UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................................................1
Welcome ....................................................................................................................................................................................2
What is UQPMS? .......................................................................................................................................................................2
UQPMS executive team 2015 .................................................................................................................................................4
Academic ....................................................................................................................................................................................5
Life of a UQPMS Student ....................................................................................................................................................5
Lectur es .................................................................................................................................................................................6
Practicals................................................................................................................................................................................6
Tutorials .................................................................................................................................................................................6
Pass.........................................................................................................................................................................................6
Contacts .................................................................................................................................................................................6
Workshops ............................................................................................................................................................................6
General advice......................................................................................................................................................................7
Academic Resources............................................................................................................................................................8
Social ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 13
UQ Premedical Society Launch @ Market Day 2014! ................................................................................................ 13
Fundraising BBQ #1 .......................................................................................................................................................... 13
UQPMS presents: The Amazing Race ............................................................................................................................ 14
For the cold and stylish: UQPMS Hoodies .................................................................................................................... 14
UQ Premedical Society @ Market Day Semester 2 .................................................................................................... 15
UQPMS Red Room Night II .............................................................................................................................................. 15
UQPMS vs Griffith BMedSc - PART III ............................................................................................................................ 16
Premedical Sprinters Debut - Bridge to Brisbane ....................................................................................................... 17
UQMS & UQPMS Joint Seminar - A Glimpse into Medicine...................................................................................... 17
2014 UQ Premedical Ball: Casino Royale...................................................................................................................... 18
Services .................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................................... 23
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
WELCOME
To the bright and eager first year UQ student,
Congratulations! You’ve pushed through the hard years of high school and now, you’re finally about
to venture into university. Excited? We hope you are! Gone are the days of teachers, timetables and
uniforms. University will be, and is, an incredible time in everyone’s lives and you’re bound to enjoy
yourself at UQ.
That being said, for the first time, you’re off on your own. You can choose to schedule classes to your
liking, go out with your friends every second night, sleep through lectures and cram every exam. The
only thing at stake is your Grade Point Average (GPA). Which is, despite what some people say,
pretty important. For instance, it’s often the deciding factor for a successful application in exchange
programs, research opportunities and other extra-curricular initiatives.
While the going gets tough with your studies, there’s no doubt that there will always be people to
help you. Be it your friends, lecturers or student services, help can be found when you need it. And
that’s where we come in!
This publication was compiled with the intention of exposing you to UQ. High school leavers often
have misconceptions of university and we hope that this guide will answer some of y our questions.
Most importantly, we also hope you learn more about what we as a society do and what you can
expect for the year to come. Of course, if you have any concerns or anxieties, we’ll be more than
happy to help!
Much love,
The UQPMS Executives
WHAT IS UQPMS?
UQPMS is a non-profit, student run organisation aimed at facilitating the needs of students who wish
to study post-graduate medicine at UQ. Among the 200+ clubs and societies, UQPMS is unique by
virtue of its members, all of whom study a range of disciplines extending from law to dentistry. By
far, the majority of its members study a Bachelor of Science (BSc), majoring in biomedicine.
Given our academically inclined membership, we aim to bring the best of the UQ experience to our
members. While studying is very crucial, a balance with other activities is arguably optimal. Hence,
UQPMS provides not only academic resources but organises numerous and various social events and
sponsorship perks. Most importantly, we help foster connections, networks and friendships among
our members, who represent the future faces of medicine for years to come.
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U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
UQPMS EXECUTIVE TEAM 2015
MATT KIM - PRESIDENT
MATTHEW QIU - SECRETARY
Avid hip hop dancer
Disney, adventure time
and high school musical
make me happy c:
Likes long walks on the
beach
Card magician
Always happy to answer
any questions or just
generally chat
Loves learning, GYG and
giving things a go
Musician, jogger and
research scholar
Involved in ASPinS,
PASS, UQAO and OPSSE
UQU Science Faculty
Councillor
Always happy to talk!
