Australian Medical Programs

[IveGotQuestions]

Hey everyone,
I have a couple of questions related to Australian Medical Programs. I'm actually really interested in applying to an Australian University and am currently a Canadian High School Student and an IB Diploma Candidate.
So, I was wondering if you could tell me about the available options in order to obtain a degree. What types of programs are there and how long are they? I hope to practice medicine in Canada, so how would I go about doing that with an Australian degree? Also, how hard is it to get into programs in Australia if you're a Canadian student and is there an option to go straight into medicine from high school? What are the advantages of an Australian degree over one from another country?
Please let me, thanks!

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[IveGotQuestions]

Can anyone help me out please????

 

[madu187]

well, im in Canberra (Capital) and will be attending Uni starting next year, I will be doing a degree in medical Science which is 3 years then into Medicine, basicly (as far as i know) you requeire a degree in any field to apply for med school, i chose medical science as alot of it will be relevant to what i want to do.
The major Uni's here in Canberra are the Australian National University and the University of canberra, although the second doesnt offer medicine, only medical science and nursing.

 

[willcandude]

Hey everyone,
I have a couple of questions related to Australian Medical Programs. I'm actually really interested in applying to an Australian University and am currently a Canadian High School Student and an IB Diploma Candidate.
So, I was wondering if you could tell me about the available options in order to obtain a degree. What types of programs are there and how long are they? I hope to practice medicine in Canada, so how would I go about doing that with an Australian degree? Also, how hard is it to get into programs in Australia if you're a Canadian student and is there an option to go straight into medicine from high school? What are the advantages of an Australian degree over one from another country?
Please let me, thanks!

1. do a 6 year Medicine program as a high-school leaver, or a 4-year program if you have a bachelor
2. after finishing aussie med degree, u take the canadian licensing exam and go through residency in canada
3. some schools easier than others
4. in terms of going back to canada to practice, getting a us degree will be the best

p.s. the answers to many of ur questions - especially regarding types of medicine programs in australia, can be easily and readily found by doing some research on australian schools.

 

[BoyInTheBubble]

Can anyone help me out please????

If you want to be a doctor, you should probably work on your patience.....you are at a minimum six years away.

 

[IveGotQuestions]

Haha, nice one.

But thanks to everyone else for helping me out!!

 

[driedcaribou]

Haha, nice one.

But thanks to everyone else for helping me out!!

I noticed you posted a similar question in the Canadian forum.

It's good to think ahead and explore your career options but I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself with the career planning.

A lot changes in 5 years - yourself and the medical system.

No one can tell you what you 'should' or 'shouldn't' do to get into medicine. There are so many different pathways and not to sound condescending but you're still really young. It's hard to decide where you want to live at this point of your life, and who knows, maybe you won't even like medicine.

You can find the information you need on these forums but you can't rely on it in 5 years.

Just pick what will work best for your life and enjoy yourself!

 

[IveGotQuestions]

Yea, I'm pretty sure Med School will change in 5 years, but I HAVE to start thinking about my options now, if I'm applying in September, as I've also mentioned on the Canadian board. There are programs straight out of high school and ones after undergrad, if I don't start checking out the programs now and decide to choose one path, then maybe I'll find out later that there was a better way to do things. I wouldn't want to regret my decision based on my ignorance of what's available. Now that wouldn't be too smart, would it?
As for not liking medicine, I'm pretty sure that won't happen to me.

 

[driedcaribou]

if I don't start checking out the programs now and decide to choose one path, then maybe I'll find out later that there was a better way to do things. I wouldn't want to regret my decision based on my ignorance of what's available. Now that wouldn't be too smart, would it?

'better' is all about context and hindsight is 20/20.

All I can tell you is that an Australian degree is respected in Canada and that the medical training here when you are specialized is excellent when it is compared to other systems in the world.

If you want an early guarantee to get into medicine, then go ahead and apply to a high school entry program in Australia. The criteria are less stringent. They do not look at volunteer experience, work experience, travel experience, several reference letters, etc.

But do not be so hasty to think that 4 years in another degree is a 'waste of time' (Australian undergrad degrees are 3 years unless you do an 'honours' year which consists of a year dedicated to research- unlike Canada and the US where you just add more hours to your week).

