The University of Melbourne

Program

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a 4-year full-time course comprising

• 1 year of integrated bioscience and clinical learning featuring an innovative case-based teaching approach
• 2 core clinical training years which facilitate learning with patients in a wide range of settings
• discovery subjects which provide students flexibility to explore areas of particular interest
• the option to complete an immersive research experience in an area of interest
• a capstone semester in which you will “rehearse” the skills required for effective and safe clinical practice
• an annual medical conference which will provide opportunities to interact with leaders in research, policy and clinical healthcare.

The Melbourne MD is a full-time course of study, with learning in clinical settings in each year of the program. Your learning is structured around three domains:

• Applied medical sciences
• Clinical knowledge and skills
• Professional practice

Embedded within each of these domains are the themes of First Nations Health, Population and Global Health, and research methods.

In Year 1, you’ll develop foundational knowledge and skills via small group tutorials, practicals, clinical placement, and interactive online learning.

In years 2 and 3, you’ll be immersed in full-time clinical placement where you will apply foundational knowledge and skills to a broad range of patient encounters in a wide variety of health care settings. Clinical placement is complemented with small-group tutorials, simulation, clinical, and procedural skills alongside online interactive learning.

Year 4 will see you complete a research project in an area of interest and undertake a clinical placement-based capstone experience—learning as trainee junior doctors. This final capstone experience ensures that you are well prepared for your pending entry into the health care workforce.

Discovery Learning Pathway
A highlight of the MD program is the opportunity for students to individualize their learning experiences through participation in a Discovery learning pathway at each level of the MD. Discovery learning can be selected from a variety of bespoke clinically focused topics or from a curated list of approved faculty subjects allowing students to explore a wide range of areas or complete a deeper dive into a future specialty.

Another unique feature of the Melbourne MD is the yearly student conference. The MD Student Conference provides opportunities for broader disciplinary and inter-disciplinary learning and brings together all students from the MD. The conference allows students to participate in future focused learning and provides opportunities to explore areas of interest beyond core medical practice.

Beyond core, discovery and conference learning, students also have the opportunity to complete an elective placement outside of their allocated clinical school to broaden their understanding of health care. Rural rotations are available to all students to provide opportunities to experience clinical training in a rural setting.

Discovery will enable you to look deeper into an area aligned with the core curriculum that has piqued your curiosity.

• In Year 1 of discovery, you’ll lay the foundation of knowledge and understanding (Discovery 1 – Foundation)
• In Year 2, you’ll be applying your learning to the clinical setting (Discovery 2 – Application)
• In Year 3, you’ll be integrating multiple concepts into your practice of medicine (Discovery 3 – Integration OR Discovery 3 – Research Scholar)
• In Year 4, your discovery subject culminates in using what you’ve learned to create something new (Discovery 4 – Clinical Scholar OR Discovery 4 – Research Scholar)

You will also have the option of undertaking a clinical elective of least one week duration during any non-teaching period.

The new core curriculum is designed to train quality evidence-based doctors. It will have a modular design for progress at each student’s optimal pace, with online platforms for consistent delivery across all sites and continual assessment to reinforce knowledge.

Clinical Placements

Clinical learning means that you will gain most of your knowledge “at the bedside,” with every patient having a unique story to tell. You’ll spend time in community clinics where most healthcare is delivered, and come to understand the principles of promoting healthy lifestyles, rather than just treating disease. Being immersed in clinical settings, including opportunities to work in rural and remote Australia, maximizes your learning.

Melbourne’s clinical school structure means that, after one year learning how to interact with patients and understanding the mechanisms behind their illnesses, you will spend the remainder of the course closely engaged with your colleagues in your hospital-based clinical school. This is where you will learn many aspects of medicine, such as talking with patients, examining them and contributing to their care—all with the support of excellent, passionate clinical teachers.