ILP - Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between an ILP and a BSc (Med) Hons for 2008 onwards cohort students?

The ILP is 28 Units of Credit (UoC); the BSc (Med) Hons is 48 UoC. Therefore undertaking a BSc (Med) Hons normally adds a semester to the time for which you will be enrolled – your combined MBBS and BSc (Med) Hons will be 6.5 years in length. The BSc (Med) Hons can only be undertaken after Year 3 i.e. if you wish to enrol for a BSc (Med) Hons instead of an ILP, you can only do so in Year 4. The work involved in an Honours project is substantially more than an ILP and the expected outcomes are more advanced. In addition, there will be additional HECS fees. The Honours program is reserved for students who have excelled in their studies over years 1-3, demonstrated by a minimum average of at least 70 for Phase 1 Medicine courses (excluding end of Phase 1 exams and portfolio).

The BSc (Med) Hons is designed for an enrolment over one full academic year whereas the ILP is the equivalent of 24 weeks full time (or 32 weeks when undertaken concurrently with 12 UoC general education courses). Students cannot enrol in any other courses while enrolled in the BSc (Med) Hons Program.

Students who wish to apply for the BSc (Med) Hons Program must have completed at least 3 years of MB BS degree requirements by the end of 2010 and obtained an average of at least 70 in their Phase 1 Medicine studies. Please note however that this information may change in the future.

This information is current at the time of updating this information however it may change in the future.
Students need to have:
• completed at least 3 years of MB BS degree requirements by the end of 2009
• obtained a minimum 70 average, calculated by taking a straight mean of Medicine subjects only from Phase 1 (excluding portfolios and end-of-phase exams)
• acceptance by a supervisor
• approval by the BSc (Med) Hons Committee to undertake the proposed topic with the proposed supervisor
For more information on the BSc (Med) Hons Program, please see the BSc (Med) Hons website.

As a rule, the Faculty will not allow ILP's to be upgraded to a Bsc (Med) Hon program once the ILP has commenced.

No, the ILP is designed to be undertaken as an independent area of research. Some ILPs may be similar or part of a bigger project, but each ILP is undertaken and assessed independently.

The ILP is designed to be undertaken at a UNSW campus, a UNSW teaching hospital, or a UNSW affiliated research institute or centre (including Rural Clinical Schools). An application for a negotiated ILP at any other location in Australia must include a co-supervisor who is both a member of academic staff and employed by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales. In addition, the supervisor must be known to the co-supervisor. These applications will be considered by the ILP Committee on a case by case basis. Overseas ILPs will not be considered.

The combined MB BS/ BSc (Med) Hons program is designed to take a minimum of six and a half years to complete. The extra six months allows for completion of the 12 units of general education courses. The Faculty discourages students from overloading in earlier years to complete the extra-Faculty elective courses prior to commencing the BSc (Med) Hons Program. Students will need to apply to the Faculty for approval to take more than the standard load (usually 24 Units of Credit).

The main graduation ceremony takes place in December. However, students who complete their studies in mid-year can attend another graduation, usually in October. In the past, students who have completed their studies in mid-year have been able to commence their internship mid-year, that is prior to their official graduation.

The integrated clinical assessment will be scheduled twice a year, at the end of Summer Teaching Period and at the end of Teaching Period 4. Students would ordinarily sit the integrated phase 2 clinical examination immediately after they have completed their four clinical courses.