RICHARD LEE - TREASURER
AMANDA TAN - VP: ACADEMICS
Interested in
philosophical discussions
"So many books, so little
time" - Frank Zappa
Jack of four instruments,
master of none
Wants to be a surgeon
Loves research - involved
in ASPinS and Summer
Research
Moved from interstate
Chem PASS Leader
Enjoys all kinds of sports
Movie addict
First year survivor
MYKY TRAN - VP: MARKETING
MICHELLE KIM - VP: SOCIAL
4 instruments, 3
languages but 0 sports
PASS tutor and research
student
Born in Seoul, raised in
Sydney
Food enthusiast but can’t
cook to save my life
Afflicted with wanderlust
Involved in ASPinS, UQ
jPho, PASS, UNYA
Studied IB, winner of
Peter Doherty award
Once won a competition
to Uruguay to meet Hugh
Jackman
ALAN NGUYEN - VP: SPONSORSHIP
SEBASTIAN SODINI - VP: DESIGNS
Likes cycling, computers
and music
From Melbourne
BIOL1020 PASS leader
Is a cinephile
Loves sports, sports don't
love me
Really loves music, used
to sing (badly)
Worships playing pool
Likes trains
Interest in technology
and graphics
Involved in ASPinS and
BIOL1020 tutoring
Violinist in BEL orchestra
Can be found in the SLC
“studying”
EMAIL ADDRESSES
Matt Kim
Richard Lee
Myky Tran
Alan Nguyen
president@uqpms.com
treasurer@uqpms.com
marketing@uqpms.com
sponsorship@uqpms.com
Matthew Qiu
Amanda Tan
Michelle Kim
Sebastian Sodini
secretary@uqpms.com
academic@uqpms.com
social@uqpms.com
designs@uqpms.com
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
ACADEMIC
LIFE OF A UQPMS STUDENT
As mentioned previously, a major proportion of UQPMS students study a Bachelor of Science (BSc)
with a major in biomedicine. However, there is a welcoming increase in students studying other
degrees of their choice. The bottom line is – study what you want! For provisional entry holders, this
is your chance to study whatever you have an interest in, particularly as medicine is known to be a
very rigid degree.
The timetable represents one of many different combinations of four first year science courses.
Given that the number of potential variations in timetables is enormous, the diagram omits the
course codes.
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
0800
0900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
Lectures
Practicals
Tutorials
PASS
Workshops
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
LECTURES
These are usually presentations given by a lecturer on course content
for a duration of 50 minutes. It is the primary way for students to learn
the course and is held in any number of lecture theatres. Some lecture
sessions run for more than an hour for multiple, consecutive lectures.
Some practicals require extra
equipment, such as safety
goggles and lab coats. Most of
this equipment can be found oncampus, including disposable
labcoats, which can be bought
over the counter at the second
hand bookshop.
Many courses upload lecture
recordings onto the UQ intranet.
This can be useful for studying,
but remember, there is no
substitute for attending le ctures
in person!
PRACTICALS
For biomedical science courses, practicals are opportunities for
students to practise techniques, conduct experiments and learn from
hands-on experience. A single practical session is allocated 2-3 hours
and run by prac tutors. Usually, personal protective equipment is
worn at all times as students are able to access equipment and
potentially hazardous materials from UQ laboratories.
TUTORIALS
Weekly tutorials encourage the application of course content to a variety of challenges, providing students
with the opportunity to think more deeply about the content than is discussed during lectures. It is held in
a classroom setting and is more interactive compared to a lecture.
PASS
Peer Assisted Study Sessions are a novel and interactive way for
students to consolidate their course knowledge. With the help of PASS
leaders, students learn through practising problems, group discussions
and activities. This is possibly the best opportunity to ask questions as
PASS leaders have recently completed the course to a high standard.
PASS classes are a great way to
meet other like-minded students
in the science cohort. The tutors
are also an invaluable resource of
advice for the subje cts that you
will be going through.
WORKSHOPS
CONTACTS
Depending on which course you’re taking, the
workshops for it may be more similar to tutorials,
PASS or a mixture of both. Workshops can also
include computer sessions wherein students code
or use programs to consolidate their understanding
Though it’s not in the above example, you’ll
definitely encounter contact classes in your
undergraduate degree. These are general sessions
and often differ in their nature depending on the
course.
of the course content.
If you’d like to check what
your timetable would look
like, UQ has released its
own timetable planner
(https://timetableplanner
.app.uq.edu.au/).
One thing you may have noticed is the inconsistency of contact hours across
days. It’s quite possible that you’ll be spending two hours on Wednesday and
six hours on Friday. To add to the mix, some practicals can happen on a
fortnightly basis while some workshops may only run in the first half of
semester. We highly recommend checking my si net for the complete list of
dates for your course hours as it’s not uncommon for a classroom change a
day before university begins.
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U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
Overall, a majority of biomedical science courses have three lectures and a single three hour practical on a
weekly basis. Hence, weekly contact hours are usually at maximum 24 hours. Note that this is only an
approximation and enrolling into various electives may increase or decrease this time.
GENERAL ADVICE
We have compiled some advice from second and third year uni students about organizing your time and
effectively working in uni.
