27 November 2019
K Roe
By email
: [FYI request #11580 email]
Dear Ms Roe,
Please find the fol owing answers to your Official Information Act requests of 2 to 4 November 2019
regarding the
Other or Alternative category for MB ChB.
(1) Was GPA information deemed to be relevant for ‘Other’ or ‘Alternative’ Category applicants in
any year other than 2010?
As far as we can ascertain, GPA has never been calculated for applicants in this category. Applicants
in the
Other or
Alternative categories have a diverse range of backgrounds and experience and, for
example, can include candidates without a tertiary degree. Therefore, academic performance is not
able to be quantified by a GPA calculation in a comparable way across all candidates.
(2) What was the algorithm and pre-interview ranking 2010 based on?
There was no algorithm for selection for interview nor pre-interview rankings. A selection panel
reviewed and assessed applications and applicants were either deemed to be suitable to interview
or not.
(3) What was my ranking prior to offer of interview?
There was no ranking prior to offer of interview.
(4) How many Australian citizens have been trained as ‘local’ (with NZ student loan eligibility) by
way of ‘Other’ or ‘Alternative’ in the last 10 years?
The University does not have any way of identifying Australian citizens who meet StudyLink’s criteria
for student loan eligibility. We can however, provide the number of Australian citizens who were
admitted to the MB ChB programme under the ‘Other’ or ‘Alternative’ categories for the last 10
years. From 2009 to 2018 inclusive, 5 Australian citizens were admitted to the programme.
(5) How many students selected as ‘Other’ in the last 10 years are spouses or relatives of NZ GPs?
We do not hold this information.
(6) How many students in MBChB (and what proportion) have family members or spouses who are
on the University of Auckland or Otago Councils / Medical Selection Committees?
The University of Otago takes potential conflicts of interest very seriously. Declarations of known
conflicts of interest are called for from panel and committee members of the Medical Admissions
Committee prior to the beginning of any consideration process, and the level and approach to the
conflict is evaluated by the Chair. For family or personal relationship, or significant professional
relationship (e.g. graduates for whom the staff member was a supervisor or advisory committee
member) the staff member is not present during any discussion or voting related to that applicant.
For the period 2017 to 7 November 2019, the Medical Admissions Committee received two
declarations from members that someone with a close personal relationship was applying for the
MB ChB.
(7) How many / what proportion have relatives / spouses employed as non-GP medical specialists?
We do not hold this information.
Yours sincerely,
Claire Gallop
Manager, Policy and Compliance, Office of the Registrar
