Quick Questions Thread #2: 2018-2019

[entirety]

Also, adding to the La Trobe/UoM thing, one of the admissions criteria seems to be this: "Compulsory: To be eligible applicants must have resided (according to principal home address) for at least 5 years consecutively, or 10 years cumulatively, in areas classified by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification-Remoteness Area (ASGC-RA) as RA2 to RA5 since birth and preferably have completed Years 11 and 12 at a school in an area classified as RA2 to RA5."

So only rural students are eligible? I was wondering where A1 got the info about there being 20 places for rural and 20 for non-rural?

 

[A1]

So only rural students are eligible? I was wondering where A1 got the info about there being 20 places for rural and 20 for non-rural?

I didn't say that haha.

The UoM link says
"The University of Melbourne has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to allocate up to 40 medical training positions for rural and regional Victorians, allowing for an innovative partnership with La Trobe University.... Half of these places will be made available for La Trobe University students enrolling in the Bachelor of Bioscience (Medical) in Bendigo and Albury/Wodonga who meet the rigorous entry criteria."

I was speculating about the other half. These other 20 places could be for LaTrobe biomed students without a guarantee (if such exist) to fight for, or they could be for rural but non-LaTrobe students.

 

[entirety]

I didn't say that haha.

The UoM link says
"The University of Melbourne has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to allocate up to 40 medical training positions for rural and regional Victorians, allowing for an innovative partnership with La Trobe University.... Half of these places will be made available for La Trobe University students enrolling in the Bachelor of Bioscience (Medical) in Bendigo and Albury/Wodonga who meet the rigorous entry criteria."

I was speculating about the other half. These other 20 places could be for LaTrobe biomed students without a guarantee (if such exist) to fight for, or they could be for rural but non-LaTrobe students.

Oh sorry haha I read your post as non-rural not non-La Trobe. So basically non-rural (me) students are not eligible for this program

 

[Saintz11]

Thanks for the link, looks like yes there will be guaranteed MD entry for LaTrobe Biomed students (full or partial cohort we don't know). I had a quick read of the Admission Criteria: rural RA2-5 + ATAR 85 raw + Personal statement + MMI interview. Place offers are based on 50% SES-adjusted ATAR, 50% MMI & assessment of rural connectedness from Personal statement.

The UoM link says there are only 20 MD places as such. Difficult to see how LaTrobe can run a Biomed degree course for just 20 students (split between Bendigo and Albury/Wodonga too!). I wonder if they will run it with a mix of some with a guarantee and the majority without, like at UQ UTas UWA.

FAQs for future students, La Trobe University

"Some students enrolling in the La Trobe course will be selected for a guaranteed pathway into a postgraduate Doctor of Medicine (Rural) MD program at Shepparton, taught by the University of Melbourne to start in 2022."

 

[entirety]

FAQs for future students, La Trobe University

"Some students enrolling in the La Trobe course will be selected for a guaranteed pathway into a postgraduate Doctor of Medicine (Rural) MD program at Shepparton, taught by the University of Melbourne to start in 2022."

"Some"

 

[Saintz11]

"Some"

Yep, meaning it can be ALL ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[entirety]

Yep, meaning it can be ALL ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Unless you're rural I wouldn't get too excited

 

[Saintz11]

Unless you're rural I wouldn't get too excited

Yea, I'm rural. RA3

 

[entirety]

Yea, I'm rural. RA3

Been living in Melbourne my whole life. Do I even have a chance?

 

[Saintz11]

Been living in Melbourne my whole life. Do I even have a chance?

Yes... You have tons of access to tons of services, services that aren't present in the middle of nowhere (where I live) Lol

 

[Saintz11]

UNSW will have some changes too. Previous years they interviewed NSW students in November based on Umat and predicted Atar. I have seen two indications this year they won't do the same - interview invites will be based on actual Atar so will only be issued after Atar results are released on 14-Dec. With the usual one week's notice interview dates will be somewhere from 20-Dec to 08-Jan. (Minus the Christmas New Year period in between my money is on 2nd to 6th January).

Rural Student Entry Scheme | Rural Clinical School

"October and November 2018 - Interviews for rural applicants who have met the minimum UMAT raw score* will be held at the Albury-Wodonga, Coffs Harbour, Griffith, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga and Sydney (Kensington) campuses. You will be invited for an interview by email and you should book the date of your interview immediately at the campus location closest to your home address. Interview times will be confirmed via email and the University reserves the right to change the date/time/location selected."

