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Medical school is the dream for so many of us - So how exactly can you get into medical school and what are the different pathway options available to students? This page will explore the different medical pathways in Australia and break down the differences in pre-requisites, scores, application processes and timelines. For further information about each specific medical school in Australia, visit the Australian Medical Schools Guide. If you’re looking for specific information on admission requirements and GAMSAT ® score cut-offs, head to our guide to Medical School Admission Requirements.
Navigating the complex medical pathways available to students in Australia can be a real challenge. The journey to becoming a doctor is varied and long. Our expert tutors, Nick and Alisha, have summarised the contents of this page in this video guide to make navigating medical pathways in Australia easier for you.
Simply speaking, there are 2 broad pathways to becoming a doctor in Australia - undergraduate or graduate entry into medical school.
| Undergraduate | Graduate | |
|---|---|---|
| Previous Study | Direct entry from year 12, no previous tertiary education required | Previous tertiary education (minimum Bachelor's degree) required |
| General Entry Requirements | ATAR + UCAT ® + Interview | GPA + GAMSAT ® + Interview |
| Duration | 5-6 years | 4 years |
| Undergraduate | Graduate | |
|---|---|---|
| Previous Study | Direct entry from year 12, no previous tertiary education required | Previous tertiary education (minimum Bachelor's degree) required |
| General Entry Requirements | ATAR + UCAT ® + Interview | GPA + GAMSAT ® + Interview |
| Duration | 5-6 years | 4 years |
Becoming a doctor is a long, challenging, and highly competitive process. The various pathways can be incredibly confusing to navigate with various entry points (as outlined above), a broad range of requirements, and a variety of differences depending on where you plan to study. Below is a broad summary of the potential pathways - For further information, refer to the more detailed sections below on Undergraduate and Graduate entry .
If you plan on applying through the Undergraduate entry pathway (i.e. as a high school leaver), you’ll need to register for and sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT ® ) in the year you plan to apply. Scores are only valid for one year - You cannot use scores from previous years.
The UCAT ® exam is a computer based admissions test used by the UCAT ANZ Consortium of universities in Australia and New Zealand for their medical, dental and clinical science degree programmes. The test helps universities to select applicants with the most appropriate abilities and professional behaviours required for new doctors and dentists to be successful in their clinical careers. Registration typically opens in March of each year and closes in May, with the exam being sat between July and August. For further details, review our guide here.
ATAR scores form part of the entry criteria for the Undergraduate pathway. As entry into medical school is highly competitive, students need to achieve extremely high ATAR scores, often a minimum of 95+ (though higher to be competitive). Furthermore, many medical schools require students to complete certain subject prerequisites in Year 12, which may include English, Maths, and one of the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics). For further information and a breakdown of ATAR score and Subject requirements, head to our overview of Australian Medical Schools.
If you plan on starting medical school after high school, you’ll need to apply for undergraduate entry, which often opens in August-September of each year. Students will need to apply to different medical schools individually, often through state-specific tertiary admissions services, such as VTAC , UAC , etc. Some universities, such as James Cook University, also require direct applications. For further details, head to our Overview of Australian Medical Schools . Most universities will require students to complete an interview as part of the application process.
If you decide to take the graduate entry pathway you’ll need to complete a Bachelor’s degree first before undertaking a Doctor of Medicine. For those applying for the undergraduate pathway, it’s also a good idea to have a back-up plan and consider what Bachelor degrees may interest you in case you’re unsuccessful in applying for the undergraduate pathway.
You can complete any undergraduate degree of your choosing before studying medicine - Only one university, the University of Queensland , has subject prerequisites for Bachelor’s degrees. Almost all other graduate-entry universities will accept any Bachelor’s degree.
It’s important you perform well across your Bachelor’s degree as your GPA will form a key component of your application for graduate-entry medicine. The minimum GPA for applications is around 5-5.5 but it’s important to be aware that you’ll often need a higher score (6+) to be competitive.
The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT ® ) is a standardised exam used to assess the capacity to undertake high-level intellectual studies in the medical and health professional programs. The exam requires assumed knowledge equivalent to first year university levels of biology and chemistry along with a Year 12 level of physics, and is designed to assess your analytical and critical thinking skills.
