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What are my chances for UQ vs Umelbourne vs USyd vs Flinders?
- Thread starter ahmed17
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Are they the only Aussie schools you are interested in or have you looked at others?
Lyndal
Not a slight on the Australian schools (since I am applying there)
But with a 3.98 and 30M why are you not applying for an MD in the US or a DO? Take a year and do extracurrics and your grades would be golden. Sadly if you were in Canada it would be less certain but I've heard of people getting in US schools with WAY WAY lower grades than yours (family members specifically).
Based on the people I have met with from Aussie schools (Melb university tour in Canada) and spoken with several of the admissions people for Flinders/UQ you'd be solid for those two. I'm not sure of the USyd requirements that much, but again, I personally know people with scores that are closer to the bare minimum who got accepted (2.8, 25P MCAT).
As far as I know, Flinders, UQ, USyd and Melbourne don't consider your ECs for admission (UQ doesn't for sure) so your GPA/MCAT are very competitive since I was told my combination was competitive and I am lower than you.
But with a 3.98 and 30M why are you not applying for an MD in the US or a DO? Take a year and do extracurrics and your grades would be golden. Sadly if you were in Canada it would be less certain but I've heard of people getting in US schools with WAY WAY lower grades than yours (family members specifically).
Based on the people I have met with from Aussie schools (Melb university tour in Canada) and spoken with several of the admissions people for Flinders/UQ you'd be solid for those two. I'm not sure of the USyd requirements that much, but again, I personally know people with scores that are closer to the bare minimum who got accepted (2.8, 25P MCAT).
As far as I know, Flinders, UQ, USyd and Melbourne don't consider your ECs for admission (UQ doesn't for sure) so your GPA/MCAT are very competitive since I was told my combination was competitive and I am lower than you.
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correct. Wollongong is the only Aussie med school that looks at extracurricular activities for internationals. Rayjays other advice is true. a 30 and 3.98 should be fine for most Aussie schools (and some US ones).
Lyndal
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ahmed,
You should do a search around these forums to get an overview of Australian med to help in asking questions that haven't been answered a number of times before.
In particular, Wollongong has nothing to do with your residency. You would graduate with an MBBS (or the equivalent) from the school, then you'd apply for internship through the state's health authority, as a former int'l student. It's generally easier to get an internship in your own state (depending on state), but due to the medical student 'tsunami', some states will be pressed earlier than others for sufficient spots for their grads, which pressures first affect int'l students. The one way to get around most of the hassle at this stage is to figure out a way to get permanent residency before applying for the internship ballot - really by the beginning of your final year. At any rate, you're a paid doctor from internship on.
After internship, there is no automatic restriction to which fields you can specialize in -- the criteria for each is specific to the respective college, and vary quite a bit, but don't have much if anything to do with your nationality per se. Most colleges require you to finish at least another year after internship before considering you, and a few (e.g, surgery, radiology) will in all likelihood require several more years first.
Echoing others re your stats: they are sufficient to be seriously considered by any med school here, and would get you accepted by most so long as you didn't stuff up the interview. I didn't know that Wollongong looked at factors other than interview, GPA and MCAT, but it's great to hear, both that there's now more variety of selection criteria for future docs here, and that a school's recognized its value (at least in terms of marketing niche!)
You should do a search around these forums to get an overview of Australian med to help in asking questions that haven't been answered a number of times before.
In particular, Wollongong has nothing to do with your residency. You would graduate with an MBBS (or the equivalent) from the school, then you'd apply for internship through the state's health authority, as a former int'l student. It's generally easier to get an internship in your own state (depending on state), but due to the medical student 'tsunami', some states will be pressed earlier than others for sufficient spots for their grads, which pressures first affect int'l students. The one way to get around most of the hassle at this stage is to figure out a way to get permanent residency before applying for the internship ballot - really by the beginning of your final year. At any rate, you're a paid doctor from internship on.
After internship, there is no automatic restriction to which fields you can specialize in -- the criteria for each is specific to the respective college, and vary quite a bit, but don't have much if anything to do with your nationality per se. Most colleges require you to finish at least another year after internship before considering you, and a few (e.g, surgery, radiology) will in all likelihood require several more years first.
Echoing others re your stats: they are sufficient to be seriously considered by any med school here, and would get you accepted by most so long as you didn't stuff up the interview. I didn't know that Wollongong looked at factors other than interview, GPA and MCAT, but it's great to hear, both that there's now more variety of selection criteria for future docs here, and that a school's recognized its value (at least in terms of marketing niche!)
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Dear Ahmed
Thanks for your enquiry and email about the school and thank you Pitman for explaining it so well. Basically as Pitman says - we award the degree (MBBS) as our stduents graduate, then the internship is arranged at a state level (by IMET in NSW) and then specialty training through the relevant specialty colleges. Universities are not responsible for specialty training in Australia and as such there are no restrictions placed by us (or any other medical school).
Pitman, thanks for your kind words about the portfolio. We have felt for some time that it is important to look at the whole person as much as possible. Our admissions portfolio is a hurdle just like GPA and MCAT - we need you to do well academically, but if you are absolutely brilliant and cannot also show that you are a diverse and well rounded individual then you will not be competitive. I would much prefer to see students with Bs and a full life of experience than students with A+'s who have dont nothing else. We are a small school with a personal, challenging and dynamic programme and we only take small numbers of international students (less than 12 each year) so getting students that are the "right fit" is very important. We are going to spend four years together - we need to be sure this relationship is going to work!
So portfolio is important and interview is essential - and we prefer to interview face to face for all those reasons.
Hope that helps!
Cheers
Lyndal
Thanks for your enquiry and email about the school and thank you Pitman for explaining it so well. Basically as Pitman says - we award the degree (MBBS) as our stduents graduate, then the internship is arranged at a state level (by IMET in NSW) and then specialty training through the relevant specialty colleges. Universities are not responsible for specialty training in Australia and as such there are no restrictions placed by us (or any other medical school).
Pitman, thanks for your kind words about the portfolio. We have felt for some time that it is important to look at the whole person as much as possible. Our admissions portfolio is a hurdle just like GPA and MCAT - we need you to do well academically, but if you are absolutely brilliant and cannot also show that you are a diverse and well rounded individual then you will not be competitive. I would much prefer to see students with Bs and a full life of experience than students with A+'s who have dont nothing else. We are a small school with a personal, challenging and dynamic programme and we only take small numbers of international students (less than 12 each year) so getting students that are the "right fit" is very important. We are going to spend four years together - we need to be sure this relationship is going to work!
So portfolio is important and interview is essential - and we prefer to interview face to face for all those reasons.
Hope that helps!
Cheers
Lyndal