Don’t forget to have time for lunch! Trust me, starving is not fun. Also, if you’r e a routinely late sleeper, maybe
DON’T schedule all those 8am’s. You’ll thank yourself later.
Take some time when planning out your timetable as you’ll find yourself sticking with most of it. That being
said, if you miss out on signing into the classes you want (sign-on is a mad rush so get in early), you can just
jump into other lecture streams or PASS classes. Pracs and workshops/tutorials are not as flexible though so
make sure you have backup times.
- Richard ‘Rizzle Lizzle’ Lee
Make sure to check your student email account regularly! To add to that, you should be comfortable using all
of the IT systems at UQ. Blackboard (learn.uq.edu.au) is definitely the most important website to know how
to use, as most courses will have their content there!
Knowing how to use the UQ library effectively (library.uq.edu.au) is invaluable for most of your subjects, and
makes r esear ching a topic much easier. I would suggest familiarising yourself with some of the major journal
databases such as PubMed, Reaxys and MedLine.
-Seb Sodini
Allow yourself breaks, but try avoid any break that is larger than 1 hour, you may risk not attending your
remaining classes due to demotivation that comes further into the semester.
This being said if a long break in your timetable is unavoidable don’t stress yourself out by trying to attend
every lecture and not e take on everything within the session. Although going to lectures are an important part
of your learning as it’s an opportunity for you to interact directly w ith your lecturers, you can r ewind and relisten to the lectures at your own pace online in lecture recordings afterwards anyway. Use the lectures more
as an opportunity to extend and refine your know ledge rather than mindless note taking. This basically means
you can be a little bit more lenient in your scheduling of lectures.
-Myky ‘MC Mickster’ Tran
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
ACADEMIC RESOURCES
One of the principal aims of UQPMS is to provide academic support to our members. Foremost, we provide
access to our exclusive notes pool, compiled by high achieving students over the years. This has traditionally
proved useful among students and we’re currently trying to improve our substantial collection!
A recent initiative has been to liaise with our GAMSAT sponsor to arrange member exclusive discounts,
workshops or seminars. We have seen terrific success with such a venture and you can be sure to look forward
to it this year too.
UQPMS also releases course guides, detailing advantages, disadvantages and tips for the huge diversity of
courses at UQ. W e’r e currently giving our guides a major overhaul . Flip over to the next page for a sneak peek
at what we’re offering.
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
BIOL1020 - GENES, CELLS & EVOLUTION
COURSE INFORMATION
Offered: Semester 1 & Semester 2 at St. Lucia
Course Coordinators: Dr Milos Tanurdzic (SEM 1)
& Dr Karyn Johnson (SEM 2)
Lab Coordinator: Ms Lois Eden
Contact hours per week: 2 Lectures, 3 Practicals &
1 PASS class
Prerequisites: None
Recommended Prerequisites: High school level
biology will be helpful but not required.
Restrictions: Students who have studied
AGRC1020, AGRC1021, ANIM1060, or AGRC1041
must contact the Faculty of Science for permission
to enrol into BIOL1020.
sessions involve the handling of model organisms and
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course covers the fundamentals of modern
cellular biology, from basic cell structure and
biologically important molecules to the central
tenets of genetic inheritance and evolution.
Examples include: the mechanics of DNA replication,
RNA transcription and translation in prokaryotes,
eukaryotes and viruses, how molecular and cellular
processes give rise to whole organism phenotypes,
how to infer such processes given the phenotype,
how cellular, genetic and evolutionary processes
affect everyday life, metabolic energy flows,
mechanics of cellular division and reproduction.
There will also be a brief genomics and
biotechnology component that examines the
multiple avenues through which we have used
organisms to develop molecular tools. Examples of
contemporary issues in the assigned tex tbook
readings and online activities will be highlighted in
lectures, PASS classes and practicals. Practical
use of computational research tools. BIOL10 20 in 2015
Semester 1 will be delivered in three separate sections:
MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOLOGY
Covers various molecular and cellular structures from the three domains of life
Looks at examples of fundamental similarities thought to arise from the common origin of life
Basic cellular mechanisms are taught to explain how cells divide, replicate, and survive.
GENES TO TRAITS
Focuses on genes as the biological unit of inheritance
Builds on the previous module's understanding of DNA organisation and replication, and RNA transcription
and translation
Compares gene regulatory mechanisms between bacteria and eukaryotes
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
INHERITANCE AND EVOLUTION
Teaches how the physical organisation of DNA (into linear or circular chromosomes or plasmids) and the
DNA replication mechanisms create observable patterns of phenotypic trait inheritance – Mendelian
genetics, the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium etc.