All of the information you want is on the forum and all the information you want can be found on various websites of the different Universities. Any information I could give you about the Universities would be dated.

 

[Hayden2102]

To the original poster, just to give you some extra info:

Undergraduate medical degrees:
U of New South Wales - 6 years
U of Melbourne - 6 years
Monash U - 5 years
U of Tasmania - 5 years
U of Western Sydney - 5 years
U of Western Australia - 5 years
U of Newcastle - 5 years
U of Adelaide - 5 years
Bond U - 4.5 years
James Cook U - 5 years

Graduate degrees (need any bachelor's degree):
U of Sydney
U of Melbourne's graduate program
U of Notre Dame
Australian National U
U of Wollongong
U of Queensland
Deakin U
(all four years)

Check out their respective websites. I'm pretty sure they all accept internationals. There's about 35 internationals in my class of 110 at U of Tasmania. Good luck.

 

[IveGotQuestions]

Thank you driedcaribou and Hayden2102.
Driedcaribou: I wouldn't mind going the traditional Canadian route by doing 4 or 3 years of BSc and then 4 years of Medical School if it wasn't so difficult to get into a Canadian Medical School in the first place! Last I heard, they accepted 1 out of every 100 students that applied.
Hayden2102: Thanks for the names of the universities and the years it takes. I will definitely look those universities up. (I've already started).
Thanks again!

 

[Hayden2102]

Thank you driedcaribou and Hayden2102.
Driedcaribou: I wouldn't mind going the traditional Canadian route by doing 4 or 3 years of BSc and then 4 years of Medical School if it wasn't so difficult to get into a Canadian Medical School in the first place! Last I heard, they accepted 1 out of every 100 students that applied.
Hayden2102: Thanks for the names of the universities and the years it takes. I will definitely look those universities up. (I've already started).
Thanks again!

If you're worried about the 1 in 100 chance in Canada, it's probably going to be harder than that in Australia (especially being an international student). Just so you know.

 

[Dreaming]

Thank you driedcaribou and Hayden2102.
Driedcaribou: I wouldn't mind going the traditional Canadian route by doing 4 or 3 years of BSc and then 4 years of Medical School if it wasn't so difficult to get into a Canadian Medical School in the first place! Last I heard, they accepted 1 out of every 100 students that applied.
Hayden2102: Thanks for the names of the universities and the years it takes. I will definitely look those universities up. (I've already started).
Thanks again!

Going to a foreign school and then trying to get a residency in Canada is significantly more difficult than doing an undergrad in Canada and trying to get into a Canadian med school. It's not 1 in 100; the med school acceptance rate in Ontario is about 14% (even higher if you have a competitive marks).

 

[IveGotQuestions]

Just a question, when does the first semester usually start in Australian Medical schools?

 

[Hayden2102]

Around the end of February.

 

[willcandude]

If you're worried about the 1 in 100 chance in Canada, it's probably going to be harder than that in Australia (especially being an international student). Just so you know.

hmm i don't agree. it's much much much easier to get into an australian school as an international student than a canadian school as a local.... unless you were actually talking about getting into an aussie school as a oz local, then in that case, i wouldn't know how to make a comparision

 

[goldfish]

also its worth noting that some med schools in oz are shifting away from undergrad to postgrad. melb uni is changing from offering both undergrad and postgrad to just postgrad programs

 

[IveGotQuestions]

So if I'm still going to Grade 12 next year, when do I apply to Australian universities? I know some of them start their first semester in May 2008 and I still have school. Would I have to apply after a year of finished grade 12?

 

[Dr.Millisevert]

also its worth noting that some med schools in oz are shifting away from undergrad to postgrad. melb uni is changing from offering both undergrad and postgrad to just postgrad programs

...and in 2 years they will no longer take students out of HS. It will be purely a 4-year grad-entry program. Same goes for their dental school.


Dentistry

Medicine

 

[redshifteffect]

So if I'm still going to Grade 12 next year, when do I apply to Australian universities? I know some of them start their first semester in May 2008 and I still have school. Would I have to apply after a year of finished grade 12?

