NOTE: Not complete yet...
Medicine is one of the hardest courses to get into, with a very strong competition and very specific selection requirements from each univercity. In this thread, I will go through the basics of how to get into each university and what their courses are briefly like. Information here is subjected to change.
Requirements:General requirements into medicine USUALLY include these:
- Reasonably high ATAR score (97+) with prerequisite subjects
- Very high UMAT Score
- Interview
ATAR SCORE:The competition into medicine is very high, with each university only accepting 100-300 people each year. Therefore, with such high demand a high ATAR is required with the prerequisite of subjects USUALLY
Chemistry, Math Methods and English. In many Universities physics is highly desirable and sometimes even Biology, but both chemistry and methods are IMPERATIVE towards entrance into any undergraduate medical school. In terms of ATAR scores, 98+ is usually sufficient but in Queensland where OP scores are still considered an OP1 is 99+ ATAR and an OP2 is 97.5 ATAR (as of 2009 graduates).
UMAT ( Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test ):UMAT has three sections
> Section 1: Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving
> Section 2: Understanding People
> Section 3: Non-verbal Reasoning
The UMAT is use for most university to select people who are apparently "fit for medicine". In other words, you have to take this test which you cannot study for (this is VERY debatable) so that it allows another criteria for universities to select people.
The UMAT test is three hours long and many Asians and Indians take the tests (when I went around 70% of the cue were of such Ethnic race including myself).
UMAT scores can be very confusing, but here is the breakdown of it:
You can an arbitrary score for each section which DOES NOT mean it is your percentage, it is just a SCORE.
You can an Overall score which is the average of each three sections.
You can a PERCENTILE RANKING SCORE, for many years an overall score of 59 is around 90%tile (meaning if you get 59 you are in the top 10%)
What is a good UMAT score:Anything over 80%tile will leave you a good chance to enter many universities in Australia. For Monash you need over 93%tile (2010).
Studying for the UMAT:Many companies try to scam your money by saying that they allow UMAT success. The most popular UMAT training course is MedEntry, but I cannot vouch for it not scamming your money as I did it this year and my UMAT score is appalling. In the end, it gives you a good idea of what the UMAT questions are about.
More information can be found at:http://umat.acer.edu.au/images/infobook/UMAT_InfoBook.pdfENTRANCE INTO UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITIESVICTORIA:Monash University:Only Monash Universities offers undergraduate entry into medicine after the Melbourne Model took place. Competition into Monash is very high and they have a MMI interview which you go to many stations with one interviewer who will present you with scenarios or questions. The selection process involves said to be equally weighted ATAR, UMAT and Interview.
Interviews are taken BEFORE ATAR scores come out as they use the UMAT score to determine if you get an interview or not. This year the cut of is 93%tile for an interview. Most people need ATAR scores of above 98 to get into Monash medicine.
Places: Around 300
NEW SOUTH WALES:University of New South Wales:Competition for medicine at UNSW is as difficult as Monash, but remember if you are interested in medicine APPLY EVERYWHERE. UNSW looks at ATAR, UMAT and Interview just like Monash.
They have a minimum ATAR of 96 and you must submit and application form with an expression of interest form with it. A prediction of ATAR score must also be submitted which is filled out by your school.
Places: Around 300
University of Western Sydney:This university as a rural, or disadvantaged social preference with those who LIVE in Western Sydney are allowed lower scores. Western Sydney looks at ATAR, UMAT and Interview but not expression of interest forms have to be submitted.
University of Newcastle/University of New England (joint medical program):This course also looks at ATAR, UMAT and an Interview, but this school has be infamous for looking at extremely nice and caring people in their interviews. It has be rumoured that the selection panel for the interview selects those who are particularly caring and have an instinctive nature to help people.
Places: Around 170
SOUTH AUSTRALIA:University of Adelaide:The university looks at ATAR, UMAT and Interview but prefers slightly local students than interstate students. A UMAT score of in the very high 80%ile can get you an interview, and the university weighs all three citerias equally.
The university does not accept non-standard students UNLESS THEY ARE STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY. For example if you do Bach. of Science at University of adelaide you can transfer into the MBBS program given that you are good enough.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
University of Western Australia:
Requires minimum ATAR of 96, UMAT and Interview. It weighs ATAR and Interview MORE than UMAT (1:2:2 to UMAT:ATAR:INTERVIEW). Interviews are selected through UMAT results.UWA is moving to just graduate entry. Thanks stonecold !
Edit: And I believe UWA is having its final undergrad med intake next year, and will only have grad med thereafter.
QUEENSLAND:James Cook University:This is the University that Ive had the best chance with so I know quite a bit about it.
JCU DOES NOT LOOK AT UMAT RESULTS. The selection process involves you submitting a written application and a predicted ATAR in which the application you answer questions about why you want to be a doctor and why you want to focus on rural medicine. JCU has a very strong focus on rural and tropical medicine and thus it favours those who live in Townsville (where JCU is situated), Queensland, rural environments or have an indigenous background. The written application can get you a first round interview offer which is held in late November and Early December. The interview is very laid back with three interviewers (atleast two of them are medical doctors) asking you basic and typical questions as well as presenting scenarios.
The selection process looks at application, interview and ATAR in which if you are from a rural area ATAR score can drop to lower than 96 and still have a good chance at getting a place.
