Studying Medicine at UNSW Sydney and Western Sydney University

Are you interested in a career in medicine? Start your medical career at one of the top 50 medical schools in the world. The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Medical School is a leading medical institution in Australia and ranked in the Top 50 worldwide. Studying the Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine at UNSW will provide you with the theoretical understanding and practical experiences you need to launch your career as a medical professional.

The Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine at UNSW

A Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine at UNSW is a six-year full-time degree that will give students the opportunity to learn in hospitals and within UNSW’s Clinical Skills Centre. This double-degree course combines both an undergraduate Bachelor of Medical Studies (BMed) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD). Throughout your medical studies, you’ll learn the basic medical sciences in relation to the human life cycle, experience clinical or other health-related environments through clinical transition courses, and understand the social, ethical and legal issues within healthcare.

UNSW Degree Structure

The Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine is an integrated degree that is divided into two parts: BMed and MD. Students who are accepted into the program will complete the first two years of the degree in a preclinical setting, one year in research before moving on to clinical training in the final three years.

• Phase 1: Begins with a compulsory Foundations course, followed by 7 x 8-week courses focusing on the human life cycle, issues related to healthcare and clinical experience.
• Phase 2: Consists of 2 x 16-week courses. This phase emphasises the correlation between prior and current learning and has an increased amount of clinical content.
• Fourth Year: Students will need to complete either an Independent Learning Project (ILP) followed by a clinical transition course OR an Honours program, if eligible.
• Phase 3 (MD): The MD includes Phase 3, which consists of 10 x 8-week courses that focus on clinical work whilst incorporating relevant content from the basic medical sciences.

Medicine at Western Sydney University (WSU)

What is a Doctor of Medicine at Western Sydney University? This degree is the result of Charles Sturt University and Western Sydney University coming together to create a jam-packed, five-year program that will set you up for a career as a life-saving doctor. What makes Western Sydney University Medicine different is that it’s location-focused, specializing in providing students with practical experience established in clinical hubs in the Western Sydney and central NSW region.

WSU Program Structure

This program is fully regimented with a designated path of study that all students must take. Instead of choosing courses, you will be given a course for each year:

• First Year - Clinical Sciences 1: The first year is the foundation year. The idea is to introduce the biomedical sciences through practical clinical scenarios.
• Second Year - Clinical Sciences 2: The second year builds upon the foundations established in the first year. There is a heavy focus on the clinical skills again, and the students’ professional portfolios.

Admissions and Career Paths

To apply for UNSW Med Direct Entry, you will need to follow these steps: Meet the entry requirements and achieve a minimum ATAR of 96.00 or equivalent. As part of your application, you will need to sit the ISAT (International Student Admission Test). The ISAT assesses your cognitive abilities, attitudes, and critical reasoning capabilities that are important for success in a medical career. If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to attend an interview with the UNSW Medicine Admissions Committee to assess your personal qualities, interpersonal skills, and motivation to study medicine.

Graduates of these degrees are able to embark on a wide range of rewarding career paths. Some exciting roles in the medical industry that the degree can prepare you for include:

• General practice
• Specialty practice
• Paediatrics
• General surgery
• Pathology
• Radiology
• Psychiatry
• Obstetrics and gynaecology
• Infectious diseases
• Medical research
• Health policy

Note: 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Below is a summary of the key differences between the medical programs described:

• UNSW Sydney: 6-year program, Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine, focuses on integrated research and clinical phases.
• Western Sydney University: 5-year program, Doctor of Medicine, focuses on practical experience in clinical hubs.