I’m just posting as I’m sure I’m not alone in starting to feel very nervous about GEMSAS offers coming out soon, wondering if anyone has heard anything and also if anyone has experience with second round offers and when they generally come out?

I also wanted to ask if anyone has ever received an offer for a different uni to the one they interviewed for? I got an interview for my first preference uni but I’ve heard that the interviews can be shared across other unis and you can receive an offer for your second or third preference, is this true?

Hey guys! Current ANU medicine student here.

Thought I’d write this because I remember when my ANU med offer came out I was both ecstatic but also scared and overwhelmed by the thought of moving to Canberra, especially when there is so little info about the course available online. With offers coming out soon, if anyone else is in my shoes, I hope this helps you out and gets you super excited for ANU med :)

I’m going to focus more on the vibes and lifestyle around the course rather than the content itself. Med is med everywhere and all unis do it a bit differently, but we all end up as doctors, so I feel it’s not that big of a deal!

Disclaimer: This is all just based off my experience- of course other people may have different experiences as well. I hope to give those with no connections to ANU or Canberra a bit of an idea of what goes on here, but this is by no means an exhaustive list and available programs/teaching may change year to year.

Without further ado, here is my essay.

Student culture: One of my favourite parts of the ANU medicine course is the culture and collegiality. ANU med is like one big family and you’ll find that by the end of first year you’ll probably know everyone in your cohort by name and have lots of familiar faces in the year levels above as well. This is likely because the cohorts are pretty small (just over 100 people in each), Canberra only has two main hospitals, and all of the teaching is in person. In the first two preclinical years the whole cohort spends one day per week together at the hospital learning clinical skills, and then throughout the week all of the lectures, tutes, labs, etc. are delivered in person (and a good chunk of the cohort will attend all of these). Personally, this made the move to Canberra a thousand times easier because I have made so many lovely friends in the course, and despite the high volume of content I get lots of socialisation in my week. From what I understand, many of the bigger medical schools have vastly different and perhaps more isolated student experiences compared to this.

Extracurricular activities: Again, because ANU med is such an involved and close-knit community, there are lots of medical student societies and other activities you can get involved in around studies. ANU has a strong focus on rural medicine, and if you get involved in the rural medicine society you can do things like take blood pressures at country shows in rural towns around ACT and NSW, as well as do school visits. The various other societies often host networking nights, surgical suturing skills nights, etc., which are always great and accessible because Canberra is small and these events are usually around uni campus or the hospital anyway. In addition, a huge part of ANU medicine culture is our Med Revue, which is a production that happens in sem 1 every year and is beloved by the broader medical school community. The Med Revue is written, produced and performed by med students, including an all-med-student band, cast and chorus. From what I understand, it’s a much bigger affair than a lot of other uni revues, and a good proportion of the med school get involved (and most of the med school watches it).

Academic support from peers: The ANU medical students provide a lot of academic support to each other, especially when you are in first year. Higher year levels pass down extensive study resources tailored towards the ANU curriculum, and also host content tutorials and practice clinical exams. I’m sure similar things exist at other unis, but I've really enjoyed this aspect of ANU med.

Opportunities offered across the whole degree:
I had zero idea about any of these when I started med at ANU.

Rural year: You can join the Rural Stream and spend your entire third year in a rural node: Cooma, Moruya, Goulburn, Gundagai, or Bega. Students who do it tend to love the experience and say they get much more hands on clinical exposure. Students can also elect to do shorter placements rurally for certain blocks in fourth year.

NT placement: Every third year student spends 6 weeks in a rural node, but some students can also elect to go to the NT and spend six weeks on placement in a remote Indigenous community.

Overseas placement: You can elect to do a 6 week placement at a hospital overseas at the end of your third year. You have to do a bit of organising yourself for this one, but people have gone all over the world.

Sydney placements: Students can apply to do certain placements or units in Sydney instead of Canberra across third and fourth year. Some of these can last several months.

