Mature Cdn to Oz?

[Unch]

Just joining forum and want to say hello. I'm a 39yo Canadian/US dual citizen who is feeling by the day that Aussie schools are both the best fit for me and, perhaps, my best chance at admission. Needs to be a lifestyle choice since I'm pulling my toddler daughter and wife along with me.

An interesting spin which may interest others is that my GPA for North American schools calculates out painfully low even though I feel pretty good about my accomplishments. But in Oz, the same coursework and marks puts me in the middle of the interview cohort. I understand this is because (a) some Oz schools don't look at first year marks (and who was really ON in their first year anyway) (b) weight fourth year more than third year more than second year...(c) don't break out science/math numbers into a separate average.

On the flip side, Oz schools have relatively fewer options to tell one's story (letters, personal essay) so my life experience (entertaining to say the least at my ripe age) doesn't count as much or as early (presumably only at the interview). But at least now my marks may get me an interview.

So any other mature Oz applicants out there? How do people think Oz schools perceive us oldies?

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[Winged Scapula]

Just joining forum and want to say hello. I'm a 39yo Canadian/US dual citizen who is feeling by the day that Aussie schools are both the best fit for me and, perhaps, my best chance at admission. Needs to be a lifestyle choice since I'm pulling my toddler daughter and wife along with me.

An interesting spin which may interest others is that my GPA for North American schools calculates out painfully low even though I feel pretty good about my accomplishments. But in Oz, the same coursework and marks puts me in the middle of the interview cohort. I understand this is because (a) some Oz schools don't look at first year marks (and who was really ON in their first year anyway) (b) weight fourth year more than third year more than second year...(c) don't break out science/math numbers into a separate average.

On the flip side, Oz schools have relatively fewer options to tell one's story (letters, personal essay) so my life experience (entertaining to say the least at my ripe age) doesn't count as much or as early (presumably only at the interview). But at least now my marks may get me an interview.

So any other mature Oz applicants out there? How do people think Oz schools perceive us oldies?

I was a few years younger than you but still the far side of 30 when I applied. Since I attended Flinders, my experience only relates to that program and even then, only to the situation at the time I matriculated.

I found the administration and faculty very welcoming to us older students. Some remarked that one of the problems with admitting high school leavers into the old 6 year programs was the lack of maturity on the part of some students. Many of them had difficulty interacting with patients and patients at the far end of the age spectrum. They appreciated that I had no such difficulty (and probably wouldn't have had even at 18) and that my life experience made for a more "real person" physician than someone who spent their entire lives with the books.

So if the situation still stands I don't think your age will be a hinderance except:

-with your younger classmates; you will find some of the social activities, shenanigans and general behavior to be a bit sophomoric
-if you plan on applying to a US residency you *may* experience some stigma, but this is obviously a case by case and program by program basis.

best of luck to you.