AWFUL UMAT? Is this the end of undergraduate medicine for me? (1 Viewer)

[mamb00]

UMAT results are as follows; Section:
1: 46
2: 56
3: 36

- 29th percentile. IS there any chance for me or not, be blunt but give me reasons why. Do any UNI's look for specific sections over the others? Please give as much information as you can, thanks.

 

[Sup3rDry]

Nothing really you can do. Obviously, you should know by now that 29 percentile is no way near good for med. I suggest you should just move on, work hard and have another shot next year.

 

[mamb00]

Nothing really you can do. Obviously, you should know by now that 29 percentile is no way near good for med. I suggest you should just move on, work hard and have another shot next year.

In what course would you recommend..? I'd probably be able to land at UNSW for medical science but then there's only 15 people they take for medicine from there.. It's absurd that my (in)ability to read patterns in shapes has put me in this situation.

 

[ocatal]

Hmm don't think so. UNSW looks at the average of the three sections where 54 is the lowest acceptable score (however requiring a 99.95 ATAR). UWS gives special consideration for people from GWS, but even then the cut off score varies between 145-155. They take the sum of section 1, 2 and half of section 3. Not sure about other universities but they wouldn't be too far off. I guess you could always try next year!

 

[D94]

In what course would you recommend..? I'd probably be able to land at UNSW for medical science but then there's only 15 people they take for medicine from there.. It's absurd that my (in)ability to read patterns in shapes has put me in this situation.

Well they have that test component for a reason, so it's telling you that your lateral thinking isn't good enough for medicine, and that medicine requires you do have that mental capability of lateral thinking. You can work on it, but you are pretty much expecting to change 17 years of how you think, in one year, which is quite a challenge for most people.

 

[Riproot]

In what course would you recommend..? I'd probably be able to land at UNSW for medical science but then there's only 15 people they take for medicine from there.. It's absurd that my (in)ability to read patterns in shapes has put me in this situation.

looking at it that way is absurd
You know the test was more than that and all of your sections were poor so don't just blame section three
UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance.
Try again next year if you want,
Apply at universities that don't consider UMAT,
Do whatever you want.
But don't use bullshit excuses.
If you did shit in the UMAT don't blame the whole thing for being a ~farce~
The test is made for a reason to test for future doctors
The test may be flawed but even if it is the people who are more suited to the profession and medical studies can usually work around this on their second attempt or through GAMSAT

Anyway,
Your best bets are:
UNSW MedSc
UWS Sc (AdvSc) or AdvMedSc
Gap year
Or any other course that you can do well in an take electives in biology.

 

[mamb00]

looking at it that way is absurd
You know the test was more than that and all of your sections were poor so don't just blame section three
UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance.
Try again next year if you want,
Apply at universities that don't consider UMAT,
Do whatever you want.
But don't use bullshit excuses.
If you did shit in the UMAT don't blame the whole thing for being a ~farce~
The test is made for a reason to test for future doctors
The test may be flawed but even if it is the people who are more suited to the profession and medical studies can usually work around this on their second attempt or through GAMSAT

Anyway,
Your best bets are:
UNSW MedSc
UWS Sc (AdvSc) or AdvMedSc
Gap year
Or any other course that you can do well in an take electives in biology.

With all due respect, that argument is ridiculous. A piece of paper CANNOT indicate whether or not someone has the capacity or tenacity to pursue a demanding career like medicine, it just can't. The sheer number of people applying should indicate to you that they need to cull numbers, so they implement this shite and charge their $220 to employ a bunch of monkey to "supervise". "UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance. " - If someone can improve on their initial scores, which i'm guessing you did.. where is the fucking natural ability in that? You've got to be kidding.. FINALLY, if it's not even fucking taken onboard as criteria for all Australian, or even world-wide universities, how on Earth can it be viable?
Apart from that, thanks for listing suggestions, but it'd be sure easier to take side with you if i'd secured an MBBS position too.