Moving to Canberra:
Canberra is a beautiful city with a lot to offer, but it’s definitely a big change if you’ve moved from one of the larger cities in Australia. It does however have many little pockets of wonder. The proximity to nature is something worth taking advantage of while living here, and while the nightlife scene is a bit smaller, there are still plenty of cool spots around, good restaurants and fun events going on (you just have to search a bit harder). As far as making friends goes, I honestly think it’s much easier than if you moved to a bigger city for medicine. Canberra is very much a uni town and many of the people here have moved from other places for uni, and so are keen to make new connections. Most of the other med students are also living out of home and juggling work, etc. with studies, and so there are plenty of people to offer advice and support on how to get it all done.

The actual course content/quality:
The lecturers and teachers at the ANU med school are all very passionate, caring and hard-working. They do a great job. Funding cuts have impacted the program in a few small ways: larger class formats for tutorials, and some lecture slides could do with being updated. But in all honesty, I think every medicine school has its issues in this regard. At least we get our lectures in person!

I have friends studying at several other med schools across Australia and after talking with them, I can say with confidence that ANU med really does have a great student experience. Like anywhere, it has its issues, but overall I am so glad to be studying here. This is by no means a post trying to convince anyone to come to ANU over anywhere else (I was initially devastated to have to leave my home town), but if you do get in to ANU, I hope this has helped some of you feel a bit less scared about moving to Canberra, and has made you excited for the adventure to come :)

My grandmother, who I’m extremely close with, has been receiving palliative care the last six months. I’ve been blown away about how compassionate some of the Drs have been towards her and us as a family.

One particular Dr stands out, that was able to have a difficult conversation with my mum and I, while providing us with a level of reassurance and empathy that has left an impression on me. So much so, this level of support, knowledge and understanding is something I’d love to help others with someday.

I currently work in tech transformation in a corporate company and have done so for the last 7 years since I graduated with my masters. Safe to say, I feel so brain dead by it all that I’ve lost all spark in my current career. Therefore, I am considering a career change, but at 31, im terrified at the thought of starting over again.

I satisfy the basic requirements for the GEM course I want to enrol on, but I am lost when it comes to the GAMSAT. I’ve done no science since GCSE, and my degrees are both in the arts.

I’ve been looking at the ACER material and to be honest, I’m struggling with most of the S3 questions. The other sections, I haven’t even looked at yet. I don’t want to throw in the towel just yet but would love some advice or guidance on where do I start with all of this?

Hi everyone!

Hoping to hear everyone’s experiences and advice for success at the various clinical schools. I understand that as a rural candidate, I’m almost guaranteed to get allocated at RCZ (which is fine), but in the instance I don’t, I’m wanting to hear about Northern/Western (which I understand you can preference) vs risking not preferencing them and ending up elsewhere. I’d love to hear about all the clinical schools if anyone is willing to share their experiences!

Thanks!!!! 🙏

Are there any published stats that give an idea of how many rural candidates apply for the UQ or Griffith medicine program?

I am a tier 2 candidate for RMP and DD, and will be doing my first application next year. Just wondering if these spots typically get all snapped up by tier 1s?

Hi all just looking to see if anyone has done this, and if so how was your experience? It's pass / fail (NGP) so I wanted to see if it's possible with full time work.

And it is that time once again! Flinders Medicine offers for the 2026 application cycle (for 2027 entry) are around the corner, so we’re making this thread to contain all the discussions, theories and excitement!

As usual, I have created a Google Form to collate data from this cycle. If you wouldn't mind providing the outcome of your application (be that offer or EONY) it would be much appreciated!

We understand that this can be a stressful and emotional time- make sure to take care of yourselves and each other, and reach out to the moderation team or the community if you need. If you haven't already joined our discord server, you can find it here. You can also find the EOD support thread for this cycle soon

Please try to remember that like all other aspects of the process, the interview stage is insanely competitive. Unfortunately, even the most personable, friendly and all-around wonderful people miss out every cycle- half the applicants are rejected at this stage, and I have no doubt the majority would make amazing doctors. No number, exam, or 2-hour video call can define your worth, your ability or your journey. Attributes like patience, commitment, compassion and courage are what make great doctors, and these attributes (and many others) can’t be easily quantified.

