Medicine (Doctor of Medicine)

The course resolutions detailed in this page apply to all courses included in the table below under section 1 (course codes).

These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2014 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Coursework Policy 2021 (the 'Coursework Policy'), the Learning and Teaching Policy 2019, the Resolutions of the Faculty, University of Sydney (Student Academic Appeals) Rule 2021, the Academic Integrity Policy 2022 and the Academic Integrity Procedures 2022. Current versions of all policies are available from the Policy Register: http://www.sydney.edu.au/policies

1  Course codes

2  Attendance pattern

(1)  The attendance pattern in the Doctor of Medicine (MD) and its embedded courses is full-time only.

3  Masters type

(1) The Doctor of Medicine and its embedded course are professional masters courses, as defined by the Coursework Rule 2014 and the Coursework Policy.

4  Embedded courses in this sequence

(1) The embedded courses in this sequence are:

(a) Master of Health Studies;

(b) Doctor of Medicine.

(2) All candidates will be admitted to and enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine.

(3) A candidate for the Doctor of Medicine may, with the permission of the relevant delegate, elect to discontinue study and graduate with a lower award from the embedded sequence, provided that for the Master of Health Studies, the candidate has successfully completed 96 credit points.

(4) Only the longest degree for which the student is eligible in the embedded sequence will be awarded.

5  Streams

(1) Candidates will enter and complete the Doctor of Medicine through a stream.

(2) The Doctor of Medicine is available in the following streams:

(a) Metropolitan Stream based at the University of Sydney, Camperdown and associated clinical schools; or

(b) Dubbo Stream based at the University of Sydney Rural Clinical School, Dubbo.

(3) The Dubbo Stream is only available to students eligible for a Commonwealth Supported place.

(4) Once admitted to a stream, students will not be permitted to transfer to another stream except in exceptional circumstances.                   

(5) Only students with a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) may be considered for transfer between the Metropolitan Stream and the Dubbo Stream:

(a) in exceptional circumstances; and

(b) with the approval of the relevant delegate.

(6) Transfer between streams will not be permitted under any circumstances for domestic or international full fee-paying students.

6  Cross-faculty management

(1) Candidates in the Doctor of Medicine and its embedded courses will be under the general supervision of the Faculty of Medicine and Health until the end of the semester in which they complete the requirements for the course.

7  Admission to candidature

(1) Subject to subclauses 7(13)-(15) below, available places will be offered to qualified applicants based on merit, according to the following admission criteria.

Doctor of Medicine

(2) Admission to the Doctor of Medicine requires completion of a bachelor degree comprising at least three full-time equivalent years of study which will be either:

(a) a bachelor degree (pass) accredited at Level 7 under the Australian Qualifications Framework or a bachelor degree (with honours) accredited at Level 8 under the Australian Qualifications Framework, from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or

(b) bachelor degree from an overseas university listed in the recognised by Australia's National Information Centre in the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, provided that the degree is equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree (pass or with honours); and

(c) a demonstrated sustained academic performance to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate.

(3) In assessing sustained academic performance, the relevant delegate may, at their discretion, consider performance in the Bachelor degree(s) and/or performance in any graduate diploma, master or doctoral degree (or equivalent); and

(a) performance in admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

(b) performance in an interview, if required, to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate.

(4) If the bachelor degree was completed more than 10 years before 1 January of the year for which the applicant is seeking enrolment, the applicant must, in addition:

(a) have completed within the 10 year period immediately preceding the date of application, or will complete prior to 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Medicine, a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma (or equivalent), which will be either:

(i) a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma accredited at Level 8, 9, or 10 under the Australian Qualifications Framework, from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or

(ii) a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma at an overseas university recognised by in the Australia's National Information Centre in the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, provided that the postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma is equivalent to an Australian postgraduate degree or diploma accredited at Level 8, 9, or 10; or

(iii) have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the relevant delegate sustained research productivity in a relevant discipline within the 10 year period immediately preceding the date of application.

(5) An applicant will not be admitted to candidature for the Doctor of Medicine unless he or she has completed a bachelor degree prior to 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Medicine.

(6) The official results listed on an applicant's transcript, and his or her admission test results, will be taken as the awarding and testing authorities' assessment of the academic standards reached by the applicant, taking due account of disability, illness and misadventure according to the authorities' policies.

(7) A person who has commenced the Doctor of Medicine in a fee-paying or bonded place at the University may not be admitted or transfer to a Commonwealth supported or non-bonded place in the Doctor of Medicine. For this purpose, students are considered to have commenced the course at the time of their first enrolment.

(8) The relevant delegate may, in exceptional circumstances, admit to the Doctor of Medicine an applicant who has commenced studies in postgraduate medicine at another University, provided that the applicant:

(a) has not previously applied unsuccessfully for admission to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or the Doctor of Medicine at the University of Sydney; and

(b) would have met the requirements for admission to the Doctor of Medicine that were in place at the time the applicant was admitted to his or her previous course in medicine.

(9) Prior to admitting an applicant to the Doctor of Medicine in accordance with subclause 8, the relevant delegate will consider:

(a) the circumstances leading to the applicant’s request for admission;

(b) whether the curriculum undertaken by the applicant in his or her previous course in medicine is comparable to the Doctor of Medicine; (c) the academic performance of the applicant in his or her previous course in medicine; and (d) the availability of places in the Doctor of Medicine in the relevant year.

