Bachelor of Medicine Courses

A Bachelor of Medicine is an entry degree into further study if you are looking to enter the medical profession. These medical degrees are usually joint, with the Australian Medical Schools offering a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS) or a Bachelor of Medical Science as the primary undergraduate degrees to enter the medical industry. If you’ve always had your heart set on becoming a Doctor, then this is the very start of your journey.

How to Become a Doctor in Australia

In Australia, the pathway to becoming a Doctor requires a lot of time and commitment, however is a worthwhile investment if you’re after a highly- rewarding as well as financially-viable career. In Australia, medical schools in the form of Universities have to be accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) in order to offer medical degrees, either undergraduate or a postgraduate Master’s and higher level degree.

There are currently 19 Medical schools in Australia, available in every state and territory. Becoming a Doctor can take a considerably long time, with bachelor degrees or specialised medical programs typically taking between five to six years to complete. A Bachelor of Medicine is the first step on this career path to becoming a doctor, with an Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) usually being required to qualify.

After a Bachelor of Medicine or other medical degree is completed, a four-year graduate entry medical program–usually requiring a Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT) to qualify for this too–is the next stage in your journey becoming a doctor in Australia.

After this intensive study process is complete, most graduates will go on to completing an internship or placement full-time for at least a year at a medical clinic or hospital. This placement component will allow you to learn hands-on experience in areas such as emergency medical care, medicine and surgery. If you find yourself wondering how long does it take to become a doctor, the answer can vary however it can take most close to a decade to become fully certified and many go on to completing a Doctorate which can increase the time.

Learning Outcome

A bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery is what you’ll find on offer at most Australian Medical Schools accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC). These are one of the few undergraduate medical degrees on offer which can allow you to continue to graduate-entry medical programs.

A Bachelor of Medicine Degree is highly-comprehensive and is committed to ensuring that students, upon completion, have the professional knowledge and understanding to succeed in this competitive but rewarding career. There are many study areas covered in these medical degrees, such as clinical science, research, diagnosis and healthcare practices.

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Medicine or joint Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; students will have comprehensive knowledge in

• Diagnosing and appraising medical conditions
• Communicating knowledge to patients and colleagues
• How to make sound professional decisions
• Implement ways to promote health and wellbeing based on delivering expert advice
• Profound knowledge of health systems and research
• Practical skills to provide treatment in a clinical environment

Most of these Bachelor of Medicine degrees incorporate highly-skilled real-world experience as well as covering research and theory in a high level of detail over the course of a number of years. By the end of graduation, students will have an extensive range of knowledge and can be eligible for work placement opportunities.

Career Outcome

Doctors are always going to be needed, and with the rapid expansion of the healthcare industry in Australia, there’s plenty of opportunity for jobs for prospective graduates looking for employment. The Healthcare industry is Australia’s largest for employment and this is only going to continue as the population of Australia continues to age and more healthcare professions are needed.

So, if you’re wondering whether the time investment required to become a Doctor is worth it, the short answer is yes, it is worth it. As of 2015, there were just over 100,000 medical practitioners in Australia, with a yearly increase of around 3.4%. According to the Australia Institute of health and Welfare, 2 in 5 medical practitioners are women, an increase of 38% from 2012 highlighting the significant increase in women taking up this career.

The typical Doctor salary in Australia varies depending on what area of specialisation, but as a general rule, Doctors tend to earn in excess of $100,000 per year. This figure continues to rise as experience levels do as well, with some earning up to $200,000 and in some cases even more. Some Doctors, according to PayScale, can earn:

• Physician: $100, 921
• Radiologist: $151, 795
• Emergency Room (ER) Doctor: $102, 391
• Cardiologist: $120,000

These are just some of the many careers paths available for students who take part in a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree so despite the time spent studying and working towards that goal, the end result is highly worthwhile.