Are you curious about medical research or clinical practice? The Doctor of Medicine of The University of Notre Dame Australia is a four-year postgraduate degree accredited by the Medical Board of Australia on the recommendation of the Australian Medical Council. You will undertake clinical placements in the third and fourth year in various settings, including aged care facilities, public and private hospitals, general practice, and community-based services in urban and rural areas across Australia. Extend your medical career today.

Why study this degree?

As the only medical program offered by a Catholic university in Australia, the Doctor of Medicine aims to develop and train caring and ethical doctors imbued with the values of compassion, respect, and service. All students at Notre Dame undertake a Core Curriculum component of the study that involves an exploration of bioethics in the first year of the program.

The first and second years of your studies provide a solid foundation for your medical degree. You will have the opportunity to undertake problem-based learning tutorials conducted by medically-qualified tutors, clinical and communication skills sessions, workshops, clinical debriefing tutorials and site visits. In the second year, you will begin to work on a research-based or professionally-focused project on one of 10 themes: Clinical Science, Bioethics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Rural Medicine or Medical Leadership and Health Policy.

In the third year, you will undertake a series of clinical placements in in hospitals and community settings where you will engage with patients, their families and the healthcare professionals caring for them. This strong focus on experiential learning is further complemented by a series of weekly 'Back-to-Base Days', in which you will return to your principal Clinical School for short case tutorials, grand rounds, journal club sessions and expert guest lectures.

Your fourth and final year will see you complete further clinical placements. You will explore a range of disciplines in a range of health settings and present your project for examination in the Applied Research Project course of study. Following the fourth-year end-of-year examinations, you will commence a four-week elective learning period where you can extend your medical knowledge in an area of personal interest.

Essential elements of our Medical postgraduate degree include:

• Access to innovative clinical skills training
• Learning from clinical academics who are experts in their fields
• Aboriginal health, rural and remote placements
• A problem-based learning curriculum delivered in small groups in years one and two
• Clinical placements in both the public and private sector hospitals in years three and four
• A liberal arts education in bioethics
• Applied research project in an area of interest to you

Learning outcomes

Clinical Practice: the medical graduate as practitioner

Professionalism and Leadership: the medical graduate as a professional and a leader

Science and Scholarship: the medical graduate as scientist and scholar

Health and Society: the medical graduate as a health advocate

Practical component

• Clinical Placements and rural work experiences are included in this program. Students are to complete all clinical placements including after-hours work and attend all rural experiences.
• Your third and fourth years are clinically-based and present the opportunity to explore the different disciplines of medicine. You will complete discipline-based rotations in a clinical setting.
• Year 3 rotations include: Paediatrics,  Obstetrics & Gynaecology, General Practice, Surgery, Medicine, and Psychiatry.
• Year 4 rotations include: General Practice, Surgery, Medicine, ICU -  Intensive Care, and ED - Emergency.

Career opportunities

• A Doctor of Medicine degree can lead to many career opportunities depending on your area of specialisation or interest. Careers include General practice, Surgery, Physician, Public health, Medical Education, Medical research, Government departments, Not-for-profit organisations.

Real-world experience

• As with all our degrees, the Doctor of Medicine places a strong emphasis on practical training and experiential learning. Throughout the four years of your study you will undertake clinical placements in a variety of settings, including aged care facilities, public and private hospitals and general practice.