University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine - Applications Now Open

[AustraLearn]

University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine - Applications Now Open

If you are interested in applying to the University of Wollongong’s Graduate School of Medicine, applications for the February 2013 intake are now open.

 

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad (formerly AustraLearn) and University of Wollongong’s Graduate School of Medicine are working together to facilitate the application process for Canadian students. GlobaLinks Learning Abroad is the University of Wollongong’s application centre in Canada.

 

Program Overview

•International student places: 12

•Program Length: 4 years

•Program commencement: February 2013

•Cost: $47,000 AUD per year (based on 2012 tuition)

 

Program Highlights

•Specialized in training doctors to practice in rural, regional and remote medical environments

•Diverse clinical experiences, including large hospitals and specialist clinics, community medical facilities and traditional doctors’ surgeries.

•Small class sizes

•Purpose-built facilities with excellent resources and information technology support

 

Entry Requirements

•An undergraduate degree in any discipline

•GPA of 2.8/4.0 scale (70%)

•MCAT score of 24M (8/8/M/8)

•Successful interview (to be held in North America)

 

How to Apply

•Interested students should apply via the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Degrees Overseas website

•Contact GlobaLinks Learning Abroad’s Medical School Advisor, Jenny Clay, with any questions about the program or the application process.

[KLM]

Wow, those are super low entrance requirements and super high tuition fees.

 

I wonder if a Canadian could get a residency after graduating from this place? Perhaps rural or a remote location in FM could be doable?

[medicineiscool]

doesnt mean that you are competitive with those stats

 

even UBC's minimum entrance requirement is above 70% and 7/7/7 on the MCAT

[medicineiscool]

Also, It all depends on the quality and number of applicants versus spots offered. I believe Wollongong accepts only 9? students..correct me if I am wrong. So, I would bet its not as easy to get into this school than say Queensland where you don't need an interview but just over 2.7gpa and over 8/8/8 to get the acceptance letter right away.

[SooSk]

I wonder Why AustraLearn always MISINFORMS people.

 

1-First of all they require a GPA of 5.5 (australian) which is equal to 65% Canadian (2.3 OMSAS) according to ACER. (2.7 is the American GPA)

 

2-Your GPA is calculated only from the "last 3 full-time years"

 

3- They also require a "portfolio" which is equivalent of Ontario's AutoBiographical Sketch. I see Australearn has not mentioned that as well.

 

4- It should also be noted that your MCAT is only valid for 2 years from the date that you wrote it, This is true for almost all Australian schools.

[SooSk]

They should also mention that it's close to impossible to get an internship in australia for non-australians and the situation with IMG's in Canada doesn't need any explanation.

but they don't mention that because they just want that sweet 200,000$ from you( or 250,000$ in case of sydney).

 

They are fully turning this form into a commercial blog.

[medicineiscool]

They should also mention that it's close to impossible to get an internship in australia for non-australians and the situation with IMG's in Canada doesn't need any explanation.

but they don't mention that because they just want that sweet 200,000$ from you( or 250,000$ in case of sydney).

 

They are fully turning this form into a commercial blog.

 

While I partially agree with your statement, I would have to say that a few schools are relatively at significant lower risk compared to others when it comes to internship opportunities.

 

So not all schools are created equal here. This is mostly due to the fact that internship is governed by each state and so the degree of the medical tsunami will be different as well.

[SooSk]

Internships in Australia has nothing to do with the School. It is based on the territory, and from my research Queens Land and New South Wales are the worst ones hit by the Inter Tsunami.

[canuck]

They do mention it, in bold capital letters in the offer. Every medical school offer will state that an Internship is NOT Guaranteed, I got offers from 2 schools in Aus and they both stated that clearly.

 

And I gotta laugh at the "they just want your sweet $200,000" comment. Go to any 1st world country for a quality medical education and its going to cost you the same. Period

 

 

 

They should also mention that it's close to impossible to get an internship in australia for non-australians and the situation with IMG's in Canada doesn't need any explanation.

but they don't mention that because they just want that sweet 200,000$ from you( or 250,000$ in case of sydney).

