Flinders University Doctor of Medicine (MD) Overview

The Flinders Medical School was the first in Australia to develop a four year Doctor of Medicine as an alternative to traditional 5-6 year courses for school leavers. This was an opportunity to rethink curriculum design and the way in which students are selected.

The majority of medical school places in Australia are now graduate-entry and as the Australian Medical Council noted in renewing the Flinders Medical School’s accreditation recently, “the curriculum is nationally and internationally recognised and has been adopted by other schools in Australia”.

‘Tradition’ at Flinders involves building on the strengths of our widely-adopted curriculum via continued review and innovation to create or capture the best new ideas in medical education.

Why study Medicine at Flinders?

• A co-operative and collaborative learning environment with a strong emphasis on team work.
  This is underpinned by the moderate size of the School, selection of a talented, motivated student group with varied prior experience, learning in small groups and a supportive Faculty.
• A strong focus on developing hands-on clinical skills.
  From the outset, students build clinical skills with clinical tutors, using the resources of the clinical skills and simulation laboratories and through patient contact.
• Integration of clinical medicine with a strong underpinning of the relevant biomedical science.
  This is facilitated by the team-based format of first and second years but also the physical co-location of science and research laboratories and the clinical activities of Flinders Medical Centre.
• Options for gaining clinical experience in varied settings, including hands-on involvement in patient care.
  Students in third and fourth year can select from a large range of clinical experiences – from traditional rotations in big city hospitals; single rotations or year-long involvement in health care delivery in outer urban, rural or remote communities; to electives almost anywhere in the world.

Course Structure

For Years 1 and 2, all Flinders University Doctor of Medicine (MD) students are based at the Flinders University campus in Adelaide or in the Northern Territory. The clinical rotations of Years 3 and 4 of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) may be undertaken at various locations primarily in South Australia or the Northern Territory.

Learning outcomes

In line with the Australian Medical Council’s organisation of the Graduate Outcome Statements into four domains, graduates of this course should be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes.

Domain 1: Science and Scholarship: the Flinders University medical graduate as a scientist and a scholar

1. Is a discerning user and producer of medical and health related research who can:

• Acquire, consolidate and integrate a defined body of evidence-based knowledge from established biological, clinical, epidemiological, social, and behavioural sciences.
• Undertake, assess, critically appraise, interpret, and apply evidence from medical research and the supporting sciences.
• Formulate relevant research questions, select applicable study designs and undertake research to contribute to enhanced medical practice and health care provision.

Domain 2: Clinical practice: the Flinders University medical graduate as a practitioner

2. Can apply core and integrated medical and scientific knowledge to individual patients in clinical practice and to populations and health systems to make judgments and provide optimal, ethical, and patient-centred medical and health care.

3. Can use preventative and therapeutic interventions effectively, legally and ethically to diagnose and ensure quality care and patient safety.

4. Can communicate effectively and culturally appropriately in diverse and inter-professional healthcare teams to illicit information needed to support accurate problem formulation and optimal health care provision to diverse populations.

Domain 3: Health and society: the medical graduate as a health advocate

5. Understands the Australian health care systems, the social determinants of health as well as the variance of health and illness models across diverse cultures, in particular the health of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, and appreciates the need for social justice and advocacy in the delivery of health care.

Domain 4: Professionalism and leadership: the medical graduate as a professional and leader

6. Is an independent, collaborative, self-regulating learner who is aware of the limitations of their own knowledge and capabilities and has a commitment to address these in ongoing professional learning.

7. Can exercise leadership in wider roles of health advocacy, teaching, assessing, and appraising.

8. Knows and demonstrates a commitment to high standards of personal and professional behaviour with patients and their families, colleagues and inter-professional teams.

Entry requirements

2024 entry requirements.  Contact KOM to apply to Flinders Medicine

• Completed bachelor in any discipline degree (no specific GPA required however recommended minimum to be competitive is 5.5/7.0 approx 3.1/4.0 (calculated on past three full time equivalent years of most recent bachelor degree – final year x3, second year x2, first year x1). If in final year of study, satisfactory completion of undergrad degree will be condition of entry
• Other qualifications ( Masters or Research higher degrees) not included in GPA calculation however could be valuable in the interview
• Flinders does not have a 10 year rule – applicants who completed a bachelor degree more than 10 years ago are eligible to apply.
  No prerequisite topics or subjects, bachelor degree can be from any background
• MCAT results – minimum 123 in each section (492 total).  Must be from current or preceding 2 years.  GAMSAT also accepted – minimum 50 in each section)
• Interview selection based MCAT or GAMSAT.  Interview is semi-structured using common set of scenarios and questions to assess qualities considered important (qualities include: Quality of motivation/Learning style and team skills/Communication skills/Pro-social attitude/Personal management & self evaluation skills/Approach to decision making)
• Interviews will be done in person or via Skype.  Interviews held in Toronto and Vancouver and run from March to December
• Applications are assessed on rolling basis if all documents/backup is submitted (incomplete applications will not be considered)

Professional Recognition in Canada

All medical students are registered with the Medical Board of Australia, which has responsibility for ensuring that all persons permitted to practise medicine in Australia should be fit and proper persons to maintain professional standards.

In Canada, provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities have the responsibility to confer licences to physicians. The Medical Council of Canada plays an important role in the assessment of potential physicians in Canada. This assessment includes national qualifying examinations and satisfactory completion of acceptable postgraduate training. It is the responsibility of the medical school graduate to contact the provincial body for regulations and requirements.

What Attracts Canadians to Flinders University in Australia

• Ranked in the Top 400 universities globally
• Ranked #71 of the top 100 universities under 50 years of age
• #9 in Lonely Planet’s Top 10 cities in the World to visit
• #5 Best student city in the world (Global Liveability Survey 2013)
• More affordable than most Australian cities
• 91% student satisfaction with level of support

2016 IBS results:

• #1 in Australia for student support
• World’s #1 for access to accommodation
• Top 5 in Australia for multicultural environment
• Rated #2 in Australia for work experience
• #3 in the World welcoming international students on arrival