Examines mechanisms underlying genetic variation on the population level including but not limited to:
mutation, recombination, transformation, gene flow, horizontal gene transfer, gene and genome
duplication, genetic drift, and natural selection
Most likely out of scope of high school biology
ASSESSMENT
For comprehensive details on BIOL1020 assessment, check out the Electronic Course Profile at:
http://www.courses.uq.edu.au/student_section_loader.php?section=5&profileId=71953
STUDENT REVIEW
ADVANTAGES
This course is a great introduction to cellular
biology for those who have not studied it
previously because it covers high school content.
Lectur es are logically sequenced and easy to
follow. They are well staged and built on so
students should not get lost or confused.
Lectur e slides have a history of being posted on
Blackboard early, which allows students to preread and print off sheets to take notes on during
lectures.
BIOL1020 can be an interesting and engaging
course which is not difficult to do well in, because
of various assessment pieces (opportunities to
score marks) and practicals with cutting-edge lab
equipment made available by the university.
Content from lectur es is reinforced in pre-practical
work, practicals, PASS classes and online
Blackboard assessment so students can gain a
solid foundation before reaching exam time.
Lectur ers briefly introduce their area of research
expertise and invite keen students to talk and ask
for research experience at their respective labs.
The content cover ed in this course provides a
crucial foundation for future studies into
molecular or cellular biology and biol ogical
research. It also underpins the knowledge covered
in BIOL1040, which is an important prerequisite
for major second year courses. Success in this
course will definitely help you in the long run!
Assessment in this course also touches on generic
skills such as communication and presentation,
and is not solely content based.
DISADVANTAGES
Being an introductory course to biology, those who
have studied high school biology may find this
course repetitive and unchallenging, with few
novel nuggets of knowledge. However, the average
workload from this course makes it good for
breaking into university life. Extension topics can
be pursued in your own time, as well as research
experience with the lecturers.
Trying to do well in all assessment pieces or
learning activities will, at times, seem difficult,
tedious and time consuming. However this is easily
achieved by good time management and a good
understanding of what is required. Do not forget
the dates of practical mini -exams.
Practicals may seem simple and tedious at the time
but these help with understanding certain
concepts. Most lab tutors will allow their students
to leave early if all the necessary work is complete.
Practical mini-exams are held during your practical
sessions. Possible questions are released via
Blackboard the Friday before the assessment
week, which may be unfair as it gives those who
have their mini-exams later in the week a slight
advantage in preparation time.
You must attend the PASS class you signed on
weekly, so if you want to try out any other PASS
classes and their worksheets, you must do so
during your own time as additional classes. The
worksheets may differ so it is good practice to get
at least the worksheets to work on.
The instructions given for the oral presentation
may be confusing; it is important ask the practical
tutors what they expect.
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
TIPS
Go to extra PASS classes if you need more help; don’t feel limited to just one class. However, be sure to
attend the class you signed up on SI net! Note that not all the worksheets you receive at one class will be the
same at another.
When comparing all the resources available, going to PASS and actively participating is the best pr eparation
for the final exam. It allows you to clear up any misconceptions you may have, and the works heets you are
given are invaluable. In previous years, PASS questions and interactive exercises have been known to be
comparable or very similar to final exam questions.
If you are stuck, make sure to talk to your tutors and lecturers. They are approachabl e and will be of
assistance where possible.
Make sure to keep an eye open on my.uq or the library website for past exams closer to your final exam
date. Those PASS worksheets are still one of your best bets for consolidating course content.
This course can involve a lot of rote learning for a first year course, particularly if you have not taken high
school biology. Mnemonics/acronyms have worked well for people in the past, but many find the repetitive
class structure helpful – the same content is covered in many different classes throughout the week.
Do your pre-readings, and do not skip the lectures. It may be repetitive but it will save you from the last
minute cramming during SWOTVAC which typically shortens your telomeres dramatically.
SECAT RESULTS
I learned a lot in this course
4.3
The course was well structured
3.7
The course was intellectually stimulating
4.2
The learning materials assisted me in this course
4.0
I received helpful feedback on how I was going in the course
3.6
I had a clear undertanding of the aims and goals of the course
4.0
Assessment requirements were made clear to me
3.7
Overall, how would you rate this course?
3.8
1
Strongly
Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Neutral
4
Agree
5
Strongly
Agree
Student Evaluation of Course and Teacher (SECaT) questionnaires are coordinated by the University to
evaluate student involvement and response in a particular course through a 5-point scale (‘1’ and ‘5’
corresponds to strongly disagree/poor and strongly agree/excellent respectively). The UQ Premedical Society
has recently been advised to convey this information, which is the proper ty of the University, to provide an
insight to courses to its members. It should be noted that the data is available on-line on the public domain of
the UQ Teaching and Educational Development Institute for any interested parties to peruse.
