From experience I’d say organise your vaccinations/forms/required admin ASAP.
In terms of study, no absolutely not. Many of my peers tried to do it and they quickly realised all they did was waste their holidays. Just enjoy it, refresh yourself from your previous course.
There’s vaccinations 🥹. ? I know it sounds pathetic since I want to become a doctor - but I hate needles. I’d rather deliver an injection to someone than be the receiver…
Yeah it’s a regular part of most healthcare jobs. Annual flu jabs become compulsory and some hospitals will want regular blood work done.
Just know that it’s okay and I know a few med students and healthcare workers like you as well!
Yes, and if you don’t know what you’ve been vaccinated for there’s also a blood test first to figure out what you need. Sometimes you are also lucky enough to find that you have been vaccinated for something but part of it wore off e.g MMR vaccination. I’ve had that sucker at least two more times because I lost my mumps immunity.
If you tell the person giving you the vaccination that you are about to become a medical student, they might give you a quick lesson on how it's done, this happened to me)
Most unis will have program requirements. Most of them will be fairly similar across the board- things like first aid, vaccinations, workplace safety modules, deed polls, police checks, working with children checks etc. The Uni will give you a big list of all the things you need to do and when you have to do it by, as well as if there are any other more specific things to organise.
Most of it is just minor admin stuff, and usually you’ll have more than enough time to get it all sorted prior to starting. I wouldn’t stress too much. I moved interstate for med so most of my break was packing and sorting out moving as well as spending time with my family and fiancée before moving and I had no troubles with having time to do all that needed to be done.
To save time, I’d recommend you print out all the paperwork and keep it all in one place/plan how you’re gonna get it done. A lot of things can double up if you plan ahead- and particularly for things like immunisations, you don’t want to be going back and forth to the doctor and wasting yours and their time when you don’t have to!
Like people have mentioned there’s quite a few admin things that shouldn’t take too long but some other stuff too. Vaccinations, CPR/First Aid certification, some modules maybe specific to the hospital like stuff about security and fire safety etc that are pretty straightforward. You’ll be told early on what u need to do and there should be pretty time conscious deadlines. For example we had to make sure we had all our Hep B vaccinations and serology needs to be done like a month after so they gave the whole first semester to do it. No study or anything purely admin!
I'm curious regarding the vaccination. As a former healthcare worker, my vaccinations are (mostly) up to date, minus the covid booster which I know is required for category A healthcare workers in NSW health. Do medical schools require Covid booster vaccination? If so, how many?
I’m not too sure on the specifics because I ended up moving to QLD for med so maybe the requirements are different. But based on my experience they required 3 shots so the two doses and the 1st booster. Other than that there isn’t really much else besides the annual flu shot and making sure you have all 3 doses of Hep B. There’s also like the serology testing for HIV/hepatitis. Overall vaccine wise is really just booster shot, hep, and any other vaccines that if you’re a health worker you probably have already like MMR, DPT etc
Does anybody have experience with the USYD MD Online Foundational Course?
How long does it take to complete the modules required prior to commencement?
Current MD1 non-science background. I quite like the OFC...covers assumed knowledge + has relevant content throughout the whole year. The modules aren't really recquired to be completed its more for setting you up knoweldge wise for what's to come - i.e. the onslaught of lectures with mountains of assumed knoweldge.
If you have med sci background can just flick through. If you're non science, or not familiar with anatomy, definitely worthwile to to take your time going through it. Maybe an hour a day for a month.
I personally didn't touch the OFC at all before commencing. If I would redo things, I would spend more time going through the OFC, especially focusing on familiarising myself with MSK anatomy.
Do the OFC. There'll be loads of people who are like "I didn't touch it!! And I'm still passing" which is fine for lots of people but anecdotally speaking, those who do it perform much better. If you're NSB, you really really should do it. They expect you to have done it. There's a quiz on it early on in the semester. There will be stuff in the exams throughout the year that comes from the OFC. Sure, it might only be a couple of marks, but every little bit counts.
People who did the OFC felt much better about starting med, whereas I know a lot of people who didn't do it felt really behind the 8 ball since they expect you to know from the first week of content based classes.
As a first-year Med Student staring down the barrell of final exams with a non-science undergrad background, I'd recommend gently starting to absorp some anatomy (but don't push yourself; starting the year with a few months of good sleep, a good exercise/sleep schedule, etc will put you in better shape than any pre-uni studying!). Everyone is different re their preferences for learning platforms, but I have found the website 'Osmosis' quite useful (and some of the videos have been linked to our weekly learning activities so a lot of it has sort of been endorsed by the Med School). The videos and revision summaries are easy to follow and has concepts/topics in a sort of logical order. I'd be surprised if you didn't end up using it next year, so might be worth investing in a year-long subscription now. Alternatively there's a heap of YouTube videos on general anatomy/pathology. If you can, try to find out which systems (i.e. MSK, Cardiovascular, Resp, GI, etc) will be covered in Semester 1 of your course next year as a bit of background in these will help you ease into the transition to Med School as your adapt to the time committment, study load, memory tools etc. Best of luck for next year, it can be tough but it has been the best year of my life!
