Bachelor of Medical Studies
Put your passion for healing into action
Medicine is intellectually rewarding, challenging and inspiring. It requires critical problem-solving, teamwork and integrity.
Medical practitioners are passionately interested in wellbeing, and work to protect and promote the health of individuals and communities. They are dedicated to alleviating pain and suffering, and caring for vulnerable people.
What will you do?
Our Bachelor of Medical Studies provides the foundation knowledge and skills needed to excel in health care. Learning in partnership with outstanding clinicians in our state-of-the-art Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building, you will:
- work in small groups to address scenario-based problems relating to common and important individual, community, Indigenous and global health issues
- gain valuable exposure to real-world clinical practice and develop your own safe and effective clinical skills in cutting-edge simulation facilities
- investigate the social determinants of health and health behaviours
- learn to evaluate the health status of individuals and populations
- acquire a solid foundation in research skills and evidence-based care
- learn collaboratively in interprofessional teams.
You will also gain a deep understanding of how our health care system works. This includes from the ‘consumer’ perspective; how patients interact with various health services and providers.
Where could it take you?
This is the first part of our medicine program; upon successful completion, you’ll gain direct entry into our Doctor of Medicine. Together, these degrees will qualify you to practise medicine anywhere in Australia and throughout most of the world. The Bachelor of Medical Studies functions as an exit pathway only for students who do not go on to complete the entire six-year program.
The Medical program at the University of Adelaide has a six-year full-time duration which leads to the awards of Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine. Entry to the Doctor of Medicine is based on completion of the Bachelor of Medical Studies at the University of Adelaide.
SATAC CODE
354552 Standard (non-bonded)
354553 Bonded Medical Program (BMP)
*Times Higher Education World Rankings by Subject, 2024.
^QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023.
Entry Requirements
Choose your applicant type to view the relevant admissions
information for this program.
I am a:
Before applying make sure you understand the eligibility and entry requirements for your chosen degree.
Look out for any prerequisites or assumed knowledge subjects. Some degrees also have additional entry requirements like interviews and auditions.
Domestic applicants
| SATAC Code | 354552, 354553 |
|---|---|
| Deferment | Yes - 2 year |
| Intake | February |
| Prerequisites | SACE Stage 2: Biology or Chemistry or Mathematical Methods (if Maths subject was studied prior to 2017, the subject required was called 'Mathematical Studies'); OR IB: Biology (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) or Chemistry (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) or Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (HL) or Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL); OR Equivalent University courses (i.e. 1st year Human Anatomy and Physiology IA/B as part of the Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences program). Subject prerequisites are applicable to all Bachelor of Medical Studies entry pathways, e.g. Rural Background entry, Higher Education. MathTrackX is an online bridging program available as a recognised alternative to Mathematical Methods. |
| Assumed Knowledge | A necessary precursor for success is a high proficiency in the written and oral use of the English language. |
| Additional Entry Requirements | To apply for the Bachelor of Medical Studies, please read the Domestic Admissions Guide before applying. Failure to read this document will not be grounds for special consideration. Entry pathway eligibility (including important how to apply information) is detailed in the Medicine Admissions Guide - domestic applicants. 354552 - NON-BONDED MEDICAL PLACE - These places have no return of service obligations after graduation. 354553 - BONDED MEDICAL PROGRAM PLACE - Students accepting these places undertake to work in an area of workforce shortage after completing their professional training. There are separate quotas for each place type and domestic applicants will need to apply under both SATAC codes should they wish to be considered for both place types. Application Process: There are two distinct parts to the application process:
Applicants who have listed Medical Studies amongst their preferences will be asked to enter their UCAT ANZ identification number during the SATAC online application process. Applications will not be considered complete without a valid UCAT ANZ identification number entered prior to the closing date. Merit Ranking Process: Applicants will be ranked for an offer based on a combination of scores from these three components as follows:
