fresher guide 2015

FRESHER GUIDE
2015
“Your handy Medling manual”
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You did it! You got into Med
School! Over the next four years
you will become close friends
with lots of amazing people,
have
some
experiences
harder
very
and
than
unique
be
pushed
ever
before
academically, emotionally and
physically. I can honestly tell you
that my last year of study at the
University
of
Wollongong
Graduate School of Medicine
has been the hardest and the best year of my life, and I wouldn’t
be surprised to hear the same from all of my peers. If you weren’t
excited already, get excited, it’s going to be awesome! This
fresher’s guide serves to help you prepare for your new life as a
medical student with information written and compiled by your
dedicated team of student representatives. Enjoy and good luck
with the year ahead, we’ll be there to help support you every step
of the way.
Murray Crowe – 2015 WUMMS President
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FRESHER GUIDE CONTENTS
Course Format ………………………………………… 6
Textbooks ……………………………………………… 7
Learning and Teaching………………………………. 8
What to expect…………………………………… 9
Vaccinations…………………………………………... 12
ABOUT:
Wollongong…………………………………….. 13
Shoalhaven………………………………………. 25
WUMSS………………………………………….. 33
Key Calendar Events of 2015……………...………… 34
International Students………………………………. 36
Contacts………………………………………………...... 50
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Congratulations…you are a UOW Medical Student! As you
already know, or will soon discover, this is the best kind of Medical
Student to be.
A group of dedicated and good-looking future doctors, known as
the Wollongong University Medical Student Society (WUMSS)
Committee, has put together this handy guide to assist your
transition into the world of the UOW Graduate School of
Medicine. You will come to know us well: we’re here to represent
your interests, support your academic endeavors and enhance
your social life.
The purpose of this guide is to answer some FAQs about the
course and life in Wollongong and Shoalhaven. It’s aimed as an
informal introduction with suggestions from your predecessors.
If, after reading the guide, you still find yourself with burning
questions that have been unanswered, the GSM staff are always
very accommodating. Our website is also your one-stop-shop for
all things WUMSS, and you can check out all the UOW Medicine
merchandise that you will excitedly buy with your first Centrelink
payment.
Some quick information about this guide:
1. This guide is written and revised by medical students of UOW.
2. The guide is organised into sections, and their relevance is
dependent on your campus allocation.
3. We have taken the liberty of emphasising certain key points
4. The last page contains a list of WUMSS e-mail addresses that
should be your point of contact for any particular questions
Welcome, and enjoy!
The WUMSS Committee
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COURSE FORMAT
Medicine at UOW is divided into four ‘phases’. These are
discussed in far more detail in the Phase 1 Handbook that you will
receive at orientation.
Phase I (18 months)
The ‘pre-clinical’ phase: comprises Sessions 1, 2 and 3.
The majority of the work is taught through lectures and online
modules. You will also have two hours of Anatomy Lab per week,
two hours of Clinical Skills per week and two half day Placements
(Hospital or GP practice) each month.
Phase I is further divided into ‘blocks’ which focus on specific body
systems/topics eg. in Session 1 you will have a six week
Introductory Block, followed by a 10 week Cardiorespiratory Block.
Each Block is organized into fortnights, which are themed around
the Case-Based Learning patient case for that fortnight.
Assessments are in the form of Clinical Competencies
(demonstration of practical skills), essays (either reflective and/or
research-based), an End of Year exam (end of 2015) and an End
of Phase Exam (mid-2016)
Phase II (1 year)
Seven 5-week clinical placement rotations; comprises Sessions 1
and 2.
Phase III (1 year)
A longitudinal (40 week) clinical placement; comprises Sessions 1
and 2.
Phase IV (6 months)
Elective, selective & pre-internship terms.
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TEXTBOOKS
There are approximately a dozen ‘recommended core textbooks’ for
Phase I. We strongly suggest that you don’t go out and buy all
the textbooks before beginning class.
Textbooks are definitely not cheap, so it really is worth waiting to
determine what you’ll need. The Learning Centres of both
campuses
have
multiple
copies
of
the
most
important
textbooks, so you can take a while to access each book and ‘try
before you buy’.
Some subjects are also repeated in the suggested text list – for
example, there are two suggested biochemistry texts, but there’s no
real reason to get both of them. Most people find that they do their
majority of study at the GSM, meaning the textbooks at home end up
as expensive doorstops.
Corner some second year students and ask which textbooks they
found useful. Some books will be used daily for a fortnight and never
touched again, while some you will use most weeks. Additionally,
they may have some advice regarding electronic resources. Ask
around. Bring a USB drive/hard drive. They’ll hook you up.
When you do decide on the textbooks you’d like to buy, shop around.
The UniShop bookstore is the obvious first top, but often they don’t
have competitive pricing. You will most likely find the best prices
online on Amazon/Booktopia/Book Depository etc. In the meantime,
you can use the textbooks at the Learning Centre and borrow certain
texts from the main library.
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LEARNING AND TEACHING
The central method of communication within the
medical program at UOW is through ‘Moodle’,
which sounds like a wussy breed of dog, but is
actually an ‘Online Learning Environment’.
Your
Block
schedule,
lecture
outlines,
pre-
readings, post-readings, lecture slides, lecture recordings (via Echo
360) and a whole host of other things will be available online. If there
is an announcement, it will be conveyed via a SOLS mail when you
log in or via an announcement on one of the forums. These forums
are widely used by students and staff to discuss concepts, organise
extra tutorials if needed and resolve technical problems.
There are also links to useful library pages and online resources,
such as a Virtual Anatomy Lab and quizzes. Twice a week in your
schedule you will see a GOAL (Guided Online Accessible
Learning) scheduled. These cover material that are usually not
covered in lectures, and are purely online course components. You
need to complete these in your own time, although there are blocks
set aside on the weekly timetable. Falling behind in GOALs is an
easy thing to do, be careful to stay on top of them – they add up!
The GSM staff will be introduced in the first week, after which you will
get distracted by the delicious WUMSS welcome BBQ and promptly
forget all their names and what they do. Luckily, the Phase I
Handbook has a section at the front with names, photos and contact
information. If you aren’t sure who to contact about a specific issue,
post on the Forum, or chat with the staff at the GSM front desk.
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WHAT TO EXPECT
It hopefully won’t be a shock to you that Medicine is not a degree
that can be cruised through. The analogy ‘drinking through a fire
hose’ comes to mind. Don’t underestimate the commitment to
work, but we’re all in this together (I’m a High School Musical
Fan) to enjoy our time here and support each other. Key things to
remember from the start:
1) Keep on top of the work.
