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Education & Qualifications

Aspiring medical students must excel in physics, biology, mathematics, English, inorganic and organic chemistry. Students also take courses in the humanities and the social sciences.

Medicine has an extraordinarily high entry score.  Only the best students survive the tough interview process. The leading universities are University of New South Wales, Sydney University, Melbourne University, and Monash University.

Acceptance to medical school is highly competitive. Applicants must submit transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation. Schools also consider applicants character, personality, leadership qualities, and participation in extracurricular activities. Most schools require an interview with members of the admissions committee.

It will take you between 12 and 18 years of formal education and training to become a specialist. Initially 5 years of undergraduate school, 4 years of medical school and 2 years of internship and residency, then 3 to 8 years as a registrar, depending on the specialty selected. Some doctors are well their thirties before they are ‘fully qualified’ in their specialty area.

You need to select between the two types of medical degrees available in Australia - a five or six year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or a four-year graduate entry medical degree.

The five or six-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery needs a very high university entrance ranking and you are also required to sit the Undergraduate Medical and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) to assess your personal qualities and aptitude to be a doctor. An interview with the medical school is usually part of the selection process.

For the four-year graduate entry medical degree, you will need to have completed a bachelor degree in any discipline and sit the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test and interview as part of the selection process.

Even after you finish your formal qualifications new procedures are developed every day and ongoing extensive reading is required to stay abreast of these developments. Up skilling in the latest technology is essential.

Once you’re qualified you must register with the Medical Practitioners’ Board of your state and then it is recommended you join the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and usually seek membership of your speciality’s College.

The entry criteria for tertiary institiutions differs from year to year. The above comments are a guide only. To gain specific entry criteria either contact the relevant university or use Hobson's The Good University Guide.

Relevant Universities Colleges & TAFE

Promoting Tertiary Institutions

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