Should I consider medicine or just forget it? (1 Viewer)

[XymoxLilac]

Hi. I'm currently a year 10 student looking at possible career paths and one of them which interests me is medicine (surgery to make myself more clear since I'd rather specialise in a field than be a G.P.) although I don't know whether or not I should be aiming to get in, I've heard it's very hard.
Currently my favourite subjects are English, IT, art and commercial design. Art/language subjects are my stronger area however I'm not too bad at math, science or the humanities either. My average for English is around 95-97%, 89-90% for math and 95% for science. Currently I am doing no yr 11 subjects although I hope to do yr 12 IT in yr 11. I'm also a library monitor and debating captain and have won numerous academic awards.
At the moment I don't study, draw or read in every class, and only do major assignments to pass. I am aware that I am in dire need of getting my act together by next year. Would studying and paying attention in classes during VCE help increase my ENTER? I know of some people who have been doing extra classes just for VCE for years now. Do I have any chance against them?
In regards to UMAT, I'm still unsure what exactly it entails.
Also, what questions would be in the interview and would the fact that I'm into the gothic subculture affect how I do if I happen to get one?

 

[babikakez]

would the fact that I'm into the gothic subculture affect how I do if I happen to get one?

Medicine is a very traditional field. You'll probably get some dickhead interviewer.

 

[PrettyVacant]

Goddamn don't wear that gothic shit to an interview. Honestly, even though at certain universities they say they won't judge you on what you wear, it's really hard to avoid the personal bias of interviewers.

Wear something nice and formal, people do judge you on what you wear and honestly wearing teen gothic subculture stuff to any interview is not appropriate.

 

[doink]

Well obviously all doctors eventually become GPs or surgeons. Don't know what those damn cardiologists or oncologists are thinking.

Don't know whether or not to aim to get in? That makes no sense, if you want to do med then aim for it and see if you get in. If you give up before you try you will make a terrible doctor.

 

[dizzyizzy]

Classic move deleting my post - a little too hurtful?

 

[black_kat_meow]

Classic move deleting my post - a little too hurtful?

She can't delete your posts, only the mods or you can.

 

[jack_smith]

yes she can!

 

[dizzyizzy]

I only wish I'd kept it so I could post it again...and again...and again....
It was an incisive slice of the truth.

 

[ninjapuppet]

yes she can!

how?

I am of the opinion, that how well you do in school, is 99% up to you your intelligence + motivation. I only started to really study in yr 11. I dont believe your school can affect your grades much. however, i think your friends can affect your motivation. Can any james ruse guys elaborate?

if you are gothic (i guess coz some of your friends are) and your friends do well, you can too, but if they spend all their time "gothicing" around, chances are that they will take up alot of your time and drag you down too.

if you dont get in but really motivated, you can eventually become a doctor by doing any degree first, then doing a gamsat test, to do medicine later in life. eventually. its much easier this way because you can have many goes at the gamsat. if you are super duperly motivated, you can always do medicine in pakistan or somoa and do the exam to be allowed to work in australa. but that is some serious motivation!

alternatively, u can just buy a degree here.
Diploma Mill Company | Novelty Diploma | Back Alley Press

 

[lurveNpeace]

yeah i wanna do something in medicine
because it pays good money, jokes

its kinda interesting that you could save/help someones life
i either want to be a nurse or a doctor
but i will see where i am bound to go, still have to sit my HSC next year O_O
hopefully i can get a ATAR/UAI of like 80+

 

[KFunk]

- For UMAT info see the acer testing website: UMAT - Home ... it is worth getting familiar with the UMAT weightings at different universities. In some cases it is used to cull the applicants (e.g. only applicants with a score above X are considered) while in others it is given a 1/3 weighting along with the UAI and factors into selection even once you have a score above the minimum requirement, etc... Do a bit of research.

- The AMSA med schools guide may be of use. The one I have linked is a little bit outdated, but there should be a new one up on the AMSA website and going out to interested schools in the near future.

- Yes, studying will help increase your ENTER.

- No, don't dress in gothic attire for the interview. In the majority of cases it will have a negative effect.

