International Pre-Med Programs Series
A Guide to Applying to Australian Pre-Med Programs
Although on the other side of the world where summers are hot, winters are cold, and where you may see a kangaroo or two hopping around, Australian students continue to place a large focus and center their academic studies around the goal of pursuing a career in medicine.
Given the high demand for students looking to pursue this career, Australia has some of the best pre-medical programs for students wanting to attend medical school in the future, and some of their programs have been ranked #1 as 100% of their graduates are accepted into medical school. In this article, I will be dissecting and compiling all you need to know about some of the best pre-medical programs in Australia and how to apply to them.
University of Wollongong
First off, the University of Wollongong in Australia is home to one of the best pre-medical programs according to many of their alumni and graduates, as well as by many prestigious societies who have said their programs increase students’ chances of getting accepted into medical school.
The program offered by UOW offers students a Bachelor of Pre-Medicine, Science, and Health. This program provides students with a solid foundation towards graduating medicine, dentistry, and many other health-related careers where they will apply science and reasoning into the field of medicine.
Stats have shown that the top 12 performing international and domestic students that have also met the accompanying admissions criteria have been given guaranteed medical school interviews for the Doctor of Medicine program at UOW.
The wide range of possible career pathways is something that makes this program very popular amongst Australian students; the different opportunities for postgraduate studies range from biomedical research to exercise science, medical science, molecular medicine, and nutrition.
This three-year program encapsulates many areas and topics that are relevant and precursors to many of the topics studied in medical schools currently include patient-oriented summaries, clinical trials, ethical debates, critical thinking skills, and academic literacy skills. Without a doubt, this program is one of the most competitive programs amongst pre-medical programs in Australian Universities with just 93 students being accepted.
Admissions
Now, you may be wondering what the admissions process is to get into such a prestigious and competitive program, so let me break it down for you. Firstly, Australia is an English-speaking country and therefore the program requires all students to have complete proficiency in English as measured by two different exams.
Below is a chart that outlines the English requirements for acceptance into the program.
The next requirements that must be met for students to apply include the following:
- Minimum ATAT (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) of 95
- International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 37
- Although it is not mandatory for science prerequisites, it is highly recommended, as students would then have to take bridge courses in February before the beginning of the school year
As you can see, this program is very competitive and requires students to have astounding academic requirements to apply and be accepted, and therefore admission into this program also entails an interview.
Similar to many pre-medical programs here in Canada, this program requires students to produce and submit a portfolio that will also be used for admission as it would simply not be enough for 93 students to be selected based solely on their marks.
To get some more information about the portfolio admission and general process for entry into the program, click this link! In addition to the many admissions requirements that students will have to accomplish, because students would also be applying as international students, the fees for the program are quite large and will put a pretty good mark in your bank account.
Below are the main fees required for international students and the tuition for each year.
Overall, this program serves many advantages but is one that will make you work for your ticket to becoming accepted. Next, we will look at another program that is offered at another Australian University.
University of Technology Sydney
Another very intriguing and popular pre-medical program that fills the minds of many pre-medical students during application season is one offered by the University of Technology Sydney, the Bachelor of Medical Science and International Studies.
This program is one of the more unique pre-medical programs for students because it focuses on two major objectives: medical sciences with the incorporation of other languages and cultures.
This program is most commonly taken by students who speak two or more languages and want to further their education in both English and other dominant languages that they may speak at home and are reflective of their background.
The medical sciences program is designed to teach students fundamental skills with the thought that many of the students will pursue a career in medicine in the future. Similar to the many pre-medical programs in Canada and the one listed above, students who pursue this degree also have the opportunity to participate in many different courses where they can choose their focus and the area in which they want to specialize in. Some of the focuses in the program include health, disease, medical devices, public health and policies, and clinical trials.
Admissions
The program allows for students of varying educational backgrounds to apply and does not have too many restrictions for entry into the program. Similar to many undergraduate programs, if students are applying as international students, they must complete an English proficiency test as a large part of the course is delivered in English.
English Proficiency Requirements:
- Academic IELTS: overall score of 6.5 with a writing score of 6.0
TOEFL:
- Paper-based: 550–583 overall with TWE of 4.5
- Internet-based: 79–93 overall with a writing score of 21
- AE5: Pass
- PTE: 58–64
- CAE: 176–184
This part of the admissions process is only one fraction of the entire admissions package and only serves to ensure that you would be able to complete the degree if you were to be given acceptance.
In comparison to the Bachelor of Pre-Medicine, Science and Health at the University of Wollongong, this program does not take into consideration any IB scores and therefore any IB scores you may have will be converted into an ATAR (similar to GPA in Canada) equivalent which is reflective of grade 12 marks.
As reported by the UAC website, the medium ATAR, was 91.68 for entry into the program. To find more about the program requirement for this program and some of the admissions stats reported by the University’s incoming class of 2021, click this link!
Lastly, the tuition fees for this program are quite high provided they are international fees once again.
- The fees per session for the undergraduate Bachelor of Medical Science and Bachelor of International Studies (Honors) is $21475.00.
The two programs presented above; Bachelor of Medical Sciences and International Studies, and the Bachelor in Pre-Medicine, Science, and Health, are only two of the many programs that students can pursue in their undergraduate career to begin their journey in medicine in Australia.
Overall, the chance to study abroad is something that I think is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that all students should have the opportunity to do whether it be for one semester, or for their entire studies.
Remember that if this is something of interest to you, there are many scholarships available and grants given by the university that can assist you if finances are an issue because yes, the tuition for international studies can be quite overwhelming.
I hope you enjoyed this take of our undergraduate series and the new spin on studying sciences and health studies to eventually be accepted into medical school. Until next time, where we will take a deeper look into some of the pre-medical programs offered by Universities located in the United Kingdom!
About the Writer
Wynter Sutchy is a first-year undergraduate student at McMaster University studying Life Sciences and is from King City, ON. She is very passionate about the healthcare field and enjoys sharing her volunteering experiences through writing. She plans to pursue a career in medicine in the future and plans to explore the field of healthcare through research and volunteering throughout her undergraduate career. In her free time, you can expect her to be watching her favourite show, Greys Anatomy, teaching children how to swim, or baking some delicious desserts!
Sources
https://www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/courses/uts/609032.shtml
https://www.uts.edu.au/study/find-a-course/bachelor-medical-science-bachelor-international-studies
https://coursefinder.uow.edu.au/information/index.html?course=bachelor-pre-medicine-science-health#:~:text=The Bachelor of Pre-Medicine,%2C podiatry%2C physiotherapy or pharmacy.
https://coursefinder.uow.edu.au/smah/pre-med/index.htmlhttps://www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/courses/uow/757500.shtml
