Why study Medicine in Australia?
Australia has been a favourite destination for medical students who wish to study overseas. Australia has a long history of medical breakthroughs such as Penicillin, ultrasound, bionic ear and Cervical Cancer Vaccine and more to help improve the health of all individuals. The Department of Health in Australia has stated that their medical research is responsible for all the life changing breakthroughs by developing new treatments, medicine and devices.
Benefits of studying Medicine
1. Diverse Medical Career Opportunity
Upon Graduation, you have a wide range of career opportunities to choose from in the field of Medicine. Based on your skills and aspirations, you have over 50 specialties to choose from. You can choose to work in Hospitals, research labs, healthcare facilities or switch to other professional fields such as managing health care costs in Economics sectors, defending patients rights in the legal world and much more.
2. Work as a Doctor anywhere in the world
There is uniformity in Medical practice around the world. Therefore, when you graduate from a Medical School in Australia, you can work in any hospital or healthcare facility across the world. This is one of the only disciplines that enable you to work anywhere in the world, based on your qualification. However, it is important to keep in mind that you need permission from the respective Medical Councils to practice in that specific country and are required to learn the national language to effectively communicate with your patients.
3. Doctors are in High Demand in Australia
Foreign doctors and medical specialists are in high demand in Australia as a result of rapidly growing ageing population. According to healthstaff.au, there are more older people in the country than ever before and it is predicted that by 2020 13.7% of the population will be between 65 – 79 and 4.3% will be over the age of 80. This has increased the pressure to hire foreign doctors and nurses. As a result, Australian migration policy is aiming to retain skilled healthcare professionals to reduce the shortage of medical professionals.
4. High paying job/Doctor’s average salary in Australia
There is no doubt that medicine is one of the highest paying fields in Australia. Salaries usually vary between specialization, experience, and number of hours and consultations and much more. Nevertheless, a doctor is likely to earn AUD$ 100,000 – $400,000 annually. This will enable you to pay off any student loans or manage other commitments and live a comfortable life in Australia. The following are an average salary indicator for individuals in this field released by healthstaffrecruitment.com.au.
- Physician/doctor salary = AUD$ 101,0000
- Emergency Department = AUD$ 102,000
- Experienced General Practitioners = AUD$ 200,000 – $300,000
- Senior Doctors/surgeons = AUD$ 300,000 – $600,000
If you are interested to know more about the field of Medicine, Please contact Excel Education.
Medical degrees in Australia
Medicine in Australia is offered as an Undergraduate or Postgraduate course.
The Undergraduate programme – This degree can be pursued after successful completion of Secondary/High school. It takes approximately 3 years to complete the program. The following are a few of the Undergraduate degree programs available Australia :
- Bachelor of Medical Sciences
- Bachelor of Health Sciences
- Bachelor of Clinical Sciences
- Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences
Graduate Entry Programme – Upon completion of a Bachelor’s degree, you are eligible to proceed to a Graduate-Entry Doctor of Medicine Program which takes 4 years to complete.
Take note that some universities in Australia such as James Cook University and Flinders university allow students to complete a medical degree in 6 years as the degrees are combined.
To know more about the available Medicine Programmes, Please contact Excel Education.
Pathway to become a Doctor
Students who wish to complete an Undergraduate degree in Medicine in Australia will be assessed against three criteria :
1 – Academic Qualification – SPM/A-Levels/STPM/UEC/ SACE/ AUSMAT or Foundation in Science course.
Prerequisite subjects for Medicine
During your Pre-University program examinations, you have to study the following subjects to study a Medical Degree.
Qualification | Prerequisite subjects |
SPM/ | Biology,Chemistry,Mathematics or Physics |
To learn more about which Pre-University program you should choose, take a look at : Which Pre-Uni should you choose? Foundation, A-Level, SAM or AUSMAT?
Entry Requirements to study Medicine in Australia
- A-Level – Between A*A*A* and BBB for Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Mathematics
- STPM – AAC, ABB, BBB in Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics
- Australian Matriculation – Minimum ATAR score of 80% including an average of 80% in Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics.
- A Foundation Program can be completed if the above examination scores have not been met
Foundation in Science – Minimum CGPA of 3.00 in Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics.
It is important to note that Entry Requirements to study in Medicine may vary based on the University and it is required that you successfully meet the additional university requirements.
2 – English Language requirement
To apply for an undergraduate Medical degree in Australia, you must have a high level of competency in English.
- IELTS Score – Minimum overall score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components.
3 – Aptitude Test Score
Universities require an Aptitude Test as part of your application to study Medicine. The test is the International Student Admission Test (ISAT) conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). It is a 3 hour computer based multiple choice test to assess the student’s intellectual abilities and skills. It does not examine the student’s knowledge regarding any particular subject. In order to have some familiarity with the type of questions asked during the test, all students have access to practice tests on the ACER website.
The 2020 -2021 test cycle dates are as follows :
- May 16- May 24 2020
- August 15- August 23 2020
- November 21- November 29 2020
Upon registration, you may select a preferred date, venue and time within the chosen cycle date.
Take note that you are allowed to take the ISAT test only once within a 12 month period.
4 – Interview
Provided that students have successfully met the requirements of Academic qualifications and the Aptitude test, students are invited for an interview. The format varies depending on the University. Some require students to physically attend the interview whereas, other interviews can be conducted over Skype.
If you are interested to know more about International student entry requirements and its application process, Please contact Excel Education.
Best Universities to study Medicine in Australia
University | Global Ranking | Australian Ranking | Duration | Intake |
17 | 1 | 3 years Bachelor + 4 Years Doctor of Medicine | Bachelor: February and July Doctor of Medicine : February | |
32 | 3 | 3 years Bachelor + 4 Years Doctor of Medicine | February | |
101 – 150 | 8 | 3 years Bachelor + 4 Years Doctor of Medicine | Bachelor: February and July
| |
201 – 250 | 11 | Combined 6 year undergraduate medical course | February | |
251 – 300 | 12 | 3 years Bachelor + 4 Years Doctor of Medicine | Bachelor: February and July
| |
351 – 400 | 17 | 3 years Bachelor + 4 Years Doctor of Medicine | February | |
251 – 300 | 13 | Combined 6 year Bachelor + Doctor of Medicine course | February |
Study in Australia is an official government website that provides a standard annual tuition fee for International students studying Medicine in Australia :
- Undergraduate students Degree- AU$29,235 per annum
- Master’s degree – AU$20,000 to $37,000 per annum
- Doctoral degree – AU$14,000 (US$11,200) to $37,000 per annum
Take Note : For students who wish to come back to practice as a doctor in Malaysia, you need to check whether the degree is recognized by the Malaysian Medical Council.
If you are interested to know more about studying Medicine in Australia, Please conatct Excel Education.
Is Medicine the right choice for you?
Many people expect students who receive the highest grades to become doctors. It is true that getting good grades is definitely a prerequisite for a medical degree, however, it is not the most important factor when choosing to study medicine. If you find yourself pursuing a medical degree because of your family’s expectations or the benefits and money that comes along with the job, we encourage you to rethink your decision.
Despite the benefits that come along with a medical career, it is extremely time consuming, demanding and expensive to pursue a degree in medicine..
The following are a few reasons as to why you should or should not study Medicine.
Reasons you should study Medicine | Reasons you should not study Medicine |
If you are passionate about Medical Science | If your parents and family are pressuring you |
You want to help improve people’s health and lives | If you think you will earn a lot of money (Med School is quite expensive) |
You have high tolerance when dealing with people around you | You prefer to work alone |
You are good at critical thinking and problem solving | You cannot work under stress and have low tolerance when communicating with others |
You have traits and skills such as : Self-control, attention to detail, stress tolerance, investigative and social | Because you are the top student in your class/school/state |
Willing to make temporary sacrifices for the purpose of your studies and future career | To impress family and friends. |
The above reasons are a few of many, if you find yourself familiar with the “reasons you should not study medicine” section of the table, rethink your decision and choose a course that is best suited to your skills and future aspirations.
If your interest lies in studying in Australia, take a look at the following articles:
- Study and Work in Australia for International Students
- Top Universities to Study in Regional Australia 2020
- Top 10 Universities in Australia 2020
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About Post Author
Yellani Rasaputhra
I am a student from Monash University, Malaysia. Currently studying Bachelor of Business and Commerce majoring in International Business and Marketing. I like to spend my time painting and swimming.