NZ degree to apply post-grad to med, and there's no 'non-standard' pathway here). Oh, and Otago med has no interview. If you meant dentistry, then I have no idea. Were you in HSFY/at an NZ uni, those scores would likely get you a dent interview, but I don't know if the dent school takes Australian grads either.

 

[breezy]

Interview for...? If your GPA is on a 7 point scale, then I'm going to assume you're studying in Australia (unless there are NZ unis that use 7 point scales?), in which case you aren't eligible to apply to Otago medicine (you need an NZ degree to apply post-grad to med, and there's no 'non-standard' pathway here). Oh, and Otago med has no interview. If you meant dentistry, then I have no idea. Were you in HSFY/at an NZ uni, those scores would likely get you a dent interview, but I don't know if the dent school takes Australian grads either.

Oh I was referring to medicine, but since they don't accept aussie students and is post-grad, doesn't seem i'll be going. Cheers anyways for the information.

 

[frootloop]

Oh I was referring to medicine, but since they don't accept aussie students and is post-grad, doesn't seem i'll be going. Cheers anyways for the information.

Just for clarification for others reading (Not that it helps you, given that you're an Aussie tertiary student) :
Otago *does* accept Australian school leavers into the health-sciences first year (HSFY) program, after which selection for medicine/dentistry/etc is done. You can't do HSFY if you have 1+ year of tertiary education under your belt, or have covered any of the topics at uni before.
For medicine, we have both a post-grad and 'undergrad' (ie: From the HSFY pathway) entry, as well as an 'other' category (which is a whole different story), however those who do not graduate from an NZ university aren't eligible to apply for post-grad entry. There is no 'non-standard' entry category like some Aussie unis have. Post-grad, undergrad, and 'other' entry all end up in the same class/do the exact same medical course once they've been accepted into the medical program.

 

[sunny123]

hai guys, anyone know where you can get previous terms test reports for hubs? Cheers

 

[Sam]

hai guys, anyone know where you can get previous terms test reports for hubs? Cheers

If you know someone who got them when they were doing HSFY, otherwise no where.

 

[kitkat31]

dent interview

does anyone who what the dent interview cut offs are like this year?my umat was s1: 50 s2: 51 s3:48
what are my chances of getting an interview for dent? :/

 

[frootloop]

does anyone who what the dent interview cut offs are like this year?my umat was s1: 50 s2: 51 s3:48
what are my chances of getting an interview for dent? :/

Well we can't work out an approximation of the cut-off till after interview offers are released...
But based on last year's/the year before's rough cut-off, you should be ok (section 3 may be a little shaky though).
Welcome to MSO, and good luck!

 

[kitkat31]

thank you! what has section 3 been like for previous years?
i was reading other forums and people got interview calls with 46 raw apparently?? :/

also congrats on med frootloop, ive been seeing your posts alot on these forums!

 

[frootloop]

thank you! what has section 3 been like for previous years?
i was reading other forums and people got interview calls with 46 raw apparently?? :/

also congrats on med frootloop, ive been seeing your posts alot on these forums!

Honestly, I can't remember (although that sounds more or less right), it's been a while since I've gone through the dent forums, but most of the info is there (as are the interview questions from previous years!)
[offtopic]Thanks! [/offtopic]

 

[methylisothiazolinone]

Just for clarification for others reading (Not that it helps you, given that you're an Aussie tertiary student) :
Otago *does* accept Australian school leavers into the health-sciences first year (HSFY) program, after which selection for medicine/dentistry/etc is done. You can't do HSFY if you have 1+ year of tertiary education under your belt, or have covered any of the topics at uni before.
For medicine, we have both a post-grad and 'undergrad' (ie: From the HSFY pathway) entry, as well as an 'other' category (which is a whole different story), however those who do not graduate from an NZ university aren't eligible to apply for post-grad entry. There is no 'non-standard' entry category like some Aussie unis have. Post-grad, undergrad, and 'other' entry all end up in the same class/do the exact same medical course once they've been accepted into the medical program.

Hmm, so going by what you said, it really does seem a tad bit unfavourable towards international students who did previous tertiary study in an overseas university because either way, they will almost certainly not qualify for med/dent via ANY route at all whatsoever (especially since both the Graduate and Other categories require at least prior study in a New Zealand tertiary institution or else at the very least, they must have been a Permanent Resident or citizen here at the time of their application). Guess the only recourse for people like me is to either finish my first degree here and then apply via the actual Graduate entry or transfer my HSFY subject credits over to an Australian university that would accept my results for med/dent, hopefully with a scholarship tied in. But frankly speaking, I'm running out of time, especially with family financial issues to consider since my parents are getting on and we're not exactly that well-off, even though I may be international and "privately funded". (Not all international students are "loaded", just so you know, but having said that, I'm probably only in the minority haha).

 

[brin]

Hmm, so going by what you said, it really does seem a tad bit unfavourable towards international students who did previous tertiary study in an overseas university because either way, they will almost certainly not qualify for med/dent via ANY route at all whatsoever (especially since both the Graduate and Other categories require at least prior study in a New Zealand tertiary institution or else at the very least, they must have been a Permanent Resident or citizen here at the time of their application). Guess the only recourse for people like me is to either finish my first degree here and then apply via the actual Graduate entry or transfer my HSFY subject credits over to an Australian university that would accept my results for med/dent, hopefully with a scholarship tied in. But frankly speaking, I'm running out of time, especially with family financial issues to consider since my parents are getting on and we're not exactly that well-off, even though I may be international and "privately funded". (Not all international students are "loaded", just so you know, but having said that, I'm probably only in the minority haha).

It's hard for you to get into our med program? Aww.