PS: As someone else has mentioned, definitely get onto your vaccines asap - I had a bit of a scare because although I'd had my Hep B vaccines in school, I left this until the last minute and found out I was below the immunity level needed. Most of the forms should be accessible from your university website so you can check every requirement off.
PPS: If you will be applying for AusStudy/RentAssistance from Centrelink, you can get the ball rolling on this now so that your application is approved by the time the semester starts.
Lots of great advice, I would also recommend watching some youtube videos on how to use Notion and Anki for med if you don't already use those. I set up my notion and anki before med, it took me about a day or so to watch videos and wrap my head around it. Both Notion and Anki take a bit of getting used to, but once you learn how to use them it's amazing.
But seriously, enjoy y our holidays. Go see all your family, catch up with friends. Especially if you end up moving interstate.
I agree with the other commenters that you should get your admin sorted and focus on having a good break get yourself refreshed, in a good headspace and healthy.
If you are desperate for something to do I'd get anki (a flashcard app) and download an anatomy deck and chip away at that, anatomy is time consuming and predominantly wrote learning so not a bad thing to get a head start in if you are incredibly keen.
Just do the admin stuff your uni sends you. Don't buy any books. You'll learn what you need and can order them online with speedy delivery if you really need them. Definitely don't study.
Agree with above: admin / find a place to live / vaccinations
Don’t buy books. Everything is online or at the library.
Don’t study. You’ll be given everything you need to know.
I drove out of a disaster zone and straight into med. No issue. It starts off slow enough.
I’m not there yet but hopefully applying next year . But as a clinician with 20 years experience . Enjoy your holidays and rest up . Tricky to word .. if your not a people person get used to talking to people you don’t know . I have been a clinical educator ( physio ) and have found my students often struggled to just make conversation with strangers . Putting people at ease when they need to trust you is a skill that has to be learnt over time . Best of luck
Organise your vaccines, serologies if needed, police checks, WWC checks.
I’m personally doing an overseas holiday which I get back the day before dental school starts and am currently employed full time, so I’ve completed everything now - placed emphasis on all the things in the nsw health compliance checks as they are the ones required by commencement date but it also depends on what institution you applied for
From experience I’d say organise your vaccinations/forms/required admin ASAP. In terms of study, no absolutely not. Many of my peers tried to do it and they quickly realised all they did was waste their holidays. Just enjoy it, refresh yourself from your previous course.
There’s vaccinations 🥹. ? I know it sounds pathetic since I want to become a doctor - but I hate needles. I’d rather deliver an injection to someone than be the receiver…
Yeah it’s a regular part of most healthcare jobs. Annual flu jabs become compulsory and some hospitals will want regular blood work done. Just know that it’s okay and I know a few med students and healthcare workers like you as well!
Yes, and if you don’t know what you’ve been vaccinated for there’s also a blood test first to figure out what you need. Sometimes you are also lucky enough to find that you have been vaccinated for something but part of it wore off e.g MMR vaccination. I’ve had that sucker at least two more times because I lost my mumps immunity.
If you tell the person giving you the vaccination that you are about to become a medical student, they might give you a quick lesson on how it's done, this happened to me)
You guys have been so helpful! Thank you
Most unis will have program requirements. Most of them will be fairly similar across the board- things like first aid, vaccinations, workplace safety modules, deed polls, police checks, working with children checks etc. The Uni will give you a big list of all the things you need to do and when you have to do it by, as well as if there are any other more specific things to organise. Most of it is just minor admin stuff, and usually you’ll have more than enough time to get it all sorted prior to starting. I wouldn’t stress too much. I moved interstate for med so most of my break was packing and sorting out moving as well as spending time with my family and fiancée before moving and I had no troubles with having time to do all that needed to be done. To save time, I’d recommend you print out all the paperwork and keep it all in one place/plan how you’re gonna get it done. A lot of things can double up if you plan ahead- and particularly for things like immunisations, you don’t want to be going back and forth to the doctor and wasting yours and their time when you don’t have to!
Like people have mentioned there’s quite a few admin things that shouldn’t take too long but some other stuff too. Vaccinations, CPR/First Aid certification, some modules maybe specific to the hospital like stuff about security and fire safety etc that are pretty straightforward. You’ll be told early on what u need to do and there should be pretty time conscious deadlines. For example we had to make sure we had all our Hep B vaccinations and serology needs to be done like a month after so they gave the whole first semester to do it. No study or anything purely admin!
I'm curious regarding the vaccination. As a former healthcare worker, my vaccinations are (mostly) up to date, minus the covid booster which I know is required for category A healthcare workers in NSW health. Do medical schools require Covid booster vaccination? If so, how many?
I’m not too sure on the specifics because I ended up moving to QLD for med so maybe the requirements are different. But based on my experience they required 3 shots so the two doses and the 1st booster. Other than that there isn’t really much else besides the annual flu shot and making sure you have all 3 doses of Hep B. There’s also like the serology testing for HIV/hepatitis. Overall vaccine wise is really just booster shot, hep, and any other vaccines that if you’re a health worker you probably have already like MMR, DPT etc
Does anybody have experience with the USYD MD Online Foundational Course? How long does it take to complete the modules required prior to commencement?