 

[Menomaths]

A piece of paper CANNOT indicate whether or not someone has the capacity or tenacity to pursue a demanding career like medicine, it just can't.

According to this logic, I don't see why we have the HSC piece of papers.

"UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance. " - If someone can improve on their initial scores, which i'm guessing you did.. where is the fucking natural ability in that?

This is true, it's not purely natural ability, but it does have a role to play.

 

[Riproot]

With all due respect, that argument is ridiculous. A piece of paper CANNOT indicate whether or not someone has the capacity or tenacity to pursue a demanding career like medicine, it just can't. The sheer number of people applying should indicate to you that they need to cull numbers, so they implement this shite and charge their $220 to employ a bunch of monkey to "supervise". "UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance. " - If someone can improve on their initial scores, which i'm guessing you did.. where is the fucking natural ability in that? You've got to be kidding.. FINALLY, if it's not even fucking taken onboard as criteria for all Australian, or even world-wide universities, how on Earth can it be viable?
Apart from that, thanks for listing suggestions, but it'd be sure easier to take side with you if i'd secured an MBBS position too.

But you're missing a crucial point: perseverance. Some people sit this paper 6 times. Some people sit it once. The ones that sit it once and then give up were never up to the task of medicine.
I only improved in one section, my best section both times, (the other two stayed roughly the same) because the questions were changed to suit my style of thinking, problem solving, which is a major part of medicine (we have PROBLEM Based Learning tutorials twice a week).
And someone improving on their initial scores shows they have ability it just needed to be fostered.

If HSC is not taken on by every state in Australia how can it be viable?
If the courses at different universities are structured differently but give the same degree how can they be viable?
If X doesn't match up with Y then how can it be viable?
Do you see what's wrong with this form of argument?
Obviously there was a need for this test and that need was met.

Btw, before must some universities used to have entrance tests at their interviews that you couldn't apply for. These tested for creativity and pragmatic thinking, be thankful UMAT can be prepared for better than these.

 

[iBibah]

With all due respect, that argument is ridiculous. A piece of paper CANNOT indicate whether or not someone has the capacity or tenacity to pursue a demanding career like medicine, it just can't. The sheer number of people applying should indicate to you that they need to cull numbers, so they implement this shite and charge their $220 to employ a bunch of monkey to "supervise".

Actually it can and does. The question of 'should' is a different one though.

"UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance. " - If someone can improve on their initial scores, which i'm guessing you did.. where is the fucking natural ability in that? You've got to be kidding..

I believe he said is was three things. Improve one and improve your score. And natural ability has its potential. Someone can be naturally smart but to reach that "potential" they need to continually work and challenge their brain.

FINALLY, if it's not even fucking taken onboard as criteria for all Australian, or even world-wide universities, how on Earth can it be viable?
Apart from that, thanks for listing suggestions, but it'd be sure easier to take side with you if i'd secured an MBBS position too.

maybe because different unis look for different things in their med students? Also hence the weighting on particular sections or the way the take you score.

So many people who don't do well claim its a bullshit test and its doesn't do its purpose and they didn't want med anyway. Maybe these are the very things its addressing? How badly you want med, or how easily you give up, or if you make excuses and dont take responsibility and be accountable for your results. Many people don't succeed at UMAT and still make it to med. It's called the UNDERGRAD MED ADMISSIONS TEST. NOT THE MED ADMISSIONS TEST.
Best to take it on the chin, realise you performed less than needed, and realise its time to improve.

 

[Spiritual Being]

It's a terrible indictment against the education system that a test you do at 17/18 years old decides your career. For the most part, that's what it is and we have to learn to live with it, not work against it.

 

[Riproot]

It's a terrible indictment against the education system that a test you do at 17/18 years old decides your career. For the most part, that's what it is and we have to learn to live with it, not work against it.

It does not decide your career because you can:
a) keep trying if you do shit the first time
b) drop out if you do well

Please learn people.

 

[Spiritual Being]

It does not decide your career because you can:
a) keep trying if you do shit the first time
b) drop out if you do well

Please learn people.

