The University of Queensland (UQ) offers a postgraduate medical degree with two entry paths -

• Year 12 school leavers may secure provisional entry, meaning an allocated place in the postgraduate medical degree is provided (this requires the student to maintain satisfactory performance in their undergraduate degree) and

• a direct entry path for graduates with a completed degree.

Entry Requirements - The full details regarding the entry requirements for medicine at UQ are given in the table below.

How UQ Compares with Other Universities - Scroll further down, below the table  and you'll also see the UQ Comparitor. This tool enables you to compare the 2 paths to medicine at UQ, with other university paths to medicine (offered by 19 Australian universities). 

UQ detailed entry Requirements

The key aspects in how UQ structures its postgraduate medical degree and how the 2 paths flow into it include -

More than postgraduate

The Provisional Entry undergraduate degree path is for high achieving students and has an adjusted ATAR requirement of 95. Half the Commonwealth supported places in the UQ medical program are allocated to students coming through this path (140 places out of the total 280). These students are required to maintain a grade point average of a minimum of 5 and need to complete their undergraduate degree in minimum time in order to commence the Doctor of Medicine degree.

Interviews now needed

UQ was one of the few Australian universities that had not included an interview as part of the selection criteria for the Doctor of Medicine degree - but this has now changed with the introduction of an interview process for both Provisional Entry and Graduate (Direct) Entry paths. 

How UQ determines the offer of a place for Provisional (Year 12) entrants taking into consideration interview performance, has not been disclosed in terms of relative weighting. Interviews, however now contribute half of the assessment for graduate offers so it is clear this new requirement will have significant influence in terms of place offers for Provisional medicine students.

UQ offers a bonus scheme

If you are a high school student, you can gain up to 5 extra points that are added to your entry rank, for studies in languages other than English, Specialist Mathematics or if you have completed a university-level enrichment course. Two bonus points are added to your entry rank if you are a rural applicant applying for entry from Year 12.

Prerequisites - university subject requirements are also changing

Along with the changes regarding commencement of interviews, UQ have also changed their university subject prerequisites for undergraduate degrees. UQ does not currently specify the types of previous degrees required for the postgraduate medical program. Strong scientific knowledge including science, biomedical science and health science degrees with Year 2 studies in anatomy, physiology and biochemistry have been recommended, with social sciences and humanities also recommended.

From 2022 however, things step up a notch with UQ requiring Provisional Entry and Graduate Entry students to have completed two prerequisite subjects by the end of the year prior to commencement of the Doctor of Medicine degree, these subjects being:

• Integrative Cell and Tissue Biology, and

• System Physiology

Biostatistics and Anatomy are also recommended undergraduate courses.

Note, if you are applying through GEMSAS this also means you need to submit your subject prerequisites to UQ for assessment by 1st May in the year of application so they can be assessed in time for the GEMSAS closing date.

Prior degrees - the 10 year rule with a twist

For Graduate Entry applicants previous university studies need to be completed within 10 years (like many other universities) of commencement of the medical degree. The notable difference in this, however, compared with other universities, is additional required studies involve 1 semester of postgraduate coursework, when usually it is 1 year. 

Higher Degrees Count

The way UQ calculates grade point average (GPA) for graduates seeking to enter the medical program allows your most recent degree to be recognised. This means if you have a higher degree (such as a Masters or a PhD) you are able to include this in your GPA calculation. The introduction of an interview in the selection process also includes changes in how GPA is taken into account, with this now contributing 25% of the assessment for offers of a place in the medicine program.