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March 29, 2024, 10:47:23 pm

Author Topic: Biomed or science, on the way to medicine?  (Read 1729 times)  Share 

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hamish_adams

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Biomed or science, on the way to medicine?
« on: January 15, 2017, 05:17:37 pm »
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Hello all, I'm still trying to work out which undergrad degree I want to begin this year. I would like to become a doctor, and since I received a 99.95 ATAR I have 'guaranteed' entry into medicine at the end of my undergrad degree (at Melbourne University).. So the question I'm grappling with is whether to do biomedicine or science in the lead-up to medicine. I have heard that science has a higher degree of freedom, which could give me the chance to explore some other scientific realms whilst I can (like ecology perhaps). As long as I do the necessary prereqs my progress towards medicine shouldn't be compromised. However, I'm worried that I might be a bit naive in believing I could have 'freedom' to do some non-medicine related things in my undergrad. So, I'm interested to hear from people who have studied either biomed or science and are now doing med, or are on their way to doing so. What are the advantages/disadvantages of choosing one undergrad degree over the other? Is it easy enough to do the prerequisites for med in a science degree? How does the student culture of each degree differ? Apologies for the broad questions, but I'm a little lost at this point. Thanks!
« Last Edit: January 15, 2017, 05:25:53 pm by hamish_adams »
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chameleon7

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Re: Biomed or science, on the way to medicine?
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2017, 10:13:57 pm »
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I can only respond as someone who's just finished their first year in the bachelor of science degree, so I hope that it makes sense.
I'll tell you right now that there are only 3 prerequisite subjects for Medicine, and they are all 2nd year subjects; 'Principles of human structure and function', 'Human physiology' and 'Biochemistry and molecular biology', though entry to these subjects is based on their own prerequisite subjects (look them up in the unimelb handbook) though the gist of it is undertaking chemistry 1&2 and biology 1&2 in first year. Human structure and function is a quota subject though with ~400 students per semester, and acceptance into the subject is based on your performance in selected subjects in year 1 and/or your weighted average for year 1. In biomed, however, a different subject is undertaken exclusive to biomed students which all students undertake in 2nd year which combines some of the above subjects. Essentially, the biomed degree is very structured from first to last year, whereas if you undertake the science degree, you can pursue other interests in science in addition to being prepared for med down the track.
From my understanding (although I haven't specifically looked into it myself), all students interested in Med must undertake the GAMSAT; it runs twice a year (March/September), and you must pass each section in it. The scores are usable from the second-last year of study (if you're doing a 3 year degree, from March of your 2nd year), and you may sit it 3 times without extending your degree (although there is no actual limit to the amt of times you sit the GAMSAT), and you can choose which results to use to apply for med. I should note that section 3 of the GAMSAT relies on a base knowledge of 1st year biology and chemistry as a minimum, and physics of about year 12 level. Melbourne looks at a minimum score of 65, and weights each section equally (1xsection 1+1xsection 2+1xsection 3)/3. All together, to be considered for med, 50% of the 'judging' comes from the GAMSAT, and the other 50% comes from your WAM for the last 3 years of university with the following calculation: (1xyear 1+2xyear 2+3xyear 3)/6. An average at a minimum in the high 60's is considered for the Multi-mini interviews; from which 1 in 2 students emerge successful.
There is an equal opportunity for students from biomed and science to earn a position in postgraduate medicine, so ultimately it comes down to whether you want the structure that biomed provides, or the freedom of science. If you want to go through science though, I recommend that you look through the majors you'd be interested in taking, as certain subjects are required as prerequisites for the major subjects (this is why you almost have to plan out your entire degree before enrolling in subjects haha-here's the website for convenience: http://bsc.unimelb.edu.au/#majors ).
I know students who have started and undertaken the first and second year of biomed, and from what they've told me, the timetable is very limited. You may have some 8AM classes if you're really unlucky, but all biomed students will be doing them together. In biomed you learn to recognise the people you're in class with because you see them almost all the time, whereas in science you'll meet a good mix of people. If class times concern you or will impact your decisions, check out the class timetables in the unimelb handbook (https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/faces/htdocs/user/search/SimpleSearch.jsp) and plan them out in excel for fun. Either way, it's up to you to make those decisions, though sometimes you just might have to sit through the dreaded 8AM-er  :P

This is all information I've learnt through info sessions, online research and lectures about entering the degree. If something isn't accurate now, I'm unaware of it, though to my knowledge it is all recent and applicable.
Best of luck making that decision though. :D