To become a doctor in Australia, one must complete an undergraduate medical degree. This document outlines the pathways and requirements to enter Griffith University's medical program. Students can apply directly from high school based on their OP/ATAR, or study another undergraduate degree first before sitting the GAMSAT exam for graduate entry. The program reserves 25% of places for rural students through the Rural Priority Access Scheme. Upon acceptance, students complete a 4-year Doctor of Medicine degree with clinical placements in years 3 and 4.

1. CONSIDERING MEDICINE?

2. A doctor is:
Medical Practitioner in Australia
1. Awarded a primary degree in medicine and
surgery after an approved program of study
from an Aust or NZ medical school accredited
by the Aust Med Council.
2. Proof of ID
3. Criminal history check satisfactory
4. Comply with professional indemnity insurance
5. Evidence of English lang skills standard

3. A doctor is:
Generally registered Medical Practitioner in
Australia
1. Medical Practitioner as above +
2. Completion of an Internship
Medicine, Surgery, Emergency
Total 47 weeks within 3 years
Then there are some great jobs waiting:

8. Most specialise

9. Prescribed specialties...
 Addiction Medicine
 Anesthesia
 Dermatology
 Emergency Medicine
 General Practice
 Intensive care medicine: Pediatric
 Medical administration
 Obstetrics and Gynecology: Oncology, Maternal-fetal, Ultrasounds, Reproductive
endocrinology and infertility, Urogynaecology
 Occupational and Environmental medicine
 Ophthalmology
 Pediatrics and child health: Clinical genetics, Community child heath, General,
Neonatal and perinatal, Cardiology, Clinical pharmacology, Emergency, Intensive
care
 Pain Medicine

10.  Palliative medicine
 Pathology: General, Anatomical, Chemical, Haematology, Immunology,
Microbiology, Forensic
 Physician: Cardiology, Clinical Genetics, Clinical Pharmacology, Endocrinology,
Gastroenterology, General Medicine, Geriatric, Hematology, Immunology, Infectious
diseases, Oncology, Nephrology, Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, Respiratory and
Sleep, Rheumatology
 Psychiatry
 Public health medicine
 Radiation oncology
 Radiology: Diagnostic radiology, Diagnostic ultrasound, Nuclear medicine
 Rehabilitation medicine
 Sexual health medicine
 Sport and exercise medicine
 Surgery: Cardio-thoracic, General, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic, Otolaryngology,
Pediatric, Plastic, Urology, Vascular

11.  Salary
 Resident AU$60000 - $75000 (up to $90000
with overtime).
 Registrar AU$75000 - $110000 (up to
$130000 with overtime).
 GP AU$150000 – $350000 (up to $400000
with overtime).
 Consultant AU$175000 – $350000 (up to
$400000 with overtime, allowances etc.
 Private consultants Can be more.

12. Disadvantages
 Debt (about $11,000/year HECS)
 Long and ongoing education
 Can be difficult (training and on the job)
 Can be depressing and stressful (when unable
to help)
 Time consuming
 Long work hours (overtime and on-call)
 A lot of responsibility
 Frustrating with patient non-compliance

13.  Remember.. You are choosing to become a
doctor, not just a medical student
 Do you love learning?
 Do you enjoy solving challenging problems?
 Are you emotionally resilient?
 Are you interested in helping people?

14. Poor reasons for choosing
medicine
 Pressure from family/friends/society
 Friend/sibling is studying medicine
 Parents are doctors
 Because you can
 “I got an OP1 and therefore have to do medicine
or law”
 Money and prestige

15. Medicine entry pathways
1. Undergraduate: Apply for direct entry as a
school leaver – NO UMAT at Griffith
OR
2. Graduate: Study any undergraduate degree and
then sit the GAMSAT

16. The Griffith MD
 Problem-based learning
 Small group practical and clinical skills sessions
 Many clinical placements
 Seminars and Online support
 Research (an MD/PhD option available)
 Four themes:
 The Doctor and Patient
 Knowledge of health and illness
 The Doctor and Health in the community
 The Doctor and law, ethics and professional practice

17. Medical degree format
 4 Year Doctorate of Medicine
 First 2 years at Parklands adjacent GCUH

18. Medical degree format
 4 Year Doctorate of Medicine
 First 2 years at Parklands
 Years 3&4 very clinical
 At different clinical schools
 Year 3: Med, Surg, Aged Care, Cancer care, Child
health Women’s health
 Year 4: Emergency Med, General Practice,
Critical care +
Selective and Elective

19. Prof. Scott Kitchener
Clinical and Academic Lead, Rural Medicine
Clinical Sub-Dean, Rural Health
Clifton

20. Year 3
Medicine
Stream
Medicine Aged/Cancer Care Mental Health Break
(Stream 1) 7 weeks 7 weeks 7 weeks 1 week
Surgery
Stream
Surgery Women’s Health Children’s Health SWOT VAC Written
(Stream 2) 7 weeks 7 weeks 7 weeks 1 week Exam
Semester 1
Written
Exam
Break
1 week
Semester 2
Written
Exam
Year 3
Medicine Surgery
Aged/Cancer Care Women’s Health
Mental Health Children’s Health
Griffith graduate MD program Year
3
Longlook

21. Longlook
Year 4 1 2 3 4 5
Term General
Practice
Elective Emergency
Medicine
Critical
care/Ortho
Selective Exams
Year 4 1 2 3 4 5
Rural Elective
– all
Longlook
students
General Practice
Emergency Medicine
Critical care/Ortho (including at St. Andrews)
Advanced Rural Selective
Exams
Griffith graduate MD program
Year 4

22. Entry requirements from
school
 OP or ATAR –
 Rural Priority Access Scheme (RPAS)
 English 4SA
 Assumed knowledge of Maths B and a science
(biology, chemistry or physics) but not pre-req.
 Apply through QTAC
NB. Rural students can apply for entry via
RPAS or the regular pathway or both

23. Entry requirements from
school
>>>Entry to B Med Sci (Nathan or Gold Coast)
with provisional entry to MD following
Anatomy, chemistry, biochemistry, health, genes
and disease, law and ethics, microbiology, physiology,
molecular genetics and psychology
Immunology, infectious disease, pharmacology,
metabolism, biochemistry, and epidemiology
In 6 semesters over 2 years

24. Entry requirements
postgrad
 Any Bachelor degree from any University
 GPA 5+
 GAMSAT – apply through GEMSAS
(Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions
System)
NB. Rural students can apply for entry via
RPAS or the regular pathway or both
 GUMSAA – Griffith University multi-station
admissions assessment

25. Rural Priority Access
Scheme
 25% of all places reserved for rural applicants
~ 9 of 36 places at Nathan for BMedSci
~ 9 of 36 places at Parklands for BMedSci
~ 28 of 111 places through GEMSAS path
What is rural?
ASGC-RA 2-5

26. ASGC-RA on Doctor Connect

27. ASGC RA 1-2 in detail:

28. ASGC-RA 1-2 in more detail

29. Summary
 School entry
 No UMAT
 English
 Rural Priority Access – so reserved rural places
 Graduate entry
 Do what ever degree you like (including at USQ)
 Sit GAMSAT and apply through GEMSAS
 GUMSAA interviews
 Study at Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine
Coast or back on the Downs.