As the only medical program offered by a Catholic university in Australia, the Doctor of Medicine aims to develop and train caring and ethical doctors imbued with the values of compassion, respect, and service. All students at Notre Dame undertake a Core Curriculum component of study that involves an exploration of bioethics in the first year of the program.

The first and second years of your studies provide a solid foundation for your medical degree. You will have the opportunity to undertake problem-based learning tutorials conducted by medically-qualified tutors, clinical and communication skills sessions, workshops, clinical debriefing tutorials and site visits. In second year, you will begin to work on a research-based or professionally-focused project in one of 10 themes such as Clinical Science, Bioethics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Rural Medicine or Medical Leadership and Health Policy.

In third year, you will undertake a series of clinical placements in Sydney, Melbourne, Lithgow, Wagga Wagga or Ballarat. By actively participating in hospitals and community settings you will engage with patients, their families and the healthcare professionals caring for them. This strong focus on experiential learning is further complemented by a series of weekly 'Back-to-Base Days', in which you will return to your principal Clinical School for short case tutorials, grand rounds, journal club sessions and expert guest lectures.

Your fourth and final year will see you complete further clinical placements in the Sydney, Melbourne or Rural Clinical Schools. You will explore a range of disciplines in a range of health settings, as well as present your project for examination in the Applied Research Project course of study. Following the fourth year end-of-year examinations, you will commence a four-week elective learning period where you can extend your medical knowledge in an area of personal interest.

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

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 and enter the medical workforce.

A maximum of 10 places are available for International Students in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) on The University of Notre Dame Australia’s (Notre Dame’s) Sydney Campus. Candidates 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.
• Personal qualities and motivation to study Medicine at Notre Dame assessed in the Notre Dame portfolio.
• Unweighted average GAMSAT Score: Notre Dame will take an average of the three sections of GAMSAT and an applicant must achieve a score of at least 50 or overall MCAT score of at least 500.
• Eligible applicants will be interviewed by a panel from the School of Medicine and an International Recruitment Officer, and will be undertaken either in person (preferred) or via Skype.