Deakin University

Doctor of Medicine

Graduate

Details

University Location Geelong, Victoria
City Population 282,809
Student Population 58,853
Int'l Student Population 14,463
Main Campus Geelong Waterfront
Program Campus Waurn Ponds
Program Duration 4 years
Estimated Annual Tuition AUD$85,800 AUD (2025 fees; subject to increase)
Semester Intake January
Next Available Intake 2026
Application Deadline Varies by round*
International Places 15

Overview

Based in Geelong (pronounced juh-long), Deakin University combines the best of city living with a more relaxed atmosphere. Located a short train trip from Melbourne, Geelong is a dynamic and safe coastal town with a spectacular waterfront lined with some of the best cafes and restaurants.

Deakin University Medical School is Victoria’s first rural and regional medical school and has a mission to train work-ready graduates to help reduce the chronic shortage of doctors in rural and regional Australia.

As a Deakin medical student, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the practice of medicine, with an emphasis on the early development of clinical, communication and procedural skills; diagnosis and management of chronic diseases; professionalism and work readiness; and multidisciplinary teamwork.

You’ll start your journey at Deakin’s Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, home to Deakin’s $53-million purpose-built facilities. These facilities provide the ideal training ground for problem-based learning—a key theme of medicine at Deakin. You’ll learn to solve the kinds of problems you’ll face in your future career, while developing your confidence in foundational medical principles, clinical reasoning, and the high-level communication skills necessary for excellent patient-centred care.

Program

The Deakin University Doctor of Medicine program will set you up for a range of rewarding careers, from general practice to pathology, pediatrics to surgery. The course has a unique focus on rural and regional medicine, Indigenous Health, and patient-centred communication skills.

Deakin’s MD takes you beyond the classroom to work with patients all across Victoria and beyond. You’ll learn how medicine is practiced in rural areas, while building valuable relationships that kick start career growth once you graduate.

The course shines a light on Indigenous health, and will help you broaden your perspective of clinical medicine to encompass public health, legal, and ethical perspectives.  Your study experience will allow you to advance the health and well-being of communities in Australia and beyond.

The Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus is home to Deakin’s $53-million purpose-built facilities. These facilities provide the ideal training ground for problem-based learning—a key theme of medicine at Deakin. You’ll learn to solve the kinds of problems you will face in your future career, while developing your confidence in foundational medical principles, clinical reasoning and the high-level communication skills necessary for excellent patient-centred care.

Clinical Placements
Off campus, you’ll build real-world clinical experience through placements in a range of medical settings, from hospitals and general practices to community healthcare centres in the Geelong region. In years 3 and 4, you will have the opportunity to preference one of four clinical schools for training:

  • Barwon Health (Geelong)
  • Eastern Health (Melbourne)
  • Ballarat
  • Warrnambool

In addition, the Rural Community Clinical School is available in Year 3, giving you the option of parallel consulting in smaller rural and regional towns. The clinical placement component of the course provides at least 4 weeks of dedicated rural attachment.

If you’re interested in gaining a global perspective of medicine, your fourth and final year includes an elective unit that can be taken overseas, as well as a pre-internship hospital rotation that offers a firsthand taste of the day-to-day life of an intern. You will also develop your skills in research design and data analysis, to equip you for career progression and lifelong learning as a medical practitioner.

Admission Requirements

1. Completed bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree completed not more than 10 years before the course commencement date, with a minimum final weighted GPA of 2.7/4.0, based on your final 3 years of your most recent bachelor’s degree).

2. Admissions test
MCAT score of 125 or greater in each section. GAMSAT will also be accepted with minimum of 50 in each section. OzTREKK must submit your application within 4 years of your MCAT/GAMSAT sit date. As such, you must provide OzTREKK with all required documents to ensure your completed application is submitted to the university within that timeframe.

If you apply to the Main Round, you must have a completed MCAT to be considered for an interview.

3. Interview
Deakin will hold interviews via Zoom from March to June. Additional rounds with be held in October if the program has not filled.

Admission Timeline

*Applications are assessed in rounds, and interviews are rolling. You are encouraged to apply a minimum of 1 month before interview dates to be considered for that round.

2026 Intake Admissions Timeline

Round 1 
Deadline: February 13, 2025
Last day to sit MCAT: January 10, 2025
Interview: Week of March 17, 2025

Round 2
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Last day to sit MCAT: April 4, 2025
Interview: Week of June 16, 2025

Round 3 (only if places remain available)
Deadline: August 28, 2025
Last day to sit MCAT: July 26, 2025
Interview: Week of October 13, 2025

1/7

“I love how supportive the school and teachers are”

The facilities on Deakin Waurn Campus are great in terms of anatomy and pathology labs and group learning space. The only downside is a lack of comfortable study space for medical students only. I'm not a super club oriented person but there are SO many medical clubs available as well as just general hobby clubs on campus! I love how supportive the school and teachers are, they will always understand if you have a health issue going on and always want you to prioritize yourself... Read More

Michelle C
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2024

“The program is engaging, with lots of face-to-face time with staff”

The student body is amazing, supportive, and very friendly. The staff at the school of medicine care about their students, and actually listen to feedback and work so that you feel well supported in your journey to becoming a doctor. The program is engaging, with lots of face-to-face time with staff, and fellow students. There is a wide-variety of teaching methodologies implemented within the course, from anatomy labs, to small-groups, to didactic lectures. This ensures that th... Read More

Matthew B
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2024

“Really enjoy the clinical teaching”

Supportive staff and a small-ish cohort, lots of opportunity to get involved in the learning process and other ways to get involved outside of classes. Course structure is broken down nicely, you find that a lot of the content that you learn initially keeps coming up in different blocks, and the concepts build on each other. Really enjoy the clinical teaching when they have doctors from the region come in and give lectures. Sometimes feels like the ratio of instructors/suppo... Read More

Ash B
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2024

“They definitely value their students”

Why did I chose Deakin? They definitely value their students and really want to get to know us each and talk with us like they are our peers. They really see us as their equals. We learned from them and they learned from us and I really liked that.

Briana N
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2023

“…good program”

Good campus, good program. Decent class size.

Manal C
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2023

“Like the new facilities”

I like the new facilities and the science teaching.

Jordan L
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2023

“Lots of services”

lots of services, good culture, needs more support for internationals, help with studying (how to study more effectively). decent class size (130) small groups for building connections. Quite a few clubs available. Im part of the Skill it Kitchen - learn to plan and make affordable and nutritious foods.

Arjun D
Doctor of Medicine
Deakin University, 2022