If this cycle doesn't go your way, please don't lose hope- keep working towards your goals, and remember who you are outside of all of this. You have so much to offer, and your resilience, hard work and persistence will pay off. You’ve got this, and you will get there- just keep moving forward step by step, and remember to be kind to yourself.

Absolute best of luck to you all! 🦍🩵

Spreadsheet

Hi everyone,
I have been accepted to both UQ and Melbourne and I am looking for some insight about both programs.
As an international student, the cost for both schools will be HIGH so honestly I am letting the quality of programs be the deciding factor here.
I have seen a lot of talk about the lectures at Melbourne being entirely or mostly online and I was wondering how true that is, and if UQ is any different. Ofcourse a large degree of self-directed study is expected but it is very important to me to have in-person lectures.
I also know that the UQ class sizes are larger which is considered a disadvantage so I was wondering if anyone has any insight on that.
I was also wondering about job, placementu and networking opportunities. I do not plan to leave Australia but I do understand that priority is given to domestic student so which university will set me up better in that aspect?
Finally, since the prices are astronomical, I was also wondering which uni will have more opportunities for scholarships/burseries etc down the line.

Thank you in advance :)

hello everyone 👋 i just wanted a second opinion on my chances. did average on my gcse and a-levels so im applying to unis that don’t consider them and only use degree classification. im a contextual student.

stats:
first class honours in bsc (hons) criminology and psychology
ucat: 2350 band 2
gamsat: 72 overall
non-science background

work experience:
did a weeks worth of volunteering in an emergency department
combat medic technician in the reserve army
bsms virtual work experience completed

universities i’m considering:
city st george’s
university of surrey
university of southampton
warwick university

i suppose my question is if my application seems competitive because i don’t have much work experience?

first time posting on reddit please lmk if i did anything wrong. thank you 🙌

Hi everyone,

I’m a mid 20s, Australian citizen and AHPRA-registered RN working in rural Tasmania. I’ve wanted to pursue medicine for a long time and am currently weighing up Oceania University of Medicine (OUM) vs attempting Australian graduate-entry medicine.

I have an unweighted GPA of approximately 6.86/7 and rural eligibility, but I haven’t sat GAMSAT yet. I’m planning for March 2027.

My biggest concern is GAMSAT. I didn’t finish high school, so while biology/health sciences are strengths, my foundations in chemistry, physics and maths are beyond poor and I’m currently teaching myself these from scratch. I worry it could take several sittings/years to become competitive.

That’s what makes OUM appealing. I could potentially start medicine much sooner and would likely be reasonably competitive for admission. However, I understand I’d be trading the uncertainty of GAMSAT/admission for the uncertainty of IMG status + AMC exams + internship/employment.

The financial side is also significant. I’m estimating $200–250k+ once tuition increases and additional costs are considered, without HECS/CSP. I have significant savings, no debt and small business income on top of Department of Health job, so it’s possible, but still an enormous financial risk.

I already work within the Tasmanian pubic health system and have professional connections here, and I’m very comfortable working rurally/interstate if required. I’m curious whether this would meaningfully help when seeking internship/employment as an IMG.

I’d particularly love to hear from current/former Australian OUM students or graduates:
What did the degree actually cost, including placement fees, travel/accommodation, Samoa and AMC costs? How did you finance it?

How good is the teaching, and how self-directed is it? How much could you realistically work during preclinical years?

Are Australian clinical placements reliably provided, and how much travelling is involved?

How difficult was the AMC + internship/employment pathway? How long after graduating did it take to actually start working as a doctor in Australia?

How much does being an IMG matter after internship/general registration, particularly for specialty training?

OUM’s current accreditation appears to run until May 2030. How concerned should someone starting in 2027 be about reaccreditation or eligibility changing before graduation?

What commonly causes students to fail/withdraw, and what happens if you fail a unit or rotation?

Most importantly: knowing everything you know now, would you choose OUM again, or would you keep attempting Australian entry?

