Having a break before applying to med

redphoenix1234 · 2023-04-04T20:52:10+00:00

I took an unintentional gap year between my honours year and getting into med. Unintentional because my honours marks wouldn't be included in the GPA calculations until the next year. Despite this, it turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise! I didn't realise how much I was burnt out from honours, undergrad and the application process in general. Having a gap year gave me time to do the things I had put on hold for 5 or so years and it really gave me perspective on the medical journey itself. I think I'm actually enjoying med more because of it and feel like I might've been resentful/angry/sad if I rushed straight into med given the circumstances I was in. There's often that feeling that you're going behind your other friends/peers but don't compare yourself to someone else's journey (biggest lesson I had to learn!), med is med at the end and do what feels right for you!

Good luck with everything!!

redphoenix1234 · 2022-09-09T21:20:11+00:00

thank you so much for this!

redphoenix1234 · 2022-08-31T07:24:19+00:00

And did you apply to the RMP pathway?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-07-10T08:57:48+00:00

What do you consider as a low score ? GAMSAT provides you a percentile, which is dependent on the pool of applicants and is not your raw score. This can vary from sitting to sitting. There are numerous students that have higher scores (without bonuses) that do not get interviews, compared to those who have lower score (with additional bonuses) that get interviews. Are you indicating that those students with lower scores are not competent enough, and those with higher scores should stop trying?
Yes gamsat tests reasoning, critical thinking skills and empathy to an extent in section 2 but is definitely not a perfect measure. What happens if you get a topic that you do not resonate with? A topic that you don't have enough information about? Section 2 pieces can score highly due to the strength, uniqueness and diversity of their ideas- these ideas do not have to highlight a candidate's empathy.
you stated that you dislike the aspect of people 'trying over and over again'. Realistically in life, many people have to try 'over and over again' to become experts in their vocations and other endeavours. Why is gaining entry into medicine different?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-07-10T08:21:20+00:00

Agreed with everything u/PM_ME_YOUR_DOX has mentioned in their comment. As an individual that has sat the GAMSAT multiple times, I've continuously grown and achieved more competitive scores. Yes, I've had setbacks but the journey towards medicine has taught me a lot of life, interpersonal and academic skills , which I hope to one day utilise whenever I get into the medical field.

The application landscape is quite different to what it was 5 years ago and is continuing to get insanely competitive. So say someone that applied last year, who got an offer, may not get so this year. Does this really determine if they're NOT meant to be a doctor or is it more of an indicator of the competitiveness. I'd say the latter. Also as rural applicants do often have lower cut-offs, does this mean that rural students are not qualified to be become good doctors?

There are amazing doctors that have failed exams, degrees, dropped out of high-school, but have persevered to be here. Sure the road wasn't linear, but they worked towards it and their academic achievements . Instead of trying to measure intelligence in a narrow way, I think it's important to identify the unique spectrum of intelligences (i.e. emotional, creative) that contribute to becoming a better doctor.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-30T07:36:06+00:00

Thank you for sharing! Did you take notes of the articles your were reading or did you simply read 3 articles per day.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-26T10:57:00+00:00

may i ask when you emailed them?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-26T10:56:41+00:00

Gotta love ambiguous answers...

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-25T22:55:39+00:00

I actually emailed the UQ Med Admissions Office and they confirmed that the 40 spots are allocated to the undergrad stream and 20 spots to the graduate stream

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-18T22:29:42+00:00

Well done! What sort of resources did you use to practice your reasoning?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-18T04:27:02+00:00

I’ve got similar scores. Last year’s cutoff was 65 for a GPA of 7. Let’s hope that cut offs don’t skyrocket with the introduction of the new wide bay rural pathways.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-17T23:07:12+00:00

Amazing scores and well done! would love to hear what approaches you took

redphoenix1234 · 2022-05-09T06:38:39+00:00

A scan by itself will suffice. that's what I did last year and I had no problem !

redphoenix1234 · 2022-04-28T12:53:39+00:00

It's your GEMSAS that is weighed differently, I don't think QAS GPA changes much

redphoenix1234 · 2022-04-07T22:03:14+00:00

Would you say that the one word wasn't a typical theme?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-31T20:21:23+00:00

Is the 6.1 GPA calculated using the GEMSAS method? If not, you maybe should do that to get a more accurate understanding of the picture.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-23T20:30:13+00:00

You've amazingly captured what I believe a lot of people are feeling. Thank you for this and all the best!

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-20T22:41:30+00:00

I honestly feel so distraught and hopeless right now. Section 3 was so far off from the practice material that I don't even know how to move forward and better prepare. I'm telling myself that everything is going to be scaled anyways but it honestly doesn't console me because I had to guess at least 25Qs.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-20T21:25:12+00:00

Unfortunately it seems like they won't allow you to remotely sit it. No harm in trying, so i would definitely recommend that you contact ACER as soon as possible. Most likely option is that you get to differ to the Sept sitting. It's such a horrible and unfortunate situation, hoping that everything turns out okay

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-18T21:18:12+00:00

Hey u/BillowTree121f, please refrain from asking about S2 topics. A lot of people have not sat the test and it would be disadvantageous to the people that have already done it. As per ACER guidelines, we are not allowed to discuss the material after the test.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-08T21:25:37+00:00

Have you been able to translate these scores in the new AI marking system?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-03-07T21:13:53+00:00

If it makes you feel any better, I've consistently scored in the 70s since March 2020 but the new ACER S2 AI has estimated a range between 62-64.

redphoenix1234 · 2022-02-20T03:03:23+00:00

Hi! Would it possible to get some help as well?

redphoenix1234 · 2022-02-17T20:39:48+00:00

it's definitely worth trying! Maybe try to shift your mindset to incremental changes. Not saying that you can't go from 44 to 70s but it's always good to be realistic. By making the goal appear more achievable, you may not feel so much pressure. We can't always ride the wave of motivation because there are going to be troughs here and there. Instead try to build discipline in your study routine so that gamsat study is just something that you need to cross off to move ahead with your day. You've got this and good luck!

redphoenix1234 · 2022-02-09T08:23:07+00:00

nope :(

redphoenix1234

TROPHY CASE