How to become a physician
1. Complete your medical degree
There are two pathways you can take in order to study Medicine at the University of Sydney – straight from high school, or after getting your bachelor’s degree.
Start your journey straight from high school
There are two degrees available for those that plan to study medicine straight out of high school. They include the Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine and the Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine. These double degrees which run for seven years full time are only available to a very limited number of students (30 domestic and 10 international students).
This limited number of places is because admission straight from high school requires applicants to and gain an ATAR of 99.95 in the Higher School Certificate or equivalent and achieve a band four in mathematics advanced (or equivalent).
Complete a bachelor’s degree first
At the University of Sydney, you can complete any undergraduate course of your choosing from arts and commerce to science, engineering or pharmacy before studying medicine. This encourages a diverse cohort of medicine students from a range of backgrounds.
Gaining a band four in mathematics advanced is a prerequisite for economics, commerce, engineering, law, science and most health undergraduate programs. If you choose to study an alternative bachelor’s degree, such as arts, you will need to make sure you meet the prerequisites of the Doctor of Medicine (MD).
In order to move forward to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program, you must achieve a grade point average of at least 65 or above (a credit average). Domestic students must have their bachelor’s degree assessed and grade point average (GPA) calculated by the Universities Admissions Centre through the Qualifications Assessment Service (QAS).
2. Sit the GAMSAT and apply for entry to the Doctor of Medicine (MD)
The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is a standardised exam used to assess the capabilities of students wishing to become physicians by pursuing further study in medicine at University. Students in their penultimate or final year of a bachelor’s degree are permitted to sit the GAMSAT.
To apply for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) at the University of Sydney a minimum score of 50 is required in all three sections of the test, which is offered twice a year in March and September.
Students who achieve a satisfactory grade point average and GAMSAT score are invited to participate in an interview for entry into the Doctor of Medicine at Sydney.
If you are an international applicant you may be eligible to complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in place of the GAMSAT and will need to meet English language requirements as well as the above criteria.
You’ll need to check the University of Sydney’s MD domestic admissions guide (pdf, 1.3MB) for more information about the application process.
3. Complete a Doctor of Medicine degree
The Doctor of Medicine* is a masters-level degree that provides students with world-class clinical and research training. This is a four-year full-time program undertaken after satisfactory performance in an eligible bachelor’s degree.
On completion of the Doctor of Medicine, graduates are eligible for provisional registration with the Medical Board of Australia as a medical practitioner.
4. Complete three stages of training
Training to become a physician requires that you undertake prevocational, basic and advanced training.
Prevocational Training
Upon entering the medical workforce, you will complete two years of prevocational training, based primarily in a hospital. This will help you to gain experience in a variety of different aspects of medicine, including Emergency Medicine, Surgery and Internal Medicine, amongst other options.
At the completion of two years of prevocational training, you’re eligible for general registration. If your goal is to become a physician, you will apply to enter Basic Physician Training.
Basic Physician Training
When accepted to a training position in a Basic Physician Training network, you’ll be required to register with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). The College is responsible for overseeing Physician Training in Australia and New Zealand.
As a Basic Physician Trainee, you will rotate through a variety of specialties of internal medicine over three years, and you will sit a written examination and clinical examination to be eligible to progress into Advanced Training.
At the University of Sydney, we offer a range of study options in internal medicine which have been designed to assist you in passing the entry examination for the RACP. These include:
- the Graduate Certificate in Medicine (Internal Medicine),
- the Graduate Diploma in Medicine (Internal Medicine), and
- the Master of Medicine (Internal Medicine).
Advanced Training
After completing your Basic Physician Training, the next step is to apply for Advanced Training in a specialty of interest to you – these could range from General Medicine, to Cardiology, Neurology, Oncology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology or a wide range of other specialties.
Our postgraduate coursework degrees in internal medicine have been designed to supplement your learning in the hospital environment. Our degrees also connect you with clinical and academic leaders in the medical field, allowing you to stand out in this competitive profession.
During your Advanced Training, you will no longer rotate through specialities, but will gain deep expertise in your chosen field, which could include procedural expertise in coronary angiography for Cardiology trainees, or endoscopy for Gastroenterology trainees, through to engaging in a training pathway that involves joint training with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, such as Haematology or Immunology.
Upon completion of your Advanced Training you will receive Fellowship of The Royal Australian College of Physicians, after which you are a qualified specialist within your chosen field.
5. Start your new career
Being a physician is a fulfilling and intellectually stimulating career. As a physician you’ll have a wide range of career options available to you, thanks to the extensive medical training and expertise you’ll gain at the University of Sydney. These career options can vary depending on the specialty you choose, as well as your interests, and goals.
You may decide to focus on clinical practice, working in a busy hospital setting, providing acute care to very unwell patients within your chosen specialty, or you might choose to work primarily in the outpatient setting, building long-lasting relationships with your patients and delivering care of their complex illnesses over their lifetime.
Finally, for those who wish to teach or undertake research, academic medicine might be the right career path. Graduates may work in medical school faculties teaching students, conducting research to advance knowledge and improve treatments, and providing clinical care in academic medical institutions.
*The Doctor of Medicine (MD) replaced the University of Sydney’s previously offered Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 2014. Graduates of the MBBS also meet the requirements for provisional registration with the medical board of Australia, and to undertake our postgraduate coursework degrees in Internal Medicine.