2) Study with friends. The course is designed this
way intentionally
3) Find a study system that works for you (this
may take longer for some)
4) DO NOT freak out. LOUD NOISES!!
Medical school at UOW is cooperative, not
competitive. This course is pass/fail based, and there is no
specific number of students that need to end up under that ‘fail
line’ - the staff would be quite pleased if everyone passed. Working
in groups is strongly encouraged in this program, as it’s been
shown that those who learn cooperatively do better than those who
plow through the work solo. There are plenty of tutorial and group
study rooms in the learning centre, so make a couple of friends,
grab some whiteboard pens, drag them in and start going through
the material. Make use of the people who may know more than
you about a topic. Often it’s a fun and stimulating way of studying!
A common source of student stress in the program revolves
around personal study strategies and level of detail (‘am I doing
too much, or too little?’). There is an immense amount of detail in
the coursework, and it can be pretty tough deciding how much
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detail you need to know. The staff are not going to give you exact
cutoffs for what you do and don’t need to know for exams - as far
as they’re concerned, everything being taught is important
knowledge. However, there are only 430 marks in the End of Year
exam for over a thousand class hours. While there will be some
detail
required
for
the
exam,
obviously
they’re
more
interested in knowing whether you understand big-picture
concepts. Once you’ve been in the course for a while, you’ll start
to see a fair amount of conceptual overlap and you’ll revisit things
you’ve seen before- think ‘spiral learning’, which
will become a familiar term. You can use Intro Block to figure out
useful study strategies, but don’t be afraid to change things if it’s
not working well.
What you will have is a lot of resources. If you have a question,
post it on the discussion forum and see what other people think,
email the lecturer, bring it up in CBL time, or try all three. Each
week a Formative (practice) quiz will be posted on Moodle
that lets you test your knowledge, but doesn’t count towards
anything. These quizzes aren’t inclusive of everything taught as
they’re perceived as ‘rejected’ exam questions but can be a good
indicator of whether you’ve got a handle on the previous week.
The essay submissions have the opportunity to submit Formative
versions so you can have it returned to you (marked, with
feedback). Formative assignments are not mandatory but it is
highly recommended that you do them and get the free advice on
how to excel at the Summative assignments (which are mandatory
and have to be passed). There isn’t a Formative End of Year
exam, just End of Block Formative exams (a bit like mini-practice
exams). If you’re keen on practice questions, try writing your own
up as a study method.
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To a certain extent, you need to have some faith in yourself that if
you (a) attend lectures, (b) revise the notes in a timely fashion, and
(c) do the readings; you’ll end up doing well come exam time. You
can also use the learned knowledge of your peers to assess where
you stand. Ultimately your study style is up to you, but be aware
that you cannot cram Medicine; there is just far too much
information.
When you first start at the GSM you’ll be hearing a lot about ‘adult
learning’. In practical, non-PC terms, this means that the course
will not be spoon fed to you, and you need to take an active
role in getting things done. Excess whining is not allowed
(moderate levels acceptable). No one will be checking if you’re
doing your readings or if you’ve kept up to date on your GOALs,
they’re entirely yours to manage.
Remember, you’re in medical school to learn what you need to for
the practice of medicine, not just to pass an exam!
If that was a bit overwhelming, here are the highlights:
☺ Group work is good
☺ You have lots of resources available
☺ Don’t fret too much over the detail, you’ve got to draw the line
☺ Spiral curriculum
☺ No cramming allowed, stay on top of things
☺ Have faith in yourself
☺ Calm students learn more.
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VACCINATIONS
There is often confusion and frustration over vaccination cards so
please take special notice of this section. The following points
SHOULD help you clear the vaccination card check unscathed...
1. Do not blame the GSM staff, they have nothing to do with this
and they work very hard to make this as smooth a process as
possible each year! Vaccination cards are a NSW health unit
requirement and are not regulated by the GSM. GSM staff are very
helpful and can be your best resource with this issue, but are
ultimately not the ones who sign off them.
2. Get your ENTIRE vaccination card completed by your GP
before registration day. (International students, we recommend
that you get this done in your home country as it may cost you >
$500 to get everything done here).!
3. Have your GP sign AND rubber stamp each vaccination,
serology or test on the card. (Previously students have had
signatures but no rubber stamps, the year before it was rubber
stamps but no signatures, get both!)
4. Bring as much documentation with you as possible. Copies of
serology are GOLD STANDARD! Sometimes the nurses will sign
off on certain things if you can show them the proper lab reports!
5. Don’t forget your TB skin test, MMR, DTP, Hep B (if you have
already had vaccines you need proof AND serology). The flu
vaccination is optional but you will be spending time in hospitals
and GP practices which places you at higher risk. Last year
Wollongong Hospital gave out free flu vaccines to Medical
Students, so you can wait and see if that happens again.
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WOLLONGONG
Housing
Wollongong is previously industrial town, which with a smaller ‘bluecollar’
working population due to decreased industry, has increasingly become more
university focused. It has some of the best beaches in NSW and there are
plenty of websites elaborating the wonderful amenities and lifestyle that ‘The
Gong’ has to offer. We strongly suggest planning your accommodation
with one of the (free) bus loops in mind ,as it’s an incredibly handy way to
get around town. Maps of the shuttle services are in the transportation section
on page 16.
Campus Housing
Most medical students don’t live in campus housing because it’s
expensive and full of undergrads. This arrangement can be detrimental to
study due to different study and exam times and time demands. Med students
who moved into campus housing tended to wish they hadn’t, but it can
depend on which campus housing you move into. A very good exception is
the University’s Marketview accommodation on the corner of Market and
Church Streets. It has successfully housed med students and at $220 pw
(including utilities) it can be a very good short term option
http://www.uow.edu.au/about/accommodation/residences/marketview
/overview/index.html
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If you’re unsuccessful here and you’re still keen on campus housing, you’ll
probably want to check out the Kooloobong and Gundi residences.
Graduate House would also be an acceptable option (and is the only one
that accepts couples/families if that’s you) but usually has a long wait list to
get in.
Private Accommodation
Off-campus housing is competitive in mid January/February, so get it
organised as early as you can. Here are some overviews of the
neighbourhoods involved:
• Keiraville - Immediately south of the university. This area is fairly residential
and doesn’t have much in the way of places to shop, but you can walk to
University from here. The walk to the train station, mall, supermarket and the
beach is ~40min, but you can catch the free Uni or CBD shuttles from UOW
bus stop.