Ultimately, if you were an RN, GPA 6.86, rural applicant, financially able to consider OUM, but weak in chemistry/physics/maths and hadn't attempted GAMSAT yet — what would you do?

Would you give Australian entry a serious attempt for 1–2 years first, or accept the additional cost/IMG hurdles and start medicine through OUM sooner?

Hey i read an old reddit post from three years ago saying that the majority of flinders NT program is delievered online where everyone just comes together to watch the lectures, is this still true?

For context, I’m a 2nd year MEDSCI student at university and I’ve always had a major interest in medicine, but I’ve never been good at studying or getting good grades; my WAM ATM is also not competitive. I know realistically if I sit the GAMSAT I would most likely not get a good score nor be competitive enough, and the test is a lot of money. Just wondering if someone has been in a similar situation to this? What did you do?

I’m looking at sitting the gamsat in March for the first time in Dublin I have no clue how to prepare. Are there any decent prep courses that won’t cost an arm and a leg or would anyone have any advice on how to prepare. I’m doing biomed in college so I’m hoping that will help with the science end.

Hey, I'm a Canadian who got into both UniMelb and USyd for medicine, and I was wondering if any current students at either school could share their experiences and why they chose one over the other. Would especially love to hear from other Canadian/international students!

From what I've heard, Melbourne as a city might suit me better than Sydney, but ultimately I'm going there for med school, so my decision will mostly come down to the opportunities each school offers. Especially since international tuition is so expensive, I really want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my experience and that the opportunities justify the cost.

I'm interested in things like international clinical electives (especially in Canada), how big the Canadian student community is and whether there are resources for preparing for applying back home, how the programs are structured, and how supportive the schools are in general.

I've also heard that Melbourne relies quite a bit on pre-recorded lectures, but I'm not sure if that's still the case or if students actually find it affects their learning. I'm also curious about research opportunities, especially whether there are paid positions available for med students.

I'd really appreciate hearing about what you like or dislike about either program, or anything you think is worth considering that I might've missed. Especially if you were deciding between the two schools yourself, what ultimately made you choose one over the other?

Update: I got the tuition cost breakdown from Melbourne, and let’s just say it has solidified my decision lol. For context, the estimated total tuition the university gave me is $200,000 more than Sydney. I know damn well their education isn’t worth that much more, so I’ll be seeing y’all in Sydney. Thank you to everyone who replied!!

Hi all,

I'm wondering if there are any MD1+ students from UQ who could please share their typical weekly workload of study. In particular, I'm keen to know the following:

- Roughly how many hours/days are required on-campus and in hospital,

- How much could be done online (recorded lectures, etc), and

- How much extra time should typically be allocated to extra study (probably highly variable).

I'm interested so as to weigh up various potential work options should I be accepted.

Thanks in advance.

Hey all. I’m reaching out looking for some advice before starting my Dentistry course at unimelb.

1. What is the timetable like? Is it fixed and given to me by the uni or do I allocate my subjects?

2. how many days a week would I be expected to go to uni and would I be able to work on the side?

3. How is the workload and what is some advice on keeping up with the workload so as not to fall behind?

4. I saw that some practical assessments are hurdle and failing them can lead to repeating the year. This is kind of giving me some anxiety. Are these practical assignments super difficult or doable?

I’m sorry if these questions seem silly or stupid. Congratulations on everyone else who’s received an offer and good luck to everyone who’s applied and waiting for second rounds and to all those on their medical and dental school journeys!

I saw in the admissions guide that if you have been to a course academic progress meeting, you need to declare it so USYD can decide if they would consider admitting you even if you have met the requirements. I am debating if I should sit GAMSAT or not and I would like to know if anyone has been through this process and if they have made it through.

Having sat the test for sep 2026, i realized how much the actual exam deviates from ACER material (way more data/graph interpretation and cognitive overload). Right after taking the test, I got some advice from ai tools that I can practice those skill via MCAT passages, and I've been grinding MCAT (mainly graph) passages to enhance reasoning and several skills. Since time is pretty limited, i want to make sure i am studying as efficiently as possible. How are you guys working on it? any specific resources or routines?