 

[mrboh]

XymoxLilac, bear in mind is that you don't necessarily have to make a decision about your career in Year 10. If you think medicine's the right thing for you then great, go for it! But also remember that what you do in school does not define the rest of your life. The majority of medical graduates in Australia now come from graduate medicine programs - that is, you complete an undegraduate degree (whether it be arts, science, engineering, whatever) and then apply to a 4-year graduate medicine program on the basis of how well you did in your degree as well as the graduate medicine exam (GAMSAT). For example, you mentioned that you have an interest in surgery; one possible option might be to pursue a degree in Biomedical Engineering where you could work on building robotic tools used in surgery. If you find this enjoyable and want to try for medicine then you'd have a great background to try and get in. The point I'm making is that there's a high degree of flexibility out there - don't feel pressured into making a decision right now if you're unsure.

That being said, there are lots of different things you can do to help you make that choice. Number one would be to talk to the careers counsellor at your school to discuss your options and the subjects you would need to take if you want to try for undergraduate medicine. Some of the universities and even hospitals have open days where potential students can come and have a look around and ask questions, which is always helpful. You could even make an appointment with your regular GP and just discuss some aspects of the medical profession with them.

Good luck

 

[bubbly89]

Firstly a GP is a specialisation and requires a lot of work to become one. Yes surgeons are pretty special people who live 100+ hour work weeks. So have fun with that.

Looking at your subjects I am curious as to why you want to do medicine, not to say you can't. Medicine does not have english, IT, art or commerical design in them. I'd say the subjects closest to it at school are biology and chemistry.

I have no doubt that if you worked hard at your subjects you could get in, you might want to do some more co-curriculars but you have plenty of time to do that.

Yes generally studying helps you do well in exams

UMAT: undergraduate medical application test, has three sections assession problem solving, empathy and non spatial reasoning. It is hard, very fast and you have to do well in it to have a chance of getting into medicine

so you're emo hmm... try not to wear black kiss make up to the interview or act depressed and you'll be fine.

 

[BA22]

If i may raise a small point

You're going have to work harder to get into surgery from medicine than you're gonna have to work to actually get into medicine from High school

Med is not simply the 5-6 years of the course, it incorporates a steep learning curve in at a postgraduate level too. Whilst working your ass off to get good marks/excel you'll need to build an expansive professional portfolio to really demonstrate your aptitude and motivation to be a surgeon

I don't intend to hurt your feelings but this kinda helps the point i want to make, you should research the career path beyond its superficial aspects before you make a judgement on whether or not you are suited to it, because for this career path, more is expected of you when you get in, even if you "just" become a GP

 

[Joel8945]

Hi. I'm currently a year 10 student looking at possible career paths and one of them which interests me is medicine (surgery to make myself more clear since I'd rather specialise in a field than be a G.P.) although I don't know whether or not I should be aiming to get in, I've heard it's very hard.
Currently my favourite subjects are English, IT, art and commercial design. Art/language subjects are my stronger area however I'm not too bad at math, science or the humanities either. My average for English is around 95-97%, 89-90% for math and 95% for science. Currently I am doing no yr 11 subjects although I hope to do yr 12 IT in yr 11. I'm also a library monitor and debating captain and have won numerous academic awards.
At the moment I don't study, draw or read in every class, and only do major assignments to pass. I am aware that I am in dire need of getting my act together by next year. Would studying and paying attention in classes during VCE help increase my ENTER? I know of some people who have been doing extra classes just for VCE for years now. Do I have any chance against them?
In regards to UMAT, I'm still unsure what exactly it entails.
Also, what questions would be in the interview and would the fact that I'm into the gothic subculture affect how I do if I happen to get one?

May I add something?

To do medicine you should be studying Biology and Chemistry (The two principle subjects for medicine) and maybe add in physics aswell. If you can do maths really well strive to do specialist maths and methods in year 11 and 12. English if you are getting those marks you have an advantage as performance in english has a huge weighting in your ENTER!

My plan would be for you to do:

Biology 3/4 in year 11 (Don't worry heaps of people do bio 3/4 without 1/2)

English, Maths Methods, Specialist Maths, Chemistry and Physics in year 12.