Places: 210 (170 CSP)
Bond University:Bond is a PRIVATE university and its medical course costs around $60,000 a year (no government assistant; you have to pay it). They accept people with UMAT scores of around 50 and comparatively low ATAR scores. Bond has interviews which are conducted in Melbourne (if your in Melbourne) and they have tri-semester years, thus the medical course is only 4 and a half years.
TASMANIA:University of Tasmania:This university hates interstate people, they have a very small quota for them. Tasmania has no interview and only looks at ATAR and UMAT scores. You apply directly to their university (not through VTAC or QTAC or the such). UMAT scores have historically been around 100%ile for interstate school leavers, but HOWEVER if you apply through the non-standard stream it becomes much easier and much lower umat score!
The course is 5 years so if you apply in your first year at uni.. it becomes 6 years, the same as most undergraduate medical courses!
PROVISIONAL MEDICAL PLACES:Provisional medicine is where a university gareentees you a place in their Graduate medical program after you do a general degree with them. Usually the general degree is three year degree in which if you are in the provisional course, you will complete it in two years along with four years of graduate medicine.
New South Wales:University of Sydney:VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO USYD. They call it combined medicine degree in which you combine Graduate medicine with:
Arts
Music
Advanced Science
Medical Science
Commerce
Economics
You will need 99.95 to get into this combined course except for music which is a bit lower (still in the high 99s but you have to get into their music case)
Places: 30
Queensland:University of Queensland:To be honest, this is the easiest university to get into Medicine. You can do Arts/MBBS, Health Science/MBBS or Science/MBBS. UMAT scores have been infamously low compared to other universities around 70tile. Regarding ATAR scores, you will need 99+ HOWEVER UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND GIVES OUT BONUS POINTS! This means if you do a LOTE (listed on their site) or Specialist maths you will get TWO MORE ATAR SCORES added on to yours. E.g. If you get 97.8 and you did Chinese, you will have 99.8 and Queensland uses the OP system thus placing you from OP2 to OP1. If you do a University Extension subject you get ONE extra point.
The UQ UMAT is in the 80%s for first round, and goes down to 70% for second round, even possibly in the 60%. It is no longer as low as it was due to the bonus points thing, but yes i agree, easiest uni IF you can get the 50/50/50.
50/50/50 means that you will need 50 umat score for each section, not average 50.
You will need a GPA of 5.0 to proceed onto the MBBS course for your preceding course. GPA of 5.0 is around 60% in uni which is EASY IF YOU STUDY, but HARD if you dont.
Places: 150
Griffith University:This is the only other university apart from JCU that does NOT look at UMAT scores. Also they dont have an interview! However this means you need an ATAR of over 99, and the competition will be very high.
You will need a GPA of 5.0 to proceed onto the MBBS course for your preceding course. GPA of 5.0 is around 60% in uni which is EASY IF YOU STUDY, but HARD if you dont.
NON STANDARD ENTRY:Didnt do well in year 12? That is OK! There is non standard entry where you do your first year of university first, and then you apply to get into medicine. Many universities have a different selection pool of students for non-standards, so you will be competing against other non-standards. Nevertheless, the competition will still be relatively high, so you might want to get your uni marks to around 80%s (HD or atleast H2A). GAP year takers are also non standards however, only their ATAR will be taken into consideration but also why the gap year is taken.
It is not unheard of people missing out on a medical place due to poor performance on an interview, a year of community service say in Red Cross or World Vision could really bring weight towards health care experience into an interview. Others take the UMAT again as their year 12 UMAT score may not have been good enough.
Some universities do not accept non-standards and require all school leavers e.g. Monash and all of the provisional entry universities.
*** Hi just putting an update here about myself. Dont give up, I did my UMAT again this year and I got 91%tile ( a big jump from what I got last year ). Ive almost done my year of science with some H1 so that puts be in the running for some interviews!***
A note, unless i read wrong, if you take a gap year you are still considered a school-leaver by pretty much all unis (not UniSyd), this includes Monash so you can still get in and its the same competitiveness as if you were in year 12.
GRADUATE ENTRY:This is the most popular way of getting into medicine apart from undergraduate. This follows the American system of doing an undergraduate degree before taking on a professional degree. Competition is VERY high, just like undergraduate entry, as many factors are taken into consideration; GPA (uni marks), GAMSAT, and Interview.
The GAMSAT is a six hour long exam in which there is an essay component and a science section which is heavily weighted and can be studied for. It is also a test by ACER like the UMAT making them very rich people from just hopeful med students.
Where to get more information?- University websites
- Undergraduate Entry/Non-Standard information
http://www.medstudentsonline.com.au/- Graduate Entry
http://info.pagingdr.net/- Your Careers teacher
- This forum !
TIMELINE THROUGH MEDICINE/SUMMARY[IMG]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5682/medicine.jpg[/img]Links about life after medical school
Yeah, I know where you are coming from. I believe internship for GPs is only 1 year, then you go to the RACGP for your felowship.
Here are a few post grad medical colleges which have loads of info on fees, application, training duaration etc.
http://www.surgeons.org/ (surgeon)
http://www.racgp.org.au/ (doctor)
http://www.anzca.edu.au/ (anesthetist)
http://www.ranzcp.org/ (psychiatrist)
http://www.ranzcog.edu.au/ (obstetricians and gynaecologists)
http://www.ranzco.edu/ (opthamologist)
http://www.dermcoll.asn.au/ (dermatologist)
You may also want to read this:
http://www.surgeons.org/media/12931/medical_education_anz.pdf
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