Hey guys, I want to know the difference between these two courses since my primary aim is to apply for GAMSAT after the 3 year courses.
So far, I have realised that MSci will help more towards the GAMSAT science type questions. How disadvantaged is ASci in terms of science needed for GAMSAT? Also, I've heard that for ASci, you have more freedom with your electives meaning you can pick which topics you want to study. And since the primary aim for Postgraduate medicine is needing a high GPA irrelevant of course, it can be beneficial for me.
Another question, is ASci focused more on physics/maths? If so, how much?
Overall, is there a difference? Is the science learned in ASci that irrelevant for the science needed in GAMSAT as compared to MSci?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Last edited by Helpoz; 24 Sep 2012 at 10:25 PM.
You can tailor the Advanced Science course to whatever discipline you want to pursue. The only difference between the two streams is the fact that you've got several set electives for Medical Science, whereas Adv. requires you to maintain a distinction average while taking two six credit point advanced subjects per semester (from second year and onward).Originally Posted by Helpoz
Also, I think the Medical Science electives are lame. Adv. science also sounds nicer. I mean, advanced.
Last edited by Obvious; 24 Sep 2012 at 10:42 PM.
So if I were to prepare for GAMSAT, would the content in the ASci vs MSci course be any different. Also, in your opinion, which course do you think is easier?
The content in MedSci electives is focused on biological/medical related issues, obviously, whereas Advanced Science allows you to choose from any of these topics and many others.
GAMSAT-wise, I'd say that Advanced Science would be much better. The content may be harder (depending on what electives you choose), but if you don't face challenges you won't develop intellectually.
I'm pretty sure the average for second year med science subjects at USyd is 53%
So they aren't easy.
The average for our last MATH1003 quiz was around 50%.
What I meant to say was that by specializing in only one discipline you're neglecting skills that may help you down the road.
lol, wot?!
The average for 1903 was also 50% (but it was fucking hard).
Yeah, but you can do electives on other stuff.
Also, in first year you have to do Chem, bio, molecular bio/biochemistry, Maths, and physics/psych which is a broad range of science subjects which would help you more in GAMSAT than if you just did physics/Maths/chem and majored in physics and Maths.
Because GAMSAT is about your scientific thinking skills and also your knowledge of first year Chem, bio, biochem, physics, and stuff.
hey riproot, what would you recommend?
gamsat only tests 1st year chem/bio and high school physics so both will adequately prepare you
ASci defs has more freedom, i mean if you're awesome at human biology stuff then by all means go for MSci
with ASci you can pick what you want to major in (from pharmacology to tree hugging!) so you get to pick whatever you're good at
MSci is better for picking up dumb girls because they think you're going to a doctor
i woke up with no drugs but within 10 minutes i was high and toked up
Lolz
I dunno
I'm doing med science but might be swapping into advanced science but if I did I'd do molecular bio, biochemistry, immunology, or Maths as my majors.
but you don't have to do first year Chem/bio in Advanced Science and I have been told that the physics is closer to uni physics than HSC.
Also, the rest of this post is scarily correct. Lol
Edit: whoops wrote GAMSAT instead of advanced science.
Last edited by Riproot; 25 Sep 2012 at 12:11 PM.
Cool, thanks guys. Awesome information
Also, would it really matter which uni I chose it at? Because in the end, they would just check my GPA, right? Of course, I'd probably learn more at UNSW compared to UWS, but apart from that, is there really any other reason to pick a uni like UNSW? Would I be at a disadvantage by picking UWS?
nah, uni doesn't matter unless you wanna go to UQ postgrad in which case they count Go8 unis better and your GPA must be higher if you go elsewhere.Cool, thanks guys. Awesome information
Also, would it really matter which uni I chose it at? Because in the end, they would just check my GPA, right? Of course, I'd probably learn more at UNSW compared to UWS, but apart from that, is there really any other reason to pick a uni like UNSW? Would I be at a disadvantage by picking UWS?
You will probably find it easier to get higher marks at UWS do you may as well go there and just do the relevant units of study.
Ok, awesome, thanks for help
Also, Riproot, I'm assuming you're transferring / applying postgraduate medicine? Can you tell me roughly what percentile you would need to be offered med by a university? And, what's the competition like? As in, number of spots vs number of candidates.
Thanks again!
What if you don't want to transfer into medicine and you just want to stick with medical science, would medical science be a good degree to get you into work with like a pathology company or a hospital laboratory or something like that?
I'm actually attempting to get into undergrad this year/next year more likely. GAMSAT scares me.
Well, it all depends what uni and what your GPA is. Just look at their med websites. I think you need a Credit average for USyd plus a 67(?) in GAMSAT (not percentile, like overall score).