• Gwynneville - This area is close to both the University and the train station,
but also doesn’t have many shops. Is very similar to Keiraville in many
respects - mostly residential, more houses than apartments, and the mall &
beach are ~30min walk away. The free shuttle loop scoots between Keiraville
and Gwynneville, making it accessible to both.
• North Wollongong – This is generally the more expensive area of town,
however if you start looking early there are still good deals to be found. This
section is full of apartment buildings and newer houses and is a great area if
you’re willing to pay a little more. North Gong is a bit hilly so you will get your
exercise. Though it’s a short walk to the mall, supermarket and beaches, it’s
further from the University. North Wollongong is serviced by 2 free shuttle
buses (Green and Orange), or is a short bike ride to uni (over the North Gong
train station).
• Wollongong - There are many apartment buildings scattered through this
area, and the free shuttle runs right through as well. Shopping and city beach
can be nice and close to your front door; depending on location but Uni will be
further.
• Towradgi – A great spot if you want to be close to a couple of surf beaches,
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but it’s not directly on the free bus route so you have to have a car or be up
for a 20-25 minute bike ride to uni each today. Usually more affordable than
North Gong, but not as many apartments available.
• Fairy Meadow - Fairy Meadow is on the bus route, but doesn’t have many
apartments/rental properties (it’s generally more affordable though). It is close
to the grocery store and is an easy bike ride to uni.
• West Wollongong - Some areas west of The Wollongong Hospital are quite
nice, others can be a little sketchy. Generally speaking, the closer to the
Hospital you are, the better, as the bus turns up towards the Uni at this point.
• Other - Neighborhoods not mentioned or off the bus route may be more
trouble than they’re worth. Mt Ousley looks nice and close to the university on
the map, but there’s no pedestrian overpass across the highway and it’s a
long way around by foot. Areas farther out such as Mt Pleasant, Coniston,
Figtree, and Mt Kembla are probably going to require a car, and unless there
are 3 of you in the car (free carpool parking with 3 or more people in the
car), parking at the university can be a nightmare.
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Since Wollongong is a university town, finding accommodation can be a
challenge, particularly at the start of the year when things are very
competitive. Be prepared to view 8-10 places before finding something
acceptable, but make your intentions clear to the Real Estate agent so they
don’t stuff you about. Rent obviously varies by quality, but $125-170 per week
should get you something decent, and you’ll pay less if you’re willing to share
a place. Most of the house/apartment rentals in the area are conducted
through real estate agents, but private listings can also be found on the UOW
accommodations website. Past students have also been successful with
Gumtree.
UOW has an online property listing service called Study Stays. This has made
it easier for students to search properties in a wide range of areas near UOW
and Study Stays also links directly to Google maps. Each listing has
information about the location, proximity to UOW, rent, bond, amenities and
other details.
Study Stays: http://uow.studystays.com
Utilities
Depending on your accommodation, water, electricity, gas, etc may be
included in your rent. Origin, Integral, EnergyAustralia and TruEnergy are the
major electrical companies in the Wollongong area, but you could very easily
get a great deal through Dodo Electricity. Phone and Internet are probably
going to be your major concerns when you first get here. There’s fairly good
coverage through the usual major phone companies throughout Wollongong,
though there are some ‘black holes’. Telstra, Optus and Virgin have pretty
solid coverage of the area.
Internet
It is worth taking a second to give you a heads up on the trials and tribulations
of setting up an Internet connection in Wollongong (or Australia
for that matter). First off, there is not yet a city wide NBN (cable) internet
service in Wollongong (although some streets have it) so your best bet will be
ADSL, ADSL2 or wireless 3G internet. All have their strengths and
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weaknesses. When you first get here you may find that wireless 3G internet is
the best approach as you can have it up and running very quickly, however if
you are a high volume internet user we recommend ADSL2, which is available
through most of Wollongong. Dial-up, ADSL and ADSL2 all require you to
have a phone line connected for the initial setup (even if you are ordering
Naked-ADSL).
This means that you will need to setup a phone line through either Telstra or
Optus and it will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $160.00 setup
plus 3 months of service at around $27.00/month (if you cancel within the 3
months they just charge you $100 cancellation fee). Good deals exist with
free setup. If you would like to have a home phone line then this will work out
to your advantage since most have special bundled prices for phone and
internet. If you don’t want a home phone and prefer to just use your
mobile/cell, then you can go for ‘Naked’ ADSL and cancel the phone line
once it is set up.
Some quick recommendations from us are Telstra, Optus, TPG if you are
bundling and Internode or Exetel for Naked ADSL service. Students have had
bad experiences with Dodo in the past…talk to some second and third years
to discuss their issues. However, packages change often so check out
http://broadbandguide.com.au/ Internet is essentially a pre-requisite for this
course, so make sure you get on to it quickly.
Family Services
The Wollongong campus offers childcare services but unfortunately the
Shoalhaven campus does not. Medicine at UOW doesn’t involve many late
nights (unless you volunteer them), so it can be organised into quite a
family-friendly program. There are also many people who organize
outside daycare for their children - if you’re interested in information on
alternatives contact someone at WUMSS and we’ll put you in touch with
student parents who have some experience in this area.
For details on university daycare, see:
http://unicentre.uow.edu.au/kidsuni/
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Transportation
Walking
Depending on where you live, you can often walk to most places within 3040 minutes. If you’ve got some time before uni starts, gather a couple of your
peers and explore the coastal walks
Biking
Wollongong is a fairly bike-friendly city, and if you live in one of the closer
neighborhoods this can be a great way to get to Uni. One rather
comprehensive store is linked below, but you can also find bicycles at a
number of other stores in the Gong. There is also a Facebook page for UOW
Buy and Sell, and bikes often crop up at the start of the year.
http://www.wollongong.bikehub.com.au/
Bus services
There are three FREE shuttle buses that run in Wollongong every 10-30
minutes depending on the bus, semester schedule, time of day and day of
the week. The major bus route is the Green line, which has the most
extensive service. It runs every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 20
minutes the rest of the day from 7am – 10pm on weekdays. This bus goes to
the University, hospital, mall, grocery stores and Fairy Meadow train
station. There is also the Blue line that runs strictly between the North
Wollongong Train Station and the University, again every 10-20 minutes.
Finally, there is an Orange line shuttling from Kieraview-Gwyneville to the
University. The Orange line services areas no covered by the Green line.
If you don’t end up finding a spot near the free shuttle route, there are two
transit companies that may cover your area:
http://www.premierillawarra.com.au/
http://www.dions.com.au/html/
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Trains
The trains are useful if you’re commuting from somewhere outside
of bus range. There are three stations in the Wollongong area - the
Fairy Meadow station (connects with the CBD shuttle bus), the
North Gong station (connects with the university shuttle bus or a
20 minute walk), and the Wollongong station (CBD shuttle bus).