 

They are fully turning this form into a commercial blog.

[SooSk]

You are right. Yea I meant Australearn doesn't mention it.

The schools themselves are pretty clear on these guidelines.

 

The thing is it's a different scenario if you are doing the 6-year program because you have a higher chance of becoming a citizen.

 

You know, It just pisses me off when I see we have to leave our country and pay a foreign country so much money. It's really stupid how we don't open up more medical schools in Canada. And at the end they treat us like foreigners.

it just makes me sad;

[keepontrying]

You are right. Yea I meant Australearn doesn't mention it.

The schools themselves are pretty clear on these guidelines.

 

The thing is it's a different scenario if you are doing the 6-year program because you have a higher chance of becoming a citizen.

 

You know, It just pisses me off when I see we have to leave our country and pay a foreign country so much money. It's really stupid how we don't open up more medical schools in Canada. And at the end they treat us like foreigners.

it just makes me sad;

 

Because we have enough doctors already. The problem is no longer shortage, but rather equal distribution across regions. Many docs are struggling to find work in urban settings because of the saturation. Opening more schools will only exacerbate this problem.

[jf1987]

Because we have enough doctors already. The problem is no longer shortage, but rather equal distribution across regions. Many docs are struggling to find work in urban settings because of the saturation. Opening more schools will only exacerbate this problem.

 

According to this report the physician-to-population ratio is going to get worse until 2020 and from that point onward it will remain static. However, Canada ranks very poorly among similarly developed nations with respect to its physician-to-population ratio.

 

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/articles/canadas-physician-supply.pdf

[standbyme]

doesnt mean that you are competitive with those stats

 

even UBC's minimum entrance requirement is above 70% and 7/7/7 on the MCAT

 

UBC's minimum requirement WAS 70% TWO years ago.

Not that big of a difference.

 

You aren't going to get into Wollongong with that average. Again, this is just a minimum to apply.

 

They take 12 applicants, so again, do the math. They can't take EVERYONE who has a 70% now can they...

[SooSk]

Canada's doctor to 1000 population ration is 1.9 OECD average is 2.7. so there is no such a thing as too many doctors.

[Mourning Cloak]

Canada's doctor to 1000 population ration is 1.9 OECD average is 2.7. so there is no such a thing as too many doctors.

 

Huh?

 

According to the OECD website, the ratio of licensed physicians to 1000 population in 2009 (latest year data available) was 2.53.

 

http://www.oecd.org/document/0,3746,en_2649_201185_46462759_1_1_1_1,00.html

 

I see gradual scaling back of med school enrollment in future.

 

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/supply-doctors-time-high-glut-may-horizon-200354011.html

[A Second Daniel]

Huh?

 

According to the OECD website, the ratio of licensed physicians to 1000 population in 2009 (latest year data available) was 2.53.

 

http://www.oecd.org/document/0,3746,en_2649_201185_46462759_1_1_1_1,00.html

 

I see gradual scaling back of med school enrollment in future.

 

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/supply-doctors-time-high-glut-may-horizon-200354011.html

 

It's probably more relevant to look at active physicians, which is 2.3 (avg is 2.7 in OECD nations). Based on this, I think we need more doctors as opposed to scaling back since upwards of 5 million ppl don't have access to family doctors.

[jf1987]

It's probably more relevant to look at active physicians, which is 2.3 (avg is 2.7 in OECD nations). Based on this, I think we need more doctors as opposed to scaling back since upwards of 5 million ppl don't have access to family doctors.

 

From what I saw the OECD average is actually 3.1.

[Mashmetoo]

I live in Fort St. James, B.C. As of this last week our local clinic has closed indefinitely because of a lack of Doctors. At one time we had as many #$%$ doctors in town. The emergency ward in our hospital has now refused to take emergency patients as no doctor is available. They tell you to go to Prince George which is 100 miles away. This story is such a pile of BS it is sickening. This reporter should be sued for liable. What a distortion of the truth. This is what we are becoming to expect of the press. BS and more BS.

