wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Oct 6 02:34:14 EST 1998
Auth: S Steele, University Webmaster
Copyright © Monash University 1998 - All Rights Reserved - Caution
The
normal way for a person to become a medical practitioner in Victoria is by
doing a university course leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and
Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS). The graduate is then eligible for provisional
registration by the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria and after serving a
compulsory internship year in an approved hospital, is eligible for final
registration in Victoria, and for registration in other States of Australia.
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) has the responsibility for the
accreditation of medical schools in Australia. This accreditation 'is required
to provide assurance to State and Territory Medical Boards of the continued
satisfactory standard of graduates from all Australian medical schools.' In
1993 the Monash Medical course was accredited for ten years - the maximum
period attainable.
In 1998 the first year of the medical course had 145 places which included students who were permitted to repeat the year, and those who took up a reserved place after deferring admission. In addition to these places the faculty offers up to fifteen first-year places to suitably qualified overseas students on a full-fee paying basis.
Selection
into the course will continue to be based primarily on academic merit as
indicated by VCE results. In addition, the results of a structured interview to
assess personal qualities will be used as part of the selection process.
Structured interviews are used as an adjunct to our selection procedure for
several reasons.
1 The recommendation of the Federal Government's Inquiry into
Medical Education and the Medical Workforce (the Doherty Committee) that
personal qualities be taken into account in selection of medical students.
2 A perceived community attitude that selection for medicine
courses based solely on academic success at secondary school, may not be
entirely appropriate.
3 The curriculum places greater emphasis on humanistic issues than
previously, so it is appropriate that selection procedures should be modified
accordingly.
4 The structured interview process has been tested since 1991 when
all school leavers who obtained a place were interviewed on enrolment. An
analysis of the data from student interviews indicates that the interview can
predict how well students perform in some aspects of the curriculum where Year
12 results are not predictive (eg the Health, Illness and Human Behaviour and
the Clinical and Communication Skills subjects).
The
prerequisites for entry into medicine at Monash are:
(a) a grade average of B in English;
(b) a grade average of B in Chemistry;
(c) a grade average of B in Specialist Mathematics or Mathematical Methods
and a grade average of C in Physics or Biology; or
(d) a grade average of C in Specialist Mathematics or Mathematical Methods
and a grade average of B in Physics or Biology.
VTAC will calculate a ENTER as a percentile (eg 99.00) for each applicant. The ENTER will be calculated using English and the next three best study scores (other than English) and 10 per cent increments for two additional studies (one may be a first-year university subject). The university will receive this information in January, not December when it is received by students.
Selection
into the medical course is based upon a combination of the applicant's ENTER
and performance at a structured interview. It is expected that few, if any,
applicants will be selected on the basis of an ENTER score alone. Two groups of
applicants who have met the prerequisites will be called for a structured
interview.
(a) Those who have reached a certain threshold ENTER (eg above 99.00) -
approximately 200 applicants.
(b) Approximately 200 additional applicants who have obtained a somewhat lower
ENTER (eg 98.00 or above) and have demonstrated:
Applicants who have taken more than two years for units 3 and 4 may be accorded lower priority for eligibility and not be called for interview. The ENTER score used by the Faculty of Medicine will include an increment of up to one percentage point for those applicants who have achieved at least a grade of C for Physics. The faculty reserves the right to offer places to some applicants without interview.
Approximately 400 applicants, identified as indicated above, will be invited to attend a structured interview during early to mid January.
In exceptional circumstances where applicants will be unavailable or have planned overseas travel commitments in January, the faculty may grant an early interview. Such an interview will be conducted during the first two weeks of December. Applications in writing must be received by the faculty office by mid November and include written support from the school principal and documentation of reasons for unavailability in January.
The final ranked list of applicants from which places will be offered will take into account the applicant's ENTER and performance at interview. Applicants will be offered places in the order of this final ranking until the quota of places is filled.
There
are four criteria that distinguish between a structured and unstructured
interview.
1 Interview content is derived from an analysis of what the
selected people will be expected to do.
2 The questions are standardised, ie similar questions are put to
each applicant.
3 Some sample answers are provided to the interviewers to enable
them to give consistent ratings.
4 The interview is conducted by a panel of interviewers.
The interview questions have been designed to determine which applicants have
relevant personal qualities such as leadership ability and motivation to
succeed in a long and difficult course. The style of questions will fall into
two groups.
(a) Accomplishment questions. Applicants are asked about what they
have accomplished in the past that would indicate to the panel that they have a
particular personal quality.
(b) Situational questions. Applicants are asked what they would do
in the future if a particular situation arose.
Interviewing
panels consist of three members: a member of the Faculty of Medicine, a doctor
in practice and an outside person who is not involved in medicine. The
composition of the panels is deliberately broad because panels composed solely
of faculty members or practicing doctors have in the past been legitimately
criticised on the grounds that they perpetuated the personality style of
medical graduates by selecting new students in the image of themselves.
