Scenario 1Amanda is straight A’s student and her parents have always encouraged her to take her time and place to pursue her goal. Her calling of becoming a doctor was never more certain after those long hours of watching how doctors work in hospitals. It haunted her so much as she thought to herself that absolutely nothing is more meaningful than having a medical career.
Scenario 2
Ben is not a straight A’s student but he is a hardworking individual who can balance his studies well by spending a fair share of his college time in his co-curriculum activities. However, after the release of his exam results and some deep soul searching, he was rather lost. So, he went asking almost everyone he knew, what he should study and everyone told him that he will make a good and caring doctor. It was an important validation that he needed to cast away his self-doubts.
Scenario 3
George has just completed Science honors degree majoring in biochemistry and he knew that he has what it takes to do more, to contribute more, and to be truer to himself ...than being stuck inside a medical laboratory. It just reminded him that it is still not too late to be a doctor.
If you are wondering who is more likely to have an opportunity to be considered for a place in studying medicine in Australia , you will be pleased to know that all three stands a very good chance. Common reason they have is the right motivation but they still have to prove their mantle.
Australia will offer excellent study opportunities for them and has been a popular study destination for many international students. For the past 30 years or so, Australian Universities grew familiar with the international student’s education system, their decision-making process and most importantly, their motivation.
Options go with duration
Generally speaking, Australia offers 3 broad options for those wishing to study medicine as a first degree. Universities such as University of New South Wales and University of Adelaide offer a 6 years medical degree where a medical science curriculum is embedded into its teaching. Universities such as Monash, Newcastle, Tasmania offer a 5 years medical degree using problem-based teaching curriculum. This option is not well suited for those that do not envisage themselves doing medical researching. Then, there are University of Western Australia, Australian National University and Flinders University, offering a first 2 years medical science curriculum and then final 4 years medicine degree. This is a popular option for those who wish to start with a general medical or applied science degree first before deciding on pursuing a medical degree.
As a graduate entry option for those armed with a first degree like George, they can pursue a 4 years medical degree. This latter option is still the only pathway for those wishing to embark a medical degree in Australia. Hence, Australia is a very popular option for those who wish to study medicine as a first degree, thereby saving time and money as time is money, isn’t it?
All Things Fair and Equal
As one would expect, each year these universities receive heaps of applications for a limited number of internal students’ places. So, to do the first round of shortlisting, universities use an external test such as International Student Admission Test (ISAT) or University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) to rank every applicant in a fair and equal percentile assessment.
Tell Me More in Less
Again, as one would also expect, there will still be a big pool of candidates that qualify as many usually perform well in the tests mentioned earlier. So, the universities will interview each candidate to ensure that the selected ones are the true medical caliber of students. The shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a series of multiple mini short interviews.
As you can see, Australian universities offer a very clear and transparent assessment system that help students and parents to navigate their journey in finding a good medical school that suits them. You may still have further questions to ask more about studying medicine in Australia.