Graduate Entry Medicine
Complete any bachelor degree, sit the GAMSAT, and apply for a four-year Doctor of Medicine through the centralised GEMSAS system.
What Is Graduate Entry Medicine?
Graduate entry medicine is a four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) program open to applicants who have already completed (or are completing) an undergraduate bachelor degree in any discipline. It is the most common pathway into medicine in Australia, with the majority of medical school places nationally allocated through graduate entry.
Unlike direct entry programs that recruit school leavers, graduate entry attracts applicants from diverse academic backgrounds. Students who studied arts, engineering, law, science, commerce, and many other fields have all successfully entered medicine through this route. What matters is your GPA, your GAMSAT score, and your interview performance.
GEMSAS: The Centralised Application System
The Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions System (GEMSAS) is the centralised application platform used by most graduate entry medical schools in Australia. Rather than applying to each university separately, you submit a single GEMSAS application and rank up to six medical schools in order of preference.
GEMSAS collects your academic transcripts, GAMSAT results, and any supplementary information required by individual universities. Each medical school then assesses your application according to its own selection criteria and weighting formula.
After interviews are conducted, GEMSAS coordinates the offer process. You can only receive one offer through GEMSAS, which will be for the highest-ranked university on your preference list that is willing to make you an offer. This means your preference order genuinely matters: always list your most-preferred university first.
Key GEMSAS Dates
- May: Applications open
- June: Applications close (check the exact date each year)
- August - November: Interview period (varies by university)
- November - December: Offers released
Entry Requirements
GPA
Your undergraduate Grade Point Average is a critical component. Universities calculate GPA differently: some use an unweighted average across all years, while others apply a weighted formula that emphasises later years of study. A GPA of 6.5 or above (on a 7-point scale) is generally considered competitive, though this varies by institution and year.
GAMSAT
The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test assesses reasoning and critical thinking across three sections: humanities and social sciences, written communication, and biological and physical sciences. Most competitive applicants achieve an overall score in the mid-60s or above, though minimum cut-offs vary by university.
Interview
Shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview, which may be in MMI (Multiple Mini-Interview) or traditional panel format depending on the university. The interview assesses communication, ethical reasoning, empathy, problem-solving, and motivation for a career in medicine.
How Weighting Works
Each medical school assigns different weights to GPA, GAMSAT, and interview performance when calculating your overall ranking. This weighting can significantly affect your competitiveness at different universities.
For example, one university might weight GPA and GAMSAT equally to create an interview shortlist, then combine all three components with equal weighting for the final ranking. Another might place greater emphasis on the GAMSAT for shortlisting but give the interview the largest share of the final score.
This means two applicants with identical scores can have very different outcomes depending on where they apply. If your GPA is strong but your GAMSAT is average, you may be more competitive at GPA-heavy universities. Conversely, a high GAMSAT score can compensate for a lower GPA at institutions that weight the test more heavily.
Universities occasionally adjust their weighting formulas, so always check the most current information on each medical school's admissions page before finalising your GEMSAS preferences.
Universities Offering Graduate Entry Medicine
The following Australian universities offer four-year graduate entry MD programs. Most participate in the GEMSAS application system.
| University | Location | Tests | Interview | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Queensland | St Lucia, QLD | GAMSAT | MMI | Large cohort, strong clinical training network |
| Australian National University | Canberra, ACT | GAMSAT | Panel | Smaller cohort, personalised teaching |
| Deakin University | Geelong, VIC | GAMSAT | MMI | Rural and regional health focus |
| Flinders University | Adelaide, SA | GAMSAT | MMI | Northern Territory Clinical School option |
| University of Melbourne | Parkville, VIC | GAMSAT | MMI | Australia's highest-ranked medical school |
| University of Sydney | Camperdown, NSW | GAMSAT | Panel | Extensive clinical placement network |
| UNSW Sydney | Kensington, NSW | GAMSAT | MMI | Also offers direct entry stream |
| University of Western Australia | Crawley, WA | GAMSAT | MMI | Graduate and direct entry streams |
| Monash University | Clayton, VIC | GAMSAT | MMI | Large medical faculty, international reputation |
| Notre Dame (Sydney & Fremantle) | Sydney / Fremantle | GAMSAT | Panel | Smaller class sizes, values-based selection |
| University of Wollongong | Wollongong, NSW | GAMSAT | MMI | Community-focused, strong rural links |
| Bond University | Gold Coast, QLD | GAMSAT | MMI | Full-fee place only, accelerated program |
GAMSAT Guide
Our dedicated GAMSAT guide covers the three sections, scoring, preparation strategies, and how to use your results to choose the right medical schools.
Best Undergraduate Degrees for Medicine
One of the strengths of graduate entry medicine is that you can apply from any bachelor degree. Medical schools do not require a science or health-related undergraduate degree, and students from arts, law, engineering, and commerce backgrounds are admitted every year.
That said, a degree in biomedical science, health science, or a related field can provide a tangible advantage when it comes to GAMSAT Section III (Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences). Students with a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry often find this section more approachable, though many non-science students achieve excellent Section III scores through dedicated self-study.
The most important factor is choosing a degree you are genuinely interested in and can achieve a high GPA in. A distinction average in a subject you enjoy will serve you far better than a credit average in a degree you chose purely for its perceived medical relevance.