Taking a gap year for Medicine? (1 Viewer)

[enigma_1]

I've heard that some people take gap years for Medicine. Like they do hsc and the next year they do umat again, hopefully to increase their scores. Is this a good idea?

Also, what is the probability of getting into Medicine by undertaking this pathway?

Has anyone done this, and if so can you please share your experiences. Thanks guys

 

[enigma_1]

Also, what happens if you happen to do poorly in umat in the gap year? Can you still apply for Medical Science?

 

[Queenroot]

My friend did this, but it didn't work out for her. And then she applied to med science. Of course you can apply to med science.

But do this only if you have a competitive ATAR, 98+

 

[enigma_1]

My friend did this, but it didn't work out for her. And then she applied to med science. Of course you can apply to med science.

But do this only if you have a competitive ATAR, 98+

Ok thanks. What UMAT percentile would be needed roughly to even stand a chance?

 

[Queenroot]

Ok thanks. What UMAT would be needed roughly to even stand a chance?

Above 90th percentile

 

[such_such]

Tbh would not recommend

 

[Medman]

Would recommend if you're thinking of travelling and don't want to go university.

 

[pheelx3]

why wouldn't people recommend
What about, for example, if I had a 99.7 atar
Would it be worth taking a gap year if I didn't get my interview?

 

[Queenroot]

why wouldn't people recommend
What about, for example, if I had a 99.7 atar
Would it be worth taking a gap year if I didn't get my interview?

I'd recommend definitely with an ATAR like that

 

[pheelx3]

I'd recommend definitely with an ATAR like that

so what would be the minimum atar that I would take a "gap" year
does your atar become entirely useless if you start a uni course?
Becuase wasting an entire year does feel damn shitty.

 

[Queenroot]

so what would be the minimum atar that I would take a "gap" year
does your atar become entirely useless if you start a uni course?
Becuase wasting an entire year does feel damn shitty.

Does become useless unless you apply to Med @ UNSW where they take both your course average in uni and ATAR into account.

 

[Medman]

so what would be the minimum atar that I would take a "gap" year
does your atar become entirely useless if you start a uni course?
Becuase wasting an entire year does feel damn shitty.

How is it wasting a year if you do something else and then get into med. You need to start from scratch anyway. If you think it's wasting a year don't do medicine because you'll be stuck there for 40+ years.

 

[Queenroot]

How is it wasting a year if you do something else and then get into med. You need to start from scratch anyway. If you think it's wasting a year don't do medicine because you'll be stuck there for 40+ years.

On a different note, are there any particular specialties or sub-specialties that are in demand?

 

[Medman]

On a different note, are there any particular specialties or sub-specialties that are in demand?

Rural GPs and Psychiatry maybe Geriatrics. Every other specialty is saturated. More med students and more over seas doctors but no increase in training places. To be honest, there are so many overseas doctors now in hospitals taking possible training positions from local trained doctors that it is starting to be a pain. Reminds me of the Pauline Hanson days but unless it affects your future you don't seem to worry about it. They get paid the same as locally trained doctors so don't understand why we are recruiting more and more foreign doctors as usually they sign on the 10 year rural contract but come back to the city after this period of time.

 

[Queenroot]

Rural GPs and Psychiatry maybe Geriatrics. Every other specialty is saturated. More med students and more over seas doctors but no increase in training places. To be honest, there are so many overseas doctors now in hospitals taking possible training positions from local trained doctors that it is starting to be a pain. Reminds me of the Pauline Hanson days but unless it affects your future you don't seem to worry about it. They get paid the same as locally trained doctors so don't understand why we are recruiting more and more foreign doctors as usually they sign on the 10 year rural contract but come back to the city after this period of time.

I'd be okay with this (but what I really want to do is Emergency Medicine).

And ugh, that's so annoying. Why can't they just stay in their own country (no offense) and how are they even qualified enough to work here? Don't they have to go through some sort of special training or some sort of aptitude test?

Honestly, some of the GP's I've visited from foreign countries are atrocious, they can't even spell or properly structure a grammatically correct sentence.

