Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MChD)
Overview
The Doctor of Medicine and Surgery is a comprehensive and varied program for graduate students looking to enter the rewarding field of medicine as professional medical practitioners.
The MChD is underpinned by four themes:
- medical sciences, covering a vast scope of ever-changing and expanding knowledge that forms the basis of modern medicine
- clinical skills, which ensures the acquisition of knowledge is accompanied by communication skills, the ability to examine patients and critically appraise information
- population health, addressing the relationship between humans, their society and environment
- professionalism and leadership, developing these vital skills of a good doctor.
The curriculum is built on important frameworks that explore the social foundations of medicine, develop understanding of Indigenous health context in Australia, and provide insights and experience in health care in rural and/or remote Australian settings.
Consistent with the research focus of ANU, the program also develops our students' research skills.
Program details
Years one and two
During the first two years of the course, the curriculum is built around clinical case studies designed to promote creative and analytical thinking through both cooperative and self directed learning.
Each week, students are presented with a case study, working through hypotheses and diagnoses in a scientific manner. The clinical case studies are supported by lectures, practicals, tutorials and a weekly clinical day in one of Canberra’s hospitals. All learning resources are accessed through the university learning management system.
During each of the first two years, students also spend one week in a rural location around Canberra and the south-east region of NSW. In second year, rural week focuses on Indigenous health.
Students also conduct a research project during this time, expanding their knowledge and research skills through collaboration with the world class research teams here at ANU.
Years three and four
From the end of the second year, students spend almost all of their contact hours in the health sector. During this time, they are immersed in all the major medical disciplines through rotations of four or more weeks in the Canberra, Rural and Sydney Clinical Schools.
During third year, students again venture into the rural clinical realm, this time for six weeks. Students enrolled in the rural stream will spend their entire third year as an active member of a rural community.
At the beginning of fourth year, students undertake an elective term of four or more weeks at a worldwide location of their choice. The main objective of this term is to broaden students' clinical horizons beyond the established curriculum and to gain personal life experience.
Key facts
- 4 years full-time
- Semester 1 intake only
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities
- Minimum GPA requirement
- Pathways available
- Taught by the School of Medicine and Psychology
- #1 in Australia for graduate employability (Times Higher Education)
Testimonials
Kitiphume Thammasiraphop
"It's these fantastic relationships you make at ANU that become support when you're entering the work force. This has been especially true in a field like medicine. Having such a strong connection with a friendship group who has been through similar experiences to you really makes a difference. Likewise, being an ANU alumnus brings its own sense of community."
Seraina Elia
“The digital resources and the simulation learning opportunities we have access to are also quite phenomenal. The Clinical Skills educators go above and beyond with how and what they teach. As a final year student, I’ve valued the simulation program immensely. It puts students into real-world emergency situations where they are taught a framework and strategies to deal with the crisis”
Careers
After completing your MChD, you can enter the medical workforce as an intern or postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) doctor. The MChD qualification is also recognised in countries outside Australia through its accreditation by the Australian Medical Council and listing on the International Medical Education Directory and the World Health Organisation Medical School Directory. However, specific countries may require additional steps to be completed before the degree is recognised by that country.
As an alternative to practising medicine, the MChD also equips you for a career in medical research, public health or health journalism.
The Australian National University has been ranked as the top university for graduate employability in Australia in the Global University Employability Ranking 2023-24.
It was during the peak of the COVID pandemic that Sharrada Segeran noticed the mental health forums popping up around her home in Malaysia and realised something needed to be done.
Read the storyLearning experience
Clinical placements
Work with renowned, experienced medical professionals across urban and rural hospitals, and general practices.
Learn more
Graduating exceptional doctors able to provide superior patient care
Reflecting upon her experiences as an intern, in 2020, Dr Whiteman the Academic Coordinator for Clinical Skills Phase 2 in the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery program, was inspired to develop an integrated approach to clinical learning across the four years of the ANU medical program including a robust simulation course.
Read the story
Appeal of rural medicine may grow post-pandemic
“It’s exciting to consider how telehealth agreements, remote working arrangements for partners, distance education opportunities for children, remote access to services and broader regional development have improved. There’s a good chance this may encourage more health professionals to consider a career in a rural or regional location”
Read about Atul's experienceFees & scholarships
Scholarships
Whether you are looking for financial support to start your studies at ANU or help to move away from home for the first time, we have scholarship opportunities for you and your situation.