I’m graduating high school this year and will be completing an arts (or Arts/Law) degree, beginning next year. I have always been strongest in English, History etc, but I also love STEM and am doing higher-level maths at the moment. I am not, however, doing any of the sciences as a senior - I dropped Physics in Year 11 (I enjoyed it, but it was the hardest of my subjects, it took up too much time and I didn’t need it as I already had enough subjects to fulfil HSC requirements).

If I complete an undergrad Arts degree and tutor myself in Section 3 content (by doing bridging courses and GAMSAT tutoring/self-tutoring, for example) can I excel in the GAMSAT?

Many people I’ve spoken with say that this is quite possible but I would like your honest perspectives as GAMSAT-sitters.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

Hope you are all doing well!

Just wondering if anyone has experience with adding the UNDS Full Fee Paying (FFP) option after submitting their original GEMSAS application.

If you initially didn’t select FFP on GEMSAS but then submitted the separate UNDS form to opt in before the deadline:

- How long after the deadline did you receive the confirmation/approval email?

- Was it generally fairly soon after the deadline, or did it take a few weeks?

- Has anyone ever had their request to add FFP rejected/declined, despite submitting the form before the deadline?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through this in previous application cycles!

Thanks!

Hey guys just wanted to ask how everyone else found the interview, heard things over on the discord but wanted to see how others felt about it.

I reckon I did well on 7-8/10 of the questions but I occasionally rambled because of how long the questions / stems were, did anyone else experience the same

They also deliberated for 4 mins, dont know if that is good haha

Hey everyone,

I’m in a bit of a stressful situation with my GPA and could really use some advice from anyone who has applied to Irish Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) with an international degree.

I’m an EU citizen, but I’m currently finishing my final year of a B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ghana. My plan is to move to Ireland right after graduation and work for 3 years to clear the residency requirement so I can get EU fee status before applying to GEM.

Here’s where it gets messy. I’m on track to finish with a 3.00 CGPA out of 4.00. In Ghana’s national university system, a 3.0 is universally recognized as a Second Class Upper. But my specific university uses a strict internal scale where a 3.25 is required for a Second Class Upper, meaning my 3.0 will officially be printed on my final transcript as a Second Class Lower.

I know Irish GEM is super rigid about needing a 2:1 (Upper Second Class) on your very first degree.

Does anyone know if the CAO just looks at the literal words "Second Class Lower" and auto-rejects you? Or do Irish admissions offices actually look at the numerical value (3.0/4.0) and use databases like NARIC to see what it’s actually worth internationally?

If the text means an automatic rejection for GEM, my backup is to do a Master's in Biotech in Ireland and apply for the standard 5-year undergrad medicine route as an EU mature graduate instead. Has anyone taken that path?

My dream is to eventually train in neurosurgery in Ireland, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle this transcript hurdle without killing that goal before I even start. I’ve already emailed UCD, RCSI, UCC, and UL, but I’d love to hear from anyone who has actually dealt with the CAO on something like this.

Thanks so much!

Hi everyone,

I have a somewhat unusual situation and was hoping someone might have experience with this.

I'm currently a Chinese citizen with Australian permanent residency and have lived in Australia for about 12 years. I'm considering applying for graduate-entry medicine in the UK.

As I understand it, I'd be considered an international student in the UK regardless of whether I'm a Chinese citizen or an Australian citizen, so citizenship itself may not affect the application process. My main concern is what happens afterwards.

If I complete medical school in the UK and then undertake 1 year of foundation/residency training there, would returning to Australia be straightforward while holding Australian permanent residency? Or would obtaining Australian citizenship make the process significantly easier?

I'm also curious whether anyone has given up Australian PR to apply to Australian postgraduate medicine programs as an international student instead. I currently have a GPA of 6.8 and a GAMSAT score of 62. These scores were not competitive enough for an interview as a domestic applicant, but I understand they can almost guarantee a spot in international applicant pool.

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been through a similar situation or has knowledge of the medical registration and training pathway between the UK and Australia.

Thanks very much!