 

I am a physician. The worst thing you can do in health care is listen to a non-physician "expert" on physician numbers. It's what got us into trouble in the 90's when they cut the enrollment of medical school classes.

Physicians are changing. Women now make up 65% of new classes; they work less than 70% of the time of their male colleagues, and 30% of what a 1970 male graduate would have worked. This isn't wrong, but it does illustrate the problem. Both men and women graduating today are putting a greater emphasis on their families. Male physicians who marry female physicians also are working fewer hours.

My wife and I are both physicians. We had three nannies to take care of our kids; we finally gave our head a shake and dropped 50% of our hours. We accepted our much lower income and work 40 hours a week each. Now WE raise our kids. That will make for longer wait times but it's worth it for us. We still work full time hours compared to what most people do, and more hours than some.

I live in a city of 850,000. The doctor-patient ratio here is higher than in Toronto. The new renumeration models (salaried) has resulted in clinics with nine doctors and three nurse practitioners; in one day they see fewer patients than an old fashioned fee for service clinic with five doctors. THIS is where the problem lies.

 

I am in Ottawa, my wife got sick bad, the walk-in did not accept us since they were too busy and did not recommend the hospital because there is a min. 10 hour waiting! WHERE ARE THOSE DR.s? Where are they hiding? What a glut? Where is the Minisitry of Health? I bet he has a familily doctor!!!

 

It should be obvious by the numerous comments here about not being able to find a doctor, that the media loves to spew bull**** propaganda!

 

That's what i say...is this a joke....people can 't find a family doctor here in Canada....and then have to wait forever to get the surgery they need...all the doctors here are not taking on new patients...i don't know where you got this ridiculous information because it's not correct..try polling the people.....

 

Well Helen Branswell of the Canadian Press, I am here to tell you that your information is hogwash, pure and simple! I live in the Windsor Essex area of Ontario. We moved here 6 months ago. We have attempted to get a family doctor in every town and village within 30 miles. Nothing. They are not accepting patients as their roster is overfull already. So where is this glut you are talking about? We still have to drive over 200 miles to Toronto to see our old family doctor. Does this sound anything like a glut to you? Really?

here's a sample of the comments from the bottom of that yahoo article, people seem to have a heck lot of trouble finding a Family doc, or any doctor.

[SooSk]

Huh?

 

According to the OECD website, the ratio of licensed physicians to 1000 population in 2009 (latest year data available) was 2.53.

 

Lower you arrogant tone and look at this? Since when has this forum turn into such an accusatory place with peoples emotions running through the roof.

Doctors are supposed to be Objective observers.

 

1.9132 pre 1000 in 2006

http://www.indexmundi.com/canada/demographics_profile.html

 

according to this report ontario had 187 doctors per 100,000 population in 2009 (1.87 per 1000) AND 1 in 5 doctors is over 60 and will be retiring soon.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2010/12/02/doctor-supply-canada.html

 

15% of Canadians don't have accese to a doctor in 2010

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2011001/article/11456-eng.htm

 

Don't respond with Huh?, state your facts.

[Mourning Cloak]

Lower you arrogant tone and look at this? Since when has this forum turn into such an accusatory place with peoples emotions running through the roof.

Doctors are supposed to be Objective observers.

 

My observations are as follows:

 

1.9132 pre 1000 in 2006

http://www.indexmundi.com/canada/demographics_profile.html

 

"CIA factbook" from five years ago . . .

 

according to this report ontario had 187 doctors per 100,000 population in 2009 (1.87 per 1000) AND 1 in 5 doctors is over 60 and will be retiring soon.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2010/12/02/doctor-supply-canada.html

 

The title of this CBS news story is "Supply of doctors jumps: report"

Canada had about 68,000 physicians working last year, following the biggest annual increase in medical doctors in 20 years, according to a new report. In 2009, about 68,100 physicians were working in Canada, an increase of almost 2,700 over the previous year — more than triple the rate of growth of the Canadian population as a whole, the report's authors found, and the highest growth rate in two decades. (emphasis mine)

 

According to the story, in 2009, the Canadian ratio was 201 per 10,000 population (CIHI data), which is (clearly) different from the OECD data.