The GAMSAT ® exam is held twice a year in March and September , with registration opening roughly 4 months prior to each sitting. Scores are valid for 4 years and form part of the application process for graduate entry medicine. For further details, read our guide on the GAMSAT ® exam and breakdown of how best to prepare.
Applications for graduate entry medicine open in May of the year prior to commencement. The majority of graduate entry medical schools organise applications through the GEMSAS consortium , with the University of Sydney , Flinders University , and Monash University the outliers that require direct applications.
GEMSAS coordinates applications, allows students to preference different medical schools, and helps coordinate interviews. The graduate entry admission process is long and complex, stretching from May-November of the year prior to commencement. For 2025 entry, applications are open on 1 May 2024 and close on 31 May 2024 at 5pm AEST / 3pm AWST. For further details, refer to our guide on Medical School Entry Requirements.
You’ve finally gotten into medical school! The duration of study depends on the pathway you’ve taken, with Undergraduate-entry degrees taking 5-6 years, and Graduate-entry degrees taking 4 years (with the 3 years prior for a Bachelor’s degree). Regardless of the entry point, degrees are often split into pre-clinical years where you’ll study concepts such as physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, ethics, etc. and clinical years, where you’ll be placed in teaching hospitals to learn ‘on-the-job’. You’ll gain experience and exposure to different medical specialities as you’re rotated across different departments and hospitals. Many medical degrees will also incorporate research projects, and elective placement options domestically and overseas.
Following completion of medical school, you’ll undertake one year (47 weeks) as an intern in a hospital. You’ll be working as a junior doctor with provisional registration, with structured oversight and teaching to help you transition to practising as a doctor. Internships are often coordinated at the state level, with various bodies such as PMCV in Victoria or HETI in NSW responsible for matching students to a hospital. Applications are synchronised across all states within Australia and usually close in June the year prior to commencement.
Following completion of your internship, you’ll be awarded general medical registration through the Medical Board of Australia. Registration renews on 30 September each year. Practicing graduates must therefore maintain registration throughout their career.
After completing training as an intern, most graduates will complete additional training as Hospital Medical Officers for a number of years in preparation for different speciality programs. You’ll be able to choose between different interest areas, gain exposure and experience before applying to a speciality college and sitting any necessary exams.
Once you’ve completed a sufficient amount of training and study, you can consider applying to admission into a medical speciality training program via speciality colleges. The criteria and exams vary across different specialities and may include a number of different assessments such as written, clinical and practical examinations, as well as research requirements. The vocational training program can vary in length from three to seven years, after which you’ll be able to work independently as a general practitioner or specialist physician or surgeon.
As you can see from the steps explained above, becoming a doctor is a long and arduous process. It’s definitely not easy, and there will be challenges, but if you want to help people and make a difference, all of your hard work will be worth it in the end.
It depends on your education background. The key difference between the undergraduate and graduate medical pathways is the point in time in which you can commence your medical studies. Undergraduate courses are primarily designed for students who are leaving high school and who haven’t yet completed an undergraduate degree (note that there are a few exceptions, with some undergraduate medical schools providing broader entry options - Refer to our guide on Australian Medical Schools for further information). As a result, undergraduate courses generally rely on a combination of ATAR, UCAT ® exam performance, and interview scores. As students haven’t yet completed any tertiary level studies, undergraduate courses are longer in length (around 5-6 years depending on the exact university).
On the other hand, graduate courses require students to have completed a Bachelor's degree (3 years) before commencing the course.
Instead of taking ATAR and UCAT ® scores into account, graduate programs generally use GPA (from the previous degree/s) and GAMSAT ® scores plus an interview score - Some graduate entry medical schools also require a portfolio submission. As students have already completed a tertiary degree and have extra knowledge and experience under their belts, the graduate programs are considered a Masters degree and are shorter, typically lasting 4 years. This means that overall, graduate students will have been undertaking tertiary studies for a minimum of 7 years by the end of their medical degree.
