What are my chances?

[cantbekant]

Hi,
My case is very intricate and even the agents and consultants I've been to are pretty perplexed about what can be done with my situation. I'm 28 years old. I have an unaccredited honours diploma and a PG diploma in business management and Australia, as well, does not recognize those qualifications. I passed that course in 2010. Thus, I have a 7 year gap when it comes to education. I've been running my own business since 2014 and was working in the family business before that.

I've always wanted to study medicine, but a lot of things over the years have pushed me back, but now I feel I'm ready to be able to pursue the dream finally. The problem is the gap seems to be causing trouble for me. I've spoken to multiple university reps and agents in my country about joining an Australian university (not medicine per se), and they are pretty positive that with my profile, application for any course except an MBA will be rejected. However, I've never really been able to discuss medicine with anyone and that's because most of these reps are only focused on grabbing engineering grads for masters. Plus, I'm from India, the fees of medicine in Australia when converted to Indian rupees can only be afforded by the millionaires here.

However, considering that most universities have clearing the ISAT/GAMSAT/UMAT/MCAT as a prerequisite. Will be it safe to assume that the gap and other factors will have a lesser role to play if I'm able to score well in the test and give satisfactory interviews? Is there any chance I would be able to get into an MD program without a grad degree?

I'm not even sure what my chances are. I read last night on the forum that JCU doesn't ask for any test score or even a grad degree, and has a 6yr MBBS. It did give me some hope, but I also think JCU must be getting a hell lot of applications for their medical program.

I have another question regarding the fees. I see that most programs charge more or less $300k for the program. Does anyone have any idea of how much do PR holders end up paying? I might be able to secure PR through an alternate route and then apply to universities so I wanted to know how much of a difference would it make applying with or without a PR.

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[Domperidone]

No, JCU doesn't get a hell of a lot of international applications.
Why don't you just apply? Or even better, talk to JCU's medical program. Generally, most premeds don't know much about Australian schools, so their rough measure of quality is ranking and brand name. So they will not apply to poor old JCU or it will not be their first choice.

PR holders pay less than 100k AUD. Look up worldwidemed.co. it lists the tuition differences. So yes, it's a huge deal.

I would seriously not over think the 'getting' into an offshore medical school part of this process, if you're an international. i've already stated in other threads, they need funding desperately and tuition from full fee paying international students is currently how they are getting it. That desperation makes them less picky. So, if you apply broadly you will get in somewhere. Earlier tends to be better, a few medical schools don't have much of a selection process at all, they just go on a first come first serve basis - if you meet min. requirements.

In your case, with the details you've provided, I would suggest you stick to JCU. It's not even a question in your case about getting in, it's whether you'd actually survive medical school. At least JCU would afford you more time to adjust to studying again.

Also, rather than talking hypotheticals, just take those exams you've listed first then see where you stand based on the scores.

 

[cantbekant]

Thanks for your response.

I've been trying to open that worldwidemed website all day, but it's not loading for some reason.

Not able to get any details for international applicants on JCU website.
However, I did find that Western Sydney also does not require a test and academic requirements aren't that high.

I was also wondering would the fee quota change if I take admission as an international and change to domestic by getting a PR or would I fall under full fee paying domestic?

 

[Domperidone]

ah. that's sad, it's a great website. I hope it's just temporarily down.
whether tuition fees can change depends on the school.
Also, the domestic Australian fees are based on commonwealth supported places, that is government subsidized spots. these are limited. generally, an international who gets PR part way through med school will only have the option of changing to domestic fees if a domestic CSP student drops out and you take their CSP.

Ask the schools directly for questions as specific as that.

 

[pitman]

JCU takes a few int'ls, some even at the 'grad' level, cutting down their course by ?1 year (though it's unclear whether that would apply to you). I've met a couple from there, and it doesn't seem like it'd be significantly harder to get in there than other schools here that take int'ls. Give them a call and explain your situation.

 

[mcat_taker]

First of all, why do you have unaccredited academic qualifications. You haven't really elaborated or explained. Did you or did you not get a bachelors degree from a university? Simple yes or no answer why is this so complicated. If yes, then apply to post graduate medical programs that take internationals (not all of them do so check). Talk to the schools themselves rather than reps or agents. Ask them to verify your diploma/credentials.

Since your degree is 7 years old, they may want to see some more recent coursework. You may need to do a masters degree or at least a few courses to show that you still know how to study and do school stuff. Check with the schools themselves. Usually this is for applicants whose most recent coursework is more than 10 years old.

JCU doesn't ask for those qualifications that you mention probably because they are an undergraduate medical program where students start after high school. They also probably don't have as many spots for internationals as other schools so check.

Even if you were to try for PR, it may take a long time for the process to complete. Also, once you get PR you would be lumped in as a domestic applicant and therefore the lower bar set for international applicants would no longer apply to you and you would be competing with the higher standard that Australian applicants are held to.

 

[Domperidone]

JCU is an undergraduate program. Direct entry from high school. OP knows that.
Spots are less than other schools, but as I mentioned before, it's 'less' competitive to get into. there's fewer 'serious' applications.
That said, there's more spots for internationals each year at that school now. Same with Griffith.
But yes, agree, OP shouldn't be asking a forum only, they should be talking to the schools themselves.

Even if you were to try for PR, it may take a long time for the process to complete. Also, once you get PR you would be lumped in as a domestic applicant and therefore the lower bar set for international applicants would no longer apply to you and you would be competing with the higher standard that Australian applicants are held to.

This is very true, because again, the Australian government subsidizes most Australian domestic spots. It's not the same as being a full-fee international application there to fund the school. There are private Australian medical schools, but they also cost all students (domestics and internationals) 300k + and have no job guarantee after.

 

[pitman]

Guys, while JCU is 'undergrad', it takes a few grads each year and gives them advanced standing of something like a year (recognition being ad hoc, at the discretion of the school).

For a very basic outline, see sec. 'Advanced Standing':
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
Note that they recognize academic work up to 10 years old.

 

[Domperidone]

ack. sorry yea i saw that/knew that. just brain not translating into type. in that you can go without advanced standing and do the 6 yrs, or 'grad' entry route.

 

[pitman]

I think I can forgive you, Dom.