 

According to this Ontario report (dated October 2010), if the 2010 levels of recruitment and retirement are maintained (N.B. they've increased), Ontario's shortage of specialists (as a group) shall be resolved by 2014, and FPs by 2017.

 

15% of Canadians don't have accese to a doctor in 2010

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2011001/article/11456-eng.htm

 

This report notes that "n 2010, the most common reason respondents gave for not having a regular doctor was that they had not looked for one (47.2%)." (emphasis mine)

 

Canada's doctor to 1000 population ration is 1.9 OECD average is 2.7. so there is no such a thing as too many doctors.

 

Australia might disagree. Australia's Health Crisis - Too Many Doctors. For those who actually read it, note that the Australian story is very similar to the Canadian one e.g. cutting med school classes in the 1990s, and then changing their minds in the early 2000s and ramping enrollment back up (see Canada's ramping here); Australia seems to be further along the curve owing to the fact that they appear to have more aggressive re: IMG recruitment. I think that Australia's rising difficulties foreshadow Canada's own pending reversal of fortune.

 

Obviously, a developing oversupply does not preclude maldistribution (this article is one of my favourites, if only for it's "pig moving through the python" analogy).

 

So, if the real problem in Canada is a geographic maldistribution, how do you fix it? I wonder if ROS contracts for all medical students accepted to all universities will someday become a reality . . . after all, it's already begun. And don't forget, maldistributions aren't just geographic . . . .

http://www.cma.ca/bleak-job-outlook-specialties

[SooSk]

The Problem of geographical distribution does exist, But even in Toronto we often have 8 hours of wait time in emergency rooms and 4 months of wait time to see a specialist(personal experience). Now you might think that's completely normal; but when you compare it to Germany (my cousin is a neurosurgeon there) our wait time are terrible. My father wanted to see an ENT specialist in Germany and it took him 3 days. On the other hand doctors get paid equal to engineers and get into medical school a bit easier.

We can't do that because we are going to loose more doctors to U.S. than what we are loosing already.

 

I think we can fix rural shortages by creating more "care centres" with modern architecture that would create a pleasant workplace for work, like the new hospital in Thunder bay. Also the ROS contracts should help; I think we should have them for Canadian Graduates as well but in a sense to keep them in Canada, not necessarily rural.

[SooSk]

I was just reading an interesting article, it says

 

http://mdadmissions.ucalgaryblogs.ca/files/2011/06/Off-Shore-Medical-Training-from-CPSA1.pdf

 

What's the deal with him? he is so against studying abroad!! he says you have 10% chance of making it back.

 

and with the Australian doctor crisis as you mentioned:

http://arts.monash.edu.au/cpur/--downloads/australias-new-health-crisis.pdf

 

I think best chance is Caribbean and then US

[yugerry]

Yah. Dr. Walker seems really against studying abroad. I don't know why....

He must know some people who had a very tough time getting back.

[AustraLearn]

You are right. Yea I meant Australearn doesn't mention it.

The schools themselves are pretty clear on these guidelines.

 

The thing is it's a different scenario if you are doing the 6-year program because you have a higher chance of becoming a citizen.

 

You know, It just pisses me off when I see we have to leave our country and pay a foreign country so much money. It's really stupid how we don't open up more medical schools in Canada. And at the end they treat us like foreigners.

it just makes me sad;

 

Hi SooSk, I’m sorry if you felt we are misinformed you about the entry requirements. I assure you that was not our intent or our goal with this. We are simply trying to balance the information so that we are not putting out an incredibly long posting and so that if anyone has questions we can have a chance to answer them. If you have a question we are more than happy to help with that. Just let me know. To get to your points:

 

1-First of all they require a GPA of 5.5 (Australian) which is equal to 65% Canadian (2.3 OMSAS) according to ACER. (2.7 is the American GPA):

We actually are in touch with the University Of Wollongong Graduate School Of Medicine directly as we are their application centre here in North America, and what we have posted here are entry requirements direct from them. I’m sorry if there is a bit of a discrepancy here, but what we have posted is what we have received from the University directly.