Specific universities across both undergraduate and graduate programs may have additional pre-requisites or admissions criteria, and these details can be found in our Australian Medical Schools Guide. Whichever medical pathway you take, you will complete your degree with an AHPRA registration and be allowed to practise medicine as a doctor, thus starting the next stage of your learning and journey as a registered medical professional.
Most medical schools in Australia offer degrees around 4-6 years, however many of these degrees are offered at the postgraduate degree and require the completion of a Bachelor’s degree which often takes a minimum of three years. This means that in total, many doctors have spent at least 7 years studying at university. Provisional entry and undergraduate programs are an exception to this and therefore are often the fastest to complete, for example the Monash University Medical Science and Medicine program offers a 5 year degree for school leavers.
The Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees have some differences. However, in Australia they are often treated the same. Many universities that previously offered an MBBS program have renamed it to an MD program and no longer offer an MBBS. Importantly, both degrees equally qualify you to practice as a medical doctor, and neither degree confers an advantage over the other.
| Undergraduate (Direct Entry) | Graduate | Provisional Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| University of Newcastle (UoN) / University of New England (UNE) | Australian National University (ANU) | University of Queensland (UQ), Central Queensland University (CQU) via UQ, and University of Southern Queensland via UQ |
| University of New South Wales (UNSW) | University of Notre Dame Sydney (UNDS) | Flinders University and Charles Darwin University (CDU), via Flinders University |
| University of Western Sydney (UWS) / Charles Sturt University (CSU) | University of Sydney (USyd) | University of Western Australia (UWA) |
| University of Adelaide (UniAdelaide) | University of Wollongong (UoW) | Griffith University and Sunshine Coast University, via Griffith University ^ |
| Bond University * | Macquarie University (MU) | |
| James Cook University (JCU) * | Griffith University | |
| Monash University | University of Queensland (UQ) | |
| University of Tasmania | Flinders University | |
| Curtin University | Deakin University | |
| University of Sydney (USyd) | University of Melbourne (UniMelb) | |
| Monash University # | ||
| University of Notre Dame Fremantle (UNDF) | ||
| University of Western Australia (UWA) |
In addition to the simple undergraduate vs graduate schema, there are 4 universities which offer provisional entry to graduate medical degrees for high school leavers. This essentially means that students apply in high school with their UCAT ® and ATAR results, and are provisionally accepted by the university into a graduate medical degree following the completion of an approved Bachelor’s degree at the university. These students will need to maintain a high GPA, but do not need to sit the GAMSAT ® or resubmit an application prior to commencing their graduate medical degree. For further information on these universities, you can refer to their individual descriptions on the Australian Medical Schools Guide.
| State | University |
|---|---|
| NSW | University of Newcastle (UoN) / University of New England (UNE) (joint program) |
| University of New South Wales (UNSW) | |
| University of Western Sydney (UWS) / Charles Sturt University (CSU) (joint program) | |
| VIC | Monash University |
| QLD | Bond University |
| James Cook University | |
| University of Queensland (UQ)* | |
| Central Queensland University (CQU) via UQ* | |
| University of Southern Queensland via UQ* | |
| Griffith University* | |
| Sunshine Coast University via Griffith University* | |
| SA | University of Adelaide (UniAdelaide) |
| Flinders University* | |
| WA | Curtin University |
| University of Western Australia (UWA)* | |
| TAS | University of Tasmania |
| NT | Charles Darwin University via Flinders University* |
The UCAT ® is the admissions exam used by undergraduate entry medical schools. Almost all universities offering undergraduate medicine degrees require the UCAT ® Exam, with the exception of Bond University, Griffith University and James Cook University. The UCAT ® , or University Clinical Aptitude Test, is a 2 hour online multiple choice exam that is divided into 5 subsections - Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Situational Judgement. As students will largely be applying directly as school-leavers, the exam is designed not to test scientific or medical knowledge, but rather to assess broader skills such as verbal, quantitative and abstract reasoning, as well as attributes such as empathy that are all considered desirable and advantageous for future doctors. For further information on the UCAT ® exam, check out our guide: What is the UCAT ® ?