Formal offers will be made by SATAC. However, to secure your place in the Bachelor of Medical Studies degree, you MUST enrol in all first year courses for the degree by the deadline stated in the SATAC offer letter. Supporting information regarding the above will be provided within your University Welcome email and the EnrolMe portal. Please note: the University reserves the right to make offers outside of the formal SATAC offer rounds until all places are filled. Offers can be made up to and during March. Rural Background Entry Pathway Rural Background Entry (RBE) pathway applicants are required to sign and submit a statutory declaration as the only acceptable proof of rural background within five days of lodging their SATAC application. Should you be ineligible for Medicine, you may wish to consider alternative programs. Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education administers the Aboriginal Access Scheme which offers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians an alternative entry pathway to study at the University of Adelaide. For more information visit: adelaide.edu.au/wirltu-yarlu |
Selection Criteria
| Recent Secondary Education | Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the last two years, however if you completed your secondary education more than two years ago, you may still be able to be considered on the basis of your secondary schooling. To be considered as a secondary school leaver for this program, applicants cannot have a tertiary academic record of study from a University, i.e. must never have enrolled in to a Bachelor degree or higher level program at an Australian or overseas University; OR have enrolled for a Bachelor degree or higher level program at an Australian or overseas university but have withdrawn from these studies before a result of 'Withdraw Not Fail' has been awarded. Academic Score (ATAR): To meet the minimum academic threshold for entry into the Bachelor of Medical Studies degree at the University of Adelaide you must achieve a Selection Rank (ATAR plus any applicable adjustment factors) of 90 or above, OR the equivalent International Baccalaureate score, OR the interstate/ overseas equivalent). Please note: the Medical Studies degree does not consider adjustment factors for undertaking particular subjects in year 12. Please refer to the Additional entry requirements section for details of other entry requirements to the Medical Studies program. |
|---|---|
| Higher Education Study | If you wish to be considered as a Higher Education (Tertiary Transfer) applicant:
To meet the minimum academic threshold as a Higher Education applicant:
Higher Education applicants must also meet the prerequisite subject requirements (refer above). If you are a Higher Education applicant and wish to be considered for entry under the Rural Background Entry (RBE) pathway, please read the Domestic Admissions Guide for additional information. |
| Work and life experience | To be eligible to sit the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) as pathway for entry, you must be 18 years or over before 1 February 2025 and you must never have been enrolled in a course leading to a higher education level award. If you meet these criteria, you will be eligible to compete using your result in the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). You must attain a STAT score within the top decile. Your STAT result is not weighted between verbal and quantitative components. Special Entry applicants must also meet the prerequisite subject requirements (refer above). |
| Other Entry Pathways | |
2024 Admissions Data for school leavers
| ATAR (raw ATAR, excluding any applicable adjustment factors) |
Lowest ATAR to receive an offer | 91.45 |
|---|---|---|
| Median ATAR to receive an offer | 99.45 | |
| Highest ATAR to receive an offer | 99.95 | |
| Selection Rank (ATAR plus any adjustment factors) |
Lowest Selection Rank to receive an offer | n/a |
| Median Selection Rank to receive an offer | n/a | |
| Highest Selection Rank to receive an offer | n/a | |
| Minimum eligibility score | 90 | |
| Additional criteria considered | Additional criteria | |
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Admissions Transparency Data
Student Profile
Applicant background Semester one/Full year intake 2024 Number of students Percentage of all students (A) Higher Education study
(includes a bridging or enabling course)20 12.0% (B) Vocational education and training (VET) study n/a N/A (C) Work and life experience
(admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories)N/A N/A (D) Recent secondary education: - Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
(regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors)
N/A N/A - Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered
(e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)
118 70.7% - Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
(e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)
N/A N/A International students 29 17.4% All students 167 100.0% - Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
Ready to Apply?
Find out more about the application process and start your studies at the University of Adelaide.
Be sure to check the critical dates to avoid missing application deadlines.
ApplyFees and Scholarships
Choose your applicant type to view the relevant fees and scholarships information for this program.
I am a:
Domestic applicants
| Indicative annual tuition fees |
Commonwealth-supported place: $13,240
|
Where the standard duration of the program is less than one year the full cost of the program is displayed.
More information on Student Contribution Amounts.
Scholarships
Scholarships are not only for high achievers—they are also available to provide students with an equal opportunity to study at university, no matter where they live or what their financial situation might be.
Scholarships are available to both new and continuing students. We encourage students to apply for any scholarships for which they may be eligible.