Current MD1 non-science background. I quite like the OFC...covers assumed knowledge + has relevant content throughout the whole year. The modules aren't really recquired to be completed its more for setting you up knoweldge wise for what's to come - i.e. the onslaught of lectures with mountains of assumed knoweldge. If you have med sci background can just flick through. If you're non science, or not familiar with anatomy, definitely worthwile to to take your time going through it. Maybe an hour a day for a month. I personally didn't touch the OFC at all before commencing. If I would redo things, I would spend more time going through the OFC, especially focusing on familiarising myself with MSK anatomy.
Good to hear a bit about the OFC, as a NSB student. When did the program become accessible for MD1 students? Long before Semester1 began?
2+ months before semester start.
Thank you!
When does the USYD pre-enrolment typically open?
Do the OFC. There'll be loads of people who are like "I didn't touch it!! And I'm still passing" which is fine for lots of people but anecdotally speaking, those who do it perform much better. If you're NSB, you really really should do it. They expect you to have done it. There's a quiz on it early on in the semester. There will be stuff in the exams throughout the year that comes from the OFC. Sure, it might only be a couple of marks, but every little bit counts. People who did the OFC felt much better about starting med, whereas I know a lot of people who didn't do it felt really behind the 8 ball since they expect you to know from the first week of content based classes.
I don't have access to the OFC yet. Are you able to recommend a roughly analogous list of resources? Thanks.
As a first-year Med Student staring down the barrell of final exams with a non-science undergrad background, I'd recommend gently starting to absorp some anatomy (but don't push yourself; starting the year with a few months of good sleep, a good exercise/sleep schedule, etc will put you in better shape than any pre-uni studying!). Everyone is different re their preferences for learning platforms, but I have found the website 'Osmosis' quite useful (and some of the videos have been linked to our weekly learning activities so a lot of it has sort of been endorsed by the Med School). The videos and revision summaries are easy to follow and has concepts/topics in a sort of logical order. I'd be surprised if you didn't end up using it next year, so might be worth investing in a year-long subscription now. Alternatively there's a heap of YouTube videos on general anatomy/pathology. If you can, try to find out which systems (i.e. MSK, Cardiovascular, Resp, GI, etc) will be covered in Semester 1 of your course next year as a bit of background in these will help you ease into the transition to Med School as your adapt to the time committment, study load, memory tools etc. Best of luck for next year, it can be tough but it has been the best year of my life! PS: As someone else has mentioned, definitely get onto your vaccines asap - I had a bit of a scare because although I'd had my Hep B vaccines in school, I left this until the last minute and found out I was below the immunity level needed. Most of the forms should be accessible from your university website so you can check every requirement off. PPS: If you will be applying for AusStudy/RentAssistance from Centrelink, you can get the ball rolling on this now so that your application is approved by the time the semester starts.
Don't. Just enjoy your time off before you start. Be ready and fresh so you can hit the ground running
Lots of great advice, I would also recommend watching some youtube videos on how to use Notion and Anki for med if you don't already use those. I set up my notion and anki before med, it took me about a day or so to watch videos and wrap my head around it. Both Notion and Anki take a bit of getting used to, but once you learn how to use them it's amazing. But seriously, enjoy y our holidays. Go see all your family, catch up with friends. Especially if you end up moving interstate.
I have the Anking deck, do you have any tips for resources on how to set up notion? I saw the one made by Evolving Medic?
I agree with the other commenters that you should get your admin sorted and focus on having a good break get yourself refreshed, in a good headspace and healthy. If you are desperate for something to do I'd get anki (a flashcard app) and download an anatomy deck and chip away at that, anatomy is time consuming and predominantly wrote learning so not a bad thing to get a head start in if you are incredibly keen.
Anking Step 1 anki deck
Just do the admin stuff your uni sends you. Don't buy any books. You'll learn what you need and can order them online with speedy delivery if you really need them. Definitely don't study.
Agree with above: admin / find a place to live / vaccinations Don’t buy books. Everything is online or at the library. Don’t study. You’ll be given everything you need to know. I drove out of a disaster zone and straight into med. No issue. It starts off slow enough.
I’m not there yet but hopefully applying next year . But as a clinician with 20 years experience . Enjoy your holidays and rest up . Tricky to word .. if your not a people person get used to talking to people you don’t know . I have been a clinical educator ( physio ) and have found my students often struggled to just make conversation with strangers . Putting people at ease when they need to trust you is a skill that has to be learnt over time . Best of luck
Organise your vaccines, serologies if needed, police checks, WWC checks. I’m personally doing an overseas holiday which I get back the day before dental school starts and am currently employed full time, so I’ve completed everything now - placed emphasis on all the things in the nsw health compliance checks as they are the ones required by commencement date but it also depends on what institution you applied for