Flinders medical school and questions

[um2011]

Hello all,

I just wanted to know what other people (who has done extensive research on IMG option; currently a student at Flinders or any other other oz med) think about the situation that I have going on .

I applied to Flinders University and got admission e-mail the other day. I did some research about Oz med school and Flinders was the only one that I applied. I have to pay the first installment of tuition in order to secure my place by september 30 (school starts on Feb).

One of the things I don't know...housing (how to get a place, fair rent price, which area is good, what does rent usually include, when to apply for the place; link for housing ad) or what is needed to move down there and above all, the internship situation. It was explictly stated in the letter that there is no gurantee for internship position which is so critical.

Being aware of the medical school tsunami in coming years, I was wondering what current student were thinking about the situation.
(and also to check if this is correct, 4 year MBBS --> 1 year internship (paid)--> residency of your choice for how many years? ; any exams to write (like USMLE step 1 and 2? beside the certification exam)
so I guess, although money and finance is the problem I want to know about the prospect and the education itself.


The reason why I'm so iffy about the whole situation is mainly because of the price tag and also because I have to put down the payment by sept 30, and I haven't really heard from US med school....although the application was completed early August, my one reference came in really late (like early september so my application wasn't completed until that....really feels crappy about that, but what can I do? it was after 3 reminder e-mails too lol). I guess, for me US school is more desirable than Oz...but I only know of the outcome of the Oz school and it's constrained time.



I haven't started Canadian med school application because after being rejected while in undergrad and grad I feel I don't have a chance... the only thing that changed from last year's application is not much...and my mcat is not that spectacular too (30, 10 in v).

information about Flinders and situation in OZ would be greatly appreciated and what to do with gap year lol.

I really don't want to consider other careers,,, and making a compromise between your dream and reality is proving much difficult

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[Athina]

What the hell is Flinders medical school? Never heard of it.

 

[kpcrew]

What the hell is Flinders medical school? Never heard of it.

stupid, sexy flinders

 

[UnclePhil]

You're abandoning hope because you haven't heard back from anywhere by September?

I was still submitting secondaries at this point last year.

I hope that you're ok with living and practicing in Oz because you're going to find it very difficult to come back and practice in the states.

 

[Morsetlis]

You're abandoning hope because you haven't heard back from anywhere by September?

I was still submitting secondaries at this point last year.

I hope that you're ok with living and practicing in Oz because you're going to find it very difficult to come back and practice in the states.

Isn't Chase from Australia?

Yeah! 😎

 

[Bacchus]

I don't know if this will help, but it's a perspective you might want to read regarding the Australian system:

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2007/02/member-profile-kimberli-s-cox-md/

 

[jdnontrad]

Hi um2011, I was in a similar conundrum just a while back so I thought I share my view.

Having family down under (but not being an Australian citizen), I had applied to Australian schools and gotten a couple of early offers including Flinders. I eventually decided to decline my offers after researching the internship situation. As much as the adcoms had assured us otherwise, there is no guarantee of internships for internationals. Even in states least affected by the medical tsunami now eg, SA, come graduation in 2015 our supposedly "spare" internship spot will likely be given to an out-of-state Australian graduate. Factor in FMGs' standing in the US residency match, and one could quite literally be caught between a rock (Australia) and a hard place (home) after having already blown a tidy sum down under. Imho a safer bet would be applying to more MD (and DO) schools.

Hope this helps.

 

[aSagacious]

Moving to 'general international discussion' forum.

 

[Canuck455]

.

 

[jdnontrad]

Edit: why didn't you ask your interviewer about the intern situation? They could give you much better advice than any of us.

Hi Canuck455, while I'm happy you chipped in to share I doubt if the above is sound advice given the obvious conflict of interests. I believe all offer letters came with fine prints of non-guarantees of internship places (notwithstanding the adcoms assurances). Personally I had found these particularly off-putting given that I would have been ~A$300k (~$315k) in debt with no internship training guarantee to fully qualify as a doctor.

 

[rayjay]

JDnontrad I agree with your point, but that is the inherent risk associated with leaving your home country to get trained in another...for almost all professions. Canada is particularly stupid with respect to that and I think most people would much rather stay in Canada (tuition is way cheaper) than leave for Aus/Ire/Caribb but at the end of the day it's almost a cost-benefit kind of thing.

Sure you could keep on applying to MD/DO schools in NA but what are you doing in the meanwhile? If you have an awesome career (I'm assuming purely based on your name that you have JD? Total shot in the dark there 😛 ) then sweet but if you are a fresh student and medicine is your end goal, where is the cutoff point for not applying locally anymore?

That is how I came to my final decision to accept Flinders. I know too many people who are caught in the infinite loop of applying to Canadian schools year after year and getting interviews one year and nothing the next. After 6 years of applying, one friend is onto his second graduate degree.

I'm by no means putting down what you said about internships; anyone who has done 5 minutes of research into going to Oz should know about the risks but at the same time eventually their comes a point where you have to bite your tongue and take the risk.

 

[rayjay]

Oh I should mention:

4 year MBBS --> Internship --> GET PR --> Residency

From the people I have talked to (relative who is a physician in Sydney born and raised), you have to have PR or citizenship to get a residency/specialty training spot.

Now, after speaking with Pitman and other aus grads, that's not that big of an issue. Essentially after finishing internship you fall under the skilled workers category (or something to that effect) and your PR application is basically accelerated through. Aus has a doctor supply so they want you to be training asap if you are wiling to stay.

There is no licensing exam in Aus. If you graduate from one of their medical schools they feel you are competent enough to practice, granted you have to do the internship and residency of course.