Wollongong to Sydney Central can be done in 1hr 40 minutes. The
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South
Coast
train
schedule
can
be
found
online
at
http://www.sydneytrains.info/
Cars
If you decide you want a car after arriving here, there are a number
of second-hand dealerships near the North Gong train station.
Note that if you plan on driving to the University, parking is
expensive and can be a nightmare unless you car pool.
Parking
The University has a great “Free-for-3” carpool parking
program at the Western Car park (conveniently close to the GSM
building) for cars with 3 or more people in them. If you are short on
car occupants, find some randoms to hop in with you…but if you
get caught doing this your car gets ‘blacklisted’ for the semester!
Aside from car pooling, finding a place to park your car at the
University can be either expensive or frustrating, since there are a
limited number of free parking spots on the surrounding streets
that are taken up very quickly in the morning (usually before 8am).
There is a multi-story car park, but it costs $10 per day. Ain’t
nobody got cash for that.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Wollongong is a great university town with plenty of venues to host
a ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle favoured by some medical
students. It has a huge range of outdoor activities and places to
socialise.
Pubs/Bars
North Gong Pub - Close to North Gong station, this is a nice
place to grab some munchies, a beer or two and watch the footy
on TV. The huge patio is very popular with local university
students. North Gong also has
cheap T-bone/schnitzel nights every week, and has trivia nights to
dominate.
Five Islands Brewing Company “The Brewery” - Situated near
City Beach attached to WIN stadium, these guys have some
original beers to try and host the occasional live band. We rule
trivia Wednesdays.
The Harp – A good alternative to the above two…the floor is a bit
sticky, but the karoke nights are very popular with medical
students!
Dicey Riley’s - This Irish pub is located right next to Wollongong
station. It usually has an older crowd and live bands - this is
definitely the place to be for St Patrick’s Day.
His Boy Elroy – a bit more expensive, but a great hipster cocktail
bar that’s popular with uni students
A bit further out: if you’ve got transport you can also check out
the Towradgi or Scarborough pubs, both are worth the drive
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Clubs
Illawarra Hotel – affectionately known as the ‘Killa Illa’, where
every good night out will end up. Located on Keira Street and one
of the busiest dance clubs in town, this place is booming most
nights of the week. Check out Retro night on Thursdays. UOW
GSM students and The Wollongong Hospital junior doctors must
own shares here by now
The Ivory - Also on Crown Street, this place can be hit and miss
as it’s sometimes oddly empty. It’s worth a wander by if you’re in
the area, if you’re in a big group they’ll often give you a free drink
on entry.
The Little Prince – Located adjacent to Crown Street Mall, this is
a great destination for those with a penchant to ‘drink-and-shop’.
Good hipster and classy venue.
The Glasshouse - Right next to Crown Street mall, this is a
favourite of the undergrad crowd with a notorious reputation and a
constantly packed dance floor. An option if you’re desperate.
Wining and Dining
JJ’s - In the mood for Indian food? These guys have a varied
menu with dishes that are great for sharing.
Amigos - Mexican food with some Uni student specials - $3 tacos
& tequila shots are hard to argue with. Lots of fun.
Jasmine Rice - While there’s a Thai restaurant on almost every
street, Jasmine Rice is one of the best. Other honourable mentions
include: Thai Basil, Coconut Thai, and Mylan.
Diggies - A sit-down restaurant attached to a beach kiosk located
on North Beach that has some pretty great dishes to try; great for
Sunday breakfast or brunch.
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Mango tree – Another popular Indian restaurant on the waterfront
Mud Cat Café – in front of the Novotel looking out on to North
Beach. Great place to bring visitors to the Gong, with declious food
and great views
Sifters – a seriously cool café located in a beautified shipping
container down a little walkway on Market Street, you only find it if
you know where to look. Fabulous coffee.
Grill’d Burgers – a new addition, part of the recently built
‘Wollongong Central’ shopping centre. Conveniently located next
to Max Brenner for dessert!
At the Uni
URAC - The university recreation centre has a nice gym, a pool,
squash courts, tennis courts, sports teams you can join, and
fitness classes. Memberships for students are pretty cheap, and
this is a great place to meet people if you’re new in town. (Check
their website!).
Food - http://unicentre.uow.edu.au/food/index.html
Campus Health - If you’re looking for a GP or dentist you can
book an appointment at Campus Health, which is located in the
UniCentre. (Check their website!)
UniBar - The campus restaurant/bar is a good place to stop off for
chips and beer after a long day of class. UniBar often holds very
cheap concerts and random events (line dancing anyone?).
The GSM - If you haven’t been by yet, the GSM has a common
room with lockers, fridges, coffee machine (you’ll need it)
microwaves, sandwich presses and a snack supply.
UniMovies - UniMovies is a nice, cheap way to watch movies.
They show different movies every week (Check their website!
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Around Town
Crown Street Mall and Wollongong Central- a wide variety of
shops, restaurants & places to grab coffee. There’s also a market
every Friday
Beaches - there are two main beaches to stroll down to for a swim
- City Beach is just next to the lighthouse, and North Beach is up
the coast a bit. There’s a seawall between the two areas that is a
popular walking/jogging/cycling route. North Beach is the only area
to have year-round surf patrols, and also has a large park adjacent
to it. There are plenty more beaches if you venture slightly further.
Beaton Park - this recreation park has multiple sports and
exercise facilities including a multi-lane running track, indoor pool,
and a pretty decked-out gym.
Greater Union (Wollongong Cinema) - if nothing at UniMovies
catches your eye, take a look at what’s playing at the bigger
theatre in Wollongong. This theatre usually has 5 or 6 different
movies showing. (eventcinemas.com.au)
Bunnings - similar to Home Depot or any other local hardware
store, it has a good variety of quality products at decent prices.
Leisure Coast Market - a little out of the way but again, the green
shuttle runs right past it, this local market has some of the best
produce and has great deals on meat. Definitely worth checking
out whenever you can. There are two Woolworth’s and Aldi’s in
town as well.
Warrawong - south of Wollongong, Warrawong has ‘Furniture
Alley’ with bedding, furniture, electronics, desks, chairs, lamps,
lighting, etc… anything you need to fill a house has its own shop.
Take a cruise down King St. and see for yourself!
24#
SHOALHAVEN
Housing
The good thing about living in Nowra is that everything is so close
and convenient, no matter which part of town you live in.
