The truth about 2019-nCov Coronavirus Outbreak Part I (Wuhan China) February 6th Update
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 Forecasting Wuhan coronavirus outbreak(The Lancet): Will the outbreak ever end? Doctor explains This is up to date to 11th Feb 2020, and it subject to change. In this video I try to dissect and translate the lancet journal article: Nowcasting and forecasting the potential domestic and international spread of the 2019-nCoV outbreak originating in Wuhan, China: a modelling study
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): when and who can it kill? How to prepare (NZ Doctor Jae Explains) This is up to date to 21st Feb 2020, and it is subject to change. In this video I try to dissect and translate journal article from China CDC: Viral Surveillances: The epidemiological characteristics of an outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19)
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January 2020. Special Lion Encounter, popular, is a tour you can do at Orana Wildlife, which is pretty much the Zoo for Christchurch.
 
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People don't know about medical school. Even the people who are IN medical school. And it doesn't make sense if you apply for something, and yet you don't know much about it. ESPECIALLY if it is going to shape a large part of your life.

I explain different phases of medical school in New Zealand.

After biomed and health science first year (premed), then you enter medical school proper as a 2nd year university student. (MBChB II), in MBChB II and III, you are a pre-clinical student. You are trying to cover the basic sciences required for practising medicine. This includes things like physiology (how the body works), pathology (how diseases develop), and anatomy (structure of the human body). You will also have some clinical contact with the hospital environment.

From MBChB IV (4th year university) then you start clinical runs (placements) and your time is spent mainly at the hospital. This requires a shift in your learning habits and requires you to be more independent and self-directed.

Core placements include: General medicine, psychiatry, Family medicine, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, emergency medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, ENT. You will get opporunity to choose different runs throughout medical schools outside this core list.

During the final year (6th year university), which is called the TI (Trainee Intern) year, you are expected to help look after about one-third of the patient workload under supervision of doctors. 
The elective is an 8 week placement that you can spend overseas as long as you are accepted view all

 
 
 

 
In this video I explain how to get into biomed and healthscience program at the University of Auckland in New Zealand I explain how the points are calculated at the University of Auckland.
 
 
The university of Auckland has a strict point system whereas the University of Otago may accept students based on other criteria that are not clearly defined.

One of my students who was not doing really well in high school, still got a conditional offer for premed at Otago university.

For calculating points at UoA, you need to look at the undergraduate prospectus. It outlines NCEA/Cambridge/IB point systems.

Remember that getting into premed is only the beginning. If you barely make it into premed, then in order to achieve the eventual goal of getting into medicine, you need to review your entire study system because in first year university, the amount of content is 15 times that of high school. view all

 
 
WATCH THIS before you start medical school - 3 Things I wish I knew before I graduated
 
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A lot of students might think medical school is too hard to get into and part of this might be the cost of medical school itself. 

In New Zealand, students are lucky to have interest-free student loans which are payable once you start earning money after graduating. This takes a lot of pressure off. The whole loan may be bigger than 80,000 dollars but you can focus on your career because you will eventually pay it off and there is no huge rush to pay it off because it is interest-free.

BUT! There are also other costs like transport and food - If you are like me, most students have a side job to support themselves. Also, student allowance funds us for 200 weeks. This lasts until the end of 5th year. Super wealthy families might be alright but if you live out flatting in Auckland, it might be a struggle.

As a final year medical student - you receive a grant which is about 27000 dollars. This helps with daily living costs and well as the elective placement, where most people choose to go overseas for this, which does cost a lot.

Super snippet insight into financial cost of medical school in NZ. There are multiple factors determining affordability. This video dissects the costs of medical school only.

The cost is not exact  view all

 
 
Is it worth it? What no one tells you about tutoring for biomed/healthsci - Watch THIS!
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How much do doctors in NZ earn? NOT what you think - English Subs [Korean Audio]
 
 
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Question - Are my high school grades good enough for med?

 
 

 How to write like a doctor part I

To enter competition:

1.Comment below
2. Email me at [email protected] 
with your answers to win the prize

Prize will be edible

Prize will be announced 1st of Jan 2020 view all

 

 
 
 
The final year of medical school (MBChB) in New Zealand - students are given a stipend of about 26700 NZ Dollars. This seems like a large amount of money, if received in one bulk sum.

Reality is, for students living in Auckland New Zealand, it may not be enough to fund their weekly living, transport and food costs if they are living out alone. Not to mention an elective placement overseas.

In the final year of Auckland medical school in New Zealand,  the elective placement is an 8 week clinical placement (13 weeks in Otago). This can be done in any specialty of the student's choosing and anywhere in the world, as long as it is not unsafe and also the receiving hospital accepts.

The reports of the elective experience can be insightful for first year biomed and health science (premed) students as well as junior medical students. These are accessible via Auckland university library database online if you have university login.

I spent some time in South Korea (Seoul), Neurology (nerves) department at the Severance Yonsei University hospital. This experience was enlightening when I got to observe the differences between the two countries. The experience is enriching for all students - doctors bring back an aspect of their clinical or personal experience and this shapes their future medical practice.

However, it does require some funding - flights, food, transport, accommodation are not cheap. For students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (doctors are not all from wealthy backgrounds) struggle to have this experience overseas even with the help of the TI grant. Sometimes there are things out of their control. If they have family to feed/support, it's a challenge. The student allowance also runs out (200 weeks max) after 5th year. Meanwhile the student loan is also building up 15K pe


First year biomed and health science students and medical students should take note of this before they start - this knowledge may be useful for MMI (Interviews) - every student should know what they are getting themselves into! view all

 
 
 

 
 
 
As a future doctor or aspiring health professional it is important to understand the role of other health professionals that you will work with. But as a high school or university students in New Zealand, it is impossible to get information or insight let alone have time to talk to a nurse properly.

I interview this GP Charge nurse who is also my wife. I think if you are a first year biomed or health science student at the University of Auckland, then this will be valuable and entertaining for you. The MMI interview - requires you to be conscious about the role of other health professionals more than just a superficial level.

She explains how to become a nurse in Auckland New Zealand, and then briefly the roles and work of nurses, including the specific tasks involved in the day to day wokload of a primary care charge nurse.

I ask 5 questions including

1. Can nurses date patients?

2. How much do nurses earn in a GP practice and hospital in Auckland New Zealand?

3. What was the worst patient experience as a GP charge nurse?

4. Who deals with PPVs? (Pee/Poo/Vomit Bodily fluids) Doctors or nurses?

5. What is the best thing about being a nurse?




Insight into how to become a charge nurse (GP practice) and the experience of being a charge nurse in New Zealand view all