So..
Regarding internships in Australia in NSW:
- it may get increasingly difficult
- as class sizes increase and international ones are going up, internship numbers aren't necessarily
- there's a number of NSW grads each year that end up working under the federally funded Commonwealth Medical Internship program (the internship of last resort if you don't match into a state internship stream) and the majority of these CMI positions are in QLD. only 4 each year are in NSW.
- the VISA situation currently only allows you to work potentially up to 4-5 years after graduation, which isn't enough to finish your training or "residency" in Australia - it may change as this only became a thing in late April (welcome to the Trump protectionist era, as it influences other countries), and it was very sudden, given the backlash from other sectors, may be things could change further. who really knows. a lot can happen in the 4 years you decide to go to Australia.
- as for this idea:
If I have to end up staying in Australia to practice then I will.
, to put it harshly (to make you aware) - many Australian hospitals don't want to hear that they're your back-up, while they understand you wish to go home. they would rather hire those who are not applying anywhere except their hospital. you'll have to be very careful about how you 'sell' or portray yourself as you go through medical school and approach Australian hospitals. never tell them that. for some hospitals it's become an interview screening questions for North american background students. "Are you applying home? have you done the board exams?"
- I disagree that UQ traditional students have a harder time finding internship positions in Australia compared to NSW (but some students do make a bigger deal out of it), regardless, everyone's going to be affected by that VISA change if it stays as is - particularly those in "desirable locations" because of training bottlenecks.
For returning to the USA:
- again - what Sean said.
- it's not too late to apply for UQ Ochsner, and the US arm to this wants you to stay and apply for residency in the US and will give you support that no other medical school in Australia can give. they're connected to their own American hospital system.
UQ traditional program:
- has pros and cons
- again it is not built for sending grads into residency programs outside of Australia, as much as the Australian staff at UQ would like to think so
- yes, it has a good match rate to US, but there is a skew to it in that not everyone in the cohort actually decides to take board exams to go back
- bottom of the class will not even attempt to apply home
- core rotations in UQ doesn't carry the same meaning as core in the US
- also while UQO students do peds and obgyn as 3rd years, UQ traditional have to do it as 4th years. they never make any exceptions - so it would not be an ideal choice for anyone interested in peds or obgyn in North America (it has no affect on you if you want to pursue these fields in Australia)
- the pro that UQ traditional has over other Australian schools is that it still has a connection to Ochsner in LA via UQO
- so, if you're a US citizen, in past years, they will try to ensure that you get first dibs over any *correction - UQ traditional student (australia or other international) for ochsner rotations when you go to apply (they also make it really easy for you to get that rotation, there's no hoops to jump through)
- that said, most 3rd year rotations are unavailable as UQO students need to do their core terms first, hence why what Sean's saying is true, you can only do rotations in 4th year (but you can try for 3rd year - your citizenship may help, but it would be unlikely)
- UQ traditional - may or may not let you choose your own rotation schedule, you may not get to preference your rotation order (this has changed a number of times over the last several years, it used to be that you could choose, then they decided you just get whatever they give you, i have no idea what the latest iteration is) - this will affect you in terms of getting your electives or SubIs done in time to get LORs for the match (that said, it's not like US domestic students don't struggle with this either) - they have it set up that you can only apply for UQO after you get a rotation schedule
-- one lee way with this is that you can try to swap rotation order/schedules with another student
- UQ is restrictive in that you can only do a maximum of 2 rotations and your elective term in 4th year outside of Brisbane
- you must also maintain a minimum cGPA when you go to apply for away rotations (something like..the equivalent of 65% or 2.60 GPA which is more than reasonable)
- if this is a lot to take in, you're not alone many 2nd year medical students have trouble wrapping their heads around this
- that's UQ, have you discussed things in detail with UOW?
small learning settings:
- it's been discussed in other threads
- for the preclinical years at UQ: they split you up into small "tutorial" or CBL groups of 10-12, and they will make sure that all your tutorials lines up so that you're always with this small crowd
- you'll also have swipe access to your own study room where your CBLs will be run in with medical textbooks to use
- lectures are like lectures anywhere else
- it is however, still a large school. admin is slow. some courses are actually 1 instructor v.s. 550 or 600 whatever the number is now (forget getting an email response in a week..more like a month)
- you can feel lost in the system occasionally (you won't in your CBL)
- if you can get through the pre-clinical years..it's always going to be a 'small class' setting on rotations, but that's another can of worms
It's good that you're thinking about these things now.
Lol and that you've thought about how disillusioning it may get later. Which is normal. Everyone feels it. It is very possible that you'll get hit harder by this as an international student with it's stigma and extra adversities, but everyone is going to feel that at some point in medical school or after grad. You won't be alone. In fact, misery loves company is a common theme to medical school.
It's easy to get into a medical school in Australia, but it's harder than you know to get residency afterwards (*oops meant 'you' as a premed - and it's not your fault). It's not just hard in the academics, but there's a lot involved in building up a strong application to return home. Some luck is involved as well as a lot of planning in advance, which again, can be tough. You may not even know where to start.
