Thought I'd start a thread for 2013 applicants. Anyone else applying?
Australia 2013 MD/MBBS/BMBS Applicants
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Thanks! I am from Canada too and my understanding is that the match rate back is higher from Ireland than it is from Australia. You can get an internship in Ireland but there are very few spots available however I recently discovered that I might be able to obtain an EU passport due to my heritage. If you have an EU passport and graduate from an Irish school you are guaranteed a residency spot in Ireland. Given the internship situation in Australia I think Ireland is going to be a safer bet for me overall so I will probably decline. My ultimate goal will be to return to Canada however I would stay in Ireland if needed.
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Flinders, ANU, Monash, Griffith, Deakin, JCU (in progress)
nice! some similarities there
Was going to apply to UWA. Too bad they don't have MD grad entry until 2014.
Out of curiousity, why'd you choose those schools in particular? Was it related to cheaper cost of tuition compared to other schools like USyd etc?
I wanted schools with smaller international intake, more personable, smaller classes - well minus Monash, applied because my relatives are there. Honestly though, just chose a bunch to apply to.
guy30 are you applying too?
guy30 are you applying too?
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Just wanted to know why non of you guys are considering caribbeans? I am also from canada and not sure which route back to canada is the best. HEELLLLPPPP!
I have read all the post but it comes down to second options. Aside from canada the only other place I would want to practice is US..thus considering caribbean medical schools...I like to hear your 2 cents as to how you came about choosing australia or euro.
I have read all the post but it comes down to second options. Aside from canada the only other place I would want to practice is US..thus considering caribbean medical schools...I like to hear your 2 cents as to how you came about choosing australia or euro.
CDN Mo my rationale for Aus/Ireland (I ended up in Aus) was that in the event that I could not get a job back in North America, at least I had the option** of staying in the country I graduated from to get a job. With the Caribbean that option does not exist, it's 100% do or die and it's a pretty big gamble with a $300k debt on your shoulders. Granted there are 100s of kids every year coming back and successfully matching. Having spoken to faculty at US medical schools (family members involved in admissions/admin) they steered me far clear from it. The residency situation in the US is getting pressed now in some states due to the opening of new medical schools but not the opening of new spots (similar to the internship situation in Aus). As a result, graduating from the Caribb and being Canada puts you very low on the list. Canada is historically a gigantic pain in the ass/face/chest/nose/[insert any body part] for people to come back to but at least there is no H1B, J1 visa issue.
**There is talk of the internship issue in Australia. States like SA have historically been very successful for international students, with all who applied for internships in the last two years being successful in getting them. However 4 years is a long time and it's a bit of a gamble. This year there was some spillover from states like Victoria and NSW into SA (according to our orientation speech) but they are hoping that measures will be taken to help. I don't know anything of australian politics though so I can't help there.
Ireland is a good bet but keep in mind what one of the previous posters said about internship. Without EU status it's essentially a moot point. Long history of excellent education in Ireland though and definitely some success stories coming back to Canada.
**There is talk of the internship issue in Australia. States like SA have historically been very successful for international students, with all who applied for internships in the last two years being successful in getting them. However 4 years is a long time and it's a bit of a gamble. This year there was some spillover from states like Victoria and NSW into SA (according to our orientation speech) but they are hoping that measures will be taken to help. I don't know anything of australian politics though so I can't help there.
Ireland is a good bet but keep in mind what one of the previous posters said about internship. Without EU status it's essentially a moot point. Long history of excellent education in Ireland though and definitely some success stories coming back to Canada.
UQ seems to be the easiest to get into, but it also has the largest class size. They take about 130 international students. You need an 8/8/M/8 MCAT, and applying early you can get in with a 24M.
The 8/8/M/8 is a pretty standard floor for most of the med schools. GPA is pretty much a hurdle set at something like 2.7 (i.e. if you're over 2.7 then decisions are made based on MCAT & Interview performance). Although certain schools have different requirements. Like UMelb cares deeply about your biochemistry, anatomy, & physiology (prereqs) grades.
Places like UMelb, Flinders, & USyd have MCAT averages in the high 20s low 30s range. I think you improve your chances of getting in if you apply early.
In general UMelb is considered the best medical school in Australia and also probably requires the highest MCAT. 30+ and you should be good for just about any Australian school. High 20s, maybe you've got a shot if you apply early. Mid-20s UQ.
Thanks for the information, Mathis. I notice that the deadline for Australia is in June (to start in February-ish). What's considered an early application?
Also, you note that UMelb has prereqs including biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, etc. Are these required of all of the Australian graduate entry programs?
As an international student, do you apply to each school individually?
Only UMelb has prereqs for graduate entry. The rest only require a bachelor's degree (doesn't even have to be science).
Yeah, you apply to each school individually if you're from the US. Canadians can us Oztrek, I think.
Since applications open in March that would be considered early. Applying now is still fairly early. I'd just target having completed applications in by April 15th. I don't think you could apply online to USyd until April 1st so you're still relatively early for them.
Australia isn't like the US where if you don't have your application in by June 15th (to start the following September) you're effed. So I mean even applying later you've got a decent shot but it's best to apply early as thats when the most slots are open.
Cool. This is all really helpful information. Again, thanks Mathis.
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Ditto for UQ. Rolling admissions means only that some people at the cutoff will get in, depending on where/when in their quota you apply, not that anyone can. It's probably still the case that UQ has a wider distribution of MCAT scores, but not a lower average (than Flinders or USyd at least). GAMSAT's entirely different of course.
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I'm a third-year at UQ. My cohort had a low of 24, mean of 30 and high of 41. The year behind me was the same, except some lunatic had a 43 (Gd knows why he or she isn't at HMS).
I personally know the student who had the 24M because he was so public about it. He actually failed out first-year (I wish I were joking).
I think UQ should raise the bar with their entrance requirements because a few of the international "floaters" have given the Canadians in the program a bad rep (not that I particularly care because I'm American).
Me too. Where are you interviewing?
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Vancouver. How about you?
Most likely Toronto. Shortlisted by Wollongong, Deakins and Monash too.
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If you want school reputation go to Melbourne/U of Sydney in Australia or RCSI/TCD in Ireland. If its neither of those then it doesn't really matter. If you don't get into any of those then IMO it would be smarter to go to Ireland since its closer and probably more convenient to set up electives. Just my 0.02$
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Just got my interview invite for Flinders at the end of July in Ottawa. Also applied to UQ, Mebourne and Sydney but still waiting on their responses.
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applied to Sydney, Melbourne, and UQ!
Applied to Sydney and UQ last year and got in but had to reject because my family still wasn't convinced that it was a good pathway to go.. but excited for this round!
Applied to Sydney and UQ last year and got in but had to reject because my family still wasn't convinced that it was a good pathway to go.. but excited for this round!
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Exactly the same schools that I applied for. Did you hear back from ANU?
