Anyone going to the University of Wollongong's GSM?

[Alie81]

Hi all -

I am a Canadian student who has been accepted to UOW's GSM. I was just wondering if there is anyone out there heading down as well?

Alison

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[jaketheory]

Hi Alison,

I am an US citizen interested in going to an aussie med school. i wasn't really thinking of applying to Wollongong because i got the impression it was looking for people committed to practising rurally. i believe it said something about that in the GAMSA guide 2007. can you comment on your experiences about how accurate this is and what the deal with the portfolio is? they look at extracurriculars, research experience, or volunteering? also, where was your interview? would you mind sharing your gpa and mcat?

thanks,
jake

 

[Alie81]

Hi Jake -

They are positively biased towards picking students who show ties to rural health care. They are trying to fill a void in rural Australia and so they are picking students who show an interest in this and seem likely to want to stay and practice in rural centres.

My interview was in Toronto, so I had to fly there in early September (I live in Nova Scotia). The interview was geared toward my experiences in rural areas (I grew up in a rural area and have lived in a rural area of Ireland volunteering in the healthcare field). The interview was really relaxed and they genuinely seemed interested in finding out whether I had the qualities which are important for being an effective physician.

The portfolio is fairly simple - they just want to get a feel for any research/volunteer/work experience that you have - especially if it is in the healthcare field. They will also be looking for evidence that you have shown an interest in rural health care.

My GPA for my last 3 years of undergrad (double major BSc in Neuroscience and History) was 4.0/4.3. My MCAT was not stellar (10VR,8BS,7PS). My impression with this school is that if you have the minimum requirements (grades, MCAT), they seem much more interested in who you are as a person and how this would translate into your abilities as a future doctor. I think that is what has impressed me the most about this school. They seem to be looking for the right qualities in people - not just the "egg-heads".

Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Alison

 

[driedcaribou]

Wow- I didn't realize Wollongong was taking International students now!

I hear it's a nice place to be. Their aim is to put out rural doctors but honestly, when you graduate, I don't see how they can stop you from pursuing any specialty your heart desires.

If you aren't planning to go to the US or in a rush to get back to Canada.... you should consider beginning your application for a permanent residency. It's much easier to do if you've had a full time job before you've come here.

Enjoy your time in Australia! It's a great country to be in!

 

[surferdoctor202]

Hi Alison,

I am a US citizen interested in the university of wollongong. I was assuming you graduated by now and was wondering where you placed for an internship and if you had a positive experience with the university. I look forward to hearing from you

Jim

 

[giraffedom]

jiive heard from people i know that went to wollongong that it was a mistake and they should have gone to a better non rural based uni ... im doing premed at uow ... and i hate the school ... its just not as good and doesnt offer as many options as other schools

 

[lyndal]

giraffedom - that is a very interesting comment as we do not teach premed at UOW yet. Also, your status says you are a "medical student" - which you are not. So, let me get this straight, after being banned from the Australian medical student forum for trolling and false statements, you've decided to join us on the North American sites? Wonderful.

For anyone who is interested in getting REAL advice directly from a REAL UOW international medical student or graduate about their experiences at Wollongong, please inbox me - we have an active facebook group with our current medical students and alumni ready to answer questions for you.

Don't listen to random internet folks.

 

[giraffedom]

i will be a student next year as ive got the scores for another uni, and i received an offer for undergrad med but declined
i do the equivalent of pre med
and ive had nothing but trouble with uow, the subject choices are far more limited than other schools in my degree, i wish id gone to one of the top 8 for undergrad
i got banned for no good reason, i only made a couple of misleading statements after my unfair rejection

 

[lyndal]

@giraffedom I have nothing to do with your banning on the Australian site, just making it clear that not everything you say on social media is correct and you have a track record for this kind of behaviour, so readers should be careful. Congratulations on receiving an offer for undergrad med and good luck with the graduate entry process this year. You are still not a medical student yet as your status claims you to be, you are a competitive undergrad student in a med sci discipline like most other people on this forum, there is a distinct difference. I am sorry you are unhappy with your current undergraduate degree and subject choices, but that has nothing to do with the medical school. Stick to commenting on what you know and have personally experienced and leave the commenting on medicine to those who have first hand experiences to offer.

 

[lyndal]

Back to the topic at hand, If anyone is still interested in Alison's experience, an interview with her has been published here http://globalinksabroad-blog.org/2011/04/29/medical-school-in-australia-leads-canadian-student-to-prestigious-residency-back-home/
That is a few years old, she has now completed her residency and is a practice principal working in family medicine and emergency medicine in the Yukon. She is also a preceptor for students from UOW ishing to do electives in Canada.
In general, there are a number of current students and past graduates keen to share their experiences - please let me know if anyone would like the link to them.

 

[Theebrucedickinson]

Back to the topic at hand, If anyone is still interested in Alison's experience, an interview with her has been published here http://globalinksabroad-blog.org/2011/04/29/medical-school-in-australia-leads-canadian-student-to-prestigious-residency-back-home/
That is a few years old, she has now completed her residency and is a practice principal working in family medicine and emergency medicine in the Yukon. She is also a preceptor for students from UOW ishing to do electives in Canada.
In general, there are a number of current students and past graduates keen to share their experiences - please let me know if anyone would like the link to them.

Hi Lyndal,

I am interested in graduate medicine at UoW - I am very willing to work in DWS areas, however I would like more clarity on what opportunities there are available after 4 years at such a high financial cost - what % of your international cohort that apply for internships in Australia receive them? I would like to live and work in aus as a doctor, however with the high expense, and the 10Y moratorium, and stories of internship shortages, I am extremely worried about studying as an international student, can you say anything to ease these worries/doubts?