Generally speaking, the prerequisites for medicine through the undergraduate medical pathway are satisfactory results in the UCAT ® , a high ATAR score and successful completion of an interview. Some universities may additionally set subject prerequisites, such as for English or Sciences (Biology/Chemistry/Physics). This is dependent on the university, and a breakdown can be found below, with further details on our Australian Medical Schools Guide.
| University | Prerequisite Subjects |
|---|---|
| Flinders, CDU, UWS/CSU, UNSW, UoN/UNE | No pre-requisite subjects necessary (though there may be English competency requirements) |
| UQ | No pre-requisite subjects to begin the Bachelor degree (though there may be English competency requirements); | however, UQ MD subject prerequisites must be completed during the Bachelor degree (Integrative Cell and Tissue Biology, Systems Physiology).
| CQU | English (Units 3 and 4, C) AND Mathematical Methods (Units 3 and 4, C) AND ONE OF Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (Units 3 and 4, C) |
| UniSQ | English, Literature, English and Literature Extension or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 and 4, C), AND General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics (Units 3 and 4, C) |
| UniAdelaide | SACE stage 2 biology OR chemistry OR mathematical methods (or equivalent) |
| Griffith (+USC) | English OR English as an Additional Language OR Literature OR English and Literature Extension Units 3&4, C (or equivalent) |
| Monash | A study score of at least 35 in English (EAL) or 30 in English other than EAL, a study score of at least 30 in Chemistry |
| UTas | CHM415115 Chemistry (or equivalent) AND (domestic students only) ENG315117 (or equivalent) English. If CHM415115 pre-requisite has not been met, applicants are required to successfully complete a UTAS foundation Chemistry unit before admission to the course. |
| Curtin | Year 12 Chemistry (or equivalent) |
| UWA | English OR Literature OR English as an Additional Language or Dialect ATAR: scaled mark of 50 or above (or equivalent), plus any prerequisite subjects for chosen undergraduate major |
| JCU | English (3/4,C), Mathematical Methods (Units 3/4,C), Chemistry (Units 3/4,C) |
| Bond | English OR English as an Additional Language OR Literature OR English and Literature Extension: Units 3&4, C (or equivalent) |
Another important criterion to look out for is the highest level of study you have completed. Most undergraduate medicine universities will require you to be a high school leaver with no previous tertiary study experience, however some do allow you to have already commenced or even completed another degree. Again, a comparison can be found below or on our Australian Medical Schools Guide.
| University | Previous Study | |
|---|---|---|
| UoN/UNE |
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| UNSW |
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| UniAdelaide |
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| Flinders |
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| CDU |
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| UWS /CSU |
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| UQ |
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| CQU |
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| UniSQ |
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| Griffith |
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| Monash |
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| UTas |
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| Curtin |
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| UWA |
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| JCU |
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| Bond |
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Students wishing to study medicine through the undergraduate pathway will need to apply to sit the UCAT ® exam in the year before they wish to start their medical degree. It is important to note that UCAT ® results cannot be carried over from one year to the next.
Students will then need to apply for their universities of choice. This is generally done through each state’s university admission service, e.g. TISC in WA, or in some cases can be done directly to the university itself. As there is no centralised application system (unlike GEMSAS for graduate entry medical schools ) the exact opening and closing deadlines will depend on the university and state you are applying to. Applications usually open around August, but again, ensure that you check each university’s website to confirm the exact details. This will likely be earlier than application deadlines for other courses as your interview will need to be scheduled prior to the end of the year.
Following review of your application, you may receive an interview offer. Interviews are held in a broad window from late-November all the way up until the end of January depending on the specific university. Once interviews are done, universities will then combine your scores and send out offers to the lucky students who have been successful in securing a place.