I was in this position 6 years ago, and I recommend you apply while you are doing your OUAC applications (assuming you are in Ontario) which would be in November of the year before the year before you go (if you follow me). Most offers are given out by Aug/Sept. the following year, so you will likely have to take a 6 month "holiday" as I did before you leave.

As for Universities moving to the post graduate model, that may be true, but undergrad models are still highly regarded, and there are a lot of undergrad schools for you to choose from.

Best of luck!

 

[redshifteffect]

Going to a foreign school and then trying to get a residency in Canada is significantly more difficult than doing an undergrad in Canada and trying to get into a Canadian med school. It's not 1 in 100; the med school acceptance rate in Ontario is about 14% (even higher if you have a competitive marks).

I would have to agree to some of this. It is going to be difficult for you to return to Canada to get a residency with any foreign degree. This year they have a parallel stream + they have a few more positions, but that being said even the Atlantic provinces have added a return of service commitment to their programs. 1 year of training = 1 year return of service. So to be "cost effective" you will either have to plan for a job in the US or here in Australia.

Being an international student here in Oz I can assure you there are jobs available. I've gotten more offers this year, then I expected, and some were even in capital cities. That is 100% better then the rural areas you will be (lucky) to get if you return to Canada.

If you want to do something relatively easy like FM, then your best bet to return to Canada is to do it in one place (either the US or Aus) and then attempt to get a fellowship in Canada. Most provinces won't give you a hard time with this route, as I've called and it seems some may even give you exemptions on certain exams (this may change by the time you graduate though; so it is still a bit risky). However in Oz the FM program is 3 years + 1 year of internship so 4 years post grad. In the US it's 3 years. In Canada it's only 2. If you want to do anything more competitive then FM then your chances of doing a residency in Canada are very slim, so you will have to focus on Oz or the US. Traditionally the programs in Oz are longer than the US, but that's because they work less hours per week, and seem to get paid in general more during their residencies. However if you have a large loan you will probably want to become a consultant as soon as possible. There are a lot of pros and cons of everything - and this post could easily fill pages if you want to know all of that, but with a bit of research I'm sure you can fill in the blanks.

 

[Hayden2102]

hmm i don't agree. it's much much much easier to get into an australian school as an international student than a canadian school as a local.... unless you were actually talking about getting into an aussie school as a oz local, then in that case, i wouldn't know how to make a comparision

Yeah maybe you're right, I was talking about Aus kids getting into Aus schools...

 

[driedcaribou]

Last I heard, they accepted 1 out of every 100 students that applied.

That grossly simplifies the application process regardless of whether your statistics are right or wrong.

That assumes each applicant is of equal footing. Which, is certainly not the case.

I think it's a good experience to leave the country. There's almost always a way back- it's just a matter of how badly you want to get back and what you want to sacrifice.

 

[IveGotQuestions]

Thanks everyone, you're advice has really helped me figure out what I'm going to do. Thanks once again!!

 

[achara]

I did my undergrad degree in Canada, and the experience was invaluable. Starting med school straight out of highschool is a risky proposition, especially if you plan to go across the world for it. Know what you're getting yourself into! You may not be able to come back to Canada to practice medicine, you may dislike the country you go to, and you may find yourself in some serious financial debt. The best solution is to prepare yourself as a person. Get some life experience, unless you already have oodles of it. In that case, get some medical experience.

 

[Hayden2102]

I did my undergrad degree in Canada, and the experience was invaluable. Starting med school straight out of highschool is a risky proposition, especially if you plan to go across the world for it. Know what you're getting yourself into! You may not be able to come back to Canada to practice medicine, you may dislike the country you go to, and you may find yourself in some serious financial debt. The best solution is to prepare yourself as a person. Get some life experience, unless you already have oodles of it. In that case, get some medical experience.

I agree that having a degree and some life experience before studying medicine is beneficial, but what makes undergraduate entry a 'risky proposition'? Thousands and thousands of students do it around the world every year...

 

[Alphonsine]

I agree that having a degree and some life experience before studying medicine is beneficial, but what makes undergraduate entry a 'risky proposition'? Thousands and thousands of students do it around the world every year...

I love your avatar Hayden!!! I loved, loved Sailor Moon when I was young and I had a huge crush on Tuxedo Mask.

 

[Off2Oz]

Around the end of February.

Second to last week in January at UQ.