Interview - Leadership, Role Model Experience (2 Viewers)

[Lordsion]

I was wondering, i am not very high on things such as SRC, Leadership, extra currc activities etc ......

Like a have done a few special things:

• Worked at vert clinic (work exp) for 2 full weeks --- got "best ever student - high prospects for medical job" report
• Voluntered in my own time at vet clinic for about 2 weeks all up extra over year.
• School certificate in the low to mid to high 90's (highest mark 98! )
• medical related family - my mum is a registered nurse
• very thoughtful person and good with understanding people
• I have done after school study lessons
• And voluntered at nursing home once
• Dedicated to doing well
• Rural student

• I dont play sport out of school
• I am not on the SRC or School Leader etc ...

~~~

• UAI most likely around 90 (so i will apply to adelaide Uni, armidale etc)

Thats about all i have done really that i think might help in an interview


Is this enough to impress the 'judges' ?

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

lol not realli some guys are like school captains and like were orderlies for lik 1 yr before interviews.. and national champions in their sports...

just have a go.. and make sure ure marks are good

 

[doink]

If they asked you those types of questions in the interview it might matter, you might want to work on your critical thinking and interaction skills though because some unis have a field day on the interviewees.

 

[bubbly89]

Okay... I know I went over the top with my co-curriculars, but I don't think that's good enough.

You have to realise that med is pretty much one of that top courses to get into in terms of prestige. So it attracts A LOT of overachieving- "makes you want to beat them up they're so perfect" sort of people. I mean sometimes I'm hanging out with these people after a lecture and they'll let it slip that they represented Australia in Science... so you're like "cool.. yeah WHAT?". Except you get used to it, because its med.

I just want to impress on you that your competition is really stiff, and don't ever underestimate it, because if you do, you'll find out the guy sitting next to you is a published author who saves babies in Africa in his spare time.

 

[partelephant]

From my personal point of view, what you do outside of school makes or breaks your interview. If you've made it to the interview stage, they know you're smart - they don't want to hear more about your school results. It's a bit of a killer that you're neither really involved in any leadership activities nor any team situations (or so your post would seem to suggest). If you were strong in one but weak in the other it could possibly make up for it.

All I can suggest is that you try to squeeze water out of rocks. Think about everything you have EVER done in your life. Maybe you USED to play sport out of school when you were like 7 or something. Try to twist things so they draw out positive personal qualities that the interviewers are looking for. But I'm not suggesting to lie. I don't condone lying in an interview in any way, shape or form.

@ bubbly89: lol yes it is pretty freaky how people in our year represented Aus for stuff e.g. the Kat. Makes me feel crap for how relatively little I've achieved in my life =P

 

[~Fire Jade~]

• I dont play sport out of school
• I am not on the SRC or School Leader etc ...

Wow...that's sorta like me. If you don't have enough leadership qualities does that mean it's harder to get into med? I mean, I've done work experience and some charity stuff (not a lot...).... Oh crap, maybe I should do some more extra curricular activity then... Yr 12 Half Yearlies are over for meeeeee..... (I'm really happy!) then again, I'll just burst into ashes when I realise I haven't studied enough when I get my marks and ranks-> see? :burn:

Holidays are coming! I need to get out and do something...

 

[~Fire Jade~]

Also, bubbly89...are you going to University of New South Wales for med? Is the uni really good? What's uni like?

 

[partelephant]

To start doing extra-curricular activities now is a bit late...and by a bit I mean VERY FREAKING... you won't be doing it long enough to gain anything from it other than to say that you did it.... and if they ask you anything about it in the interview, chances are you won't have experienced enough to answer that question...

 

[bubbly89]

partelephant: yeah I know, I was talking to this guy at college (he doesn't do med...) and he said he had one goal in year 12 and that was to beat his sister, he said he failed cos he only got 99.7, I was like "what did your sister get", he's like "100" ... lol...

Also, bubbly89...are you going to University of New South Wales for med? Is the uni really good? What's uni like?

yep I'm at UNSW, so far I love the course and the university, and... I LOVE LOVE LOVE living oncampus in college seriously guys if you can DO so much fun.

