Doctor of Medicine

School of Medicine, Fremantle Campus

Fully accredited by the Australian Medical Council, the Doctor of Medicine at Notre Dame is a four-year AQF9E program. As the only medical degree offered by a Catholic university in Australia, this program gives you the opportunity to complement your technical skills and medical knowledge with a thorough grounding in ethics. This program also examines the special health needs of Indigenous people and rural communities in Western Australia.

• Why study this degree?

  Are you curious about medical research and/or clinical practice? Do you have an innate need to help your fellow human? Or maybe you have a calling to help poorly-serviced communities with special health needs? If so, our Doctor of Medicine degree program has special appeal for you.

  At the School of Medicine, we are committed to providing an education that not only teaches the science and craft of medicine, but also develops passionate and devoted medical practitioners. It is for this reason that our entry requirements are based on so much more than your test scores, with traits such as passion, motivation and purpose highly regarded.

  The first two years of your degree are underpinned by Problem Based Learning (PBL) and include the study of basic clinical sciences, population and preventive health, bioethics, therapeutics and more.

  Your third and fourth years are clinically based and present the opportunity to explore the different disciplines of medicine such as paediatrics and surgery. You are required to complete eight to nine week discipline-based rotations in a clinical setting, and further develop your research skills with a translational research project based in the health sector. There are rural/remote training opportunities and for some students, placement with the Rural Clinical School in third-year.

  Medicine Information Session

• Program summary

  Year One

  • Foundations of a Medical Vocation

  Year Two

  • Foundations of Clinical Practice

  Year Three

  • Clinical Apprenticeships/ Clinical Apprenticeships in a Rural Setting
  • Systematic Research Inquiry

  Year Four

  • Preparing for Internship

  More information about the courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

  Full details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements.

• Real-world experience

  As with all our degrees, the Doctor of Medicine places a strong emphasis on practical training and experiential learning. Throughout the four years of your study you will undertake clinical placements in a variety of settings including aged care facilities, public and private hospitals and general practice.

  Your third and fourth years are clinically based and present the opportunity to explore the different disciplines of medicine such as paediatrics and surgery. You will be required to complete eight to nine week discipline-based rotations in a clinical setting, and further develop your research skills with a translational research project based in the hospital sector. There are rural/remote training opportunities and for some students placement with the Rural Clinical School in third-year.

• Entry requirements

  Admission to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program is currently only available to Australian citizens, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens.

  In 2023, 5 places are available for international students (please see the section below for entry requirements). Domestic Applicants will be selected for admission based on the following criteria:

  • Bachelor’s degree (recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework or the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition Guide) within the last 10 years, or be in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.
  • Personal qualities and motivation to study Medicine at Notre Dame assessed in the Notre Dame portfolio.
  • Unweighted GAMSAT average score of 52 or greater and a minimum score of 50 in each section
  • Overall Grade Point Average of 5.2 or higher
  • The School of Medicine uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format and as was the case in 2020 and 2021, these interviews will be conducted online due to potential issues arising from the Covid pandemic. For the online version of the MMI, you will be asked five separate interview questions. The interview will be recorded with the use of an online interviewing software tool, Modern Hire.

  Applicants must also complete and submit a GEMSAS Online Application, which includes the Notre Dame Portfolio. Please refer to the Portfolio Template and Portfolio Guide for further information on completing the Notre Dame Portfolio.

  As a guide, students commencing the Doctor of Medicine at Notre Dame Fremantle in 2022 have an average GPA of 6.53 and an average GAMSAT score of 64.5.

  Please see the 2023 GEMSAS Admissions Guide for further details on admission requirements for the Doctor of Medicine.

• Entry requirements for international applicants

  In 2023, 5 places are available for international students at the Fremantle Campus (please see section below for entry requirements). International Applicants will be selected for admission based on the following criteria:

  • A Bachelor’s degree that has been recognised as equivalent to an Australian Bachelor’s degree, AQF Level 7 and which has been taught and assessed in English within the last 10 years, or to be in the final year of an eligible Bachelor’s degree.
  • An overall weighted Grade Point Average of 5.2 or higher on a 7 point scale, calculated from the applicant’s most recent three years of undergraduate study.
  • Unweighted GAMSAT Score of at least 50 (in all sections and overall) or overall MCAT score of at least 500.

  The School of Medicine uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, these interviews will be conducted online. For the online version of the MMI, you will be asked five separate interview questions. The interview will be recorded with the use of an online interviewing software tool,  Modern Hire.

  How to apply

  International applicants for the Doctor of Medicine are required to submit the following*:

  • Completed international application form
  • Certified copies of academic transcripts
  • Certified proof of English language proficiency
  • Certified copies of GAMSAT or MCAT results
  • Additional documents as outlined in the international application form

  *International applicants should apply directly to the University, not through GEMSAS

  Applications must be submitted online at www.notredame.edu.au/forms/apply

  Contact us

  To find out more, visit www.notredame.edu.au or contact the International Office on international@nd.edu.au or +61 8 9433 0531

• Pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders students are able to apply for entry into medicine at Notre Dame, Fremantle via:

  • The Standard Entry Pathway:
    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can apply for entry to medicine via the GEMSAS process as detailed above.
    
    OR
  • The Aboriginal Entry Pathway:
    The SoMF provides an alternative entry pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Interested students will need to complete the Application For Entry Into Medicine at  The University Of Notre Dame Australia (for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People) application form.

  Complete the Application for Entry into Medicine and send to fremantle.medicine@nd.edu.au.

  This form needs to be submitted along with evidence of prior educational achievements such as their undergraduate degree or academic transcript.

  Prospective students will be interviewed by members of the Aboriginal Health Team as a part of the application and entry process.

  Entry Criteria:
  Based on the submitted application, prior academic achievement and outcome of a structured interview.

  Preparation Course:
  The Aboriginal Health Team runs a one-week intensive Premedicine preparation program in December for commencing Aboriginal students.

  For further information:
  Contact – Denise Groves

  Other Resources

  • Leaders in Indigenous Medicine Education (LIME)
  • Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA)

• Key Dates for Doctor of Medicine 2023 Entry

  Date	Entry Events
  2 May 2022	GEMSAS Applications open
  5pm (AEST) 31 May 2022	GEMSAS Applications close
  Early September	Offers of interviews made
  Late September to early October	Interviews
  Early November	Offers of places made
  23 January 2023 (TBC)	Classes commence

• Fees

  This Program has the following loan scheme(s) available for eligible students:

  HECS-HELP
  The HECS-HELP  loan scheme assists eligible students with the payment of all, or part, of their tuition fees, not including additional study costs such as accommodation or textbooks. Your HECS-HELP debt will be indexed each year in line with the Consumer Price Index.

  For further information on fee places and Government loan schemes, or for indicative fees for domestic or international students, please visit our Fees Page.

• Professional accreditation

  The Doctor of Medicine (MD) is accredited by the Australian Medical Council as meeting national standards of medical education, permitting graduates to receive provisional registration and become a junior doctor (also known as a doctor-in-training) and enter the medical workforce.

• More information

  For more information on the Doctor of Medicine, please call our Prospective Students Office on +61 8 9433 0533 or email future@nd.edu.au.