(10) The relevant delegate may, prior to admitting an applicant to the Doctor of Medicine in accordance with subclause 9, require the applicant to undertake a written and/or clinical examination that permits entry into the relevant year.

(11) The Faculty of Medicine and Health will publish details of any special admission schemes approved by the Academic Board.

(12) If an offer has been made to an applicant but which is not in accordance with the admission criteria, the relevant delegate may, confirm or withdraw that offer on recommendation from a committee consisting of:

(a) the Head of School and Dean of Sydney Medical School;

(b) the Associate Dean Education of the Faculty of Medicine and Health;

(c) the Academic Coordinator Doctor of Medicine Admissions; and

(d) the Director of the Sydney Medical Program.

(13) For admission through the course specific special entry program, the Indigenous Facilitated Entry Scheme, applicants:

(a) must be able to demonstrate that they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders as required by the Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity Policy 2015; and (b) may be admitted on the basis of:

(i) a bachelor's degree and performance in admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate at a lower academic standard than the requirement for standard applicants; or

(ii) a postgraduate degree without performance in an admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate; and

(iii) a demonstrated sustained academic performance to a standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate; and

(iv) performance in an interview, if required, to an adjusted standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate.

(14) If an applicant is admitted through the Indigenous Facilitated Entry scheme on the basis of a postgraduate degree, that degree must:

(a) have been completed within three years before 1 January of the year in which the applicant is seeking admission; and

(b) be either:

(i) a postgraduate degree accredited at level 9, or 10 under the Australian Qualifications Framework, from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or

(ii) a postgraduate degree at an overseas university listed in the Australia's National Information Centre in the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, equivalent to an Australian postgraduate degree accredited at Level 9, or 10.

(15) For admission through the Rural Applicants Facilitated Entry Scheme:

(a) applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are of Australian rural origin as per the applicable Commonwealth Government current definition;

(b) applicants may be admitted with:

(i) a lower academic performance than the requirement for standard applicants; and/or

(ii) performance in admissions test(s) approved by the relevant delegate to an adjusted standard considered satisfactory by the Head of School and Dean; and

(iii) performance in an interview to an adjusted standard considered satisfactory by the relevant delegate.

(16) Deferral: Applications for deferral of enrolment following an offer of a place in the Doctor of Medicine will only be considered under exceptional circumstances, and require the approval of the relevant delegate.

(17) Admission to candidature in the Master of Health Studies is by transfer from the Doctor of Medicine, subject to the conditions of clause 8 being met.

8  Requirements for award

Doctor of Medicine

(1) All Units of Study in the Doctor of Medicine are prescribed and must be taken in the year of enrolment to which they correspond.

(2) To qualify for the award of the Doctor of Medicine, a candidate must successfully complete 192 credit points across the four years. Master of Health Studies

(3) Candidates must complete 96 credit points that comprise Years 1 and 2 of the Doctor of Medicine.

9  Recognition of prior learning

(1) Advanced standing and credit for previous study is not available for the Doctor of Medicine, except under exceptional circumstances where approved by the relevant delegate.

10  Progression

(1) These progression requirements should be read in conjunction with the relevant Unit of Study Outlines, Faculty Local Provisions and Faculty Resolutions.

(2) Details of assessment requirements in each Year, including the structure, content and expected standards, are available for enrolled students in the Unit of Study Outlines, the Handbook and on the Learning Management System.

(3) In each year there will be an integrated portfolio-based assessment, involving a range of assessments using the following formats:

(a) Exams and in-class assessments;

(b) Skills-based/ clinical assessments;

(c) Group assessments;

(d) Submitted works of capabilities as approved by the Doctor of Medicine Program Committee.

(4) Assessments are integrated across themes and across the Units of Study each year.

(5) Candidates who do not meet the attendance requirements of each year, as detailed in the Faculty local provisions: Faculty of Medicine and Health - Sydney Medical Program Attendance Provisions will need approval from the Director of the Sydney Medical Program and/or the relevant Portfolio Committee to continue their candidature and/or to take the examinations.

(6) In accordance with Faculty local provisions: Faculty of Medicine and Health - Professionalism Provisions and Faculty of Medicine and Health - Professionalism Requirements Provisions candidates who demonstrate serious or repeated unprofessional behaviour may be required to show cause as to why their enrolment should be continued. Failure to show cause may result in exclusion from the course.

(7) Candidates who fail a year will repeat all Units of Study assigned to the applicable year in their entirety.

(8) Candidates may only repeat one of any of Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 or Year 4. Candidates who fail more than one of Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 or Year 4 will be required to show cause as to why they should be allowed to re-enrol. Failure to show cause may result in exclusion from the course.

(9) Candidates must complete all Units of Study scheduled in the one calendar year in order to progress to the next year. This Clause may be waived in exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Director of the Sydney Medical Program.

(10) Candidates who withdraw at any point in time of any year will be required to repeat all of the applicable year.

11  Cross-institutional study

(1) Cross-institutional study is not available in the Doctor of Medicine or its embedded courses.

12  International exchange

(1) International exchange is not allowed in the Doctor of Medicine or its embedded courses.

13  Award of the master's degree

(1) The Doctor of Medicine will be awarded in the pass grade.

(2) The Master of Health Studies will be awarded in the pass grade.

14  Course transfer

(1) Course transfer is not available for the Doctor of Medicine or its embedded courses.

15  Transitional provisions

(1) These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January 2024 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January 2024 who elect to proceed under these resolutions. Students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January 2024 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement.