Today I've been thinking of the various decisions that I have made with respect to medical school admission in the past year. While ultimately I will get a clearer picture at the end of the year, here are my thoughts right now:
Firstly, it was the correct decision to repeat the GAMSAT, despite my score last year being "high". My mark improved by 6 on the "normal" weighted scale, and 7 on the weird "equal weighting" used by UniMelb. I do predict that the Melbourne cutoff will rise this year because of the increase in biomed graduates, and any higher score is useful. Furthermore, the USyd experience has shown that my interview ability is rather weak like I thought it was, so a higher GAMSAT would be a very useful buffer in the selection overall score, especially for UniMelb where they don't have a minimum interview score required unlike USyd.
Secondly, it was the correct decision to apply to USyd. Although it hasn't offered me a safety net like I hoped it might, applying there required me to think about some MMI questions. I also got some real MMI experience too and have identified some things to work on for next time. This can only help for a possible Melbourne interview.
As for the other decisions, it is impossible to tell if I made the right decision right now. If the UQ issue has been resolved, then the GEMSAS preference list that I drew up is the correct one. However, if it has not been resolved, and if I also happen to not get into UniMelb, then it may not have been the right one (although it also means that I should have tried harder for practicing for the interview for Melbourne).
Apart from that, if both the UQ issue is not resolved, and I did not get into Melbourne, then it may mean that I should have applied to dentistry in Melbourne (no interview). To be honest, it was only during this year when I seriously considered dentistry, sparked by the lecture that the dentistry guy gave during the DPhysio/MD/DDS info session (he was pretty funny and perhaps his speech was rather unconventional). I have become more and more interested about the OMS (oral/maxillofacial surgery) specialization which requires both medicine and dentistry this year, partially because I like being at uni (and without wasting time either), and partially because both medicine and dentistry seem interesting. But if I do get into medicine, then not applying would have been the right decision, since then I wouldn't need to pay $100 in application fees this year.
I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Or rather not. I guess I'll have to practice for the interview. That is best thing that I can do now.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
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I can see from the volume and tone of your posts that this Usyd situation has gotten you stressed! To be honest, I am very worried as well, it feels almost as if there is some unattainable quality they are looking for, and it becomes quite intimidating to confront a challenge that it is so difficult to prepare for.
ReplyDeleteI started freaking out too much, so I went to the gym to relax, and I decided that the best thing I can do is practise verbalising my thoughts to others, and carrying myself in a way that is confident. I don't want to memorise any answers, I want to solidify my opinions about certain things, so if I am asked about them, then I can express it. I suggeset you do the same, It would be a damn shame if you let this Usyd situation mess with your confidence.
You are young, but you have proven yourself to be smart and a hard worker. Stop questioning yourself, and do it. Go get interview help on campus, hire someone for goodness sake, talk in front of a mirror, walk in front of a mirror, video record yourself, really think about the answers that you formulate for these practise questions. You are too brilliant to let this crap throw you! Chin up!!!
Thank you for the encouragement, Yahvinah. Yeah, it has been somewhat frustrating, although I could easily feel that my interview was nowhere near perfect.
ReplyDeleteI am quite far from giving up though, although I did decide to just reel off a few posts haha. I guess this incident does add somewhat to my stress level, although in some sense it'd be bad if I didn't feel the need to improve my interview ability after this incident. A stronger sense of urgency may help motivate me further (like the effect of exam stress I guess).
Maybe memorizing answers word for word is unnecessary, but as you say, the main thing is tying together the thoughts/opinions solidified in a logical and confident way. I guess that is sort of what I was getting at; I don't really memorize my biomed notes word for word when I say that I'm trying to memorize stuff either haha.
I've already gotten together with a group for interview practice for Melbourne by the way. Hmm I haven't tried talking to the mirror much, although I haven't thought of the video recording before.
definitely try it, perhaps have someone off camera ask you the questions, so you can see how you look when you answer! I am glad to hear you are feeling motivated from the situation!
ReplyDeleteYour ability to adapt and learn from experience, as shown by your unheard-of improvements in S1 and S2 bode well too, as you mentioned in a previous post. I think an explicit toleration of diversity in communication styles, on the part of the med schools, wouldn't go astray either! Got my fingers & toes crossed for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that encouragement too, InkBlot. Only the increase in section two was really that significant though; section one only went up by three points (which actually may not have been much to do with my humanities ability improving as such, but maybe just not wasting time second guessing everything and having to rush through at the end).
ReplyDeleteI guess for medicine in general; doctors, students, and academic staff within and between different unis all don't seem to be able to agree on many reforms of the last two decades. Selection processes, how much science (and of which type) is really necessary; how much community, population medicine, and professional development is necessary; the list goes on.
Kind of funny to think though. I must have one of the highest (if not the highest) GAMSAT score(s) to be knocked back by USyd under the 50:50 GAMSAT:MMI weighting, and probably also one of few (or only) people who got 100 twice in the third section of the GAMSAT, both at the same time.
One of the perils of being an outlier! But you still don't know what's happening with the waitlist. Even though the letter sounded quite firm, you still have to wonder where the wait list is? As you said, the home advantage of interviews at UoM should help too (I'm hoping).
ReplyDeleteOnce you get in, you can advocate to change the system, so everyone with a S3 mark of 100 gets in, no interview needed!
Haha that'd be nice :P. I don't think I'm automatically entitled just because of the 100 in section three though of course, except maybe for UQ who don't believe in interviews anymore, before anyone else reading gets the wrong message.
ReplyDeleteYeah, as you say, outlier. It does feel a bit funny or strange to be an outlier on a few different things. Usually you'd expect to be in the "normal" range for most things.