Monash University Medical School

Monash's Graduate-entry Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery

University and Faculty:	Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
Program:	Graduate-entry Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
University Location:	Gippsland (Melbourne), Victoria, Australia
City Population:	3.7 million
Student Population:	54,000
Campus Location:	Gippsland, Victoria
Program Duration:	Four years
Semester Intake:	Semester 1 (Jan.) each year
Next Available Intake:	Sem. 1 (Jan.), 2013 *Applications are now closed for the 2012 intake.
Est. Annual Tuition:	$55,070 AUD (2012 fee)

The Monash University Medical School in Australia offers the Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree, which first began at the Gippsland Campus in 2008, and is a four-year graduate-entry medical course.

The medical curriculum provides an interdisciplinary program, organized to provide integration of structure and function within the biomedical sciences. It presents a continually expanding level of medical experience, starting in the first semester of the course. In the first year, the basic medical sciences are taught in the context of their relevance to patient care. Later in the course, clinical teaching builds upon and reinforces this strong scientific foundation.

An emphasis on clinical communication skills as well as early clinical contact visits to medical practices, community care facilities and hospitals is a feature of the four-year graduate-entry Monash degree. All students will spend the majority of their time in rural and regional areas in eastern Victoria as part of a health care team.

Students enrolled in the four-year Gippsland medical course also have the opportunity of electing to study for an extra year in order to obtain a Bachelor of Medical Science degree. During the 12-month period required for completion of the BMedSc, students undertake research activities supervised through a department of the faculty and complete a minor thesis. They will then graduate with both the MBBS and the BMedSc degrees after five years of study.

Unique Features of the Program

The curriculum is designed as an integrated structure incorporating four themes, within which semester-long units are taught by staff from a range of departments across the faculty in an interdisciplinary fashion.

In the first year of the course (year A), the basic medical and behavioural sciences (anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, physiology, psychology and sociology) are introduced within inter-disciplinary units. In all of these units, there will be a major focus on clinical issues through clinical case studies. The students will also participate in community partnership placements where they spend time working in a community setting with clients of welfare agencies.

In year B, the students will study integrated medicine and surgery, which will be taught together with a series of problem-based and case-based learning sessions. Year C is largely taken up with core clinical rotations in women's and children's health, general practice and psychological medicine. The final year is structured as a series of electives and selectives, where students will choose to complete their degree by gaining wider experience in chosen disciplines and specific areas of interest through a range of metropolitan, rural and overseas settings.

Professional Certification/Accreditation Information

The Monash University medical program is accredited by the Australian Medical Council.

In Canada, each province/territory is responsible for licensing physicians to practise medicine within its boundaries. Licensure to practise medicine requires the completion of an accredited postgraduate training program, as well as the completion of national qualifying exams. Each province may have different requirements. It is your responsibility to meet the necessary requirements for licensure in your province.

In June of each year, OzTREKK hosts its annual Canadian Licensing workshops across Canada, which are exclusive to students who submit their Australian medical school application via OzTREKK. These workshops provide the latest information regarding the accreditation and licensing process in Canada, as well as outlining options for internships in Australia and other destinations.

Scholarships

Every student who submits their application and accepts their offer via OzTREKK, and commences their studies at an OzTREKK Australian university, will receive a $500 scholarship from OzTREKK.
Click here for more info about OzTREKK's Scholarships!

Admissions Criteria/Entry Requirements for Canadians

The medical course at the Gippsland campus of Monash University is only available to those applicants who have previously successfully completed an undergraduate degree.

Selection will be made up of three components: 

1. Grade Point Average (GPA)
Your weighted GPA from your undergraduate degree is considered the first requirement. You will need to have a weighted GPA of 5.0 (out of 7.0) to meet this hurdle. The GPA is assessed on the last three full-time equivalent years of the most recent undergraduate degree undertaken - with successive years weighted x1, x2 and x3 - and so the greatest weight is given to the most recent results. The GPA will be as calculated by the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER). Bonus points are given to applicants with PhD or Masters by Research qualifications (0.2 and 0.1 respectively). The GPA does not form part of the ranking process, but rather is a hurdle requirement to be met in order to be eligible for ranking by using the other two processes.

2. MCAT Results
The MCAT (North American Medical College Admissions Test) will also be accepted for admission of international students into this course.

3. Interview Results
Provided you successfully complete the first two steps, you will then be eligible to take part in an interview. By agreement amongst the consortium members, medical schools conduct approximately 1.5 interviews for each place. For this course, that will amount to approximately 80 interviews. The interviews will take place in late-September at the Gippsland Campus of Monash University. The interview process, known as the Multiple Mini-Interview or MMI process, involves a series (five to 10) of short interviews (approximately 10 to 15 minutes each) totalling less than two hours.

Total Number of Places in the Program: 60

Number of Places Available for International Students: up to 20

Application Deadline for the 2012 intake: June 24, 2011. Applications are now closed.

Applications are expected to open in May, 2012 for the 2013 intake.

OzTREKK Admissions Officer: Alison Simser