If you want to live with other med students, Nowra is the place to
do it. Before session starts, Lyndal assists in getting you in contact
with each other to organise housing arrangements. Most of the
Shoalies end up living in groups of 2-4.
Below are some brief descriptions of locations that have been
popular:
Nowra - There is plenty of decent housing close to the centre of
town, but it’s best to visit houses or check out Google Street View
first to make sure you don’t end up in a dodgy street. It is 5-10mins
drive to campus and 30min to the beach.
North Nowra - This suburban area is across the river and has a
selection of shops and restaurants.
Bomaderry - Similar to North Nowra but closer to the industrial
area. Bomaderry is also at the end of the train line to Sydney,
which makes it handy for transport. It is about 15mins away from
campus and 15mins to the beach. As for Nowra, check out the
street you intend on living in, as some areas might be less
desirable.
25#
East Nowra – Probably a place to avoid. Well known to have
many “issues”. Cheap rent to say the least, but replacing your
property every 2 months is not.
Worrigee – New, developing suburb with affordable, modern
houses.
It is 10-15mins to campus and 25mins to the beach.
Jervis Bay (Culburra Beach, Huskisson) - Gorgeous beaches!
These are small towns with a good variety of shops and
restaurants, but are a bit further out being 20-30 mins away from
the campus.
Gerroa/Gerringong - A bit higher in the price range and a bit
further away (40mins to campus), this location has great surf
beaches, trendy cafés and shops.
Kiama – This is the biggest coastal town between Wollongong and
Nowra. This beautiful tourist town is 55mins to campus. An
advantage of living in Kiama, Gerroa/Gerringong is that they are
located half-way between Nowra and Wollongong so if you do not
mind commuting, you can have the best of both worlds.
When looking for a place to live, check out the Shoalhaven
campus website, which keeps an up-to-date list of places for rent
in the area, as well as the local real estate agents and listings. See
the links listed on the next page.
Some tips:
Make sure to check what “furnished” includes so that you do not
have to buy extra stuff when you move down here. If you decide to
furnish your own place, there are some big furniture shops in
South Nowra.
26#
If you are coming to the area from out of town, you will have to find
somewhere to stay while you find housing. There are some
reasonably priced motels here that you can use as a base camp.
Springs Resorts Shoalhaven
http://springsresorts.com.au/shoalhaven-sports-motel
Housing links:
Campus Housing:
http://shoalhaven.uow.edu.au/accommodation/index.html
Real Estate Listings:
www.allhomes.com.au
www.domain.com.au
www.realestate.com.au
Phone & Internet
There is fairly good coverage throughout Nowra, but some black
holes exist. Telstra has the best solid coverage of the area. Telstra
& Optus get 3G iPhone coverage, although Optus is scratchy.
There is zero Vodaphone reception on campus.
Internet can be obtained from a variety of providers, some of which
are significantly more expensive than others. Naked broadband is
not available in Nowra, so your choices are dial-up, ADSL, ADSL2,
or wireless internet, all of which you will need a landline for.
Wireless internet through a USB drive is an alternative but it is not
as cheap. Telstra has the best coverage. Internet access is
available 24/7 at the Shoalhaven Campus in a computer lab. The
GSM has computers available and is open until midnight.
27#
Transportation
There is little in the way of public transport in Shoalhaven. A car is
recommended but you may get lucky and find someone to carpool
with! Parking at campus and around town is free. Most current
Shoalies think having a car down here is pretty indispensable.
If you are a keen cyclist you will find that the Shoalhaven is pretty
good for it, being generally flat and making for easy riding.
The school campus is not in the town so you are probably not
going to be walking to school unless you live really close to
campus.
Classes are held in Wollongong for everyone one day a week.
On these days the GSM provides a free bus service to get you to
and from Wollongong Uni. The bus has various pick up points
along the way (e.g. Campus, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong, and
Kiama).
Nowra is on the Princes Highway, and Wollongong is about an
hour drive up the coast, with Sydney being a further hour away.
The train service runs every day and will take you all the way up to
Sydney - the complete trip takes a little over three hours. The train
station is located in Bomaderry, which is 5-10mins out of the
centre of Nowra.
28#
Entertainment
There is never a shortage of things to do in the Shoalhaven,
especially if the weather is good! The Shoalhaven City Council
website
(http://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/) gives a great list of clubs you
can join including kayaking and scuba diving, just look under the
community directory. The website is also a really useful guide for
pretty much anything you’re looking for, from religious groups to
arts communities to health services.
Pubs and clubs
Bottlerocket - The hottest new venue in town, it is
a cafe and cocktail bar all in one. A dress code is in place. Check
out Trivia Tuesdays
Postman’s Tavern – Live DJs on Friday Nights
The Bridge Hotel - Features $8 steak night on Mondays, a good
option after a long Monday in Wollongong.
North Nowra Tavern - Big on a Thursday night!
The Australian Hotel - Features all you can eat ribs for $27 on
Mondays. Do not miss out on karaoke Thursdays!
Wining and dining
A list of places to wine and dine in the Nowra area. Many menus
can be found online. Berry also features a number of quaint cafes
and restaurants that are worth a visit.
Socrates Cafe - Greek styled lunch and breakfast. Open late on
Fridays for souvlaki!
29#
Riverside Thai – great fresh Thai with BYO
Coffeelicious - Open earlier than many other cafes in town, this
place is a haunt for cyclists.
Wharf Road Restaurant & Bar - Nowra’s newest modern
restaurant. Features trendy menu items made from local organic
produce. Great menu, but expensive.
The Deli on Kinghorne - Great spot for a casual lunch or a
Sunday breakfast.
Kohlis Indian Restaurant
The Butter Factory - A reasonably priced modern dining
experience in a heritage building. The menu never disappoints.
Woodies Woodfired Pizza - By far the best pizza in Nowra and
well worth the extra dollars.
Fitness
Anytime Fitness
The Gym North Nowra - has a good selection of fitness classes
as well as a weights room, cardio machines, spa, sauna, squash
courts http://nowragym.com.au/
Nowra Bomaderry Squash and Fitness Centre
Ben’s walk - a nice loop along the escarpment; somewhere
around 5km in length, many people use it as a running trail.
Access is at the show-grounds near the hospital.
Tennis- there is only 1 free court in the whole area (from what we
have found) in Worrigee. Otherwise there are plenty of pay courts
scattered throughout the area.
Shoalhaven City Lanes - ten pin bowling lanes, pool tables and
games room.
Surfing – there are plenty of great surf spots on the South Coast,
30#
although keep in mind if you are in Nowra you are looking at 15
minutes minimum (by car) to the ocean. Ask around (or search the
net) to see what you have available. For those new to
the sport just make sure that you always have a surf buddy.
