Otago HSFY chat - archive

[greenglacier]

Interesting to see everyone's responses to UMAT.

I wasn't too fussed about it on the day, as I did it last year and got 96th percentile, so thanks to the new rules, I can just use that mark if this year turns out lower. I thought it was still an interesting experience.

Section 1 - went pretty well, but I think most of the questions seemed quite simplistic compared to last year. Some were pretty hard though.
Section 2 - caught me out last year, I had tried to approach it with this in mind when practicing, but it caught me out again this year. I think nearly everyone finds it harder than they were expecting.
Section 3 - I thought this was way easier than last year. Hopefully this means I get a decent score, and they don't scale the marks down hugely...

Still, have to stop thinking about it now, or the fact that results are 7 weeks away... The papers this semester are a little nasty in places... epi...

 

[Deleted member 4350]

Dude, you're guaranteed a place with a 96th percentile under your belt. And with those crazy first semester marks, I would be shocked if you didn't make it.

 

[pete7]

So are people ok with tuesdays? Ive only got 2 lectures so im sweet

 

[Deleted member 4350]

I'm good for Tuesdays, as long as its after 2pm

 

[lambchops]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of applying for some halls for 2010. A few friends who are/have been at Otago have recommended Carrington, St. Margaret's and Arana.

Just wondering if any of you have other suggestions before I file my application some time in the near future.

Cheers

 

[Deleted member 4350]

It really depends on the person. Some people like quiet, studious environments (st. margs, carrington), others like to get smashed every second day (hayward, studholme, unicol + some others), and some prefer to live in a small, "tightly knit college" far away from uni on a massive hill (Aquinas what!! )... What are you looking for in a hall?

Btw Arana is really competitive to get into. You need some decent credentials to be even considered

 

[pete7]

I would recomend selwyn as the best choice. Nothing beats waking up at 8.55 for a 9.00 lecture!
But then again i am biased
Hey koochkooch are you flatting next year or returning like skyglow did?

 

[lambchops]

It really depends on the person. Some people like quiet, studious environments (st. margs, carrington), others like to get smashed every second day (hayward, studholme, unicol + some others), and some prefer to live in a small, "tightly knit college" far away from uni on a massive hill (Aquinas what!! )... What are you looking for in a hall?

Btw Arana is really competitive to get into. You need some decent credentials to be even considered

Thanks for the reply I'm looking for a hall that's not too far away from the lecture theatres...preferably 5-10mins walk tops. Doesn't have to be studious cos I've pretty much worked my *** off the last 2 years to pull up my GPA for graduate entry. So a hall where I can have a good time + a bit of peace and quiet at certain times just so I dont fail.

I'm pretty easy-going so I'd like to think that most halls should be OK for me. Just nothing at the extremes - somewhere in the middle would be good.

Cheers

 

[Deleted member 4350]

St. Margs - no way.
Carrington - definitely consider this one - they are quite studious, but know how to have fun as well - i would say they're somewhere in between average and hardcore study-oriented...plus they serve the best food out of all the colleges (which is a BIG factor to think about)
Unicol - no way.
Cumberland - consider it
Salmond - not sure
Aquinas - too far away, very inconvenient (lol)
Hayward - no way.
Arana - too obsessed with sports and the like, so probably a bit too extreme
Selwyn - about 5seconds away from uni...stay here if being close to Uni is vitally important for you
Studholme - no way.
City College - consider this one - its very "in between"

 

[Arutha]

From koochkooch's thing:
St. Margs - no way. Agreed. It's full of desperate health scis s...tting themselves over trying to get into med+dent. You'd get sick of it very quickly I reckon because it is all about health scis.
Carrington - definitely consider this one - they are quite studious, but know how to have fun as well - i would say they're somewhere in between average and hardcore study-oriented...plus they serve the best food out of all the colleges (which is a BIG factor to think about)Again, full of health scis wanting to get into med but seems less anal. Is up a hill.
Unicol - no way. Actually, if you're looking to have a good time and don't mind lots and lots and lots of people then you might enjoy this one. But beware: they are party-orientated and with so many people it's bound to get noisy.
Cumberland - consider it Don't really have an opinion about this one lol. It would be the closest one to the med area (opposite the hospital) so it's only across the street from the main lecture theatre, whereas the other ones are situated in the main uni campus.
Salmond - not sure Very far away, half an hour walk at least. Up a hill too.
Aquinas - too far away, very inconvenient (lol) Same as above.
Hayward - no way. Close to the hospital too. Apparently the rooms are big.
Arana - too obsessed with sports and the like, so probably a bit too extreme They seem loud.
Selwyn - about 5seconds away from uni...stay here if being close to Uni is vitally important for you Disagree. You'd be looking at a 15 min walk to get to the main med area, which is near the hospital and not the main Otago campus.
Studholme - no way. Next to Arana. 15 min walk again. Don't know anything about it.
City College - consider this one - its very "in between" You might enjoy this one as it seems to be more independent, like you live in flat-like units. Is quite new. However, it's like a 25 min walk?

I'm not sure how easy it'll be for you to get into a hall, as first-years tend to get priority.

