Doctor of Medicine (WA)

Doctorate (PhD)

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.

Key details

Degree Type

Doctorate (PhD)

Duration

4 years full-time

Study Mode

In person

About this course

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.

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.

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

Study locations

Fremantle

What you will learn

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

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

Career pathways

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.

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.

Course structure

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.
2024 Program Requirements (requirements suspended from 31 December 2024)
2025 Program Requirements (requirements effective 1 January 2025)