If you’re looking to study medicine, it will take a lot of effort and commitment on your part. It is an intensive, demanding and yet ultimately rewarding query path and will require a lot of investment. Getting into medical school is hard, but with dedication, you can do it. If you’re living in Australia and wondering how to get into a medical college, don’t worry because we’re going to give five major ways to help you get into a great medical school Australia.
Ways to prepare for a medicine career
Before you apply to medical school (Australia), you need first to take care of a few things.
- Completing your high school education is a must. Depending on which pathway you’re aiming for (undergraduate or graduate), you may need to also complete a bachelor’s degree first.
- Taking the GAMSAT or UCAT is required. The UCAT is the University Clinical Aptitude Test, and any student interested in studying undergrad dentistry or medicine needs to sit for UCAT before applying to any of the undergraduate medical schools.
The GAMSAT or Graduate Medical School Admissions Test is a test students need to overcome if they wish to study postgraduate medicine. Guides and study preps for UCAT and GAMSAT are also available.
- You also need to choose the correct university as it will have the maximum impact on your career and future. You should consider the location, cost, reputation, and size of the university. Also important is the course length and your own maturity – If you don’t think you are ready for medical school straight out of high school, consider the graduate pathway instead. However, you should apply to a medical college that best suits your needs and ambition.
- Work on your people skills. Improve your ability to take responsibilities, time manage and try volunteering jobs. You can volunteer at hospitals, independent clinics, or with any researcher.
Five tips for getting into medicine
- Know the pathways and requirements
The entry requirements for medical schools, both at an undergraduate and graduate level can be confusing to navigate, particularly if you are deciding to re-engage with tertiary education after some time working. The AMA or the Australian Medical Association has useful guides for prospective medical students, including more specifically the Australian Medical Students Association. It is a body run by students and is a connection between all medical students in Australia.
Making sure you know the requirements early on means that you avoid any headaches or issues further on, and ensures that all your hard work is towards a clear goal. These requirements can also fall outside of the typical academic requirements, and as such it’s a good idea to get started early on building your leadership, volunteering and communication skills.
- Join a Medical Society
Many universities in Australia have a medical science society for students, which may be able to provide advice or may run events to help you navigate the requirements. These are student-run bodies and can often be a useful place to find others who are also interested in the medical pathway – It’s often easy to make this daunting challenge with a group of friends who can support you rather than to do it alone!
- Be serious
When you opt to get a degree in medicine, you should know that it’s a very demanding profession and requires a lot of studying. You will deal with different expectations and responsibilities, as compared to other students; for example, those who are pursuing a degree in arts or commerce. Therefore, you need to keep yourself ready to tackle different things at one time. This means your time management skills should be top-notch. Otherwise, relax and take what comes to you. Don’t take medical school lightly if you want to build a career out of it.
- Be balanced
Learn to assess your priorities properly. Getting into a medical school shouldn’t take up the 24 hours that you have. It’s normal to have a life outside studying, and sometimes focusing on that takes the edge off. Give importance to other things except for studies sometimes and see how you achieve a perfect balance in your life where you don’t have to give up on one thing to get another. It’s important to maintain a healthy balance as things will only get harder once you start medical school!
- Explore
Explore interests other than medicine. It’s okay to have multiple interests at a time. Having a co-curricular activity can help with the stress of medical college, and it can also be fun to explore new things. Knowing about different things will make you look better in college applications.
Final Thoughts
We hope this blog was insightful and inspiring. Moreover, these tips can go a long way if utilized correctly. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time for you to start your medical college journey.