 

[Deleted member 4350]

From koochkooch's thing:
St. Margs - no way. Agreed. It's full of desperate health scis s...tting themselves over trying to get into med+dent. You'd get sick of it very quickly I reckon because it is all about health scis.
Carrington - definitely consider this one - they are quite studious, but know how to have fun as well - i would say they're somewhere in between average and hardcore study-oriented...plus they serve the best food out of all the colleges (which is a BIG factor to think about)Again, full of health scis wanting to get into med but seems less anal. Is up a hill.
Unicol - no way. Actually, if you're looking to have a good time and don't mind lots and lots and lots of people then you might enjoy this one. But beware: they are party-orientated and with so many people it's bound to get noisy.
Cumberland - consider it Don't really have an opinion about this one lol. It would be the closest one to the med area (opposite the hospital) so it's only across the street from the main lecture theatre, whereas the other ones are situated in the main uni campus.
Salmond - not sure Very far away, half an hour walk at least. Up a hill too.
Aquinas - too far away, very inconvenient (lol) Same as above.
Hayward - no way. Close to the hospital too. Apparently the rooms are big.
Arana - too obsessed with sports and the like, so probably a bit too extreme They seem loud.
Selwyn - about 5seconds away from uni...stay here if being close to Uni is vitally important for you Disagree. You'd be looking at a 15 min walk to get to the main med area, which is near the hospital and not the main Otago campus.
Studholme - no way. Next to Arana. 15 min walk again. Don't know anything about it.
City College - consider this one - its very "in between" You might enjoy this one as it seems to be more independent, like you live in flat-like units. Is quite new. However, it's like a 25 min walk?

I'm not sure how easy it'll be for you to get into a hall, as first-years tend to get priority.

Oh yeah I didn't realise he'd be having lectures next to hospital. Carrington, Hayward and Cumberland would all be convenient. Studholme apparently had a still-born baby thrown off a balcony...That pretty much did it for me...My final recommendations w/ reasons would be, in no particular order:

Carrington - good food and relatively close to Med school (probably 10min walk)
Cumberland - next to hayward (both really close to med school) but apparently they're really laid back and not party orientated or anything, unlike hayward...
City college - refer to Arutha's post

Oh yeah, forgot about Knox... I don't know a great deal about it, other than they're much more formal than the other halls. There's dress codes and such. I think docca.emb is residing there atm so he can tell you about it. But again, its really far away from med school and also up on a hill...

 

[pete7]

Hey arutha or skyglow:
Is it worth remembering some of the examples they give you in epi for different concepts (eg. ethics)?

 

[Arutha]

Hey arutha or skyglow:
Is it worth remembering some of the examples they give you in epi for different concepts (eg. ethics)?

Don't go learning numbers in those graphs, for example: 14.9% people died from injuries. Learn general trends; you'll be surprised at how many are already just common sense, such as low socioeconomic status=>poorer health or obesity=bad lol. You don't need to know specific examples that they show you in lectures like the blah blah study on teenagers and alcohol, since the questions were based on knowing concepts.

Is that what you're meaning?

 

[pete7]

Yeah it is. They often use cardiovascular disease as an example, would I want to know the risk factors?
Also when they talk about prevalence between eg. Maori and non maori in NZ would i want to remember Maori>Pacific island>Caucasian (for obesity)?

 

[Arutha]

Yeah it is. They often use cardiovascular disease as an example, would I want to know the risk factors?
Also when they talk about prevalence between eg. Maori and non maori in NZ would i want to remember Maori>Pacific island>Caucasian (for obesity)?

Sure, it'd be helpful to know some. Smoking, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, high blood sugar... wow, these all seem pretty common sense ^_^.

Yep, definitely keep in mind that Maori and Pacific Islanders have poorer everything (generally) than Caucasians, and that they're disproportionately high in the lowest socioeconomic/poverty status thing.

 

[pete7]

Sweet cheers! Lots of rememering useless numbers can now be cut from the plan

 

[lambchops]

Cheers for the opinions Arutha + koochkooch.

I think Carrington will be my first choice for now. Probably decide on #2 and #3 after I finish writing my application letter.

I do hope to get into one of the halls just because of the fact that it'd be my first year down there if I do get accepted into med for 2010.

If that doesn't work out I guess I could try sort out something with a few mates who are flatting at the moment.

P.S. Might see you in class next year koochkooch ^_^

 

[Deleted member 4350]

Cheers for the opinions Arutha + koochkooch.

I think Carrington will be my first choice for now. Probably decide on #2 and #3 after I finish writing my application letter.

I do hope to get into one of the halls just because of the fact that it'd be my first year down there if I do get accepted into med for 2010.

If that doesn't work out I guess I could try sort out something with a few mates who are flatting at the moment.

P.S. Might see you in class next year koochkooch ^_^

Fingers crossed!

Urrggh, I've had it with this Epi crap... words can't describe how painfully boring these lectures are. Heal192 should be dumped. (n)

 

[skyglow1]

Sure, it'd be helpful to know some. Smoking, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, high blood sugar... wow, these all seem pretty common sense ^_^.

Yep, definitely keep in mind that Maori and Pacific Islanders have poorer everything (generally) than Caucasians, and that they're disproportionately high in the lowest socioeconomic/poverty status thing.

And remember they are affected more adversely than Caucasians are by increasing deprivation too. Mortality and morbidity climb faster for Maori and Pacific Islanders with increasing deprivation than Caucasians.

 

[pete7]

Booked L106 at sci lib from 2-4pm on wednesday.
Didnt know what time would work so just booked this so we at least have something.
Does this work for you koochkooch and skyglow?