LIFE @ UNI - MEDICINE
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
Q: What is your career aspiration?
A: To be a doctor. My course is 6 years long so I have a long time to decide if I want to specialise and what I might specialise in. But I enjoy working in a team environment so I think that I will end up in a hospital or multidisciplinary practice.
Q: Describe the difference between high school and university.
A: University is a lot more free – more freedom to do what you want, when you want. University’s a lot more independent, no one will chase after you for work. So it’s up to YOU to make sure you do what you need to.
Q: What do you love most about your course? What do you dislike?
A: It’s really interesting and it really applies to daily life. Like I learn how we hear, how we get our body
to do specific things and it’s so interesting to actually know why things happen.
Q: Do you have a job? Why did you choose to work and study at the same time?
A: Yep at Matrix. Enjoyed the Matrix environment so I stayed on after I had graduated as a student.
I’ve been working since year 8 so I’m used to being able to provide for myself. This way, I don’t
have to ask my parents for money.
Q: People often say “university is like the HSC twice a year”. Is it true? Do you have any
habits or skills to manage all your workload?
A: I’ve heard a few of my friends telling me that it is. But medicine is very different from other courses
in that we don’t have mid-semester exams or finals. Instead, we have an exam every 8 weeks. Our
big exams are the end of phase exams. These occur pretty much at the end of every 2 years and
cover everything in those 2 years. Considering the amount of work being taught at uni in just one
lecture, I believe it will actually be a lot more difficult than the HSC.
Q: Have you failed any subjects at uni or do you know anyone who has? What do you
think were some factors which led you or another fail?
A: Medicine only has one exam per term (every 8 weeks) so it’s not really failing subjects, it’s more
about failing the whole thing. I haven’t failed yet but a couple of my friends have. I think the reason
why they failed was a lack of motivation. In uni, no one really pushes you to do work, so unless you
push yourself, you will not get the marks.
Q: Do you have a particular organisation you want to be part of when you graduate? Why?
A: My course is 6 years long so I still have a long time to decide where I ultimately want to be. But I
think I would enjoy working with a team of people, perhaps in a hospital.
Q: Do you have a personal secret to success?
A: I find that keeping myself busy makes me work more productively. A lot of spare time on my hands
makes me sit around and I tend to get less done.
Q: What is a great habit to have during studying at university?
A: Keeping up to date – keeping lecture notes tidy and organised. As there are heaps of lectures, it is
easy to miss a few lectures. This is ok as long as you catch up on them afterwards and make sure
you have the notes.