I thought this was about the HSC, woops. Your point still remains valid though.

 

[Riproot]

I thought this was about the HSC, woops. Your point still remains valid though.

Yeah, you can always go to college and then to uni and then do well and transfer into any course ever.

 

[Medman]

With all due respect, that argument is ridiculous. A piece of paper CANNOT indicate whether or not someone has the capacity or tenacity to pursue a demanding career like medicine, it just can't. The sheer number of people applying should indicate to you that they need to cull numbers, so they implement this shite and charge their $220 to employ a bunch of monkey to "supervise". "UMAT is a test of natural ability, skill, and perseverance. " - If someone can improve on their initial scores, which i'm guessing you did.. where is the fucking natural ability in that? You've got to be kidding.. FINALLY, if it's not even fucking taken onboard as criteria for all Australian, or even world-wide universities, how on Earth can it be viable?
Apart from that, thanks for listing suggestions, but it'd be sure easier to take side with you if i'd secured an MBBS position too.

Without the UMAT they will only be looking at people with 99.4+ ATARS just like law at USYD or UNSW. Unless you're saying you can get 99.4+ ATAR, UMAT is actually helping people like you out. It's about changing your perspective on how to do the questions. When I first started I was getting 50% but with practise I was able to boost it to 70-80%. If you are going to moan and bitch about the UMAT just wait until you enter med school.

On another note it wasn't just your third section score. If I take any score from your 3 sections and made them equal across the board you still wouldn't have made it. Your section 1 score was below 50 as well so that's an auto fail for most unis. I would take the UMAT anyday over the GAMSAT. I'll be purely honest with you, for most people who are intelligent, smart and can adapt to the questions they will tend to do well in the UMAT. If you're serious about medicine keep trying, if not move on.

 

[Riproot]

Without the UMAT they will only be looking at people with 99.4+ ATARS just like law at USYD or UNSW. Unless you're saying you can get 99.4+ ATAR, UMAT is actually helping people like you out. It's about changing your perspective on how to do the questions. When I first started I was getting 50% but with practice I was able to boost it to 70-80%. If you are going to moan and bitch about the UMAT just wait until you enter med school.

On another note it wasn't just your third section score. If I take any score from your 3 sections and made them equal across the board you still wouldn't have made it. Your section 1 score was below 50 as well so that's an auto fail for most unis. I would take the UMAT anyday over the GAMSAT. I'll be purely honest with you, for most people who are intelligent, smart and can adapt to the questions they will tend to do well in the UMAT. If you're serious about medicine keep trying if not move on.

Yeah, if UMAT wasn't a thing and it was just on ATAR then everyone would be FUCKED.

The tests was made because this is obviously not the best way to get people to enter and not always the best indicator of success in medicine and can indicate someone getting pressured into medicine and stuff.

And I pretty much agree with the above post.

 

[OMGITzJustin]

didnt a person on these forums get into JCU med with 94 atar and activities

 

[JohnMaximus]

Forget your current UMAT.

Focus on your ATAR.

Then

=Apply for JCU

OR

=Take a gap year and do the UMAT again next year (like a whole group of med hopefuls I know).

OR

=Take medical science/ whatever other course you want, and transfer over whenever you can.
From what I've heard, rip root got into undergraduate MBBS from engineering.



There are still plenty of ways to get into undergraduate medicine.

 

[Medman]

If you're serious about medicine, keep trying. If you let this hurdle get to you, you will never survive medicine and post-graduate training/research etc.

 

[flashyGoldFish]

I know someone that just go into med at about 27/28. The sat the UMAT twice and then sat the GAMSAT maybe 5/6 times. They didnt do it every year after graduating but kept at it, improving their score each time and finally got in at 2-3 universities this tiem.
That shows perseverance, dedication, a will to do medicine and problem solving.
If your posts here show your attitude, I cant see you ever getting into medicine and if you did, i know which doctor id rather go to