Medical School in Australia - The Basics 2017

Researching university is a pain, and navigating those university websites is the worst. Having 50 tabs open on your browser is a tax so, we have compiled all the info into one page. From Rankings, Cost, Entry Requirements

The University of Sydney (postgrad only)

When it comes to studying medicine in Australia, Sydney Medical School is the creme de la creme, ranked number one in Australia and 15 globally. There’s just one catch: they only offer a postgraduate medicine degree.

However, there is a way for students to gain admission straight after high school and that is by applying to the Double Degree Medicine Program (DDMP).

The DDMP allows recent secondary school grads to enrol in an approved three-year undergraduate degree and then continue with the four-year graduate entry Doctor of Medicine (MD). Unfortunately, this is one of the most competitive courses at the university.

Each year, only up to 30 domestic and 10 international places are offered for the DDMP, and the ATAR cut-off is estimated to be 99.95 for domestic applicants and of an equally high standard for international applicants. So, yeah, it’s flippin’ tough! For everyone else, to gain admission, you’ll have to have already obtained a relevant Bachelor’s degree with a credit average as the absolute minimum.

In addition to this, you’ll have to sit the GAMSAT with a minimum score of 50 and go through the Multiple Mini Interview process; eight interviews assessing different non-academic qualities that are deemed to be relevant to a career in medicine.

Cost:

Local student: $10,596.00 AUD

International student: $74,000 AUD

Entry requirements:

Undergraduate double degree: Competent in English, 99.95 ATAR (or equivalent)

Postgraduate: GAMSAT, MMI, Bachelor’s degree GPA

QS World University Rankings:

Overall: 50

Dentistry: =41

Medicine: 15

Student enrollment:

Total: 29,461

International students: 8,568

University of New South Wales

UNSW_medical_school

At the UNSW, students are granted an interview based on academic merit, demonstrated by your ATAR (or equivalent) result and UMAT result. Each section is weighted equally, 50:50.

The minimum required ATAR is 96.0 (or equivalent).

The minimum required UMAT raw score is 150.

You will be admitted into the course based on your strength in all three of those components – ATAR, UMAT and interview. Note that your ATAR and UMAT scores will not be averaged, which means you can’t compensate for a low score in one area by performing well in another, as some other unis allow. You need to be at the top of your game for everything!

The interview process is less complicated than many other universities that endorse the MMI process. At UNSW, it’s a simple interview in front of a panel – still scary, but not as intense!

Cost:

Local student: $63,576 AUD

International student: $254,880 AUD

Entry requirements:

Undergraduate: Academic rank, UMAT score and interview mark.

Postgraduate: Academic rank, GAMSAT score and interview mark.

QS World University Rankings:

Overall: 45

Medicine: 50

Student enrollment:

Total: 39,784

International students: 14,292

University of Melbourne (postgrad only)

University of Melbourne_medical_school

Medicine at the University of Melbourne has a similar structure to The University of Sydney in that it only offers postgraduate medicine.

However, at Melbourne, you can also complete a double degree, but this does not guarantee you a spot in the Doctor of Medicine. Undergraduate pathways include the Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship, Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Science, and even Bachelor of Arts!

Entry offers are only provisional and will be finalised based on your academic performance in your undergraduate degree. So if you’re keen on studying med at Melbourne, you’d best keep on top of your grades!

Because the University of Melbourne is the top ranked research university in Australia and is in the top 20 in the world for medicine, it’s also super duper expensive.

In fact, it’s the most expensive degree for both domestic and international students on our list of seven schools. You’ll see what I mean below!

Interesting fact: In the 1970s, ground breaking research by Dr Graeme Clark at the University of Melbourne led to the invention of the cochlear implant!

Cost:

Local student: $65,568 AUD

International student: $77,824 AUD

Entry requirements:

Undergraduate: 95+ ATAR (or equivalent)

Postgraduate: GAMSAT score, MMI, undergraduate degree with a strong GPA, competent in English.

QS World University Rankings:

Overall: =41

Dentistry: 28

Medicine: 19

Student enrollment:

Total: 42,182

International students: 18,030

Monash University

Monash University _School of Medicine

Monash University is one of Australia’s most elite universities, and unlike University of Melbourne, it offers a direct-entry medicine program for school graduates – the only one of its kind in the state Victoria.

To be considered for a place in the Bachelor of Medical Science at Monash University, you will need to have a minimum ATAR of 90. However, due to the competitiveness of the course, the higher your ATAR, the better your chances of getting in. You’ll also need to sit the UMAT and go through the MMI process.

For the postgraduate Doctor of Medicine (MD), you’ll need to sit the GAMSAT and hold an accredited degree with a minimum weighted average mark (WAM).

The WAM cut-off for an interview in 2017 (25 total places) was 81.39. But meeting the WAM requirement doesn’t guarantee an interview or entry, so aim high!

Postgraduate applicants will also need to go through the MMI process. At Monash, the eight stages of the multiple mini interviews are related to:

  • Motivation
  • Communication skills
  • Critical thinking
  • Ethical reasoning
  • Empathic reasoning
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Advocacy

Fun fact: Monash played a vital role in the conception of the first frozen in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) baby in 1984. Yeah, that’s a real dang game changer!

Cost:

Local student: $9800 AUD

International student: $38,500 AUD

Entry requirements:

Undergraduate: UMAT, 94 ATAR (or equivalent), MMI, school subject pre requisites (maths, english, science)

Postgraduate: GAMSAT, MMI, Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)

QS World University Rankings:

Overall: 60

Life sciences and medicine: =28

Medicine: =29

Student enrollment:

Total: 57,433

International students: 20,578

University of Queensland (postgrad only)

Univeristy of Queensland_Medical School

Like many other postgraduate medicine programs, there is an admission option for students who have just graduated from high school. At the University of Queensland, it’s called the provisional entry pathway, and basically, that’s exactly what it is. You gain admission given these provisions:

You must complete your undergraduate degree in a minimum specified time, and if you achieve an overall GPA of 5.0 (on a seven-point scale) or more, you gain admission into the Doctor of Medicine.

Simple, right?

Well, not really.

There are 280 positions available in the MD, and only 140 are offered to provisional pathways students. So you need to make sure you’re at the top end of the group.

For postgraduate entrants, the requirements are at the same standard. However, you have to have completed a Bachelor’s degree and the GAMSAT. For the GAMSAT, you need a minimum score of 50 in each section and your undergrad degree. You must have achieved a minimum GPA of 5.0 on a seven-point scale.

One massive bonus of attending the University of Queensland is that there’s no interview involved in the admissions process! When you consider the strenuous process of sitting the MMI – an eight stage process – this is a load off any applicant’s shoulders!

Cost:

Local student: Undergraduate: $8,712 AUD Postgraduate: $10,596 AUD

International student:
Undergraduate: $32,112 AUD
Postgraduate: $69,120 AUD

Entry requirements:

Undergraduate: Queensland Year 12 English (or equivalent), high school OP 1 or 99 Entry Rank 99 (or equivalent) and a competitive overall UMAT score.

Postgraduate: A previous degree or qualification with a minimum GPA, relevant professional experience, compliance with special entry requirements, GAMSAT score.

QS World University Rankings:

Overall: =47

Life sciences and medicine: 32

Medicine: =42

Student enrollment:

Total: 37,497

International students: 10,420