Watch the webinar
Meet with Shelley from the School of Medicine and Psychology to learn about the top questions students ask about the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery.
The Admissions Guidelines: science.anu.edu.au/study/masters/doctor-medicine-surgery-mchd/admission-requirements
How to apply
Key dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 May | GEMSAS applications open |
| 30 May | GEMSAS applications close |
| Early/Mid-September | Domestic Interviews |
| November - December | Domestic offers released |
These dates are subject to change. Email admissions.smp@anu.edu.au for confirmation.
Understand the entry requirements
Check admissions requirements on the Programs and Courses website and read the admissions guidelines
You must also meet the University's English language admission requirements.
Meet qualification requirements
Applicants must have completed or be studying the final year of a Bachelor degree at the time of application. Applicants who have completed a postgraduate qualification are welcome to apply, but must have completed a Bachelor degree previously.
If your Bachelor degree was completed more than 10 years ago, you will need to meet additional study requirements to be eligible to apply.
Higher-level qualifications such as Honours, Graduate Diplomas and Masters by coursework may be taken into consideration if the program is complete or you are in your final year of the program at the time of application. Applicants who have completed a higher-level qualification but do not hold a recognised Bachelor degree are not eligible for consideration.
For more detailed information please read the admissions guidelines and the GEMSAS Medicine Admissions Guide.
Achieve the minimum GPA
The Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation is based on the last three years of full-time equivalent study (3.0 EFTSL) in your most recent eligible degree (or combination of degrees, if applicable). Only Bachelor, Honours, Graduate Diploma and Masters by coursework programs are used to calculate the GPA.
Results from eligible degrees will be included in the GPA calculation if the degree is completed or due to be completed by 31 December in the year you apply.
A weighted GPA is used for the calculation.
Final GPA Year = Weighted x3
Final-1 GPA Year = Weighted x2
Final-2 GPA Year = Weighted x1
You must have a minimum weighted GPA of 5.0 to be considered for an interview.
Meeting the minimum GPA does not guarantee an interview.
For more detailed information about the GPA calculation please read the GEMSAS Admissions Guide and the admissions guidelines.
Take the GAMSAT
Domestic applicants must sit the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test. The GAMSAT is held in March and September each year. Results are released in May and November respectively. For the purpose of admissions, GAMSAT results are valid for four years.
You must achieve a minimum overall score of 50, with a minimum score of 50 in each section.
Meeting the minimum GAMSAT score does not guarantee an interview.
Submit an application
Applications close 30 May 2025.
Apply through GEMSAS
Read the GEMSAS Medicine Admissions Guide for more information
Attend an interview
Selection for interview is based on a 50:50 composite score derived from your GPA (weighted 50%) and Overall GAMSAT score (weighted 50%).
Applicants must meet the minimum GPA and GAMSAT scores to be considered for an interview.
Applicants’ composite scores will be used to produce a ranked list of candidates. Interviews are offered to applicants with a range of GPA/GAMSAT score combinations.
Interviews are held in September of each year and cover a range of topics and scenarios.
Receive an offer
Offers of a place in the program will be based on a final weighted score derived from the interview score (weighted 50%) and the composite GPA/GAMSAT score used for the interview ranking (weighted 50%).
Successful applicants will be offered either a Commonwealth Support Place (CSP) or a Bonded Medical Place (BMP).
Accept your offer
Once you receive an offer, please follow the instructions in the letter to accept your place at ANU.
Get screened and vaccinated
All commencing MChD students are required to meet the mandatory screening and vaccination requirements for the ANU, ACT Health and NSW Health.
If you're offered a place in the MChD program, you will receive the Screening and Vaccination Information Booklet with your offer letter. You must complete and provide evidence for all requirements in the booklet by the time you enrol. Some of the primary requirements include:
- Australian National Police Check
- ACT Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) Card
- Medical Student Screening and Vaccination Card
- Senior First Aid/Provide First Aid + CPR certification.
Key dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Early March | Applications open |
| 30 June | Applications close |
| Mid/late July | International Interviews |
| August | International offers released |
These dates are subject to change. Email admissions.smp@anu.edu.au for confirmation.
Understand the entry requirements
Check admissions requirements on the Programs and Courses website and read the admissions guidelines
Applicant should be aware that the ANU’s English Language Admission Requirements differ from the Medical Board of Australia’s English Language requirements. This becomes more significant upon graduation and prior to registering for an internship.