As there is no generalised body for applications through the undergraduate pathway (as there is with GEMSAS in the graduate entry pathway), the exact timeline for applications is dependent on the exact university and the state’s undergraduate admissions centre. As always, students are advised to check the key dates and deadlines on each university’s website. Below is a general guideline for the undergraduate pathway timeline:
There are currently 14 Medical Schools that provide a Graduate Entry Medical Program, 13 of which require the GAMSAT ® exam (or MCAT ® Exam for international students). Monash University graduate entry medicine does not require the GAMSAT ® and is only available to students who have completed an approved Bachelor’s degree at Monash University (i.e. external domestic applicants are not accepted)
Of these 13, 11 are members of the GAMSAT ® Consortium and their medical courses are participants in GEMSAS. The University of Sydney and Flinders University, are not part of GEMSAS, but still require the GAMSAT ® exam, as well as separate, direct applications.
| State | University |
|---|---|
| NSW | University of Notre Dame Sydney (UNDS) |
| University of Sydney (USyd) | |
| University of Wollongong (UoW) | |
| Macquarie University (MU) | |
| VIC | University of Melbourne (UniMelb) |
| Deakin University | |
| Monash University | |
| QLD | University of Queensland (UQ)* |
| Griffith University # | |
| SA | Flinders University^ |
| WA | University of Notre Dame Fremantle (UNDF) |
| University of Western Australia (UWA) & | |
| ACT | Australian National University (ANU) |
| TAS | University of Tasmania |
The graduate medical pathway in Australia uses the GAMSAT ® exam as the admissions test. All universities offering graduate medicine degrees will require a GAMSAT ® score, with the exception of Monash University. The GAMSAT ® , or Graduate Medical School Admission Test, is a 5 hour exam developed by ACER. It is broken into 3 sections - Section 1: Reasoning in Humanities, Section 2: Written Communication, and Section 3: Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences. It’s designed to assess your analytical and critical thinking skills, as well as how you organise and communicate your ideas. Unlike the UCAT ® , the GAMSAT ® exam does draw on assumed knowledge in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as students need to demonstrate that they are prepared to embark on a shorter and tougher graduate course. For further information on the GAMSAT ® exam itself, check out our page: What is the GAMSAT ® ? To get additional details on how the GAMSAT® scores are calculated, check out our GAMSAT ® Results Guide.
The pre-requisites for graduate entry medicine are generally a high GAMSAT ® score and GPA, and satisfactory completion of an interview. Specific cut-offs and calculation methods for each university are explained in our Medical Admissions Requirements guide. As part of the definition of graduate entry, you are required to have completed a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree before commencing the graduate medical degree (although you can sit the GAMSAT ® and apply in your final year whilst studying). The University of Wollongong also requires students to submit a portfolio as part of their application. The University of Queensland is the sole graduate entry medical school which requires you to complete specific subject prerequisites, with further details provided on their website. Further information on prerequisites (including subject requirements and quotas) can be found on our Australian Medical Schools Guide , or on each university’s website.
Students will first need to apply to sit the GAMSAT ® exam via the ACER website. The GAMSAT ® exam runs twice a year, in March and September.
| March GAMSAT ® exam | September GAMSAT ® exam |
|---|
| Test Date |
Written Communication:
1–2 March 2025 Humanities and Biological Sciences: 21–23 March 2025 |
Written Communication:
23–24 August 2025 Humanities and Biological Sciences: 12–14 September 2025 |
| Registration Opens | November 2024 | May 2025 |
| Registration Closes |
Monday 20 January 2025
9pm AEDT 10am GMT |
Tuesday 1 July 2025
10pm AEST 1pm BST |
| Late Registration Closure |
Thursday 30 January 2025
9pm AEDT 10am GMT |
Monday 14 July 2025
10pm AEST 1pm BST |
| Refund/Deferral Request Closure |
Thursday 30 January 2025
9pm AEDT 10am GMT |
Monday 14 July 2025
10pm AEST 1pm BST |
| Cost | AUD$560 | AUD$560 |
| Late Fee | AUD$112 | AUD$112 |
| Results Available | Late May 2025 | Mid November 2025 |
GAMSAT ® Results are generally released about 2 months after sitting the exam - Around late May for the March sitting and mid-November for the September Sitting.
To learn more about how GAMSAT Results are calculated and see a list of past release dates visit our guide: Understanding your GAMSAT ® Results.
To learn more about sitting the GAMSAT ® Exam in 2025, visit our guide to everything you need to know for the GAMSAT ® 2025.