These are the subjects VCE students do if they want to do medicine (trust me I have a friend who is doing optometry now and he did these + chinese 3/4 in year 11)

As for the UMAT - My friend said its a pain in the neck!!!

Your year 10 marks are very good so I recomend you try these!

 

[Wooz]

May I add something?

To do medicine you should be studying Biology and Chemistry (The two principle subjects for medicine) and maybe add in physics aswell. If you can do maths really well strive to do specialist maths and methods in year 11 and 12. English if you are getting those marks you have an advantage as performance in english has a huge weighting in your ENTER!

My plan would be for you to do:

Biology 3/4 in year 11 (Don't worry heaps of people do bio 3/4 without 1/2)

English, Maths Methods, Specialist Maths, Chemistry and Physics in year 12.

These are the subjects VCE students do if they want to do medicine (trust me I have a friend who is doing optometry now and he did these + chinese 3/4 in year 11)

As for the UMAT - My friend said its a pain in the neck!!!

Your year 10 marks are very good so I recomend you try these!

Chemistry and Mathematics 2U/Ext I are only prerequisites at some undergrad uni's such as JCU, UTAS and Bond. Most uni's reccommend chemistry and mathematics for medicine, but are not compulsory at most undergrad uni's.

Some such as UQ have bonus points for higher mathematics (4u) and languages towards provisional entry for medicine.

Everyone is an individual and at the end of the day it really comes down to how much effort you put in, that dreaded test the umat and the interview, not just school subjects. Some may scale and give you a boost to your enter, but effort is required to get the marks.

 

[MaNiElla]

WOW @ they guys doing MBBS!

 

[Lucid Scintilla]

Chemistry and Mathematics 2U/Ext I are only prerequisites at some undergrad uni's such as JCU, UTAS and Bond. Most uni's reccommend chemistry and mathematics for medicine, but are not compulsory at most undergrad uni's.

...

Basically, for the sake of tertiary entrance exams and to broaden the number of undergraduate medical schools to which one may apply to, do the highest level of maths that one can handle and chemistry, even though truly, neither is of much significance after the fact.

And, you aren't/can't seriously by advocating Bond, are/can you?

May I add something?
To do medicine you should be studying Biology and Chemistry (The two principle subjects for medicine) and maybe add in physics aswell. If you can do maths really well strive to do specialist maths and methods in year 11 and 12. English if you are getting those marks you have an advantage as performance in english has a huge weighting in your ENTER!

Totally.

My plan would be for you to do:

These are the subjects VCE students do if they want to do medicine (trust me I have a friend who is doing optometry now and he did these + chinese 3/4 in year 11)

As for the UMAT - My friend said its a pain in the neck!!!

Your year 10 marks are very good so I recomend you try these!

Lol; vide(te): "Biology 3/4", "Maths Methods", "Specialist Maths". Ecce, vide(te)!

You know what? VCE students who want to do medicine probably don't do coke, too!!!!

Firstly a GP is a specialisation and requires a lot of work to become one. Yes surgeons are pretty special people who live 100+ hour work weeks. So have fun with that.

Crazy and hardworking, woooo.

Medicine does not have english, IT, art or commerical design in them. I'd say the subjects closest to it at school are biology and chemistry.

But if you suck at English, you're gonna get eff'd when it comes to getting through medical school?!?!?!

I have no doubt that if you worked hard at your subjects you could get in, you might want to do some more co-curriculars but you have plenty of time to do that.

You know, for those undergraduate med schools in Australia that do ask anything of extra/co-curriculars, they don't actually do background checks with reference to what you write/say.

so you're emo hmm... try not to wear black kiss make up to the interview or act depressed and you'll be fine.

Lollercoster.

Act normal - or normal by societal standards. Even if the interview process is nothing about your life story or you, try not to obnubilate the interviewer(s)'s perception by creating a crappy impression for yourself.

 

[Wooz]

Pfft, how am I spruiking Bond! For those who don't know Bond is a private university which requires full-fee upfront (around an insane 52-3k+ per year), all other uni's including Notre Dame have phased them out, except for international DFEE positions.

 

[MaNiElla]

definately consider medicine