Meet qualification requirements
Applicants must have completed or be studying the final year of a Bachelor degree at the time of application. Applicants who have completed a postgraduate qualification are welcome to apply, but must have completed a Bachelor degree previously.
If your Bachelor degree was completed more than 10 years ago, you will need to meet additional study requirements to be eligible to apply.
Higher-level qualifications such as Honours, Graduate Diplomas and Masters by coursework may be taken into consideration if the program is complete or you are in your final year of the program at the time of application. Applicants who have completed a higher-level qualification but do not hold a recognised Bachelor degree are not eligible for consideration.
For more detailed information please read the admissions guidelines.
Achieve the minimum GPA
The Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation is based on the last three years of full-time equivalent study (3.0 EFTSL) in your most recent eligible degree (or combination of degrees, if applicable). Only Bachelor, Honours, Graduate Diploma and Masters by coursework programs are used to calculate the GPA.
Results from eligible degrees will be included in the GPA calculation if the degree is completed or due to be completed by 31 December in the year you apply.
A weighted GPA is used for the calculation.
Final GPA Year = Weighted x3
Final-1 GPA Year = Weighted x2
Final-2 GPA Year = Weighted x1
You must have a minimum weighted GPA of 5.0 to be considered for an interview.
Meeting the minimum GPA does not guarantee an interview.
For more detailed information about the GPA calculation please read the admissions guidelines.
Take the GAMSAT or MCAT
International applicants must sit the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) or the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
GAMSAT
The GAMSAT is held in March and September each year. Results are released in May and November respectively. For the purpose of admissions, GAMSAT results are valid for four years.
You must achieve a minimum overall score of 50, with a minimum score of 50 in each section
MCAT
The MCAT is held at various times during each year. For the purpose of admissions, MCAT results are valid for four years.
You must achieve a minimum score of 125 in each section
Meeting the minimum GAMSAT or MCAT score does not guarantee an interview.
Submit an application
Applications close on 30 June 2025.
You must include the following documentation in your application:
- Official academic transcript/s from ALL tertiary level study (complete and incomplete)*
- Official MCAT or GAMSAT results
- Proof of English language proficiency
- High quality colour copy of passport.
*All tertiary level study must be declared in the application. For the purpose of University admissions, the withholding of information and the submission of incorrect or misleading information are deemed fraudulent. Action taken in such cases may include cancellation of an application for admissions, withdrawal of an offer of admissions, or cancellation of an enrolment.
All supporting documentation must be submitted by the closing date of application.
Attend an interview
Selection for interview is based on a 50:50 composite score derived from your GPA (weighted 50%) and Overall GAMSAT or MCAT score (weighted 50%), plus any applicable higher degree research bonus.
Applicants must meet the minimum GPA and GAMSAT or MCAT scores to be considered for an interview.
Interviews are conducted online via zoom. The interview will cover a range of topics and scenarios.
Interview Guarantee
Applicants who have achieved a minimum weighted GPA of 6.0 and an Overall GAMSAT Score of at least 60, with an individual score of at least 50 in each section OR an overall MCAT of at least 515, with an individual score of at least 125 in each section will be guaranteed an interview offer, pending they have met all other eligibility requirements.
Receive an offer
Offers of a place in the program will be based on a final weighted score derived from the interview score (weighted 50%) and the composite GPA/GAMSAT or MCAT score used for the interview ranking (weighted 50%) plus any applicable higher degree research bonus.
Successful applicants will be offered an International Full-Fee Paying Place.
Accept your offer
Once you receive an offer, please follow the instructions in the letter to accept your place.
This offer is issued to you as an Overseas student as defined by the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). If your residency status changes prior to census date in your first semester, such that your student status is defined as Domestic, the offer will be retracted, and you would need to reapply to a future intake as a domestic applicant. If your residency status changes after census date in your first semester, such that your student status is defined as Domestic, you will be transferred to a domestic tuition fee-paying (DTF) place in the program.
If your visa, residency and/or passport details change you must notify the university within 10 working days of these changes.
Get screened and vaccinated
All commencing MChD students are required to meet the mandatory screening and vaccination requirements for the ANU, ACT Health and NSW Health.