Cinema - 3D has just hit The Roxy Cinema!
Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre - has great live shows
…everything from ‘Troy Cassar-Daley’ to ‘Puppetry of
the Penis’ to ‘Melbourne Comedy Road Show’
Sports
There is no shortage of sporting activities to do in the Shoalhaven
– here are some we have been involved with: basketball, netball,
AFL, rugby league, touch football, kayaking, dragon boating,
cycling, scuba diving, surfing, swimming, tennis, and squash –
plenty of ways to take your mind away from study.
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32#
WUMSS
WUMSS is the Wollongong University Medical Student Society
that all med students at UOW automatically belong to. The society
is run by an elected council that does all sorts of work for your
benefit - we sort out everything from appliances and coffee
machines in the common room to organising formal dinners,
dances and pub crawls to helping restructure parts of the
curriculum. You can check out more about WUMSS on our website
at www.wumss.org.au
The elected council consists of the President, Vice-Presidents,
Treasurer, Secretary, Sponsorship Officer (all part of the executive
committee) and two Year representatives from each cohort.
WUMSS also elects people to positions for Publications Officer,
Wellbeing, Social Representatives, Academic Representatives,
New South Wales Medical Students Committee (NSWMSC) Rep,
and Australian Medical Student Association (AMSA) Reps. Our
contact details are listed at the end of this guide.
WUMSS provide the official student representation of any issues to
the GSM. Think the GSM should have a textbook they don’t? Want
information on potential elective positions or future career options?
If we don’t have the answer, we’ll get it for you.
And now, we need you!
Self-nominations will be opening in the first month of class for two
cohort representatives to lend your year a voice at WUMSS
council and on the 2013 WUMSS committee.
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KEY CALENDAR EVENTS FOR 2015
Med Camp
6 – 8th February
Med Camp (aka orientation weekend) is the first big shindig of the
year. This is the best way to meet classmates and previous
students! During the day there’ll be events like a suturing
workshop and a global health session, as well as several other
activities - in the evenings there are theme parties and we have all
the fun. You can buy your ticket for MedCamp during the first week
of classes, we’ll tell you more when we see you in week one! This
is a must-do weekend!
th
NSWMSC Leadership Seminar and Cocktail Party
A great way to meet other med students in NSW, last year tickets
sold out very quickly to a great night held at The Ivy in Sydney.
AMSA Convention
This is the highlight of the Australian Medical School Calendar.
Our biggest contingent ever attended the Adelaide Convention in
2014, and this year takes us to Melbourne. Did someone say road
trip?! A week of fun, friends, fancy dress and frivolity…and some
learning too! http://un.convention.al/
Med Revue
August
Last year’s Med Revue completely sold out both nights! An
absolutely fantastic show to be involved in, whether you have
talent, enthusiasm, or both! Join our Facebook Group: UOW Med
Revue, script writing brain storming sessions will begin early in the
year. A DVD of the 2014 show ‘Dawn of the Med’ will have a
showing early in the year to give you an idea what it’s about!
34#
NSWMSC Inter-Uni Sports Day and Charity Evening
August
Last year this did not go ahead due to insurance issues, but we
hope that they’ll be sorted out for Wollongong Med to dominate the
NSW inter-uni sports again this year!
Red Week
August
Run by WUHOW (Wollongong University Health Over Wealth),
Red Week raises funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS. Over the
week there is a trivia night, bake sale, sports day, speaker night
and of course, Red Party!
Inspiration Lecture
This is the biggest annual event of UOW Graduate School of
Medicine’s calendar. UOW is on show and it is an opportunity to
hear and mingle with some amazing minds. A highlight of last year
was Dr Vyom Sharma: a practicing doctor and part-time magician!
AMSA Global Health Conference
September
Over 500 med students from across the country will converge on
Sydney in 2014 for this 5-day journey to better global health. Keep
your ears open for more details to come.
Med Ball
Med Ball is the wine-and-dine event of the year, with all cohorts
being invited to a formal dress evening with speakers, prizes and
dancing. Med Ball is the must-attend event of the year (after Med
Camp of course!) so girls - start dress hunting!
“The annual Inspiration Lecture will
Other Events
The events listed above are just some of the big guns - we’ll also
be having lots of smaller get-togethers and academic events. Our
special interest groups put on a whole variety of activities
throughout the year, such as suturing workshops, trivia nights,
themed parties and bush dances.
35#
International Student Info
G’day! you all have probably gathered, there is a ton of stuff to sort
out before you arrive in Australia. Don’t worry, we all got through it,
and so will you. Here are a few tidbits of information that we picked
up along the way, and maybe wish we’d had in our back pocket
before getting here.
Student Visas/COEs
Of course, you need to visit the immigrations website to get all of
the specific details for the process. But here is the streamlined
version:
• Application: Easy. Online. You are required to have your COE
(Confirmation of Enrolment) to apply. This means that you need to
pay your tuition, have it processed by UOW, and have the COE
sent back to you before you can send in your Visa application. You
also need to get all of your health checks completed before the
Visa application is complete. See below.
• Timing: The COE has roughly a 1-2 week turnover time. The visa
can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks.
• Cost: Roughly $550 for the application alone. See below for the
additional costs for the health checks.
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• Regarding Spouses/Partners: Unless you’re with an Aussie,
they’ll be going on your visa as a dependent. There isn’t much
extra paperwork to get filled out, and they’ll need a physical and a
chest x-ray but not the blood tests if they’re in the low-risk group.
Student Visa Health Checks
• Keep a close eye on your online visa application status to see if
you need to get one of these checks done. It is possible that
you may sneak through the whole visa process without having to
do a Health Check, it has happened.
• Process: Look at the Australian immigrations website (bellow) for
the certified doctor nearest you and make an appointment – there
can be a 1- 3 week wait depending on your location and their
schedule. You will need to print off the appropriate documentation
to take with you (available online). Requirements: Physical, Chest
X-Ray, urinalysis (dipstick), blood test. This should all be doable in
one day. http://www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/
• Cost: This may vary between doctors but the standard fee can
run anywhere from $125 - $250 (regardless of your health care
plan – this isn’t covered). If you have a spouse you’ll be paying for
everything but the blood tests twice.
First Aid
Yes, there is a requirement for a First Aid course. This is cheaper
to do at home than in Australia - it’ll cost $150-$200. There is a
minimum number of training hours. A weekend course is generally
sufficient and just needs to meet the 14 hour training requirements
laid out on the UOW website. The courses are really easy, just
pick a weekend and get it done!
