To all those going to UQ

[Kit]

Hi All. I want to start a thread aimed at students starting or in the UQ mbbs program to introduce themselves.... as I for one know no-one in QLD, and have limited info about the school and particulary the assessment/workload. I particulary want to say i have atleast 'met' a few students before Jan 27th!

i am an Aust student (University of Technology, Sydney, bachelor of science in biomedical science majoring in Immunology/pathology), and have just finished my honours year.

I have done the first aid course, completed my immunisations, got the recommended equipment, got somewhere to stay (grace college), have packed (literally!)..... and the adrenaline is pumping and i have nothing to do with it!

How is everyone going with organising and descision making... if i can help anyone, answer any questions (about oz, the health system, uni system, culture (or lack of it).... or even surfing) especially for international students, i would be happy to help.....

I want to feel like i am a little familiar with some soon to be co-conspirators!

And for those at UQ i was wondering what is the assessment system like in the first semester? Formative and summative..... ummm what the heck is that exactly!!

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[markdc]

Hello everyone...

I'm coming over from Toronto a few days before class and will likely be needing a place to stay . I'm getting anxious to fly over there too. I'm presently working in a corporate-like job in a software company and can't wait to leave!

I hoping to take up surfing (I presently suck and need a teacher) and may also join the sailing club. I also play guitar (but don't need a teacher for that). Anyways, I'm looking forward to meeting some new friends and escaping the Canadian winter for 4 years so if anyone else wants to contact me just send a PM.

-Mark

 

[redshifteffect]

Originally posted by markdc
Hello everyone...
Anyways, I'm looking forward to meeting some new friends and escaping the Canadian winter for 4 years so if anyone else wants to contact me just send a PM.

-Mark

Escaping the Winter?? You'll be experiencing it for the next 4 years along with the (mild) Australian one. Unless of course you plan on staying in Oz for the entire 4 years.

 

[Kit]

As i am a terrible aussie surfer chick... i have not actually seen snow .... so how about you come here and experience our Qld summer and i go and muck about in the snow. I really want to build a snow man.. it looks like it could be hours of entertainment!

 

[Kit]

I have had a great response.

So hi to you all and i cant wait to meet you!

Surf is great, weather is muggy and warming up nicely for a bonza summer

Still waiting on detailed information on enrollement/o week/etc, am getting very impatient... have been waiting for so long, now i know that i will definetely starting next year i just want it to start right now!



Does anybody have any information what the first 'topic' (yeah i know that PBL is integrated antaomy-neurology-phycology etc) of major testing and study is?

I have not done any neurology (ever), and anatomy was four years ago... so i am not looking forward to detailed memorisation of muscles, nerves and tendons.... was thinking about getting a head start at USyd at one of there summer anat courses in January.... but if have a couple of weeks (or longer till first exam) after 27th january then it should be ok

 

[jackts]

Haven't checked this site in a long time, only the threads that I subscribed.

I'm coming from Vancouver, did my Bachelor with UBC in Computer Science.

I'd like to boast we have here the mildest winter in Canada, but it's still pretty ugly during this time of the year.

My interests are interestingly NOT in computers...I love playing basketball, golf, any outdoor sports, and violin. Hopefully Qld has an orchestra I can join.

As for med school, it can't be any worse than stuyding for MCAT, can it??? I'm stoked that i'll be going to Oz for a brand new experience as I've been a journey man throughout my life. I grew up in Taiwan, spent 2 years in Costa Rica when I was 10, then immigrated to Canada at age of 12. I'm currently 23 years old.

Yay! i can't wait to meet you all

jack

 

[Kit]

Well being an ozzy i did not do the MCAT (?) i had to do a Graduate Medical Assessment Test (Gamsat), and that was not too bad actually (says she who nearly had a mental breakdown)
I sat it fresh out of a full year of biochem, physical chem, biology and physics and the rest (essay writing and comprehension) i did a weeks practice and cramming... what i did a lot of prep for was the interview (for aussies that is the most significant and difficault step, if you already have a high grade point average and the minimum score in the gamsat you offer is prettty muc dependant on your interview).

