Unlike many countries, Australia considers its medical workforce a national resource. Since 2014, the Australian government has been streamlining the steps to becoming a doctor across all the territories.
Until then, curricula for studying medicine were left up to the universities, with oversight from the various states/territories.
The Health-Workforce Initiative Australia aims to reform medical training to stop the boom-bust cycle and maintain steady levels of competent doctors. Now 10 years underway, this program shows promising results.
One can earn their medical degree anywhere in Australia assured that they received the same quality education some of the finer medical schools offer.
Sydney boasts some of the oldest and most reputable medical training facilities in the country. We want to lay out the best undergraduate programs and where you can pursue graduate studies in medicine.
And if you wish to go further, into postgraduate medicine Sydney, we'll find those programs for you, too.
Undergraduate Medicine Sydney: Western Sydney University
New South Wales (NSW) claims two of Australia's most famous universities, with the University of Sydney's medical faculties being world-renowned. You'll read about such educational opportunities to study medicine Sydney in the next segment. We're starting our list with one of Australia's youngest universities because it's also one of the most progressive.
Western Sydney was born when three other higher education facilities banded with the University of Western Sydney, as this school was formerly known. The school maintained the other facilities' profiles until their restructuring in 2000. Though it doesn't rank particularly well in the QS global standings, Western sits at Number 11 in the Australian rankings. And it takes the top spot on the Times Higher Education World Rankings thanks to its cutting-edge initiatives.
Getting into Western Sydney University is easier than studying medicine at the University of Adelaide or other high-ranking Australian universities. Candidates need only a 95.5 Australian Tertiary Admissions Rating (ATAR). International students with an International Baccalaureate (IB) rate of 38 or higher also qualify. But like other universities across Australia, you will have to take a qualifying exam and pass the interview before gaining admission.
This university's medical degree plan calls for five years of study but you may end your course after Year 3 with a Bachelor of Clinical Science (Medicine). The course structure is straightforward but it has lots of room to experience the medical culture and practice. You will also participate in Work Integrated Learning, meaning you will get hands-on experience working with patients in community clinics.
Upon graduation, you'll be eligible to register with the Medical Board of Australia and New Zealand's equivalent body. Of course, that entails a period of supervised internship or supervised training. you might also consider pursuing a graduate degree in medicine, maybe at the University of Canberra or the next university on our list.
Graduate and Post Graduate Medicine Sydney
The University of Sydney (USYD) is one of the world's finest research universities in the world. The QS World University Rankings consistently list this school among the Top 50 higher education institutions worldwide. In Australia, it's held the Number 3 spot since 2018. The University of Sydney is Australia's oldest university and possibly the most renowned.
You may transfer to USYD for your graduate and postgraduate medicine Sydney studies provided you completed a Bachelor's degree. Your undergraduate studies may be in any subject but if you go that route, you must also sit the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT). Many international students prefer this pathway. They earn their Bachelor's degree in their home country and then enrol at the University of Sydney for advanced medical studies.
If you're not an international student, you can enrol in one of USYD's two undergraduate medical studies programs. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Doctor of Medicine (MD) double degree program entails seven years of full-time study. It is a vertically integrated program, meaning you'll first complete your BA studies and then embark on your MD education. You need a 99.95 ATAR to be considered for admission.
The second double-degree program will net you a Bachelor of Science (BS) and an MD. This dual degree plan is also seven years long and the ATAR requirement is the same. After you register your interest, you will undergo an online assessment, a type of qualifying exam that includes a written portion.
All of these sound like high bars to clear but they're about the same as enrolling to study medicine at the University of Melbourne. Seven years sounds like a long time to spend at one university, too.
But if you choose either of these degree plans, you won't have to sit the GAMSAT before starting your graduate studies in medicine.
Postgraduate Medicine Sydney: Macquarie University
In the early 1960s, NSW higher education was in crisis. There were too many students and not enough places so the state founded Macquarie University. It is considered one of Australia's five verdant universities because the campus design works in concert with native greenery and bushland.
It should come as no surprise that Macquarie University medical degree programs are as well-developed as they are. Sydney University had a hand in Macquarie's establishment; their academic leaders may well have helped to develop the curriculum, too. Luckily, application requirements aren't as demanding as Australia's top universities. To enrol in the Bachelor of Medical Science course, you only need an ATAR of 85.
Macquarie University further offers undergraduate courses in Clinical Science (ATAR 90) and two dual degree options. The Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Medical Sciences is a four-year, full-time program. By contrast, the Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Bachelor of Laws demands five years of study or an equivalent part-time commitment. This program requires 96 ATAR points for guaranteed entry.
Macquarie University undergraduate programs open a lot of doors to exciting careers like forensic science, physical therapy and becoming a medical doctor. But their postgraduate courses really shine. You might undertake a four-year, full-time program to earn your MD or spend two years pursuing a research opportunity with a Master of Public Health.
Macquarie's Bachelor of Philosophy - Master of Research gives you the chance to explore research opportunities while studying advanced-level undergraduate course material. This unique two-year program trains you in research preparation and hones your academic writing skills. If you wanted to devote your career to medical research, this would be the program for you.
From medical schools in Western Australia to... Well, to those in Sydney, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more productive path to prepare for your career in medical research. Macquarie University ranks Number 1 in graduate employability rankings, according to QS University Rankings. It also takes top marks for research activity; the school's facilities meet or exceed the world standard.
Tuition may be a bit steep for some of these programs. Depending on which degree plan you choose, you may look at upwards of A$71,000 (total cost). However, some programs are considered urgent or necessary because Australia is currently experiencing a shortage of qualified personnel in those areas.
For instance, the Master of Public Health (Research) course is a Commonwealth Supported Place for qualifying students.
University of New South Wales Medicine Sydney
Compared to other venerable institutions, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) is young. It was established in 1949 but it traces its origins to the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. That older institution was meant to satisfy the growing need for competent workers to staff all of the new industries emerging in the 1830s. Immediately after the Second World War, all the focus turned to engineering and in 1960, the school expanded to include arts and medicine faculties.
Today, UNSW is one of Australia's top universities for medical studies. The school's website proclaims that this program is the most popular first-preference choice for six years running. Entry is competitive; statistics show the median ATAR to be higher than every other Australian undergraduate medical program. The highest rank to receive an offer for the 2023 Term 1 admission was 99.95; the median sits at 99.40.
UNSW undergraduate studies in medicine Sydney is a double degree program. You'll earn a Bachelor of Medical Studies (BMed) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD). It sounds like an intensive program until you discover the course takes six years to complete. It offers students a blend of research-focused study and clinical experience, much like Brisbane University medical courses do.
Upon graduation, you may choose to practise medicine or start your career in medical research. As UNSW is also a public research university, you can be sure that this campus' facilities are top-notch.
You might know about the Randwick Health and Education Precinct, an initiative to bring together the best of health, education and research professionals. The UNSW has established health precincts to ensure best practices in teaching and medical research.
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