 

[cub3root]

I'd be okay with this (but what I really want to do is Emergency Medicine).

And ugh, that's so annoying. Why can't they just stay in their own country (no offense) and how are they even qualified enough to work here? Don't they have to go through some sort of special training or some sort of aptitude test?

Honestly, some of the GP's I've visited from foreign countries are atrocious, they can't even spell or properly structure a grammatically correct sentence.

asian

 

[Medman]

I'd be okay with this (but what I really want to do is Emergency Medicine).

And ugh, that's so annoying. Why can't they just stay in their own country (no offense) and how are they even qualified enough to work here? Don't they have to go through some sort of special training or some sort of aptitude test?

Honestly, some of the GP's I've visited from foreign countries are atrocious, they can't even spell or properly structure a grammatically correct sentence.

Australia pays better and has a better lifestyle. They probably can't find a job in their own country so coming to Australia as we have a "shortage" of doctors . However shortage of doctors is only for rural areas as we are saturated in the cities. They undergo a training course in Australia and take up positions in hospitals to be trained competently in our system. If they want to specialise they become a registrar and do the same things.

Also ED isn't too bad at the moment but given the tsunami it will be hard to get in by the time you graduate. And for some reason everyone other specialist don't really like the ED doctors in Westmead as ED doctors push for admission. To be honest it's a flaw in the system rather than fault of the doctors.

I agree. Some foreign GPs are atrocious. I had a foreign GP do a chest x ray and ECG for pleuretic chest pain ($250+ to medicare). I then went to my family GP and he just pushed on my ribs and said you have costochondritis. Just a simple physical examination and he could diagnose me. FAIL! Alternatively, I went to a UNSW trained doctor who didn't seem to give a shit about patients and diagnosed a swollen lymph node as a pulled muscle. Face palm. On the plus side he didn't order any tests.

 

[bangladesh]

lol, this fob asian gp diagnosed with me hepatitis B before he even got my blood results back... Had to argue with my mum for a whole week that i didn't have sex etc etc.. it literally ruined my life for a whole week..

 

[Queenroot]

Australia pays better and has a better lifestyle. They probably can't find a job in their own country so coming to Australia as we have a "shortage" of doctors . However shortage of doctors is only for rural areas as we are saturated in the cities. They undergo a training course in Australia and take up positions in hospitals to be trained competently in our system. If they want to specialise they become a registrar and do the same things.

Also ED isn't too bad at the moment but given the tsunami it will be hard to get in by the time you graduate. And for some reason everyone other specialist don't really like the ED doctors in Westmead as ED doctors push for admission. To be honest it's a flaw in the system rather than fault of the doctors.

I agree. Some foreign GPs are atrocious. I had a foreign GP do a chest x ray and ECG for pleuretic chest pain ($250+ to medicare). I then went to my family GP and he just pushed on my ribs and said you have costochondritis. Just a simple physical examination and he could diagnose me. FAIL! Alternatively, I went to a UNSW trained doctor who didn't seem to give a shit about patients and diagnosed a swollen lymph node as a pulled muscle. Face palm. On the plus side he didn't order any tests.

LOL, well that just says a lot about the experience of graduates

Yeah I had a similar type of experience with the system, it took them about 5 months to find out I had TB. Initially diagnosed with pneumonia, then BOOP? Or something like that, then finally after taking a skin test type thing, they finally diagnosed me with TB. By this time it had spread throughout my lymphatic system and I had become infectious, so they had to quarantine me in hospital. Followed by 18 months of medication. Horrible tbh.

 

[Medman]

LOL, well that just says a lot about the experience of graduates

Yeah I had a similar type of experience with the system, it took them about 5 months to find out I had TB. Initially diagnosed with pneumonia, then BOOP? Or something like that, then finally after taking a skin test type thing, they finally diagnosed me with TB. By this time it had spread throughout my lymphatic system and I had become infectious, so they had to quarantine me in hospital. Followed by 18 months of medication. Horrible tbh.

Wow that's fail. Sometimes people miss simple things which point them in the right direction but they refuse to take them onboard and just go along with a simpler diagnosis. Miliary TB is deadly good thing you're good one.