So you all know i consider myself a surf chick; not a very good one; dont surf well just for fun, am pasty white (damn those irish ancestors!), and a tad over weight (a consequence of dropping my dream of olympic trampolinist, study, steroids for stupid health reasons and god damn studying), but there are other thing that ozzy girls do....

that is help the boyfriend polish his holden comodore calais..

but not me... i have this fascination with immunology and pathology (my mum was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when i was 12) and as a consequence have been working in an anatomical pathology laboratory/morgue and doing immunology/parasitology research on a parasitic amoeba... its amazing how working in a morgue puts guys off.... and all the girls i know nearly faint at the sight/thought of blood.

so what inspired you all to become a dr? have any idea about where/what you would like to go/do for electives?

 

[jackts]

Tell ya the truth, I didn't prepare much for the interview...thought I did terrible because I wasn't able to clearly express all my thoughts on the telephone.

kristy, please explain " holden comodore calais"...no idea, not even dictionary can help me with this.

I was thinking of focusing on geriatrics or dermatology. Ever since my grandma was diagnozed with Alhzeimer's I got interested in caring for the elderly.

It's too bad your mom has MS, I heard it's a terrible illness for the patient to go through.

I don't look forward to working with corpses. I hope I'm in the same group as you as I might lose my mind the first time i see it. I've never seen a dead person before, don't know i'll react physically and psychologically

jack

 

[redshifteffect]

Originally posted by jackts
on the telephone.

kristy, please explain " holden comodore calais"...no idea, not even dictionary can help me with this.

jack

Holdon Commodores are a type of car here. They are the Australian version of GMCs. There are none of the GMC type cars here like Chevy etc.

 

[pitman]

maybe not in Tas, red, but I saw a bunch in adelaide -- that place is sort of in a time/place-warp with all its 50's-60's American autos and architecture.

-pitman

 

[pitman]

Originally posted by jackts
As for med school, it can't be any worse than stuyding for MCAT, can it??? I'm stoked that i'll be going to Oz for a brand new experience as I've been a journey man throughout my life. I grew up in Taiwan, spent 2 years in Costa Rica when I was 10, then immigrated to Canada at age of 12. I'm currently 23 years old.

I remember my cousin telling me, "med school's like 10 MCATs, all in a row." But he also went to Jefferson (PA, USA), where rote memorization is emphasized.

-pitman

 

[pitman]

Originally posted by Kit
Does anybody have any information what the first 'topic' (yeah i know that PBL is integrated antaomy-neurology-phycology etc) of major testing and study is?

I have not done any neurology (ever), and anatomy was four years ago... so i am not looking forward to detailed memorisation of muscles, nerves and tendons.... was thinking about getting a head start at USyd at one of there summer anat courses in January.... but if have a couple of weeks (or longer till first exam) after 27th january then it should be ok

I was just going to recommend studying biochem, but looks like you have that covered.

 

[DrBlaze]

Just me being picky... but *technically* a Calais isn't a Commodore. But, it's built on the same wheel base and has more feautures, different styling.

There, I'm now offically a rev head or some such. Joy.

David

 

[pitman]

Originally posted by DrBlaze

There, I'm now offically a rev head or some such. Joy.

Interesting..in the States they're called 'gear heads'.

-pitman

 

[redshifteffect]

Originally posted by pitman
maybe not in Tas, red, but I saw a bunch in adelaide -- that place is sort of in a time/place-warp with all its 50's-60's American autos and architecture.

-pitman

Tas? yeah it's definitely in a time warp in terms of the cars here....though I'm sure that the cars in adelaide were probably imported from the US...as I doubt that GMC cars are manufactured in Australia...but i could be wrong?

 

[DrBlaze]

Nope, GMC vehicles aren't made here. Holden, which is General Motors Holden does sell some designs to other GM companies which get rebadged.

David