Adelaide University

Bachelor of Medical Studies / Doctor of Medicine

Undergraduate
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Details

University Location Adelaide, South Australia
City Population 1.3 million
Student Population 65,000
Int'l Student Population 16,000
Main Campus Adelaide City Campus
Program Campus Adelaide City
Program Duration 3 + 3 years
Estimated Annual Tuition AUD$99,000 (2026 fees; subject to increase)**
Semester Intake February
Next Available Intake 2027
Application Deadline June 26, 2025*
CRICOS Provider 04249J
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Overview

The Bachelor of Medical Studies at Adelaide University provides foundational knowledge and skills needed to excel in health care. You’ll learn from outstanding clinicians in state-of-the-art facilities and develop a deep understanding of how the health care system works. You’ll also gain a valuable consumer perspective, helping you understand how patients interact with health services and providers.

During your studies you’ll explore scenario-based problems, focusing on individual, community, Indigenous, and global health issues. You’ll also gain valuable exposure to real-world clinical practice and develop safe and effective clinical skills in cutting-edge simulation facilities.

This degree is the first 3 years of the Adelaide University’s 6-year integrated medicine program, and upon successful completion you’ll gain direct entry into the Doctor of Medicine. Together, these degrees will qualify you to practice as an intern anywhere in Australia and throughout most of the world.

Program

The Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine is a comprehensive, integrated program designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and attributes required to practice safely and effectively as a medical practitioner. Across the six years of the program, there’s a focus on scenario-based learning, evidence-based decision-making, and professional practice.

You’ll study in Adelaide BioMed City, the heart of South Australia’s education, research and clinical care precinct. Located next to the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the Royal Adelaide Hospital, this hub connects you to an ecosystem of health professionals dedicated to creating better outcomes for individuals and communities.

Refine your skills in Adelaide’s world-leading simulation facilities, the only facilities in Australasia accredited by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare for excellence in learning and teaching. Learn from practicing clinicians who are leaders in their field—ensuring you receive the highest quality education.

Clinical Placements
While clinical experiences are also embedded in the early years of the program, it’s these final 3 years where you’ll dive into clinical placements and rotations. Supervised placements occur across a variety of settings, including primary care, rural and community-based clinics, outreach, allied health, research institutes, and both regional and tertiary hospitals.

These clinical placements are designed to prepare you for wherever your future career takes you. You’ll become an integral member of the healthcare team while building skills in history-taking, physical examination, advanced communication, clinical diagnostic reasoning, patient consultation, and management.

In Year 4, you’ll begin full-time clinical placements, focusing on general medicine and surgery, mental health, musculoskeletal issues, cancer and palliative care.

In Year 5, you can either choose to continue with full-time clinical placements in Adelaide or undertake an extended rural placement at one of our six rural clinical sites. In either setting, you’ll explore child health, obstetrics and genecology, general practice, geriatrics and anesthesia. You’ll also have opportunities to work with First Nations or disadvantaged communities.

In your final year, you’ll undertake pre-internship, selective professional, and research and scholarship placements. You can select a preferred medical discipline to explore in greater depth and you’ll have the opportunity to study locally, interstate, or overseas.

Admission Requirements

The direct pathway is only available to

  • current Grade 12 students; or
  • applicants who have completed Grade 12 (or equivalent) no more than 2 years previously and have not since undertaken any post-secondary studies.

Entry is competitive. Applicants will be selected for interview on the basis of UCAT ANZ results. Afterward, eligible applicants will be ranked on a combination of UCAT ANZ and interview results, with GPA used to break a tie.

1. High school diploma
A minimum of 85% overall average Grade 12 subjects is required, including 1 of biology, chemistry, or mathematical methods (or equivalent).

2. Admissions Test
You must complete the UCAT ANZ to apply to the Adelaide Bachelor of Medical Studies program. For information about how to register, visit the booking page on the UCAT website.

3. Interview
Interviews will be held for applicants who meet both the minimum GPA and UCAT ANZ results, with sections 1 to 3 having equal weight, and section 4 to be used only to determine eligibility of applicants in the lower rank with an equal total score across the other three sections. After the interview, final course offers are ranked according to interview score and UCAT ANZ overall score. GPA will only be used to separate applicants with equal scores.

Progression into Doctor of Medicine
The medical program at the University of Adelaide has a 6-year full-time duration which leads to the awards of Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine. Entry to the Doctor of Medicine is based on completion of the Bachelor of Medical Studies at the Adelaide University.

Admissions Timeline

*See the Undergraduate Medicine Admissions Timeline for details.

**Once in the MD, students are subject to MD course fees.