Results are out, so now what?

The entry process into medicine is no walk in the park, particularly if you’re considering undergraduate medicine, it is possibly one of the hardest thing you’ll have to face. Not only is it a massive decision to pursue such a career, but going through all the hurdles and barriers to actually give you the opportunity to study what you want is a major trial.

So by now, anyone looking to get into the next year of medicine has sat the UCAT and results are out. Fantastic! That’s step one of three. Most likely, you have scavenged the Internet for cut offs and entry scores to try and gauge where you could be next year. 

For some of you, you will have been pleasantly surprised or relieved by your result and are now working hard to get through the other two hurdles, the HSC® Exam and interview. Most universities will release their interview offers somewhere between mid-October to mid-November, so for now you can focus on the HSC® Exam. If you’re a perfectionist, you can also start preparing for interviews. For Undergraduate medical schools, the interviews are primarily about getting to know you and how you respond in different situations. Western Sydney, Monash and Newcastle/Armidale utilize the multi-mini interviews, whereas UNSW has a panel of two people who ask you personal questions about your life. Start to reflect on what you have done in your life and if there have been times where you have shown qualities of a doctor. To do this, make a list of all the qualities that YOU think are important in a doctor and think about times where you have shown this in your life. You might want to reflect on leadership, integrity, compassion or resilience, but it is certainly not limited to this. Don’t worry about being trivial! The interviewers know that the majority of you are straight out of high school and do not have a lot of life experience, so they expect you to demonstrate these things in ways that may seem trivial compared to others. Also do a bit of research on each university and before the interview, make sure you gauge what THEY think is important in a prospective medical student. These aren’t necessarily hard tasks but can make all the difference in the long term.

Unfortunately, not everyone will have been successful in the UMAT ® Exam and this may mean having to think about other avenues for entry or taking some time off before trying again next year. Whilst it feels like the end of the world, this is in fact the case for the majority of people the first time they sit the UMAT ® Exam. You will all be interested to know that generally, people perform better in their second attempt at the UMAT and if you are truly passionate about medicine, there are things you can do to further yourself to success. In the meantime though, you may be starting to consider the possibility of not receiving an interview, and in this case, what are your options:

1.  Lateral entry at UNSW – Medical Science at UNSW offers a ‘lateral entry program’ that enables up to 10 people in the degree that have completed all 8 core courses by the end of year 2 to enter into year 4 of the UNSW medicine program. It follows the same application process as for all non-HSC® Exam applicants but you do not apply through UAC and you are only competing against other eligible medical science students. UNSW Medical science has an ATAR cut-off of around about 95 each year, however for lateral entry, your academic score will be based on your results from the 2 years of medical science already completed.
    
2. Start another degree and try again next year – This could be a good time to explore other career paths (e.g. Engineering or commerce) or try to get ahead with year in a science or medical science degree. The first year or two of medicine is often said to be almost equivalent to a medical science degree but with more clinical rather than science focus. Having a year or two in a science/medical science degree would put you in a really good place for when you gain entry into medicine. Further, use this time as well to perfect your UMAT® Exam skills through practice and persistence. If you haven’t already, enroll in a UMAT® Exam preparation course to maximize the benefits and your potential to do well. 
    
3. Take a gap year and try again next year – If you really are a bit lost and overwhelmed with what you are going to do with your year/life, a gap year can give you a lot of clarity and direction. You may choose to work or travel and re-sit the UMAT® Exam that year. With plenty of time on your hands, you will also hopefully be able to immerse yourself in UMAT® Exam preparation. You may just find that with the relieved stress of HSC® Exam, and better practice, you can boost your performance come UMAT® Exam time.
    
4. Sit GAMSAT for post-graduate medicine after 3-4 years in another degree – Although a lot of people hate the idea of having to do a degree for the sole purpose of entering another, it gives you the chance to mature and if worse comes to worst, you have a degree and career choice to fall back on. For some people, particularly those who struggle with UMAT® Exam, this entry route can be most beneficial. Postgraduate medicine also is only 4 years as opposed to 5-6 years for undergraduate.

The application and selection process is purposely made intensive to ensure that each person they put through a medicine degree comes out a keen and committed doctor. This is why so many entry pathways are available, to allow those who are really dedicated to the cause to succeed and follow their desires. Whether or not you done well in the last UMAT® Exam, consider your options and start thinking ahead. Deciding to do a medicine degree can set the course for the rest of your life.