GPA not heavily weighted in Australia Medical school?

[X-treme]

I have been looking into Australian med schools and have been informed that the GPA's are not a real significant factor as oppose to MCAT and Interviewed scores. If two applicants score well on the MCAT AND Interview, then the tie breaker comes down to the GPA. So someone with a 3.9 will win over someone with a 3.0

Does anyone have first hand experience of this, or know of this? GPA seems to be the only thing to get you eligible into a school in Canada, whereas one in Australia or UK doesn't significantly matter.

Does anyone know the 2006 mean GPA for all the schools?

Thanks

[ak7083]

The three basic admissions criteria involve performance in:

A credit average or better in any Bachelor degree
The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) or North American Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT)
The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI)This link is pretty helpful.

Admission of international applicants - Future students - The University of Sydney (http://www.medfac.usyd.edu.au/futurestudent/applicant/internat/admission.php)

[footy]

I'm not sure where people keep getting this idea on here that a GPA of less than 4.5 will get you into any school in Australia. Check the ACER guide, most require minimum 5, some 5.5 (out of 7). A couple of schools don't use it, but it's the first hurdle for most. Is a North American GPA different or something ie. is 3.5 not the same as 3.5 GPA in Australia?

[ak7083]

It is based on a 4 pt system.

So if Xtreme is from the US, his GPA of 3.9 is next to perfect.

[awward87]

Does any one known sort of how to convert american GPA to australian? I have 3.5 here in Canada. I have no idea how they would view it in australia or how they would rank me with australian applicants?

Thanks

[neulite]

There has been general confusion about the Australian admission process for medical school and while I am currently going through it I can tell you this:

Each school varies in its decision making process while Canadian and US schools have more uniformity.

Check the ACER website for the updated handbook on Australian med school admissions and they list the EXACT criteria for each school and what they look for. For example, UQ, the school I am looking to go to, requires only a minimum for internationals (on a 4 pt scale) and weights your final admissions score 50% MCAT, 50% interview (phone). Univ. Sydney does it a little different so you will have to check the handbook.

But from my research, yes, US school are far more strict in terms of GPA. However, this means that your MCAT becaomes a greater focus.

Read the handbook: http://gamsat.acer.edu.au/images/documents/GMAC_AdmissionGuide2008.pdf(page 13 for internationals)

[Lyndal PN]

Neulite is correct, it varies dramatically from school to school depending on their philosophy towards admissions procedures. Check the ACER book or contact schools directly for more information

Cheers
Lyndal