Should I take the risk? (1 Viewer)

[hirola]

Hi,
I'm a newbie in the forum. First post I have have posted the exact same thing in another forum and I'm pretty sure it's the wrong one but oh well.
I have finished the HSC this year and dreading the results due to my major chemistry stuff up. Note to self: never pull all-nighters and do exams with more than 24 hours of no sleep.
Recently my mother has been bugging me to think about the course I want to do in university. I want to do dermatology and I know I would have to do medicine and then specialise in dermatology after the internships and I know it would take a long time to actually get there. But I know for certain that I wont be able to get in medicine in any university because of my UMAT score and what happened during my chemistry exam (fell asleep). As a result, I would have to go the long way around and try to get in through transfer from medical science at UNSW or graduate with some sort of science degree and do a postgraduate degree in medicine. But if I do go down this road I would be taking risks and there is no guarantee that I would make it.
I also have the choice in applying for something else in the health department like physio at Canberra, it is not something that I would like to do but I would be willing to do this course just to be safe and not get thrown into an unemployed life (because let's face it it's very hard to find a job with a medical science degree).
I have consulted to friends and family and have received a lot of different advices.
So I was wondering, what would you recommend me to do? Continue pushing for a career in dermatology with risks of unemployment or should I go to the safe way and do something that I wont really want to do but it would give me a more stable life compared to the risky path to dermatology?
Any sort of advice would be good.
Thanks

 

[eddterrange]

Hi,
I'm a newbie in the forum. First post I have have posted the exact same thing in another forum and I'm pretty sure it's the wrong one but oh well.
I have finished the HSC this year and dreading the results due to my major chemistry stuff up. Note to self: never pull all-nighters and do exams with more than 24 hours of no sleep.
Recently my mother has been bugging me to think about the course I want to do in university. I want to do dermatology and I know I would have to do medicine and then specialise in dermatology after the internships and I know it would take a long time to actually get there. But I know for certain that I wont be able to get in medicine in any university because of my UMAT score and what happened during my chemistry exam (fell asleep). As a result, I would have to go the long way around and try to get in through transfer from medical science at UNSW or graduate with some sort of science degree and do a postgraduate degree in medicine. But if I do go down this road I would be taking risks and there is no guarantee that I would make it.
I also have the choice in applying for something else in the health department like physio at Canberra, it is not something that I would like to do but I would be willing to do this course just to be safe and not get thrown into an unemployed life (because let's face it it's very hard to find a job with a medical science degree).
I have consulted to friends and family and have received a lot of different advices.
So I was wondering, what would you recommend me to do? Continue pushing for a career in dermatology with risks of unemployment or should I go to the safe way and do something that I wont really want to do but it would give me a more stable life compared to the risky path to dermatology?
Any sort of advice would be good.
Thanks

I was in your shoe last year (but I didn't screw up my chemistry exam ). I personally want to have a job that I truly love rather than some other job just because it is easier (or safer). So I'm currently doing a science degree at USYD with subjects that I'm interested. If you don't want to give up on becoming a dermatologist, keep trying, sit UMAT again or even GAMSAT. I'll be unemployed if I don't get in before I graduate... But I'll keep trying until I get in (I might get a job to just keep my life busy). Hope this helps.

 

[Schmeag]

Dermatology as you may know one of the more difficult specialties to enter after initial internship and residency. Dermatology as a field occupies a very insignificant part in medical school and junior years of work. As a result, most of your initial medical training would involve almost no dermatology. However, if you have looked closely at physiotherapy and strongly feel that you would not enjoy it, then that may also not be worthwhile.

The ideal option would be the one that you enjoy the most and perform well in. You could then at least try to re-apply for undergraduate courses or apply for a post-graduate course thereafter. You should use the time to reflect on what you enjoy.

Medical students may not go on to specialise in careers that they had initially imagined. Sometimes the theory turns them off, or it's the clinical learning, or it's the reality of working as a junior, or it's the tough standards that some colleges may hold them to, and it's hard to know how you'll feel about it until you're there. You may find that dermatology is not for you, but you might like another specialty. Who knows, you may like physiotherapy. Physiotherapists (along with many other professions, including non-health) have also become post-graduate medical students.

Using the extra few years to think about what you like and don't like is not a bad thing at all.

 

[iStudent]

I would do a physio degree (or any other degree), get good grades and look to swap to med (via umat or gamsat). I wouldn't do med sci at UNSW because like you said - risks of unemployment are high and the advantage of doing med sci at UNSW over physio (I think?) is that it lets you be considered for graduate entry into UNSW. This is only like 10-20? positions which is sort of insignificant. You don't have to do med sci (or sci) to get into med .

 

[hirola]

I would do a physio degree (or any other degree), get good grades and look to swap to med (via umat or gamsat). I wouldn't do med sci at UNSW because like you said - risks of unemployment are high and the advantage of doing med sci at UNSW over physio (I think?) is that it lets you be considered for graduate entry into UNSW. This is only like 10-20? positions which is sort of insignificant. You don't have to do med sci (or sci) to get into med .

I think that doing any science course would be an advantage for me if I eventually plan to do GAMSAT since I heard that there are sections where it is science based. But I do see your point in doing physio over med sci. But I didn't want to spend more than 3years doing something like physio when I could still plan to do medicine in the future. Hmmm.... I'll have a think about it. Thanks

 

[iStudent]

I think that doing any science course would be an advantage for me if I eventually plan to do GAMSAT since I heard that there are sections where it is science based. But I do see your point in doing physio over med sci. But I didn't want to spend more than 3years doing something like physio when I could still plan to do medicine in the future. Hmmm.... I'll have a think about it. Thanks

There's a lot of physio students/qualified physiotherapists in my course. You won't stop yourself from getting into med just because you did physio. Also, the "advantage" you mention is small - science is a small part of GAMSAT and physio's also study a bit of science. Nothing stops you from studying science outside physio in your spare time either. Consider that and weigh against the chance you believe you have at getting into medicine through med sci (and also the risks of failure) before you make a decision.

 

[valeriepocky]

Hi there! I'm exactly in the same shoes as you- but instead of dermatology, I want to specialise in Paediatrics.. I've also messed up my UMAT this year, so there's no chance of me going into med next year. But I think of it as a good thing.. I used to be really narrow-minded and only thought of getting into med, but because of this failure, I'm starting to become more open..

I've gone around and asked med students/people who went through the same thing and I learnt quite a few things..

1. The Med Sc. Path: It is abit risky, but as the topics you learn are similar to med, it can be really advantageous for your GAMSAT if you want to do Graduate Med. I personally consider that this path would be suitable if you really really really want to do Med and willing to try again and again/ +Work really hard (as specializing in dermatology takes 10+ years of sweat and tears <- - you have to be prepared for that)

2. The other path (which I decided to choose): is just choose something you personally enjoy- if its hard to find another degree, talk to different people and try to explore/research about it.. etc. If you still have this desire to study med (like i still do haha :3) find a health sc/pharmacy.. one..and you never know..some things you learn there can also help the gamsat if youre still considering med..In my case, Im considering physio/o.t, but as I'm still interested in med, i can take next year to question myself if i really want to do med, and if so, study for the umat

And a special point to mention is that, now in Australia, it really is hard for everyone to find job opportunities after graduating (even physio). So in my opinion, the path you enjoy, the path you want to walk on in the future, will get you further.

Good luck !