Doctor of Medicine (WA)

School of Medicine

Are you curious about medical research or clinical practice? The Doctor of Medicine of The University of Notre Dame Australia is a four-year postgraduate degree accredited by the Medical Board of Australia on the recommendation of the Australian Medical Council. You will undertake clinical placements in the third and fourth year in various settings, including aged care facilities, public and private hospitals, general practice, and community-based services in urban and rural areas across Australia. Extend your medical career today.

Program information for 2024:

Domestic International
  • 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.

    Essential elements of our Medical postgraduate degree include:

    • Access to innovative clinical skills training
    • Learning from clinical academics who are experts in their fields
    • Aboriginal health, rural and remote placements
    • A problem-based learning curriculum delivered in small groups in years one and two
    • Clinical placements in both the public and private sector hospitals in years three and four
    • A liberal arts education in bioethics
    • Applied research project in an area of interest to you

    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 regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

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

  • 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.
    • 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
    • Casper score from the online Situational Judgement Test (no minimum) (see key dates). For more information on Casper and how to register for the tests, refer directly to https://acuityinsights.app/
    • The School of Medicine uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format: Since 2020 this has been delivered via a recorded online platform and an online platform delivery is continuing in 2023. There will be at least seven stations with a single interviewer/assessor per station. 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.

    As a guide, students commencing the Doctor of Medicine at Notre Dame Fremantle in 2023 have an average GPA of 6.64 and an average GAMSAT score of 66.

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

  • Learning outcomes

    Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Medicine, graduates will be able to:

    1. Provide quality patient-centred care through the application of safe clinical skills and judgment in the context of evidence-based practice
    2. Apply integrated medical and scientific knowledge to individual patients, populations, and health systems
    3. Communicate with patients, their families, and their advocates with compassion, respect, and empathy
    4. Advocate for the health of Aboriginal Peoples* and exercise leadership to reduce inequalities and disparities in health and healthcare delivery in rural, remote, and other under-served populations
    5. Consider, apply, and evaluate strategies which address and reduce the impact of global health issues on the Australian population
    6. Work professionally and collaboratively as a member of an interprofessional healthcare team
    7. Use initiative and self-regulation strategies to address knowledge and skill limitations and commit to lifelong learning, reflective practice and the management of personal health and wellbeing
    8. Systematically retrieve, critically appraise, evaluate, and synthesise information in health related literature and clinical systems to inform practice
    9. Engage in research and scholarly inquiry to advance health, health care and health systems
    10. Appreciate the intrinsic dignity of each human, and exhibit ethical, legal, and professional behaviour in all their actions
    11. Evaluate the Australian healthcare system in the broader context of governance, and local, national, and international societal values
    12. Demonstrate leadership in accepting responsibility for health promotion and education of health professionals and the community
    13. Integrate prevention, early detection, health maintenance and chronic disease management principles into clinical practice
    14. Apply a high-level knowledge of therapeutic interventions and treatments to ensure safe and quality patient care; and
    15. Communicate effectively with their profession, their peers, and the wider community.
  • Entry pathways

    Biomedicine Priority Pathway* available from 2024 for school leavers and Notre Dame Biomedicine graduates. Details are under finalisation and will be available in due course.

    *Subject to approval.

  • 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

  • Key dates for Doctor of Medicine 2024 entry

    Date Entry Events
    1 May 2023 GEMSAS Applications open
    5pm AEST/3pm AWST 31 May 2023 GEMSAS Applications close
    Early September Offers of interviews made
    Late September to early October          Interviews
    Early November Offers of places made
    22 January 2024 (TBC) Classes commence

    Casper Testing Dates 
    UNDA MD domestic applicants for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle:

    • Wednesday, 3 May 2023 - 10am AEST
    • Sunday 28 May 2023 - 10am AEST
    • Thursday 8 June 2023 - 10am AEST or 7pm AEST
  • Practical component

    Clinical Placements and rural work experiences are included in this program.

    Students are required to complete:

    • MEDI6100 Foundations of a Medical Vocation
    • MEDI6200 Foundations of a Clinical Practice
    • MEDI6300 Clinical Apprenticeships
    • MEDI6400 Preparing for Internship
  • Career opportunities

    A Doctor of Medicine degree can lead to many career opportunities depending on your area of specialisation or interest. Careers include Medical practitioners, cardiologists, physiologists, obstetricians, gastroenterologists, neurologists, and oncologists.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Fees and costs

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

    CSP
    A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a place at university where the government pays part of your fees. This part is a subsidy, not a loan, and you don’t have to pay it back. However, this subsidy does not cover the entire cost of your study. Students must pay the rest, called the ‘student contribution amount’.

