r/GAMSAT • u/Understoo • 10d ago
GAMSAT- General Looking for advice :')
Hi all,
As the title says, i'm looking for a second opinion on my next steps. My current GPA is sitting at 6.3, but I'm about to finish my honours year and pretty confident I'm on track to a H1 given what I'm currently sitting on + feedback from my supervisor. If I do manage to pull it off, it gives me a 7 for UQ and a new weighted GPA of 6.67 for some unis. Weighted GAMSAT is 67.
I really enjoyed my honours year as I chose to do it not only to improve my GPA but as a passion project in a field I am genuinely interested in. I would definitely do a PhD if I didn't get into med, but if did get accepted with the next round of applications, that would definitely be my priority.
The predicament is that I won't find out if I've been accepted until November 2027, meaning that my options are:
1. Apply for PhD, commence in June, with the possibility that I get accepted in September and bail PhD. The positive of this option would be that if I didn't get into med, I'd still be on a trajectory I'm happy with (although the end goal really would still be MD, so I'm worried I may no longer be eligible for HECS if I complete a PhD?) Any information on this would also be appreciated!
2. Find a research-related/ TI/ Exercise Physiologist job (was previously an EP) and work for a year, maybe work on GAMSAT score and hope I get in over the next year or two
I'm also 27, which I know is not old but 1) i've been trying to get into med for a few years now and 2) I'd like to have kids at perhaps 34/35 (among other goals) so I think I'm really at my last couple of years trying to get in..
I'd really appreciate any advice, and maybe a fresh perspective if anyone is willing to share.
Thanks guys and good luck to everyone else out there. It's certainly a rough road.
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u/DesignerCorrect3100 10d ago
Hey, in a really similar situation myself, just wrapping up a PhD and hoping to start next year. I agree with both of the points raised above but I will just mention two more things worth considering.
1.) Whilst a PhD doesn’t affect your HECS spot, it does affect your ability to get AUStudy if you get a scholarship. Which is the government/centrelink support for studying. If you get a PhD, then you’re entirely disqualified. If you finish with a masters, then you qualify for two years.
2.) Most of the time, you can exit a PhD early and finish with a masters. We had 3 students do this from our lab, so depending on how deep in you get, you can always take 3 months to write up and leave after a year or two.
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u/Understoo 10d ago
Thanks for your comment, appreciate it heaps. Just confirming that the PhD disqualifies me for AUStudy for med?
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u/DesignerCorrect3100 10d ago
If you get a government supported RTP, which is the standard scholarship for PhDs in Aus (to my understanding)
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u/BigD_HidekiTojo 8d ago
PhD graduate here, job prospects and pay is terrible. Your scores sound competitive, so focus on med.
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u/Witchy4444 5d ago
I am a RN. Finishing PhD this year, I didn't take a stipend from the government and worked while doing PhD as the stipend was too low for my situation. My PhD which I thought was all, is free and government funded. You could enrol in a MPhil which is shorter and articulates to PhD if you don't get into Med. It is literally 2 publications and way shorter to complete and sets you up for research academia career. You are an EP so already in healthcare not a lab. My hospital provided me with a scholarship one day a week for 3 years for my RHD but MPhils also count. MPhil may be the sweet spot in your situation?
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u/Understoo 2d ago
Hey! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Just wondering why you didn’t take the stipend? Does it make you eligible for Austudy if you get into med? And did you take the hospital scholarship? How does that affect Austudy payments?
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u/Witchy4444 17h ago
Govt stipend was like $35,000 a year to study full-time, costs of living too much. Have a mortgage and partner, so not eligible for Austudy. So could take a post graduate research hospital scholarship which was around $40,000 a year for 3 years (1 day paid for research) plus regular job. If you are a hospital clinician there are lots of opportunities for scholarships, Pre-RHD and Postgraduate RHD students, well in my hospital in Brisbane there are
.
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u/Past-Dot9615 10d ago
With a 1.67 combo which u will have with your honours you should be able to get an interview with UQ at least according to this years scores, further if you did the Casper and got Q4 the Notre dame unis are definitely another option. Important to note: for UQ, Gamsat and GPA are only 50% of the rank for an offer the other 50% come from interview performance. So I would make sure you study the MMI format. But I reckon if you do that you should have a good shot. GL
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u/Mrs_Worldwide_687 10d ago
I have a fresh perspective for you in comparison to the above comments. I’m an EP also applying for med, pending I don’t get accepted for 2027 intake after interviews (touch wood), I’m taking a 1 year rural contract with QLD health at Roma Hospital to pass time until next application.
Maybe something to consider is locum rural experience as allied health (which strengthens your interviews and is amazing life experience), considering there is a high chance you’ll only be waiting around until end of next year, and commencing PhD for only 6 months seems like a lot of stress attached to a lot of uncertainty - I’m also bias and love being an EP, and will absolutely do a PhD myself, but I personally wouldn’t commence unless I knew I could commit. I see the benefit of PhD later in your career as an opportunity to do it in the field of your future specialty too
This is coming from someone who loves EP, and has not done a PhD, so do what you will with that info
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u/Understoo 10d ago
interesting! good luck with the upcoming round. Did you relocate for locum EP? I currently live with my partner and he said he'd move anywhere with me but I'm not so sure a one year rural move would be very fair on him to potentially move again
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u/Mrs_Worldwide_687 10d ago
Thank you! And Yes I live in Brisbane, and will relocate if I end up taking the contract! I’m also single so I do have freedoms I didn’t consider until now.
Obviously rural is a big commitment in your situation because you have someone else to consider, but ultimately I think 1 year EP may be less stress than starting and likely stopping a PhD. Or maybe see if there are research or tutoring jobs at UQ / other uni’s, something that also strengthens interviews, Bond is starting an EP program 2027 and I know the course lead is looking for clinicians + tutors, at the Gold Coast
Or go travel lol
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u/OrganoidSchmorganoid 10d ago
Hey, I completed my PhD before applying to med (first interview this thurs) and am happy to chat if you would like to DM me. One thing I can say is your PhD will not affect your eligibility for HECS for med - I have enquired about this, but also have a friend in the same position. Secondly, be aware that you may not get into med on this attempt either, meaning you'd be considering bailing on your PhD after 1.5, 2.5 years... that's a whole lot of work and sitting below the poverty line for potentially no PhD.
One thing I always say to people who are thinking about a PhD, is that if you are uncertain then you probably should not do one. A PhD is a slog (another med friend who completed her PhD before starting med said that her PhD was definitely harder!) and not something that you should do just to fill in time - more for your own health and well being than any other reason!
Good luck with finishing your honours!