Health Sciences First Year is the first year of university for many different degrees, including the health professional programmes such as Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy and Medical Laboratory Science. There are 7 compulsory papers, and students are free to take an optional 8th paper in Semester 2.
In this article, I talk about how the HSFY grade average is calculated, in what situation taking an 8th paper is highly recommended, and what factors you should consider when deciding on whether to enrol in an 8th paper or not.
Update 12 Dec 2024 with changed opinion based on updated information
Note: This article contains my opinions based on my knowledge and experience. The information in this article should not be construed as personal advice as every person will have different circumstances. Tom Lee Tutoring operates independently and is not affiliated with, employed by, or endorsed by the University of Otago.
The grade average is used to determine entry into the professional health programmes at the University of Otago, including medical school and dental school. This is calculated by using your top 7 paper scores in HSFY.
There are 7 compulsory papers in HSFY:
4 papers in Semester 1 - HUBS191 (human body systems), CELS191 (cellular biology), PHSI191 (physics), CHEM191 (chemistry)
3 papers in Semester 2 - HUBS192 (human body systems), BIOC192 (biochemistry), POPH192 (population health)
You may take an optional 8th paper in Semester 2 from the
approved list, and this can be used to replace your worst paper out of the 7 compulsory papers.
Most of the optional 8th papers have a lighter workload and less content compared to the compulsory papers, however you will still need to put in a decent amount of time and effort if you want to get a high grade in order to make up for your bad paper. There are a few papers that are easy to get a pretty high mark in for a relatively low effort. So it is worth doing some research and asking around to find out what these papers are. If you have a background in one of the 8th paper's area then it may be easier for you to achieve a high mark.
From anecdotal evidence, quite a few people seem to struggle to achieve good grades in the POPH192 paper. Therefore an 8th paper may be a worthwhile investment to replace the grade from POPH192. However, you should consider the effect of an extra paper on your total workload and whether the extra time taken to study for the 8th paper would affect your performance in the other 3 core papers.
I personally did not take an 8th paper when I did HSFY in 2017, and this is why.
In Semester 1 my worst paper score was 94% and I had a 95.75% grade average (HUBS 94%, CELS 96%, PHSI 99%, CHEM 94%). Therefore I thought I would be better off focusing my time on the 3 compulsory papers in Semester 2, and I was able to have much more free time and even relax a bit. I ended up getting 96% in HUBS192, 96% in BIOC192, and 94% in PUBH192 for a grade average of 95.6% for the year.
The extra points that I would gain from replacing my worst paper score of 94% would be insignificant - less than 1% even if I got a 100% in my 8th paper (96.4% vs 95.6%), compared to the >100 hours of extra study that I would have to do for an 8th paper to get a score of 100%. And it is highly likely that I would have done worse on my 3 compulsory papers in Semester 2 due to having less time to study those papers.
You may be passionate about a topic and really want to take an 8th paper. I think this is ok, if it is something you really want.
Before you do so, you will need to consider whether that time and energy you will spend on the 8th paper would be better spent to focus on the 3 compulsory papers in Semester 2. In addition, you will likely be fatigued from the high workoad in Semester 1. You will also likely spend most of your mid year break studying for the UCAT exam if you're going for medicine. There is plenty of time to pursue extra study throughout your lifetime, even during your medical degree if you want to. In addition, you will have to pay the tuition fee for the extra paper, usually around $1,000, which is a consideration now that First Year is no longer free.
I strongly considered doing the PHIL103 Ethical Issues as an 8th paper, but in the end I decided against it because of the factors I mentioned previously.
You can add the optional 8th paper yourself through eVision, the online portal that you will have access to as a Otago Uni student.
For 2025, Semester 2 begins on Monday 14 July and the last day to add a paper is on Sunday 20 July. You should have your Semester 1 results back well before that time so you can make a decision after considering all of the factors I mentioned in this article.
Taking an 8th paper can be a 'get out of jail' card if you have 1 bad score on a paper. It seems like many students struggle to achieve a good grade on POPH192 in 2nd semester. You can quickly work out how much your grade average will improve by calculating the difference between your worst paper and 8th paper score, then dividing it by 7. There are certain 8th papers that are known to be relatively easy to get a high grade in for less effort.
If you are considering starting HSFY next year and you are not confident with physics, then my A+ PHSI191 Online Course may be perfect for you. You can start at anytime, and access the course from anywhere you have an internet connection. This course will provide you with all the knowledge, as well as the problem-solving skills and exam technique to get a minimum of A+ (90% or higher) in PHSI191 guaranteed (terms and conditions apply).
To find out more about my course, click
HERE. 