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
Stay tuned for the 2015 edition of our academic publications!
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
SOCIAL
2014 witnessed a fantastic year for the social side of UQPMS. We’ve decided showing is better than
telling so here are some photos!
UQ PREMEDICAL SOCIETY LAUNCH @ MARKET DA Y 2014!
FUNDRAISING BBQ #1
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
UQPMS PRESENTS: THE AMAZING RACE
FOR THE COLD AND STYLISH: UQPMS HOODIES
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
UQ PREMEDICAL SOCIETY @ MARKET DAY SEMESTER 2
UQPMS RED ROOM NIGHT II
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
UQPMS VS GRIFFITH BMEDSC - PART III
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
PREMEDICAL SPRINTERS DEBUT - BRIDGE TO BRISBANE
UQMS & UQPMS JOINT S EMINAR - A GLIMPSE INTO MEDICINE
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
2014 UQ PREMEDICAL BALL: CASINO ROYALE
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U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
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U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
SERVICES
UQ has fantastic facilities and people to assist students. Be it a dental check-up, student exchange
trips or counselling, you’ll always have somewhere to go or ask! To make things simple, we’ve gone
ahead and compiled a list for your convenience.
The University of Queensland
Student Services
Counselling
Accommodation
Religious Services
Disability Services
UQ Health Service
GP Bookings
Dentistry
Pharmacy
Psychology
UQ Sports
Gym Access
Swimming Pool
Tennis Court
Oval Bookings
Athletic Gear Hire
Multipurpose Courts
UQ Advantage Office
Research Programs
Internships
Volunteering
UQ Abroad Exchange
Programs
UQ Security
Emergency Contacts
Maintenance Issues
After Hours Emergencies
On Campus Services
Food available on campus
Banks
Bookshops
Campus Optometrists
Campus Pharmacy
STA Travel
Uni Hair Salon
Uni Copying Services
Academic
Bachelor of Science Study
Planner
Faculty of Science Contact
Details
http://www.uq.edu.au/student-services/
http://www.uq.edu.au/healthservice/stlucia-clinicinfo
http://www.uqsport.com.au/
http://www.uq.edu.au/uqadvantage/
http://www.pf.uq.edu.au/emerg.html
http://www.uq.edu.au/study/?page=4326
http://www.science.uq.edu.au/planner
http://www.science.uq.edu.au/contact-us
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UQPMS
U niversity of Queensland Premedical Socie ty
Academic Calendar
UQ School of Medicine: Doctor
of Medicine Program
Entry Pathways to the MD
General
My.UQ Sign In
Blackboard Login
My si-net Sign In
UQ Library
UQ Union
Food and Retail
Student Help on Campus
Clubs and Societies
UQ Timetable Planner
UQ Guide 2015
Undergraduate Study
Search other undergraduate
programs
Apply for credit/exemption
Scholarships available
Student Help On Campus (SHOC)
UQ Orientation
UQ Maps
UQ Premedical Society
http://www.uq.edu.au/events/calendar_view.php?category_
id=16
http://www.som.uq.edu.au/future-students/doctor-ofmedicine-(md).aspx
http://www.som.uq.edu.au/about/organisation/doctor-ofmedicine-degree-(md)-at-uq/recommended-entry-pathwaysto-the-uq-doctor-of-medicine.aspx
https://my.uq.edu.au
http://www.uqu.com.au/
https://timetableplanner.app.uq.edu.au/
http://youruq.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2015Study-Guide-UG_WEB.pdf
http://youruq.com/study-at-uq/undergraduate
http://www.uqu.com.au/student-support
http://orientation.uq.edu.au/
http://www.uq.edu.au/maps/
www.facebook.com/UQPMS
CONCLUSION
In short, there are so many things to do UQ! Students often miss out until they realise lost opportunities as
they face the end of their degree. We hope that this guide assists you as a platform to find out more about UQ
and so, face your first day, month and year with an open mind.
Remember, if you have any questions whatsoever, don’t hesitate to ask. The executives a re always happy to
chat so don’t be scared to say hi!
Be sure to like our Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/uqpms), visit our recently refurbished website
(www.uqpms.com) and send a friend request to UQ PremedSoc. We’d hate for you to miss out on what we’ve
got planned so always stay tuned for more!
Once again, congratulations on entering into UQ - see you soon!
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