I enjoy the university as well. UNSW is a chilled out university but its still worldclass. So it doesn't go "we're the best and no one can compare" like USyd and UMelb do. I just like the vibe it has here. I also love what we're learning at the moment, so that that helps. Also the amount of stress and crap that you have with year 12, is just not there. Its still hard, and you still have to work, but its better.

The course is also really flexible, say I'm fiddling with the idea of doing arts/med, and the thing is, I have that opportunity to do that if I want to. Also due to its length it spreads out the fun years of university just that bit more, making things more relaxed.

Personally weighing up what I've heard (personal opinion) I definitely think its the best place to study medicine; great location, great city, strong university with funding, big cohort, etc.

 

[kloudsurfer]

Dont worry too much about your extra curriculars. Sure, they are important, but you dont need ot go filling your week with a bunch of sporting/social/cultural activities just to get in.

All the interviewers are looking for is that you have a life outside of school and dont just study all the time, and that you are a thoughtful and intelligent (not just book smart) person. It is a lot easier to prove that you are concioencious youve been to Africa to work in with AIDS orphans, or that you have leadership skills when you were on the SRC, but its not essential.

For example, my 'leadership' examples came from stuff like taking charge of situations at work, etc, rather than being school captian. Things like real life experience are really valued.

In terms of extra curricular activities, I never did anything more than work and play netball (and i gave up netball in yr 12 anyway) and i got in. So it is possible to do well at interviews and get into med without having ridiculous amounts of extra curricular activities.

Oh and dont mention academic achievments, things like school cert marks are completely irrelevant. All of the applicants are good academically, or they wouldnt have gotten interviews

 

[michael1990]

Its not all about credentials.

Employers know due to your age you may not have very much experience and such.

But you can put things like any competitions you may have entered, awards you may have recieved from school.
Just remember it mostly comes down to how well you interview. Your social skills, problem solving skills etc.

 

[~Fire Jade~]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE living oncampus in college seriously guys if you can DO so much fun.

Isn't living on campus really really expensive though? (I'm thinkning of moving out of home):rofl:

 

[kloudsurfer]

Isn't living on campus really really expensive though? (I'm thinkning of moving out of home):rofl:

Sure is.

Thats why im taking a gap yr so that I can work to qualify for youth allowance so I can afford to move out of home. Lots of people do it, especially if your from the country.

 

[Wooz]

Sure is.

Thats why im taking a gap yr so that I can work to qualify for youth allowance so I can afford to move out of home. Lots of people do it, especially if your from the country.

Live at home u live close enough!!! I'll be driving to c/town 1.2hrs each way, everyday!

 

[michael1990]

Live at home u live close enough!!! I'll be driving to c/town 1.2hrs each way, everyday!

You live in C'town?

 

[Wooz]

You live in C'town?

I was referring to Kloudsurfer since she wants to live on campus despite living <15mins away, hence the quote box and why I said I had to spend 1.2 hrs travelling!

 

[black_kat_meow]

Its not all about credentials.

Employers know due to your age you may not have very much experience and such.

But you can put things like any competitions you may have entered, awards you may have recieved from school.
Just remember it mostly comes down to how well you interview. Your social skills, problem solving skills etc.

Dude, you realise this is for Med interviews, right?

 

[bubbly89]

Isn't living on campus really really expensive though? (I'm thinkning of moving out of home):rofl:

yeah it is a bit, so a lot of us cover our fees with the help of youth allowance, scholarships, bursaries and the like... and of course working like crazy over the breaks.

Despite the cost I think its worth it, you get so much support in a college but you don't have your parents hanging over your shoulder either.

 

[kloudsurfer]

Live at home u live close enough!!! I'll be driving to c/town 1.2hrs each way, everyday!

Or, I could move out lol. I have my reasons...

(anyway, i wasnt just taking a gap yr so i could move out, its just a bonus)

 

[~Fire Jade~]

yeah it is a bit, so a lot of us cover our fees with the help of youth allowance, scholarships, bursaries and the like... and of course working like crazy over the breaks.

Despite the cost I think its worth it, you get so much support in a college but you don't have your parents hanging over your shoulder either.

Hehehehehe.... I'm going to be working my arse off in the summer holidays and I'm gonna go to uni and drag a couple of friends to move out of home with me...=)

The lure of freedom.....(and maybe later the nostalagia of home and mum's food) :rofl: