Medicine from Australia: Structure, Eligibility, Exams Required & Validity

Students across the globe desire to study Medicine in Australia as it is one of the top study abroad destinations. However, securing an admission in one of the top Australian universities for Medicine would require you to meet the eligibility criteria. In this article, we will discuss in detail about the course structure, admission requirements, tuition fee, and more.

Medicine continues to be one of the most sought-after courses in India as well as abroad. Truly a noble profession, the association of life with the medical profession makes it the most carefully designed program. The same is the case with Australia. The country focused on quality of education and has given the same stringent thought to its medical studies. So, if you aspire to pursue medicine in any of the 13 Australian Universities as an international student, here's what you need to do.

Medicine in Australia

The following Medicine courses are offered in Australia for Indian and other international students along with the eligibility criteria and the admission process:

Structure of Medical Education

Let us begin by understanding the educational structure of medical studies in Australia. Prior to 2004, the education system for medical studies in Australia was similar to that of the UK. Essentially, there was a bachelor’s degree program that conferred the title of MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree was more of a graduate degree reserved for its research training program. Both these programs, however, continued to be graduate programs (meaning that a bachelor’s degree was a must for eligibility). A change in the AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) has qualified medical studies as a master’s degree program.

As of now, there are two levels of entry to Medical Schools in Australia. Undergraduate programs for medical studies are essentially the programs that accept students after matriculation or high school. These usually last for about 5 – 6 years and the degrees offered are MBBS. At the graduate level, the course is usually for 4 years and confers the degree of MD.

MBBS in Australia for Indian Students

MBBS in Australia is essentially a six-year-long program which has theoretical coursework followed by extensive Practice-Based Learning as suggested by the AQF. (Check out about the AQF Levels in the Australian Education System) While many of the Universities/ Medical Schools in Australia only offer Graduate Degree Programs in Medicine (MD), a few of the good medical schools do offer undergraduate entry-level programs. The University of Adelaide and the University of New South Wales are good examples.

Eligibility

• English Language Proficiency (often a minimum IELTS score of 7)
• Completion of Higher secondary education from a recognized board/institute
• Minimum 17 years of age (which might vary from university to university)
• GAMSAT or MCAT or UCAT ANZ

Read: GAMSAT Eligibility, Exam, Fee & Registration 

MD in Australia for Indian Students

Essentially, almost all of the medical courses in Australia are graded at Level 9 as a Master’s program and confer the degree of Doctor of Medicine – MD. This is usually a 4-year graduate program and is offered by many top universities in Australia like -

• The University of Melbourne
• The University of Sydney
• Deakin University

It is important to note that some universities’ medical programs might not be called MD and have a different nomenclature. The best way to judge whether or not it is a graduate or an undergraduate program is to check the entry-level. It is often clearly mentioned that it is a graduate program.

Check: Cheapest MBBS Colleges in Australia 

Eligibility Criteria for MBBS in Australia

To apply to the graduate medicine courses in Australia a candidate ought to have

• English Language Proficiency (often high levels of proficiency is expected). Exams like TOEFL, IELTS or PTE are accepted. 
• PCMB with English as one of the main papers and an overall score of 65% in high school.
• UCAT ANZ or NEET or GAMSAT or MCAT or maybe ISAT in some cases as well.

It is important to note that a student may not have completed the bachelor’s program in medical sciences or sciences for that matter. The subject is not a constraint for students applying to medical schools in Australia. However, a student who does not have a strong understanding of the biological sciences might not be able to clear the GAMSAT or the MCAT, which is necessary for admission.

What we are trying to say is in case you have done your bachelor’s in biology or psychology and can clear the GAMSAT, then your dream to be a doctor might be possible in Australia.

Admission Process

Documents required:

• Your high school/bachelor's degree performance like transcripts and GPA. Check our page on how to convert percentage into GPA.
• Relevant Exam scores – GAMSAT or MCAT scores
• Interview
• Essays

Students are essentially required to reach out to the International Office of the University and submit the information mentioned above. Basis the applications received, the universities create a list of merit after combining the GPA of your three year’s academic performance and the Medical Exams (GAMSAT/ MCAT) score. Taking your application into consideration, if you are shortlisted, you would be sent an invitation for an Interview on Skype. Selected candidates are then admitted to the program.

Both the programs – MBBS and MD start in the January Session in Australian Medical Schools. The students are advised to apply a year before and often the deadlines are towards September of the previous year. If the application is supplied later than the date mentioned by the university, the candidate would be considered for the next to next session. For instance, Admissions for January 2016 would close in September 2015. Application after September 2015 would be considered for January 2017 intake.

Medicine in Australia Accreditation by MCI

Before we end this article, let us answer the biggest question – the validity of the degree in India. As per the ruling of MCI, the postgraduate degrees from the English-speaking countries of the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are valid in India. The person need not apply for a fresh license or write another qualifying exam. What is important, however, is that the person must have the license to practice in the country he/she has earned that degree from.

Simply put, if you complete your MD from Australia and get the license to practice in Australia, you can practice in India as well. The rule clear for both MD and MBBS from Australia is recognized MCI.

Affordability Country Wise

In terms of cost of studying in say top countries like Canada, the UK, the USA and Australia along with India can be analysed through the fee tabulated below:

Both MBBS and MD courses at Australian Universities are more affordable if we see the table above comparing different countries. Thus, it can be said that MBBS and/or MD are cheaper than other top English-speaking countries.