Interviewers have attended at least one of the half-day training programs. In
training the interviewers, emphasis is placed on the following interview
techniques: (i) creating a friendly and purposeful atmosphere;
(ii) indicating that we are more interested in exploring what the
candidates sincerely think and feel about a range of issues rather than simply
their verbal 'slickness'; and (iii) ensuring that all the topics listed
for discussion are adequately sampled in the course of the interview.
The
personal qualities sought in the applicant at interview fall into several
fields - quality of motivation, appropriateness of interpersonal style and
verbal communication skill.
1 Quality of motivation. This can be looked at in three
stages: knowledge and understanding of what is involved in the medical course
and in a career in medicine; motivating factors - a realistic desire to become
a doctor, including underlying issues such as idealism, developmental history
and identification; and perseverance - the ability to persist in the face of
setbacks and frustrations.
2 Appropriateness of interpersonal style. Leadership - the
ability to inspire other people; teamsmanship - ability to work within a
collaborative unit; the ability to listen and be nonjudgemental; maturity - an
indication that a person has reached an age-appropriate level of psychological
development with an emerging sense of an independent self; flexibility - the
ability to adapt to new situations.
3 Communication skill. The ability to communicate
effectively with others, both in statement and in manner. As part of the
assessment of communication skill, applicants will be asked to 'detechnicalise'
a scientific issue, ie to explain the issue in non-technical terms. Applicants
will also participate in an 'active listening exercise' in which they will be
expected to summarise and answer specific questions concerning a saga. The saga
will be presented by one of the panel members.
Interviews
will be conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Wellington Road, Clayton, during
early to mid January, following the university's receipt of VCE results from
VTAC.
The Faculty of Medicine will determine those applicants who are to be
interviewed. Applicants may not request an interview.
Students who have not achieved their entrance qualifications in Victoria must hold qualifications which in the faculty's opinion are equivalent to those held by local candidates. The qualifications must include the same prerequisite subjects as those for local candidates outlined above. Such applicants must demonstrate at least the same level of academic merit as that which is required for local applicants. As an indication, local applicants who gain entry usually come within the top 2 per cent of all VCE students within Victoria.
Applicants
presenting with either partially complete or completed tertiary qualifications
may be considered for entry to the medical course. In considering such
applications the faculty selection committee will take account of an
applicant's entire academic record and motivation as evidenced by
extracurricular or employment experience. These are two of the criteria used in
short-listing applicants for interview. Interviews are usually conducted in the
December or January preceding entry. Many more applicants are able to
demonstrate some suitability for the course than there will ever be available
places. The demand for places in the medical course is extremely competitive
both for school and non-school leavers. Each year there are approximately 1200
non-school leaver applicants for a maximum of six to eight places. In most
cases applications are only considered for entry to the first year of the
medical course. In exceptional circumstances applications for later-year entry
may be considered. Applicants for later-year entry must clearly demonstrate to
the faculty selection committee that the content of their previous studies is
at least equivalent to the appropriate Monash medical course components for
which they are seeking exemption.
If you wish to apply for the Monash medical course, please note that the
Guide for prospective students which contains the appropriate
application form is published by the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre
(VTAC), 40 Park Street, South Melbourne, Vic. 3205. This guide is available
from VTAC in July or August and applications for courses close during
September.
Non-school leaver applicants must also complete the faculty's supplementary
information form, obtainable from the faculty office during September.
Applicants must include copies of all relevant documentation with the
supplementary information form.
Monash University students applying solely for a transfer to the Monash medical
course must complete a form obtained from the faculty office during September.
A VTAC application is not necessary.
Faculty
board has determined that up to fifteen places are available in the first year
of the medical course for international students (overseas full-fee paying
students). These students come from overseas to study in Australia under
student visas and return overseas upon completion of their medical degree.
Selection of international students is determined on the basis of the
equivalency of each applicant's academic qualifications to those admitted in
the quota for Australian citizens. In particular the faculty selection
committee will give full regard to internationally recognised secondary
qualifications such as the General Certificate of Education (A levels) in the
United Kingdom and its equivalents. In addition to original documentary
evidence of such qualifications, applicants may be required to attend for an
interview which would assess their verbal command of the English language. In
the latter years of the course medical students are given a considerable
measure of responsibility in the hospital wards under the supervision of
hospital staff. It is vital, in the interests alike of patients and staff in
the hospital, that students should be able to communicate fluently and
accurately in this situation.
The faculty selection committee accepts applications throughout the year and
meets at regular intervals to make offers of places for the following year.
Prospective applicants should be aware that the fee charged for the course will
be set annually, taking into account inflation and other factors. International
students who during the life of their course become permanent residents of
Australia are not automatically guaranteed a place in the local quota for the
following year. All such students are required to compete for a place in that
quota and it is possible that insufficient places may preclude a student from
continuing in the course. Applicants should note that there is no guarantee
of an internship place for international students. Prospective international
students should ascertain the mutual recognition procedures and internship
policies of their home country government authorities.
All
subjects within the medical course are interdisciplinary in that they have
input from several departments.
Teaching by an individual department is appropriate to each 'bodily system'
being studied and therefore does not follow a conventional sequential pattern.
It is therefore not possible to equate a subject in the medical course to an
equivalent subject elsewhere.
The small number of medical students who have previously undertaken tertiary
studies may individually, after consultation with subject conveners, be exempt
from some components (eg practical classes) of a subject.
However, all students must participate in a common assesment process and pass
all prescribed subjects within the medical course.
Students are advised that, while the faculty will endeavour to give every possible assistance and advice concerning subject choice, the onus is on the student to ensure that the subjects selected meet the course regulations and requirements. This is not the faculty's responsibility and the faculty does not take any responsibility for error in subject selection.
Students
who require academic advice or guidance concerning the subjects studied should
initially contact the relevant teaching staff or the subject coordinator. In
addition, students may consult with the semester or year coordinators. In years
four to six the offices of the clinical subdeans should be consulted.
Students experiencing general problems which are affecting their academic
performance may seek advice from the faculty office. The assistant dean,
faculty manager and the administrative officers (campus and teaching hospitals)
are available to provide assistance. The University Counselling Service should
be consulted for problems of a general nature.
In special circumstances a student may wish to make an appointment to see the
dean.
Students enrol in person at the faculty office prior to the commencement of the first year of the course. In later years the faculty office automatically processes re-enrolment into the appropriate year of the medical course. The university administration mails out re-enrolment information and requires forms to be returned and payments to be made before the re-enrolment process is completed.
Under
special circumstances students may seek deferment once and for up to one year
during the medical course.
All applications for deferment must be made in writing to the dean who is the
only person who may grant a deferment, and decisions will normally be made
following an interview with the dean.
In considering applications the dean will take account of any medical,
financial, social, emotional or psychological problems that could potentially
be remedied by deferment. The deferment must therefore be used to assist the
student to satisfactorily progress through the medical course.
Deferments are not granted automatically. However, students seeking deferral
for one calendar year between school and the commencement of first year will be
treated sympathetically. Application for the deferment of first year must be
made in writing following receipt of an offer of a place in the medical course
and must be lodged by the date of enrolment specified at the time of offer.
Because of the regulation requiring students to satisfy all the requirements of
each year of the medical course within one calendar academic year, any student
granted a deferment at any time through the year will be required to return to
studies at the start of the following year and repeat work already completed,
unless specific exemptions from parts of work (eg practical classes) are
granted by course conveners. Returning students will be required to enrol as
full-time students, with HECS and other fee liabilities.
Students
are referred to the Student resource guide for information on the
university's codes of practice for teaching and learning as set out in its
education policy. It also contains other essential information on university
policies and procedures.
All Monash University students have a responsibility to make every effort to
maintain satisfactory progress in their courses.
Academic staff have the responsibilities of preparing and presenting material
at an appropriate standard with the resources available; assessing students'
work fairly, objectively and consistently across the candidature for the subject.
The
assessment procedures for each subject in years one, two and three and for the
programs taught in years four, five and six are described more fully in the
appropriate manuals made available to students prior to the commencement of
studies each year.
The board of examiners for each year level considers all results from
examination and other assessment procedures at the end of each semester and/or
year.
Students must obtain a passing grade in all subjects attempted in a given
calendar year in order to proceed to the subsequent academic year of the
course.
The board of examiners may, at its discretion, grant repeat or supplementary
examinations to students who have not satisfactorily completed all required
assessment procedures.
In years one to three at the end of first semester, the board of examiners may
grant a repeat examination in any subject where a student has an unsatisfactory
performance. The results of the repeat examination are considered at the second
semester board of examiners when supplementary examinations may be granted.
In years four to six, boards of examiners may, at their discretion, grant
supplementary assessments where students have an unsatisfactory performance in
components of the course.
Repeat examinations are generally held during the second semester and
supplementary examinations are generally held in December or January.
The faculty informs students of the assessment procedures at the commencement
of each semester/year. Students who are required to complete repeat or
supplementary examinations are notified on the posted publication of results or
individually by letter from the faculty office.
The Faculty of Medicine uses the grades fail, pass, credit, distinction and
high distinction and reports marks for some components of the course.
A
student whose work during the academic year or whose performance in an
examination or other assessment has been affected by illness or other serious
cause may apply in writing on a 'special consideration form' to the faculty
office for special consideration by the examiners or board of examiners
concerned.
The application must be accompanied by appropriate evidence and must be made
not later than forty-eight hours after the last examination scheduled for the
candidate. The faculty manager, where satisfied that the student was unable to
make application by the required date, may accept a late application.
The board of examiners may allow a student to sit for a special examination or
deferred examination where:
1 the student has been prevented by illness or other serious cause
from presenting for all or part of an examination; or
2 the student's work during the academic year or performance in the
examination has been gravely affected by illness or other serious cause.
Further details are available from the faculty office.
In the case of a student's unsatisfactory progress, the board of examiners may recommend:
Where a student has been recommended for exclusion, a faculty exclusions committee will review the case and determine whether the student should be excluded or be allowed to repeat the year. The faculty office will in writing inform the student of the procedures to be followed including documentation required and the student's opportunity to present their case before the committee. An excluded student may appeal to the university's Appeals Committee.
wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Oct 6 02:34:14 EST 1998