The University of Western Australia

Doctor of Medicine

Graduate

Details

University Location Perth, Western Australia
City Population 2.1 million
Student Population 24,500
Int'l Student Population 4,500
Main Campus Crawley
Program Campus Crawley campus, Perth, Western Australia
Program Duration 4 years
Estimated Annual Tuition $85,800 AUD (2024 fees; subject to increase)
Semester Intake January
Next Available Intake 2025
Application Deadline Rounds*

Overview

Located in Perth, the University of Western Australia is a research-intensive university and one of the internationally recognized Australian Group of Eight. Voted as one of the world’s most liveable cities, Perth is also Australia’s sunniest capital city and the Mediterranean climate of warm, dry summers is ideal for sports and outdoor activities.

Established in 1957 and with more than 6,000 alumni, the UWA School of Medicine is the oldest medical school in Western Australia.

UWA health and medical students have been taught on the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre (QEIIMC) grounds in Nedlands, Western Australia, since the 1970s. The site includes two major public hospitals, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, and is home to internationally renowned organizations such as the Lions Eye Institute, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, PathWest, The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, and Telethon Kids’ Institute.

Program

The UWA Doctor of Medicine (MD) aims to produce graduates committed to the well-being of the patient, of the community, and of society by being responsible, accountable, scholarly, capable, and caring doctors. This course prepares graduates with the clinical and professional attributes required for successful internships and future training.

In the first year of the MD program, you’ll gain necessary background knowledge in biomedical sciences. In years 2 and 3, you’ll have clinical attachments in the wards and clinics of the hospitals of Perth, in general practices, and in other community settings.

The final year commences with an opportunity to experience an overseas elective, and continues with clinical attachments and a Selective option. During this time, you’ll complete your Scholarly Activity stream, e-Portfolio, and Procedural Skills Logbook. Year 4 concludes with a Preparation for Internship block which includes an Extension option in a clinical area of your choice and an intern-shadowing block to ensure you’re ready for work as an intern.

PLACES Curriculum
The future doctor will need to fulfill a number of roles, including that of a professional, leader, advocate, clinician, educator, and scholar, and these key roles form the themes around which the UWA MD curriculum is structured.

Scholarly Activity Program
In Year 3, all UWA MD students choose a Scholarly Activity Program that continues into Year 4. The choices include a research stream, a community-based service learning stream, or coursework streams in public health or health professions education.

Rural Clinical School
In Year 3, 25% of UWA MD students undertake their studies in a Western Australian rural setting, being placed in hospitals and general practices from Esperance to Kununurra. Rural students complete the same curriculum as the urban students, but in a longitudinal and integrated clinical setting.

Clinician Student Professional Development and Mentoring Program
The UWA MD Professional Development and Mentoring (PDM) program forms part of UWA School of Medicine’s clinician student-mentoring program.

Doctors work in privileged positions, hold serious responsibilities, and face many challenges. Graduates need to know how to diagnose and treat illnesses, and medical students need to graduate with the professional skills that are required as an intern and beyond.

UWA is the only Australian medical school to have a longitudinal mentoring program whereby all medical students have a clinical mentor involved in students’ professional development for the duration of the course.

All students are paired with experienced clinician mentors and keep this relationship throughout the course. This provides a longitudinal mentorship experience until you finish your course. You’ll learn the importance of mentorship, and will have the opportunity to discuss your future career path and any professional and ethical issues you may encounter, as well as any discipline-specific issues (depending on the discipline area of your mentor).

The graduate outcomes related to professionalism include

  • professional attitudes and behaviour;
  • self-care;
  • medical ethics; and
  • medical law governance.

The outcomes are assessed using a variety of methods throughout the course. The PDM program across the course consists of

  • mentoring with an experienced clinician;
  • seminars;
  • ePortfolio tasks; and
  • a case-based ethics essay.

Admission Requirements

1. Completed bachelor’s degree
Completed bachelor’s degree with GPA of roughly a 3.1 / 4.0 (approximately 78%); last 3 years are weighted equally. Recommended undergrad subjects include physics (or Grade 12 physics), chemistry (including completion of Grade 12 chemistry); and biology or human biology at first-year university level.

2. Admissions test
You must have completed the MCAT with a minimum score of 500 overall and 124 in each section. GAMSAT also accepted with overall score of 55 and no section under 50. Results must be from tests written in within preceding 3 years (i.e., test completed in 2022–2024 will be accepted for applications in 2025).

3. Interview
Applicants will be shortlisted for interview based equally on GAMSAT / MCAT and GPA.

Admission Timeline

*While UWA has application rounds for the 2025 intake, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Early Round
Deadline: April 26, 2024
Interviews: Expected May 13 – 26, 2024
Last day to sit MCAT: March 9, 2024

Main Round
Deadline: June 27, 2024
Interviews: Expected July 22 – August 4, 2024
Last day to sit MCAT: May 16, 2024

1/1

“I feel really well-supported”

The campus is amazing and we have great pathology labs & cadaver labs. Smaller class size compared to some other universities is a big bonus, instructors are great and I feel really well-supported by the dean of medicine & international sub-dean.

University of Western Australia Brad M
Doctor of Medicine
The University of Western Australia, 2023