University of Sydney’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) Overview

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a four year professional postgraduate medical degree offering you clinical experience at leading hospitals, research opportunities at world-leading institutes, and established elective placements throughout Europe, Africa, North America and Asia. Our course will provide you with current best practice in medical education, high teacher-student ratios and extensive scholarship support. You will graduate as a medical practitioner who is responsive to the health needs of individuals, families and communities and committed to improving the health care system at all levels. Our students come from a range of backgrounds and academic disciplines.

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program is designed for students already holding an initial undergraduate degree. Sydney Medical School has been training practitioners for almost 160 years and is highly ranked both within Australia and internationally. With an extensive and closely linked network of research institutes and major hospitals, Sydney’s teachers, clinicians and researchers are directly involved at every level in improving health care for our their communities and overseas.

Features of the award Doctor of Medicine MD program include:

• Innovative curriculum: our course focuses on small group, problem-based learning and integrating theory with practice.
• Early patient care: you will gain hands-on experience in a structured, supervised program throughout years 1 and 2, and will be well prepared when you transfer to your clinical schools in stage 3 (years 3 and 4).
• Teaching hospitals: Sydney Medical School has clinical schools and provides clinical training in an extensive network of top-tier hospitals in New South Wales.
• Research excellence: you will have access to world-leading researchers, and research institutes and networks.
• Research training: you will undertake a substantial research project as part of the course, providing experience in project organisation and management, literature searching and reference management, data analysis, oral presentation skills and scientific writing.
• Rural experience: our School of Rural Health provides clinical placements throughout central, northern and western NSW.
• Overseas opportunities: Sydney Medical School has extensive international connections. You can undertake a four to eight week clinical or research placement during your elective term.
• International students: If you are an international student, there are a number of opportunities for you to undertake rotations in your home country, with the aim of allowing you to more easily return home after studies in Sydney.

The Doctor of Medicine MD at University of Sydney is organized into four main curriculum themes, which run throughout the program and describe the important professional characteristics students will acquire by the completion of the program.

• Basic and Clinical Sciences
  • Ensures that you have the science knowledge appropriate for the MD.
  • Practical sessions typically include laboratory work where you gain hands-on practical experience.
• Patient and Doctor
  • You will be taught clinical skills, diagnostic methods, ‘bedside manner’ and informed about patient safety.
  • This theme is taught in the clinical schools.
• Population Medicine
  • Introduces students to subjects such as public health, evidence-based medicine, statistics, and health economics.
  • It is taught in interactive tutorial sessions.
• Personal and Professional Development
  • In your professional development sessions you will become familiar with topics such as medical ethics, medico-legal issues and doctors’ health. These sessions are taught in an interactive tutorial environment.

Students are required to demonstrate satisfactory performance in all four themes in order to progress.

Doctor of Medicine MD Course Structure

The University of Sydney Doctor of Medicine MD Year by Yea

The Medical Program is divided into three stages. The focus of each year will change and develop your understanding as you are introduced to each new field of medicine. The Medical Program is organised into ‘blocks’ of study as follows.

Stage One (Year 1)
Block 1: Orientation and Foundations
Block 2: Musculoskeletal Sciences
Block 3: Respiratory Sciences
Block 4: Haematology
Block 5: Cardiovascular Sciences

In Year 1 you will spend one day per week based at your Hospital Clinical School. Once you are enrolled you will be provided with a detailed timetable.

Stage Two (Year 2)
Block 6: Neurosciences/Vison/Behaviour
Block 7: Endocrine/Nutrition/Sexual Health/HIV
Block 8: Renal/Urology
Block 9: Gastroenterology/Nutrition/Drug and Alcohol
Block 10: Oncology and Palliative care

In Year 2 you will spend 1 day per week based at your Hospital Clinical School.

Stage Three (Years 3 and 4)
A series of eight-week terms through both years, organised into four streams of students, completing the following blocks:

• Medicine (once in Year 3 and once in Year 4)
  Surgery
  Community
  Critical Care
  Perinatal & Women’s Health
  Psychological and Addiction Medicine
  Child and Adolescent Health

Year 4 will commence with an Elective term project and finish with the Pre-Intern term. We encourage you to spend your elective term overseas or at another location in Australia.
In Years 3 and 4 you will spend the majority of your time at your clinical school.

In addition, during the 4-year course you will undertake an approved, supervised research or capstone project culminating in a 2,500 word report in the form of an article suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Entry Requirements

Applications for 2024 intake are open.  Please contact KOM for to apply to GE Medicine at Sydney 

• Completed Bachelor degree with minimum gpa of 5/7 (approx 2.7/4  or 70% Canada) calculated over the entire duration of the Bachelor degree.  GPA is calculated by U of Sydney
• Assumed knowledge:  Anatomy, Physiology & Molecular/Cellular Biology.  Students will have access to an online Foundation Knowledge Course covering these areas.  Sydney accepts applications from a wide variety of undergrad degrees – all medicine students are required to complete the Foundation Knowledge Course regardless of prior degree
• MCAT minimum score overall 500 valid up to 2 years prior to intended start date.  GAMSAT minimum score of 50 in each section (taken from one or more of the following test dates – Sept 2021/March 2022/Sept 2022/March 2023)
• **last day to sit MCAT June 24 2023
• No interviews for 2024 intake
• Applications will be assessed by applicants final ranking.  Ranking will be based on admission test results (MCAT or GAMSAT).  Should there be equally ranked students, Sydney may use an additional selection tool such as interview or Situational Judgement Test (SJT).  Notice will be given for any additional requirements.  GPA may be used if required
• Meeting minimum requirements (ie: minimum MCAT or GAMSAT scores) does not guarantee entry as these scores are the main element for assessment

Professional Recognition

University of Sydney’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) is recognized by the Australian Medical Council and the Medical Board of Australia.

Registering to practice in countries other than Australia
Graduates intending to practise medicine in a country other than Australia must satisfy the particular requirements of that country.

These requirements are different in each country and students must contact the relevant professional medical association of their intended country of practice. Sydney Medical School (University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine and Health) is listed on the World Health Organisation directory of international medical schools and the Faimer International Medical Education Directory, and Sydney Medical Program is a well-regarded degree.

In addition to your degree, some countries will have other requirements, such as registration exams.

In Canada, provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities have the responsibility to confer licenses 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.

KOM Consultants understand the process and requirements needed to enter the medical profession in Canada. Contact KOM Consultants for more information

All students applying directly through KOM Consultants will be supported with the latest information on the accreditation process.