Unlike the UCAT ® exam, GAMSAT ® results remain valid for four years, so you can sit the exam whilst you’re still studying your undergraduate degree if you choose to. If you’re planning on applying in the near future, you can use the below table to guide you:
| Application Details | Valid Results |
|---|---|
| Apply 2025 for 2026 Commencement |
March GAMSAT®: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
September GAMSAT®: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Apply 2026 for 2027 Commencement |
March GAMSAT®: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
September GAMSAT®: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Apply 2027 for 2026 Commencement |
March GAMSAT®: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027
September GAMSAT®: 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
Results from a September Sitting cannot be used for an application in that same year for commencement in the subsequent year. For example, if you sit the September 2024 GAMSAT ® Exam, you will be able to use the results of this exam for application in 2025 for a program commencing in 2026, for application in 2026 for a program starting in 2027, for application in 2027 for a program starting in 2028, and for application in 2028 for a program starting in 2029. You won’t be able to use this result for an application in 2024 for 2025 entry. This is because medical school applications, which require submission of GAMSAT ® scores, start around May with offers for interviews being made from August to September.
In November 2022, ACER announced that your GAMSAT ® results are now valid for four years. Previously, results were only valid for two years. This change is backdated, so GAMSAT ® exam results from September 2021 can be used for medical schools application in 2025 with a 2026 start.
Note that the above information is specific to Australian universities and the details may differ, particularly for students based in the UK. To learn more about sitting the GAMSAT ® Exam this year, read the ACER Admissions Guide.
To learn more about how GAMSAT ® Scores are actually calculated, visit our guide: Understanding your GAMSAT ® Scores.
To learn more about sitting the GAMSAT ® exam in 2025, visit our guide to GAMSAT ® 2025.
To learn more about applying for Graduate Entry Medical Schools in Australia and the different admissions criteria and weightings, visit our guide: Australian Medical Schools - Entry Requirements.
GAMSAT ® exam results are generally released within 2 months of sitting the exam. Regardless of the specific sitting you sat, applications for graduate programs are accepted annually through GEMSAS. GEMSAS , or the Graduate Entry Medical Schools Admissions System, manages applications, calculates grade point averages (GPAs) and applies individual school selection rules to allocate and organise interview and course offers to candidates around Australia. For further details, you can visit their website. Of the 12 graduate medical universities that use the GAMSAT® exam, 10 of them operate via GEMSAS. The University of Sydney and Flinders University are the exceptions - Both require separate direct applications. For further details head to the respective university websites.
Once GEMSAS has assessed your application in line with each university’s requirements, successful candidates will receive an interview offer in line with their highest preference that is satisfied with their scores so far. These students will sit their interviews in September-October, after which GEMSAS will add your interview scores to your application and send out acceptance offers to successful students. For further details refer to our comprehensive guide to the Medical Admissions Process & Entry Requirements.
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Application Period. Submit your application through GEMSAS. University of Sydney, Flinders University & Monash Uni are not part of GEMSAS | May 2025 |
| GAMSAT Results Released. | Late May 2025 |
| Interview Offers Released | Early September 2025 |
| Interviews are held | September - October 2025 |
| Medical Offers Released | October - November 2025 |
| Additional Offers made to fill vacancies | December 2025 - January 2026 |
The most important thing to note is that once you receive an offer from a GEMSAS school, if you decline an offer of a place, you will not be considered for another place or receive another offer. This is why it is so important to be mindful of your order of preferences (as well as specifics such as fee type and campus location) when you submit your application.
Each applicant’s eligibility and competitiveness will be assessed for their number one preference. If the applicant does not meet the requirements or is not highly ranked enough to gain an interview offer at their first preference, they will be assessed for their second preference, then their third and so on until an interview offer is made or all preferences are exhausted. After medical school interviews , the above process will be repeated using interview scores in the calculations (according to each school’s selection rules). However, a student cannot be accepted for a graduate medical school position at a school that is higher on their preference list than the school they interviewed at. For example, if you complete an interview at your fourth preference school, your application for a final offer will be considered for your fourth, then if unsuccessful your fifth preference and so on. It will not be considered for your first, second, or third preferences in such a case.