If you're offered a place in the MChD program, you will receive the Screening and Vaccination Information Booklet with your offer letter. You must complete and provide evidence for all requirements in the booklet by the time you enrol. Some of the primary requirements include:
- Australian National Police Check
- ACT Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) Card
- Medical Student Screening and Vaccination Card
- Senior First Aid/Provide First Aid + CPR certification.
Key dates
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Early March | Direct applications open |
| 1 May | GEMAS applications open |
| 30 May | GEMAS applications close |
| 30 June | Direct application close |
| Late July | Indigenous Interviews |
| August | Indigenous offers released |
These dates are subject to change. Email admissions.smp@anu.edu.au for confirmation.
Understand the entry requirements
The Doctor of Medicine and Surgery program has identified places available each year to applicants of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background. We encourage applicants of this background interested in pursuing a career in medicine to apply.
Check admissions requirements on the Programs and Courses website and read the admissions guidelines.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact admissions.smp@anu.edu.au
Submit an application
Applicants are welcome to submit their application either directly to the ANU via Study Link or via the Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions System (GEMSAS).
Please note the respective application opening and closing dates in the key dates section above.
Provide supporting documentation
As part of your application the following supporting documentation is required:
- Official academic transcript/s from all tertiary level study (complete and incomplete)*
- Official GAMSAT result
*All tertiary level study must be declared in the application. For the purpose of University admissions, the withholding of information and the submission of incorrect or misleading information are deemed fraudulent. Action taken in such cases may include cancellation of an application for admissions, withdrawal of an offer of admissions, or cancellation of an enrolment.
Rural background
Please check if you meet the requirements to be included as part of our Rural background quota. Please read the
and provide the required documented evidence in your online application.
Attend an interview
Selection for interview will take into consideration an applicant’s GPA and GAMSAT score
Receive an offer
Selection for offers will take into consideration an applicant’s interview performance, their GPA and GAMSAT score.
Successful applicants will be offered a Commonwealth Support Place (CSP)
All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who are admitted into the program are automatically considered for a scholarship.
Accept your offer
Once you receive an offer, please follow the instructions in the letter to accept your place at ANU.
Get screened and vaccinated
All commencing MChD students are required to meet the mandatory screening and vaccination requirements for the ANU, ACT Health and NSW Health.
If you're offered a place in the MChD program, you will receive the Screening and Vaccination Information Booklet with your offer letter. You must complete and provide evidence for all requirements in the booklet by the time you enrol. Some of the primary requirements include:
- Australian National Police Check
- ACT Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) Card
- Medical Student Screening and Vaccination Card
- Senior First Aid/Provide First Aid + CPR certification.
There are three internal ANU undergraduate pathways into the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery.
Bachelor of Health Science
The Bachelor of Health Science (BHLTH) degree at the ANU offers a pathway to the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery program. This pathway is not a formalised double degree, but a pathway between two separate degrees.
The pathway is open to both domestic and international students.
Up to 30 domestic students from the BHTLH will receive an offer to the MChD program each year. Ten (10) of these places will preferentially be offered to students from a rural background.
Up to 20 International places are available for international students through this pathway each year.
Offers are awarded based upon a student’s academic performance within the BHLTH, an interview process and their responses to the selection criteria.
Students must meet the minimum eligibility requirements before applying.
For more information, please read the
Applications for the pathway close 30 July each year. Apply here.
Tuckwell Scholar
The ANU provides a pathway for Tuckwell scholarship recipients to study the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery program after completion of their ANU undergraduate degree(s).
The Tuckwell-Medicine pathway is not a formalised double degree but an assured pathway between an undergraduate degree at the ANU to the postgraduate Doctor of Medicine and Surgery Program. This pathway is open to domestic students only.
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) - Science
The Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) – Science offers a pathway to the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery. This pathway is not a formalised double degree, but a pathway between two separate degrees. The pathway is open to both domestic and international students.
Up to 10 domestic students from this pathway will receive an offer to the MChD program each year. International students are considered in addition to the domestic places.
All offers are awarded based upon a student’s academic performance within the PhB program and an interview process. To ensure the school meets the government initiative of admitting students from a rural background, preference may be given to students who meet the rural background criteria.
Student must meet the minimum eligibility requirements before applying.
For more information, please read the
Application for the pathway close 30 July each year. Please complete the application form available within the above guidelines and submit to students.cos@anu.edu.au