The competition is pretty fucking brutal considering like only people in the 80s and 90s percentile-wise get in. Meaning that 80-90% of people miss out.
If you really want to do well in GAMSAT, do a philosophy major or a couple critical thinking courses.
The GAMSAT tests 1st yr university level biology and chemistry + yr 12 physics. The rest are English and written communication that draws on the skills taught in social science/humanity courses.
My friend got into USyd's Doctor of Dental Medicine with a BA (Adv.) (Hons.) degree, majoring in philosophy and doing 1st yr science courses in biology, chemistry and physics. It doesn't matter what degree you do as long as you cover the content in the physical sciences and understand how to construct, analyse, decipher and take apart arguments, something which a critical thinking course/philosophy will help you with. Do what you enjoy and get the highest WAM/GPA possible and along the way ensure you learn what's needed for the GAMSAT, and you'll be fine.
B.A. , LL.B. (Syd) '16
I agree with this.
Some people do BSc(Adv)/BA before med just for this reason and apparently a large number of med kids have come from BAs or BA(Adv)(Hons) and stuff like that.
Hm I see. You mean undergraduate as in transferring with a high UMAT? Yeah and I'm aware of the competition - it's sort of the same as UMAT.
Hey, for the B Arts (Hons) degree, it's a broad degree right? Can you choose to focus on science courses in this degree? Also, what's the difficulty like? I was hoping to study the English content in my own time or maybe get a tutor for it. Thanks for answering.
Any idea of what the course structure is like?
Yeppers. I got a higher UMAT this year so I'm hoping to change into med. (But it isn't transferring because transferring implies you can get credit for units of study you've previously done, which you can't with med)
Yeah, the competition is fierce for both, but I find the GAMSAT a scarier test, especially considering I didn't do much for UMAT and I'd have to study for GAMSAT.
Yes.Hey, for the B Arts (Hons) degree, it's a broad degree right? Can you choose to focus on science courses in this degree? Also, what's the difficulty like? I was hoping to study the English content in my own time or maybe get a tutor for it. Thanks for answering.
At USyd, yes. You can major in an arts major and then for your second major you can do chemistry, biology, and other fun stuff. But also you can take electives in almost any faculty ever.
I don't think it's super difficult from what I've heard.
Nope.Any idea of what the course structure is like?
Just go to the uni website.
Hm, I'm not so sure now. Say you were unfortunate, and did not make the UMAT requirement, then what would you do? Would you consider GAMSAT?
I'm pretty sure the people who do Arts, are actually good at english. I wouldn't mind the degree but I'd be there to learn the basics since I'm not that great at it so I think it would be harder for me to do well in. However, the first 2 sections of GAMSAT ARE based on english so...
well, I only made the UMAT requirement of one place (and that might change), but I'd just try UMAT again. :/
Yeah, probs.
Totes.
Pretty much the major difference between adv science and med science, is that in med science you have to major in something bio/med related. All the major available in med science are available to adv science students, plus they also have the option of doing other majors i.e. chemistry, psychology, physics, ecology, etc. So yes, advanced science has a lot more freedom in that regard.
No adv science isn't focused on physics or math at all if you choose to not do it. I'm doing neuroscience and I haven't taken any physics and the only maths I've done is statistics (which at UNSW you have to in med science anyway). As far as I understand, the GAMSAT won't actually test you on medical science per se, but rather chemistry, biology and physics. You can do all of these subjects in your first year regardless of course (and at UNSW there is heaps of overlap between med science and human biology majors in adv science).
Also, as someone else mentioned, you don't need to do adv science or med science for postgrad med. Ideally it does prepare you more content wise, but if you have the basics down for GAMSAT, you could do arts and get a great wam instead of doing science and possibly getting a lower one, but you should pick based on what you're good at and passionate about.
Bachelor of Science (Advanced) at UNSW
Arts subjects at Uni are nothing like English at highschool. Exposure to essay writing and critical thinking will only develop your English skills. It's not that hard either...so if you're looking for a GPA booster and great prep for the GAMSAT, it might be worth the shot.
With a BA from USyd you can do anything, so you'd have to major in one social science/humanities field (say philosophy), and then you can do units from the science department, so 1st year biology, physics and chemistry units.
Philosophy does help with critically analysing arguments and developing arguments, a critical skill required for the GAMSAT (especially the critical thinking and logic units), but are you interested in it?
If I were you I'd do a Bachelor of Arts and do courses in physics, chemistry and biology (junior units should be sufficient for the GAMSAT), alongside social science/humanity courses like Writing & Rhetoric + Philosophy (Logic, Critical thinking, etc.)
B.A. , LL.B. (Syd) '16
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