*Raw Score of 150

 

[entirety]

Yes... You have tons of access to tons of services, services that aren't present in the middle of nowhere (where I live) Lol

Touche.

 

[A1]

Rural Student Entry Scheme | Rural Clinical School
"October and November 2018 - Interviews for rural applicants who have met the minimum UMAT raw score* will be held at the Albury-Wodonga, Coffs Harbour, Griffith, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga and Sydney (Kensington) campuses.

Otoh > Local applicants | Medicine

Selection for Interview
Applicants are offered an interview on the basis of the combination of their actual ATAR and actual UMAT score (total raw score).

14 December 2018 : ATAR results released on UAC website
14 December 2018 : UNSW Medicine selects NSW/ACT applicants for interview and interview invitations are e-mailed to applicants

17 - 21 December 2018 : Interviews (NSW/ACT applicants) based on actual results
11 January 2019 : January Round 1 offers released via UAC

Note UNSW will be emailing interview invites same day ATARs are released and give you just a weekend's notice. Fun times.

 

[Perplex]

Thanks for the link, looks like yes there will be guaranteed MD entry for LaTrobe Biomed students (full or partial cohort we don't know). I had a quick read of the Admission Criteria: rural RA2-5 + ATAR 85 raw + Personal statement + MMI interview. Place offers are based on 50% SES-adjusted ATAR, 50% MMI & assessment of rural connectedness from Personal statement.

The UoM link says there are only 20 MD places as such. Difficult to see how LaTrobe can run a Biomed degree course for just 20 students (split between Bendigo and Albury/Wodonga too!). I wonder if they will run it with a mix of some with a guarantee and the majority without, like at UQ UTas UWA.

I believe this was announced some time ago actually. Worth looking into the specifics but this is not creating more positions from my knowledge. The change will just be shifting some rural positions to La Trobe kids (from the Melbourne MD). Also I think how they teach students with rural placements might change a bit, with there being a new dedicated rural stream with services, teaching and the like available to those students. All in all seems like a great change.

 

[sarangiya]

In regards to the 20 places things, I have contacted La Trobe myself as well as having my careers counsellor get onto them.
What we both found is that the Biomed course itself will potentially only have 20 or so places. I also don't know how practically that could work, but it does suggest the majority of the cohort is eligible for those spots should they meet the criteria.
If so, it will be definitely be keeping its place in my VTAC preferences.

 

[A1]

Note UNSW will be emailing interview invites same day ATARs are released and give you just a weekend's notice.

I think UNSW doing this is not only to not muck around with predicted ATARs but also to discourage getting interview coaching. Not many will be keen to spend $1000 on coaching before knowing they get an interview. By the time they know it's only a weekend to the interview dates.

(EtA: The professional coaches will be super busy that weekend haha)

 

[A_O_2]

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread to post this in, but I realised I missed the deadline for predicted ATARS. So my school won't be sending out a predicted ATAR to any interstate universities. What does this mean? Am I disadvantaged in anyway, or do I just have to wait for second round offers?

 

[Saintz11]

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread to post this in, but I realised I missed the deadline for predicted ATARS. So my school won't be sending out a predicted ATAR to any interstate universities. What does this mean? Am I disadvantaged in anyway, or do I just have to wait for second round offers?

No, you are not disadvantaged.

 

[DrDrLMG!]

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread to post this in, but I realised I missed the deadline for predicted ATARS. So my school won't be sending out a predicted ATAR to any interstate universities. What does this mean? Am I disadvantaged in anyway, or do I just have to wait for second round offers?

Some unis use predicted ATAR for first round interview invites, but definitely not all of them. I believe JMP and WSU don’t, and UNSW won’t be from this year onwards? A1 is likely to have a better idea.

ETA: and regardless, if you’re eligible you’ll get an interview at some stage best of luck.

 

[Firedasher]

I think UNSW doing this is not only to not muck around with predicted ATARs but also to discourage getting interview coaching. Not many will be keen to spend $1000 on coaching before knowing they get an interview. By the time they know it's only a weekend to the interview dates.

(EtA: The professional coaches will be super busy that weekend haha)

I almost think this will mean that interview prep companies and tutors will get MORE business in advance - since there is more uncertainty in respect to whether or not someone will get an interview, students might feel more pressured to pay for prep in the chance that they get a UNSW interview. Interesting how it might play out