 

2-Your GPA is calculated only from the "last 3 full-time years":

Yes this is true but again we were not trying to misinform anyone by not including this.

 

3- They also require a "portfolio" which is equivalent of Ontario's AutoBiographical Sketch. I see Australearn has not mentioned that as well:

We are not trying to misinform people by not including every specific piece of information related to entry. We are trying to give an application overview that hits on the main points so that anyone who is truly interested in learning more can then ask and find out the specifics which we are happy to provide. So yes they do require a portfolio and it is used by the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong to rank “eligible applicants for interview”. This is considered a part of the overall application.

 

4- It should also be noted that your MCAT is only valid for 2 years from the date that you wrote it. This is true for almost all Australian schools.

 

Additionally, applicants will be ranked for interview based on a combination of GPA, MCAT/GAMSAT and portfolio score. I can also say that the interview is a very key piece of the overall application/entry process as the University of Wollongong specializes in training rural based practitioners and so they really want to know and find out through the interview if this is the kind of physician you would like to be. So if you are interested in practicing in rural or remote settings this is one option for you.

 

To your 2nd posting here are my thoughts:

 

They should also mention that it's close to impossible to get an internship in australia for non-australians and the situation with IMG's in Canada doesn't need any explanation. but they don't mention that because they just want that sweet 200,000$ from you( or 250,000$ in case of sydney).

 

They are fully turning this form into a commercial blog.

 

I would respectfully disagree with your assessment here. If you look at the actual costs of training a medical school student in Canada or Australia, it is my understanding that the medical schools actually do not cover their costs even at international student fee rates. I have specifically spoken to one of our Australian medical schools about this. Even with the $200,000 or $250,000 for the entire 4 year program that you will be paying it does not cover the actual costs of training one medical student. So even with these international tuition fees for medical school they are not ‘making money’ or even coming ahead. This is just the reality of the costs related to training medical students here or in Australia. So I would suggest that we are doing our best to make this into a fully informed forum and not a commercial blog.

 

Yes it can be difficult to get an internship in Australia. We are very up front about this with anyone who asks us about this. We also are very up front about the fact that there are no guarantees. But it very much depends on the Australian state you are trying to actually get an internship/residency in. As the residency situation will change from state to state, from year to year and from medical school to medical school. This is why we post on these forums so that we can fully inform anyone who is seriously interested in medical schools in Australia about this risk when applying so that they can make an informed decision. Through our medical school seminars that we hold throughout Canada we also go through this situation with regards to internships/residencies and specifically walk those in attendance through strategies to set themselves up as best they can for possibly getting an internship/residency here in Canada, the US or in Australia. I’m happy to talk with you about this (or anyone who has questions) and you can call me directly if you have questions for me. But there are no guarantees with regards to gaining an internship in Australia or gaining a residency back in Canada either. This is the reality.

 

Thank you for your posts as these are very important issues that need to be discussed.

 

 

Chad DuMond

Director, Canadian Institutional Relations

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad (formerly AustraLearn)

(514) 906 5785

[leviathan]

I have specifically spoken to one of our Australian medical schools about this. Even with the $200,000 or $250,000 for the entire 4 year program that you will be paying it does not cover the actual costs of training one medical student.

No offense Chad but I really really doubt this. Why would a government pay to educate a foreign citizen? The tuition is probably twice the actual costs of training, and schools profit big-time from international students.

 

Medical education is a thriving international business and Australian schools definitely profit from it. There's a reason why these schools are popping up all over the world. There's a reason why, for example, Queensland has expanded their medical enrollment to even include the Oschner program now for US citizens. There's a reason why many countries now have English-language programs at their medical schools to accommodate all the Canadians and Americans.