    In a Commonwealth Supported Place, your fees are subsidised by the Australian Government. Your fees will be split into two portions:

    • The Commonwealth contribution, which is the portion paid by the Australian Government.
    • The student contribution, which is the portion you pay. You may choose to pay upfront or defer your student contribution with a HECS-HELP Loan.

    Eligible students will be offered a CSP – you do not need to apply.


    For indicative fees and information on how to pay, including Government loan schemes and our online calculator, visit our Fees Page.

  • More information

    Considering your uni options?

    Talk to one of our career advisors for a personalised advice session. Our advisors provide support while choosing a program of study and completing our application process. Book my session.


    For more information, please call our Prospective Students Office on +61 8 9433 0533 for the Fremantle campus, +61 2 8204 4404 for the Sydney campus, or email medicine.admissions@nd.edu.au.

  • 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.

    Essential elements of our Medical postgraduate degree include:

    • Access to innovative clinical skills training
    • Learning from clinical academics who are experts in their fields
    • Aboriginal health, rural and remote placements
    • A problem-based learning curriculum delivered in small groups in years one and two
    • Clinical placements in both the public and private sector hospitals in years three and four
    • A liberal arts education in bioethics
    • Applied research project in an area of interest to you

    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 regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

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

  • Entry requirements

    In 2024, 10 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

  • Learning outcomes

    Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Medicine, graduates will be able to:

    1. Provide quality patient-centred care through the application of safe clinical skills and judgment in the context of evidence-based practice
    2. Apply integrated medical and scientific knowledge to individual patients, populations, and health systems
    3. Communicate with patients, their families, and their advocates with compassion, respect, and empathy
    4. Advocate for the health of Aboriginal Peoples* and exercise leadership to reduce inequalities and disparities in health and healthcare delivery in rural, remote, and other under-served populations
    5. Consider, apply, and evaluate strategies which address and reduce the impact of global health issues on the Australian population
    6. Work professionally and collaboratively as a member of an interprofessional healthcare team
    7. Use initiative and self-regulation strategies to address knowledge and skill limitations and commit to lifelong learning, reflective practice and the management of personal health and wellbeing
    8. Systematically retrieve, critically appraise, evaluate, and synthesise information in health related literature and clinical systems to inform practice
    9. Engage in research and scholarly inquiry to advance health, health care and health systems
    10. Appreciate the intrinsic dignity of each human, and exhibit ethical, legal, and professional behaviour in all their actions
    11. Evaluate the Australian healthcare system in the broader context of governance, and local, national, and international societal values
    12. Demonstrate leadership in accepting responsibility for health promotion and education of health professionals and the community
    13. Integrate prevention, early detection, health maintenance and chronic disease management principles into clinical practice
    14. Apply a high-level knowledge of therapeutic interventions and treatments to ensure safe and quality patient care; and
    15. Communicate effectively with their profession, their peers, and the wider community.
  • Key dates for Doctor of Medicine 2024 entry

     Start DateEnd Date
    Application Period 07/03/23 30/11/23
    International Student Interview Ranking 15/06/23 30/11/23
    International Medicine Panel Interviews 22/06/23 30/11/23
    Mini Multi Interviews (MMI) 19/06/23 30/11/23
    Rolling Offers and Interviews 24/07/23 30/11/23
  • Practical component

    Clinical Placements and rural work experiences are included in this program.

    Students are required to complete:

    • MEDI6100 Foundations of a Medical Vocation
    • MEDI6200 Foundations of a Clinical Practice
    • MEDI6300 Clinical Apprenticeships
    • MEDI6400 Preparing for Internship
  • Career opportunities

    A Doctor of Medicine degree can lead to many career opportunities depending on your area of specialisation or interest. Careers include General practice, Surgery, Physician, Public health, Medical Education, Medical research, Government departments, Not-for-profit organisations.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Fees and costs

    Indicative Fee: $77,625
    For indicative fees and information on how to pay, including Government loan schemes and our online calculator, visit our Fees Page.

    The figure quoted is the indicative annual fee for 2024 for international students. The exact fee for an individual student will depend on the mix of courses studied. All costs and fees are provided in Australian Dollars (AUD$).

  • More information

    Considering your uni options?

    Talk to one of our career advisors for a personalised advice session. Our advisors provide support while choosing a program of study and completing our application process. Book my session.


    All international enquiries should contact the International Students Office on international@nd.edu.au.



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