Established in 1850, the University of Sydney is Australia’s first university. According to the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject (Medicine), the university is ranked at #2 in Australia and at #26 in the world. The Sydney Medical School aims to give you a strong foundation for your future in medicine, whether in clinical practice, research, or public health.
The university’s research is focused on both discovery and translating discoveries into improved healthcare, with major programs of research into diseases and health challenges of national and international significance.
Why should you consider studying medicine at the University of Sydney?
The University of Sydney Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a postgraduate coursework degree that will provide you with clinical and research training to develop the skills needed to be responsive to the health needs of individuals, families and communities and committed to improving the health care system at all levels.
The Sydney MD curriculum and course structure enhances learning opportunities through earlier clinical exposure, added personalization options, new research opportunities, and immersive clinical placements in the last year of the program, preparing you for practice as a doctor.
Over 4 years, you will complete core units according to a prescribed course of study, covering 8 vertical themes:
The Sydney MD requires you to complete 16.5 hours per week over 140 weeks, for a total of 2,310 hours.
Clinical Placements
In the Sydney medical program, you’ll participate in clinical training and experience in health care facilities throughout your studies. In particular, you will undertake clinical training in the Sydney Medical School’s clinical schools.
Clinical placements are a major component the Sydney MD, and is integral to gaining your professional accreditation. In most courses, course-required placements are embedded from the first year and increase as you progress in your degree.
Elective placements are also offered throughout clinical schools to internal and external medical students in their final year of study who wish to expand their knowledge in a specialty area or across a variety of clinical settings.
1. Completed bachelor’s degree
Must have a completed bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of roughly 2.7/4.0. No prerequisite undergraduate subjects are required.**
2. Admissions test
Based on previous intakes, students who didn’t achieve a minimum MCAT score of 507 were not eligible for an interview. As such, OzTREKK will not submit Sydney MD applications with scores below 507. MCAT scores are valid from up to 3 years of program commencement. GAMSAT will also be accepted. After meeting the GPA requirement, all applicants are then ranked against each other based on their MCAT results.
3. Interview
Sydney will not have interviews for the 2025 intake; however, with equally ranked students, Sydney may implement an interview or situational judgement test to break the tie.
Online Learning Module
**Assumed knowledge includes anatomy, physiology, and molecular/cellular biology. Sydney Medicine offers a free, interactive online foundational knowledge course designed to support their diverse student cohort. Available prior to the commencement of the academic year and throughout the first year, this course will prepare students with the required biomedical knowledge.
*Applications for the 2025 intake closed June 18, 2024. For information about the 2026 intake, please contact OzTREKK.
Application deadline: June 18, 2024. Applications are closed.
Last date to sit MCAT: June 22, 2024. If you’re writing after May 16, 2024, please send us your AAMC MCAT sit date confirmation.
What do OzTREKK students think about studying Medicine at The University of Sydney? Read on!
I love my university. I always wanted to be doctor and this program is perfect for me.
I love my university. I always wanted to be doctor and this program is perfect for me.
Vaikunth CUniversity of Sydney is an amazing University with everything a student can ask for. The only issue that I have is that it can be hard to find spaces to study since there is a huge student population. I am definitely enjoying the program at USYD. This is because there are amazing lectures both at the main campus and the teaching hospitals. The only issue is that the program is being changed to an online based one with MD2020 so not everyone is on board with online teaching.
University of Sydney is an amazing University with everything a student can ask for. The only issue that I have is that it can be hard to find spaces to study since there is a huge student population. I am definitely enjoying the program at USYD. This is because there are amazing lectures both at the main campus and the teaching hospitals. The only issue is that the program is being changed to an online based one with MD2020 so not everyone is on board with online teaching.
Krishna SGreat weather in Sydney, well renowned institution, and great emphasis on research projects. The early clinical exposure is really good and allows us to apply our theoretical learning into real clinical and practical applications.
Great weather in Sydney, well renowned institution, and great emphasis on research projects…. The early clinical exposure is really good and allows us to apply our theoretical learning into real clinical and practical applications.
Desmond HI like USYD. It is a great program with a long history of success. I am enjoying it. I feel like I'm learning a lot and feel that the clinical introduction from an early date has been beneficial to our learning. Take advantage of all the events that happen to make friends and get the most out of the program.
I like USYD. It is a great program with a long history of success. I am enjoying it. I feel like I’m learning a lot and feel that the clinical introduction from an early date has been beneficial to our learning. Take advantage of all the events that happen to make friends and get the most out of the program.
Jagpreet DI do like my university. It is a world-class university in a wonderful city. I love how supportive the students are to each other. The Usyd Med program has such a family-like culture where everyone wants you to do well.
I do like my university. It is a world-class university in a wonderful city. I love how supportive the students are to each other. The Usyd Med program has such a family-like culture where everyone wants you to do well.
Tina LRight into the hospital ASAP. I get a lot of clinical experience. Additionally, there are many different learning activities so I rarely get tired of any. For example, the pathology labs, the team-based learning classes, clinical days, anatomy labs, lectures, and seminars.
Right into the hospital ASAP. I get a lot of clinical experience. Additionally, there are many different learning activities so I rarely get tired of any. For example, the pathology labs, the team-based learning classes, clinical days, anatomy labs, lectures, and seminars.
