The Flinders University/Charles Darwin University Summary (see under University Summaries) shows there are 7 paths to medicine at Flinders. These are basically:-

• direct entry to the double degree - a combined undergraduate Bachelor of Clinical Sciences degree and Doctor of Medicine degree that can be undertaken either in Adelaide (through Flinders University) or Darwin (through Charles Darwin University and Flinders University) or

• graduate entry to the Doctor of Medicine degree.

Entry Requirements - The full details regarding the entry requirements for medicine at Flinders University / Charles Darwin University are given in the table below.

This table shows, not only the requirements to obtain a place in the medical program, but also details how the direct entry and the 6 graduate paths flow into the medical degree and what you need to keep in mind, not only for medicine, but also if you are applying for an undergraduate degree that leads to medicine. 

How Flinders University / Charles Darwin University Compare with Other Universities - Scroll further down, below the table and you'll also see the Flinders Comparitor. This tool enables you to compare the 7 paths to medicine at Flinders, with other university paths to medicine (offered by 19 Australian universities). 

flinders / charles darwin detailed entry Requirements

There are a number of notable aspects in how Flinders / Charles Darwin structure their undergraduate and postgraduate medical degree. 

Flinders University and Charles Darwin University double act

Flinders and Charles Darwin Universities have combined to offer a medical program in either Adelaide and Darwin, with only Australian citizens or permanent residents able to apply for the Darwin location. The Bachelor of Clinical Studies (Darwin) degree is taught by Charles Darwin University.

Indigenous applicants encouraged

Flinders/CDU encourage Indigenous applicants to apply. Places are reserved for Indigenous applicants with the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences Doctor of Medicine degree providing 5 places for NT-based Indigenous applicants and 2 places for non-NT Indigenous applicants, and Doctor of Medicine degree providing 5 places in the SA medical program. Indigenous applicants may apply directly or are able to undertake the Indigenous Entry Scheme. This Scheme involves a 4-5 week program comprised of the Preparation for Medicine Program and Flinders University Extended Learning in Science program. Applicants coming through the Indigenous Entry Scheme do not have to undertake the GAMSAT. 

Flinders / Charles Darwin medicine is complicated

Flinders / Charles Darwin University (CDU) offer the option of either progressing through a direct entry from high school combined double degree path to medicine, or a postgraduate medical degree.

Add to this the opportunity to also secure entry into the medicine program through what are known as "subquotas" - specified places in the medicine program reserved for students from humanitarian, rural/regional and/or Indigenous backgrounds, and you have a whole lot of opportunity and diversity - in terms of who can get to medicine. This, however, comes at a price with a resultant range of detailed and specific requirements to grapple with, in terms of how the medicine program operates and it’s particular entry requirements.

Flinders / CDU don't have a 10 year rule

Many universities have the requirement that any previous undergraduate degrees need to have been completed no more than 10 years prior to commencing the postgraduate medical degree. Not so for Flinders. Importantly Flinders also accept 1 year Bachelor degrees and accelerated Bachelor degrees (2 years). On the other hand, Flinders do not take into consideration in their weighted grade point average calculation any higher degrees you may have undertaken.

Flinders / CDU Medicine is small and welcoming

It is not fully clear how many places there actually are in the medicine program at Flinders / CDU. There are up to 75 Commonwealth Supported places. Of these 75% are reserved for Flinders graduates only - with up to 25 graduates from undergraduate degrees in Health Sciences, Medical Science, Paramedic Studies or Science (Biotechnology) accepted. The remaining places are for Flinders graduates with other degrees.

The remaining Commonwealth places (25%) are provided to non-Flinders degree students - with these possibly allocated to students with rural/remote, humanitarian visa and Indigenous backgrounds.  Flinders / CDU have specific programs that provide medicine graduates to address needs in these areas. The Darwin program, for example, has up to 12 Northern Territory government bonded places and preference for these places is given to Indigenous applicants and Northern Territory residents. These students have a 4 year return of service obligation in the NT.

Flinders has lots of schemes

Part of the reason why Flinders is so complicated is because there are many entrance schemes on offer. These include the uniTEST - which is a multiple choice test that can enhance your chances of getting into a degree at Flinders. The uniTEST applies to all undergraduate degrees at Flinders - with the exception being the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences degree. 

Then there's the Universities Language, Literacy and Mathematics bonus scheme - that provides bonus points for high school students studying a language other than English, English/English Literary Studies, Mathematical Methods and/or Specialist Mathematics. Bonus points are awarded for an overall grade of C (min). Like the uniTEST - bonuses under the Universities Language, Literacy and Mathematics scheme don't apply to the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences degree, but do apply to all other undergraduate degrees. 

A further entrance scheme is Research Project B. This provides the opportunity to undertake a research project and combine the result with your ATAR to gain undergraduate entry to Flinders. This scheme is not applicable to Clinical Sciences or Paramedic Science degrees.

Selection criteria for medicine? It all depends your circumstances

If you're a domestic student applying for the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences, you're not required to attend an interview as part of the selection process. Instead, your ATAR (90%) and UCAT (10%) are used to determine who's offered a place in the double degree program.

International applicants are interviewed, with selection for the interview based on academic ranking. International students are then offered a place in the medical program based on secondary school results and the interview.

If on the other hand, you're applying for the postgraduate program, your GAMSAT/MCAT is used to determine if you are offered an interview. Again, the cut off GAMSAT scores differ, depending upon whether you are in a specific category - such as rural/remote, if you are or are not a Flinders graduate etc, etc. 

Offers of a place in the medical program are based on an equal weighting of your GPA, interview and GAMSAT/MCAT.

If you are a rural applicant applying for one of the 24 places offered through the parallel rural community curriculum (PRCC) you have to go through an additional selection process (ie in additional to the interview). Only rural students are able to apply for the PRCC and they are selected to undertake this additional assessment on the basis of their GAMSAT. The additional assessment involves selection process activities including semi-structured scenarios and questions (Note: This is currently being reviewed due to COVID-19). Candidates also have to submit an autobiographic statement prior to this assessment. Your interview and PRCC outcome determine if you are offered a place.

If you are Indigenous and are applying through the Indigenous Entry Scheme this involves submitting an application form, undertaking an interview and completing the Preparation for Medicine Program and Extended Learning in Science Program.

The way your results in your first degree are assessed differs depending upon whether you are a domestic or international applicant: with domestic GPAs being weighted and international based on performance in your degree which is not weighted.