To browse scholarships offered by the University, visit: University Scholarships
To explore scholarships offered by organisations external to the University, visit: External Scholarships
Careers
Career Readiness
After successful completion of the internship, graduates are eligible to apply to APHRA for general registration, allowing them to practise in Australia and New Zealand.
Internships are separate from the medical degree and the University of Adelaide does not facilitate the internship placements. It is current practice that SA Health guarantees an intern placement for South Australian commonwealth-supported medical graduates. International medical graduates may need to complete an intern placement in their home country. Further information regarding internship allocations can be found on the SA Health Careers and SA Medical Education and Training website.
Adelaide Medical School graduates are well regarded in the industry for their knowledge and experience, and are in demand for positions in public hospitals, private practice, public health, teaching, clinical research, aid organisations, the defence forces and more. The full, wide range of medical career paths and options become apparent as students’ progress through the degree.
The University of Adelaide Careers Service prepares, inspires and empowers students to achieve successful career transitions and connect with industry.
Industry Placement
Students who undertake clinical placements, internships and research projects involving children, or people who are ill, elderly or vulnerable, must obtain the following clearances before attending clinical placement:
- AHPRA student registration (undertaken on the student's behalf)
- criminal history clearance and a national police clearance
- immunisation
- prescribed communicable infections screening
- tuberculosis screening.
Professional Accreditation
Potential careers
Graduates of this program have gone on to roles such as:
Health Educator; Health Officer; Laboratory Manager; Medical Scientist; Medical Technician
Degree Structure
Throughout all six years, there is a strong emphasis on scenario-based learning, evidence-based decision making and professional practice. You will learn in South Australia’s premier health education precinct, the Adelaide BioMed City, situated next door to the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. You will be part of the eco-system of education, research and clinical care working together to create better health outcomes for individuals and communities.
You will practice and refine your skills in our world-leading simulation facilities, the only facilities in Australasia with accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare for excellence in learning and teaching. You will be taught by practising clinicians who are leaders in their field and learn from the best in their fields.
The first three years of the medical program is the Bachelor of Medical Studies which provides the foundation of medical science and practice. The emphasis on these early years is on integrated learning, learning and building clinical skills and developing your understanding of the role of a doctor. A major emphasis is placed on professionalism, communication and clinical reasoning, as well as the practise of evidence-based and preventative medicine. Small-group Scenario-Based Learning (SBL) is a key part of learning the early years of the curriculum. Lectures in the medical disciplines such as pathology, anatomy, physiology and pharmacology are carefully staged throughout the clinical cases of the most commonly encountered and socially significant diseases.
In year 1, you will learn fundamental knowledge of biomedical science and how the health care system works. To build this knowledge you will begin to have patient contact by having the opportunity to experience the health care system from the ‘consumer’ perspective. The use of SBL will introduce you to underlying mechanisms and concepts from a real-world perspective.
In year 2, you will continue to learn about clinical problems through clinically based scenarios which explore the science of medicine. You will continue to develop clinical skills in diagnosis and management, and be introduced to the public health and professional aspects of becoming a medical practitioner.
In year 3, the focus is on preparing you for full-time clinical studies within the Doctor of Medicine. You will undertake your first clinical placements, and begin to learn research skills with the completion of a research proposal and critical appraisal. You will understand research methodology and have the skills required to ensure as you move into the clinical years of the program you can use research to ensure you make evidence-based decisions to ultimately guide clinical practice towards treatment modalities and therapies that improve patient outcomes. Alongside this, you will have increased clinical exposure with experiences in primary and hospital care settings. This will be supported by scenario-based learning which will focus on clinical management
The Bachelor of Medical Studies functions as an exit pathway only for students who do not go on to complete the entire six-year program. At the end of the six-year program, you will be awarded both the Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine degrees.
For more details regarding years 4 to 6 of the medical program, visit Doctor of Medicine.
Academic Program Rules
The Calendar is a comprehensive handbook of the University's academic program rules.
Related Degrees
Testimonial
I chose this degree because it offers such a broad range of subjects, so I could explore a variety of fields to find what sparks my interest.
The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.
Last updated: Thursday, 12 Sep 2024