37#
Criminal Record Check
There are multiple ways to get this done. Some of us filled out
online forms; some of us strolled down to the main police station
with a couple of pieces of ID. At any rate, it is about $20-50 and is
pretty quick and easy. If you opt for the online version, expect a 12 week turnaround before it arrives in the mail.
Vaccinations
It is best to complete this before you arrive you start Orientation
week. Last year nearly every student (International and Domestic)
got held up for at least one issue with their vaccination card.
Special considerations for International students since it is a lot
harder to just run back to your normal GP and have make any
adjustments are as follows:
• Have your GP sign AND stamp everything on your card, they
may think that this is overkill and not necessary but that is actually
what the nurses wanted last year (and we do mean a stamp
beside every signature)
• Bring any and all paperwork that you have and can get with you!!!
This includes vaccination records from when you were a child (in
Canada you should be able to just ring up the local health office
and they can fax or mail them, check online).
Ask your doctor for your serology results where applicable etc…
Bring it all.
• Scan all of your documentation and e-mail it to yourself or put it
on a disk or flash drive (better to be a little over prepared).
• Do not skip anything and hope that you can just get it done here;
it is much more difficult and expensive.
38#
What do I send?
There are quite a few bits and pieces of paperwork that are listed
as requirements.
Most of these you can just bring with you - your criminal record
check, vaccinations, and first aid certificate. Things you want to
mail in are your official university transcripts and notarized
documents (for CoE/admissions stuff). Keeping your own
photocopies of all of these things is a good idea, just to be on the
safe side. It is not a terrible idea to mail copies of everything to the
school ahead of your arrival so that they have copies incase you
somehow forget or lose yours along the way.
Canadian students
Student Loans/Financing
Almost all of the Canadian banks offer a medical student line of
credit (Scotiabank does not do them for international students
…their loss) - the amount varies from roughly $100 000 to $250
000 depending on your cosigner. You will definitely need a
cosigner because you are planning to leave the country, so make
sure your parents etc are on board. With a line of credit you pay
interest immediately, so taking out a large sum and depositing it in
an Australian bank account may not be the most cost effective way
of managing your money.
***NOTE: Do not feel compelled to accept whatever interest rate
your first bank offers you, shop around and play them off of each
other. You may go to one bank where they offer you prime+0.5%
and then speak to another bank who will offer you prime+0.25%.
Last year it was possible for some of the students to get prime+0%
39#
(you will be paying plenty of money in interest by the time this is all
over, it is very worth while to spend a bit haggling to get the
best price. Always remember, you are doing the bank a favour by
borrowing their money, and they know it.)
You are also eligible for provincial and federal student loans, so be
sure to check into that.
Moving Money to Australia from Overseas
There are many, many ways to accomplish this and each one will
get you a different exchange rate. This isn’t meant to be an
exhaustive list but rather a list of general suggestions and a
suggested method that I prefer.
Tip 1: Do your research. There are a ton of companies willing to
exchange money between countries, some more reputable than
others. I can’t stress enough that you should try and do as much
research as possible to find out who’s going to give you the
best rates. I can’t suggest something that’s going to work for
everyone in every situation but I use XE Trade (more to follow on
that topic).
Tip 2: Follow the dollar. When you’re talking about transferring at
least $190,000 AUD over the four years, a small change in the
exchange rate can equate to significant gain or loss. Follow the
Australian dollar, follow your dollar, and follow the exchange rate.
Get a feel for the fluctuations and try and time your exchanges to
when it is more favourable to you. You won’t always be able to
move money at the best time simply due to timing of when tuition
is due, etc. but try your best.
Tip 3: If you’re going to move money, move larger chunks less
often. Depending on the method you chose to transfer money, you
40#
may incur some fees (sometimes substantial if you didn’t listen to
Tip 1!) Simple. Also if you can time it right, in relation to the
exchange rate, those large chunks can actually make you some
money! That being said, if the exchange rate is poor, don’t feel
obligated to move lots of money. You’ll have to weigh the cost of
transfer fees vs. the amount of loss you incur on the exchange.
XE Trade
XE, a popular currency exchange site, also operates a currencytrading program. It requires you to sign up and go through a vetting
process where they check your identity, etc. but it’s relatively
simple to do. It is the method I use to move money between
Australia and Canada and, so far, they have given me the best
rates. You can go to http://www.xe.com/xetrade/suinfo.php and
sign up for an account. Just follow the instructions and you should
have your account up and running in a week or so, sometimes
less. From there, you have to enter in your banking information
for both your Australian (you can open an account online) and
Canadian bank accounts and put in a trade request. During the
request, you’ll have to select how you want to get the money to XE
and how you want them to get the money to you. I use the bill
payment option to send the money to XE (just like paying any
other Canadian bill via online banking) and a wire transfer to my
Australian account. You may need to actually be in Australia
before you can do your first transfer if your bank needs you to
activate your account in person. Luckily, the trades only take about
three or so business days to process.
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It’s all pretty self-explanatory when you get into it but if anyone
needs some advice, message the lovely Canadian lass Vivega
Vijay on Facebook! She is your International Rep and will be
happy to help or put you in contact with others who can.
Arrival & Transportation
Transport from the Airport
Limousines provide a free ride to Wollongong from Sydney
airport for all incoming first-time international students.
Go
to
http://www.uow.edu.au/future/international/prearrival/airport/index.
html and follow the instructions. Alternatively you can take the train
to Wollongong. The train station connects directly to the airport
and is so easy, even a caveman could do it. Where to stay?
The best deal in town for the first two weeks is the local YHA,
Keiraview Accommodation. It is located right in town (near all the
pubs/restaurants that you’ve read about in this guide) and offers a
special discount for incoming international students. It’s an easy
starting point for looking for apartments and getting to know the
city. Once you’ve planned your arrival times, make sure
you book in. http://www.keiraviewaccommodation.com.au/
Shoalhaven
For the students heading to the Shoalhaven the free bus is not
available. You can catch the free shuttle to Wollongong, but will be
out of luck if trying to get directly to Nowra. There are a couple of
options available:
For those with a reasonable amount of luggage you can catch the
train from the International Airport. Cost is about $20 and the 3-4
42#
hour train ride (depending on how your transfers work out) is quite
spectacular. Keep in mind that you will have to transfer at least 2
trains on the way down. Also, you will arrive in Bomaderry which is
an easy cab ride to Nowra; just remember that you will likely need
to give the cab driver some direction as to where you want to be
dropped off. Check out accommodation to stay when you arrive.
www.cityrail.info
Shoalhaven shuttle is a shuttle service that can pick you up at the
airport and take you directly to your destination in the Shoalhaven.
