Job Guide

To become a medical practitioner you usually have to study medicine at university. To get into the courses below you usually need to gain your VCE with particularly good results. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in one or more of English and chemistry are normally required. The universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information as requirements may change.

Entry into the Monash University course is highly competitive and is based on a combination of academic achievement, performance on the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT), and a structured interview. The UMAT is a written test that assesses non-academic personal qualities. Entry into the graduate course at Deakin University is based on prior completion of a bachelor degree, performance in the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT) and a score resulting from a structured interview. Studies in behavioural, social, biological and physical sciences, and humanities are likely to enhance performance in the test and are offered at most universities.

Degree Courses:

Deakin University - Geelong Campus:

• Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (graduate entry), 4 years full time

Monash University - Clayton Campus:

• Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery, 5 years full time

University of Melbourne - Parkville Campus:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine/Doctor of Medicine, 10 years full time

Additional Information:

Following completion of the above courses, graduates must undertake one year of full-time employment (internship) at a recognised teaching hospital to be able to gain full registration as a medical practitioner with the Medical Board.

In March 2008 the Commonwealth, state and territory governments agreed to introduce a National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for a number of health occupations, including medical practice. This new national system will replace the existing state-based registration requirements and is due to be implemented in July 2010. For full details see the National Health Workforce Taskforce website (www.nhwt.gov.au/natreg.asp).

Entry to the various specialisations requires postgraduate study, experience in approved hospitals and the passing of examinations leading to membership of the appropriate professional college. Specialist training programs and examinations are administered by these colleges.

General practice training standards are set by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and training requires three years following the intern year, with a final examination leading to Fellowship of the College. Rural practice incorporates a further year of special rural skills training.