Combined Science Medicine Course (1 Viewer)

[nit]

Hmm why are med and its associated fields always called "the dark side". A friend of mine graduating from UNSW med at the end of this year also calls it that

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

its evil
pure adulterated evil...

ppl lie , die, makes u study indefinately, consumes ure life, makes u the biggest power nerd, and also the biggest hypochondriac.. etc

a number of things.. lolz but yer the star wars concept always seemed relevant..

 

[Lexicographer]

...get rid of some mildly autistic people...

Say anything like that before you get your offer of a place and you're screwed.

I breezed the UMAT twice, more so second time around than first, but I don't like mentioning it because it's a hollow "victory"...it's like trumping an argument with a campus socialist - you may have gained a point, but it was still a stupid battle.

An american resident whose blog I read once commented on undergraduate medical schools. As many here know, in the US all medicine, law, pharmacy etc courses are graduate courses, requiring candidates to have completed a prior degree (often referred to as "pre-med" or "pre-law"). However, in her second year as a med student she met a 19 year old European at the same level of study.

Her view was that a typical high school student of 17 years can't possibly know, for sure, that they want to be a doctor above anything else, let alone their own suitability for the profession. This is easily shown by the number of UMAT candidates compared to the number of GAMSAT candidates. Also, how many people do you know who sat the UMAT "just in case" they feel like doing med? Or to "see if they'd make a good doctor"? The Fortian Dux of 2003 is one of many who did this. He wasn't interested in Medicine at all, but gladly took someone else's UNSW interview slot. Very few graduate candidates apply simply to "see how they'd go".

I'm not sure to what extend I agree with her, but I certainly do to a point. Even in myself I can see such development in my own understanding of a mere one year as a tertiary student. There's more to life than Medicine and Law (even for selective school students! ) and it really is tough to choose the agonising trial of Medicine over so many cheaper, shorter, more relaxed and MUCH more financially rewarding paths (just look at my course now).

I've preached enough tonight. If anyone bothered reading to this point, thank you. I hope I've given you something to think about, or reminded you of something you've already pondered.

 

[lukebennett]

yeah it is something to think about. I have really wanted to do medicine and i am aware that there is alot out there, but at this stage i really want to do medicine. i know this because it is something that has got me off my arse and made me do some work. My dad is a doctor and he has always told me to never be a doctor ( i can see why when he sees up to 50 elderly patients a day). I think that it is something i can find a lot of satisfaction and fulfillment in. in doing the med sci cousre ill get to look at some other options too. i just cant (at this stage) see my self in any other career even though i have thought about others. we'll soon see though.
i dont want to do med for the money. i could never do law even for what you can earn-it would bore me shitless. the specialties im intersested in like sportsmed arent all extremely high paying but i really would find this profession something i could do for a large part of my life. i have also learnt a lesson from my dad-dont feel pressure to do a certain profession. im want to do this cause i want to. he did it because he wanted to help people(you can do this in almost every profession to some extent) but his dad was a doctor also and is extremely performance oriented.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

*shrug* my dad is an artist.. his dad a banker..
i had more pressure to do commerce

i guess med is an honourable profession to make an actual difference... not just the 30c a day to some country.. now u can actualli go ..
it encompasses so many sciences and clinical reasoning is an art form..
the interest will keep u goin.. just make sure its ALWAYS there.. otherwise u will fall hard,.

 

[emeka]

In combined med science, you can only do adv sci TSP. I don't think med sci is an option. Also, you still need to do the Gamsat after 3 years, but require slightly less marks than those doing med the normal undergrad/grad way (50-60% or thereabouts I think). Tasks such as those tested in Gamsat will be done in the first year (no credit points though), and you'll have interview-like stuff over the three years of the science course in addition.

They have a look at your academic achievements as well as UAI. You've got to fulfil TSP criteria, and a few more as well, to stand a chance. There are roughly 15-20 interviews for the intake of up to 10.

They're looking for people who really, really want to go to Sydney Uni, as well as those who have a strong interest in science, with a view to carrying out research as well as practise.

@Emeka: Yeh, it doesn't matter where you place the course in terms of preferences.

yep ta nit matey.
yeh TSP crtieria looks allright though. jst a band6 in a science yeh? and that includes maths. but the UAIs gonna be heaps high. sydney uni shoulda at least made the course intake at least 100 hehe.