Clearly, it is important to choose your preferences wisely. It is important to read carefully through this page and the GEMSAS admission guide - learn about how each university weighs its admission criteria and find where you may be more competitive. You may find that you have a lot of life experience and extracurricular activities that lend well to a university that uses a portfolio. Or if you find that you have a low GPA but a high GAMSAT ® score, you may want to apply for universities that give greater weight to the GAMSAT ® score in the calculation of your final score. Check out our Australian Medical Schools Overview for more specific information about each university.
Ultimately, however, it is most important that you order your preferences based on where you actually want to study and where you will be the happiest. A medical degree requires a lot of time, energy and commitment, and you need to know that you will be comfortable with your decision, especially if it involves moving interstate. Check out our blog article Which Med School is for Me? To learn more about what you should take into consideration when choosing medical schools.
Mature age students are generally unable to apply for undergraduate medicine, as this pathway is typically limited to school leavers (or up to three years after leaving high school in some cases). Mature age students however will be eligible to apply for graduate-entry medicine if they meet the admissions criteria. Most graduate-entry universities have a 10 year rule - that is, applicants will need to have successfully completed at least a three year Bachelor degree prior to commencement of the medical program. Some universities may also accept applicants who have completed another degree, such as a PhD, within the last 10 years, even if the Bachelor degree was not completed within the last 10 years. Of note, the University of Western Australia, and Flinders University do not have a 10 year rule. For more information, read each university profile on our guide to Australian Medical Schools and, as always, check with each university directly for up-to-date verified information. For further perspectives on the challenges and advantages of starting medicine as a mature age student, check out our article on Medicine for Mature Age Students.
Being a doctor anywhere is challenging, and Australia is no exception. Becoming a doctor requires years of training and education, and being a doctor requires continually updating yourself on clinical and scientific advances. There is also a lot of competition to become a doctor, including getting into a medical school and competing for specialty training positions. With this being said, although becoming and being a doctor can be very challenging at times it can also be a very rewarding career pathway, particularly for those who are passionate about healthcare and helping others.
Yes, doctors are very much in demand in Australia and it doesn’t seem like this will change in the near future. Demand for doctors can vary by specialty, but in general demand for doctors is increasing due to a growing population, increased chronic disease burden and an ageing population. Additionally, rural and remote areas in particular have a difficult time attracting and retaining doctors, thus there is a significant demand for doctors who are willing to work in these areas.
The amount a doctor earns in Australia can vary significantly by location, specialty and hours worked. An intern in Australia can earn between $70,000-$90,000 p.a., residents can be paid between $85,000-$130,000 p.a. and registrars can be paid between $100,000-$200,000 p.a. These figures should be used as rough estimates only, as salaries can vary significantly due to the factors mentioned above, particularly in later stages of training. Although a career in medicine can be very lucrative, it often also requires more training, commitment and time when compared to other career pathways, and this is something you should consider when applying to a medical school.
Age shouldn't deter anyone from pursuing their dream of becoming a doctor in Australia. People start their medical journeys at different points in life, and there's no "right" age to begin. With determination and a willingness to learn, anyone can pursue a career in medicine, and often patients will value having someone looking after them with life experience. Australia's medical field values diversity, so regardless of age, there's room for everyone to make a difference in healthcare. We also have a blog article dedicated to help students better understand Medicine for Mature Age Students.
Everything you need to know about the GAMSAT ® Exam from structure and overview to which universities require the GAMSAT ®
Everything you need to know about the UCAT ® Exam from structure and overview to key dates and test locations.
A breakdown of how to approach study effectively and how to set up a GAMSAT ® study schedule.
Covers everything you need to know about your GAMSAT ® Results - From how scoring works to the results release dates.
Covers everything you need to know about Australian graduate medical school admission requirements and GAMSAT ® score cut-offs.
An overview of Australian Medical Schools, both undergraduate and graduate, with details on the course and entry criteria for each medical school.
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An overview of the structure and preparation for MMIs, including the types of MMI questions to expect and which universities use Multiple Mini-Interviews.
Preparing for the GAMSAT ® Exam is one of the first and most important steps to studying medicine in Australia. Sign up for our GAMSAT ® Free Trial for detailed week by week plans of how you should be spending your time and tips on the best preparation strategy as well as free practice MCQs.