Barry B.Pros: large university with a very active campus so there is always something going on within the med program and beyond. World class lecturers teaching challenging material is very cool and rewarding. The anatomy labs and cadavers are an amazing tool to study anatomy and the staff is incredible. Cons: Organization of the lecture material sometimes seems thrown together without much thought so flow throughout a block of study can be a bit scattered.
Pros: large university with a very active campus so there is always something going on within the med program and beyond. World class lecturers teaching challenging material is very cool and rewarding. The anatomy labs and cadavers are an amazing tool to study anatomy and the staff is incredible. Cons: Organization of the lecture material sometimes seems thrown together without much thought so flow throughout a block of study can be a bit scattered.
Tyrel C.I like how hands on and practical it is from the first weeks of the program and the variety of learning environments offered through the program. The campus is quite large and busy, and there aren't any devoted spaces for medical students to study or congregate on the main campus outside of lectures. There is a graduate library, but it is small and fills with people in other programs near the ends of their semesters.
I like how hands on and practical it is from the first weeks of the program and the variety of learning environments offered through the program. The campus is quite large and busy, and there aren’t any devoted spaces for medical students to study or congregate on the main campus outside of lectures. There is a graduate library, but it is small and fills with people in other programs near the ends of their semesters.
Hayden S.The Sydney medical program can be a bit disorganized, but it is very hands on and you are expected to learn things quite fast. Definitely a challenging course but worthwhile.
The Sydney medical program can be a bit disorganized, but it is very hands on and you are expected to learn things quite fast. Definitely a challenging course but worthwhile.
Cynthia C.The University of Sydney is a well-renowened university and the campus is very nice and walkable. The students are well-supported by staff. We have a close relationship with some of the staff, especially at our clinical schools. Despite being away from home, I always feel like someone is looking out for me.
The University of Sydney is a well-renowened university and the campus is very nice and walkable. The students are well-supported by staff. We have a close relationship with some of the staff, especially at our clinical schools. Despite being away from home, I always feel like someone is looking out for me.
Justine Moreno E.The University is huge, well established and with some very supportive and experienced faculty. Some aspects of the program are disorganised. Time tables change often depending on the block of study and this ends up keeping us on our toes regarding how to study each block. This is especially true when lectures get switched around in an order where more complex topics end up being covered before the intro lectures. The clinical days are extremely useful learning opportunities. O. Read More
The University is huge, well established and with some very supportive and experienced faculty. Some aspects of the program are disorganised. Time tables change often depending on the block of study and this ends up keeping us on our toes regarding how to study each block. This is especially true when lectures get switched around in an order where more complex topics end up being covered before the intro lectures. The clinical days are extremely useful learning opportunities. One has the opportunity to learn a great deal from the doctors at the clinical school especially if one is able to spend some extra-curricular time there.
Advait P.Applying to medical school can be a stressful time, especially after your application is complete. Here are some tips to survive the waiting process!
14 May 2024 · NewsIf you’re considering applying to an Australian medical school, you may need to write the MCAT.
3 March 2024 · NewsAustralian university applications are officially open, and starting now means making your application as strong as possible. Here’s how.
See below for some frequently asked questions. Still need answers? Send us a request for information or contact a student advisor today.
For competitive programs, many universities will only accept applications from students who have studied within the last 10 years. Universities want to make sure the knowledge that students have is still relevant and that students are prepared to take on additional studies. If you’ve studied more than 10 years ago, consider the following medicine programs that do not have a 10-year rule:
If your degree is more than 10 years old but you’ve taken additional studies, you may be eligible to apply to the following universities:
Griffith University
Applicants whose key degree was completed outside the 10-year period are considered for admission if they have completed, with a passing GPA, the equivalent of one year of full-time tertiary study within the past 10 years.
Macquarie University
Bachelor degrees must be completed less than 10 years from intended enrolment unless the applicant meets accepted postgraduate study. Only the following postgraduate study is accepted: Graduate Diploma, Coursework Master’s, Research Master’s, PhD.
University of Sydney
If your bachelor’s degree was completed more than 10 years before January 1 of the year for which you are seeking enrolment, you must also have completed within this 10-year period a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma (or equivalent) of at least one year (full time); or have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the university sustained research productivity in a relevant discipline within this 10-year period.
University of Queensland
If your most recent academic qualification was completed more than 10 years prior to the proposed study commencement date, it will not be accepted for assessment unless the applicant has passed the equivalent of one full-time semester (four full-time subjects) of postgraduate coursework study in the 10 years preceding the proposed commencement date.
If you don’t meet the minimum MCAT requirements, OzTREKK cannot submit the application to the universities. As soon as the university receives an ineligible MCAT, the application is deemed unsuccessful.
1. Retake the MCAT
If you are re-sitting the MCAT, make sure that you will receive the official scores before the university application deadline. To see when the scores are released, you can always reference the MCAT scheduling site .
2. Apply to another program
If you are eligible, you can also apply to other medicine programs that have a lower MCAT requirement or a medicine program that does not require the MCAT. For postgraduate medicine, this means you can apply to the Monash MD program. Please note, you will need to have considerable experience in a biomedical science degree to be eligible.
Here are the undergraduate medicine programs that allow postgraduate students to apply and do not need an MCAT:
If you have specific questions about these programs, please email medicine@oztrekk.com and we will be happy to assist.