Cost is $50-100pp depending on the amount of luggage you are
bringing. They typically run 1- 2x/day so drop them an email early
to determine if they are a viable option.
www.shoalhavenshuttle.com
Finally, for those with a sense of adventure, a rental car may be a
good option for your first few days. The area around Nowra is
pretty vast which can be a pain if you are trying to sort out living
arrangements upon arrival. Hertz is the rental company in the area
that you can pick up a car in Sydney and drop off in South Nowra
for a reasonable price. Check them out online to get an idea of
prices. Also, make sure you opt in for the insurance. Driving on the
opposite side of the road takes some getting used to.
Banking
Setting up a bank account in Australia is quite straightforward; you
can actually do it from abroad and transfer money over before you
get here. All you need to do once you arrive in Wollongong is take
43#
your passport to the branch, sign some papers, and you’re ready
to go. NAB and Commonwealth are both readily accessible around
Wollongong and Shoalhaven, and NAB has a branch right on
campus.
Cell Phones (“mobiles”)
Most cell phones in Australia are pay-as-you-go plans, and
contracts are difficult to get without a credit history here. All you
need to do is buy the cell phone, buy a $30, $40, or $50 card
(depending on how much you talk) and you’re ready to go! The
only tricky part is picking your network, because it’s cheaper to call
phones on the same network as your own. Locals recommend
Telstra because it has the best coverage around Wollongong and
the uni, but it can be slightly more expensive. Other options are
Optus (which has reasonably good coverage), Vodafone (don’t do
it!) and TPG. Aldi is a new one and great if you have your own
phone already. If you are a new Shoalie, stick to Telstra as your
safest option.
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Accommodation
The most terrifying thing of all! Students flood the housing market
in January and February, so ideally you’ll want to get here in early
January for house hunting. Alternatively, some internationals last
year got here just before uni started, having found a housemate on
the Med Facebook page and trusted them to find a place. The
majority of apartments are rented out via real estate agencies on 6
month or 1 year leases, and there are fully furnished places
available. For the Woolies, we’ve teamed up with a local real
estate agent to make your life easier. All you need to do is let him
know that you’re an international medical student, when you’re
arriving, and make an appointment for him to take you around to
the available furnished apartments.
Tim Bartlett - Clayton Real Estate
Office: 02 4226 1074
Mobile: 0412 126669
Email: [email protected]
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Living Expenses
Cost of living is roughly $1000-$1500 per month in Wollongong,
depending on how frugal you are. Roommates are a good idea as
1br apartments are hard to find. Housing runs from about $250350/week for a 2br apartment, on the higher end if it’s furnished.
Alcohol and food are definitely expensive in Australia. The main
grocery stores are Woolworths, Aldi and Coles, and there are a
few fruit and veggie markets around. If you are eating out at
restaurants, remember that all prices are listed including tax, and
this is a non-tipping culture so your tips are also already
incorporated into the prices (although as usual, if your service is
exceptional then feel free to leave a tip!).
As an idea:
Pint of beer - $5-7
6pk beer - $20
750mL bottle of Spirits ~ $35+
Dinner - $15-25
Petrol – $1.30 – $1.40 / L
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Insurance:
Health (AHM), Travel, Life and Car
Every international student is required to buy overseas health
cover as a part of their student agreement. This allows you to get a
rebate (roughly 75%) for doctor’s visits and medications you
purchase. Unfortunately, you are still required to pay the full fee
up-front for any services, and you need to take in your receipts
afterwards. A standard doctor’s visit is about $50.
Your overseas health cover only kicks in on the first scheduled day
of classes. This means that you’ll potentially have the entire month
of January in Australia to get yourself injured/attacked by a
shark/mauled by a drop bear. Buy travel insurance before you go,
your travel agent can set it up for you easily. Life insurance is also
a
good
idea
for
those
of
you
who
have
had
your
parents/friends/other family members co-sign your loans. We don’t
like to worry about things like that, but if anything happens to you,
that’s a pretty hefty amount of money that still needs to be paid
back.
Car insurance is through private companies, but you have to get
certain things (third party liability etc.) to get your registration
(“rego”). The rego costs about $500 for a year, and insurance
varies
with
your
coverage
-
check
the
RTA
website:
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/. Also, you will be able to drive legally
on your home country license.
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Spouses/Partners
If your spouse or common-law partner is coming to Australia, there
are some work restrictions that are going to apply to them. As per
the immigration website, spouses are only allowed 20 hours of
work per week. The MBBS degree in Australia is classified as a
Bachelor’s degree, which makes us unfortunately fall into the
undergraduate crowd. Yes, this makes very little (if any) sense, but
so far there’s no official way around the regulation. Those of us in
this predicament have investigated finding a loophole through the
school, lawyers etc., but so far there’s been no good news.
The Australian Medical Student Association (AMSA) is behind us
on this issue, and is trying to get the regulations changed
specifically for international medical student spouses. However,
this is going to take some time and you may want to consider
temporary work visas and the like when you first arrive.
Meeting the other international students
Above all else, get to know each other and have some fun!
Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the Hunter Valley, Jervis Bay...there
is so much to see and do before medical school dominates your
life. Use Facebook to figure out when everyone is arriving, and
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meet at the beach. The first group to find a house usually ends up
hosting a lot of barbecues... Don’t forget that some of the second
and third years will also be around, and happy to meet for
dinner/drinks sometime. Don’t hesitate to contact us, especially if
you have questions when you first get here.
International Student Facebook Group
If you haven’t found it already or just have questions that we
haven’t answered here, check the Facebook group
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=1097845396
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Class of 2018 Student Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/369434209878835/
Just in case you missed the link the first time, we’re always happy
to answer questions! Can’t wait to meet you all in person!
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Contacts
Questions & Concerns
We have taken the time to revise this guide for you because we
have all been there ourselves and know what a big leap it can be
to come this far. One of the greatest things about this school is the
group of students selected for intake. The previous cohorts started
this guide and we are continuing it in their tradition, so feel free to
fire us e-mails if you have further questions. Contact details for the
other WUMSS members can be found on the website.
WUMSS Executive
President – Murray Crowe
[email protected]
Vice President (Wollongong) – Trent Stapleton
[email protected]
Vice President (Shoalhaven) – Michael Rennie
[email protected]
Secretary – Rachel Bowden
[email protected]
Treasurer – Florence Huynh
[email protected]
Sponsorship Officer – Sophia Hill
[email protected]
AMSA Rep – Francesca Dudas
[email protected]
Enjoy your holidays, we can’t wait to meet you all!
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