Best Foreign Medical Schools

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, Australia

The Medical Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of all Australians by investing in a program of world-class research and learning in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney.


Since it formation in 1958 the Foundation has grown enormously to become one of Australia’s most significant privately funded medical research funding bodies, supporting a portfolio of internationally recognized research across diverse fields of medicine within the Faculty of Medicine Clinical Schools and associated institutes.

The Medical Foundation’s programs are wide ranging. They include research into Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, eye diseases, liver diseases, Ménière’s disease and pediatric and childhood diseases.

This research contributes to a greater understanding of the causes of disease that will lead to improved treatment options and, in many cases, prevention of diseases that cause premature death or long-term disability.

Q: How long has the International Medical School (IMS) been in existence?

A: 1850.

Q: What are the entrance/admissions requirements?

A: North American Applicants:

The three basic admissions criteria involve performance in:

1. A credit average or better in any Bachelor degree
2. The Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) or North American Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT)
3. The Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI)

Q: Is an undergraduate degree required in order to start school (matriculate)?

A: Yes.

Q: Are there specific residency or foreign language requirements?

A: English


Q: Is the MCAT required or optional?(matriculate)?

A: Required

Q: What are the entrance/admissions requirements?

A: Applicants must have a bachelor degree from either:

1. an Australian university listed in the Australian Qualifications Framework at sub-category
ii. Universities and Other Self-Accrediting Higher education Institutions);
OR
2. an overseas university listed in the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition guide.

Where an applicant’s bachelor degree contains credit from an institution other than the institution awarding the degree, the following conditions apply:

1. Students must study for at least two years full-time equivalent at the degree awarding institution.
2. Any qualification for which credit was given towards the bachelor degree used as the basis for admission will be included in the calculation of the GPA (applicants must submit original transcripts); where credits are unspecified, GPA will be calculated from all subjects completed in the first institution, and will contribute towards credits allocated by the second (degree awarding) institution.

Applicants for the University of Sydney Medical Program whose bachelor degree was conferred 10 or more years before 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the USydMP must have obtained either a second bachelor degree or a Graduate Diploma or a Master or PhD degree at a recognised institution* within the past 10 years before 5 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the USydMP. (i.e. 2008 entry, an applicant’s first bachelor degree must not be conferred earlier than 1 January 1998. Otherwise, an applicant needs to obtain a Graduate Diploma or a Master or PhD degree which must not be conferred earlier than 1 January 1998.)

*Either an Australian university is listed in the Australian Qualifications Framework at: sub-category ii. Universities and Other Self-Accrediting Higher education Institutions) or an overseas university listed in the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition guide.

Q: If interviews are required, where are they held?

A: Invitations to interview have started to be sent via email, commencing from 18 July 2007. Rejection letters will be sent via email in July/August 2007. Applicants selected for interview are required to log in to a website to register for their interview schedule.
Because the interviews involve many other people, applicants must attend on the date and time specified. Applicants are required to travel, at their own expense, to Sydney or Vancouver in order to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

Q: What are mean Science and Overall GPAs for the previous entering class?

A: BACHELOR DEGREE

All applicants must have completed or be in the final year of a bachelor degree and have a GPA of 5.5 (7.0 scale) at the time of application or above (equivalent to a credit level at the University of Sydney or 65% based on a pass mark of 50%) in order to be considered for admission (calculations are not rounded up, i.e. a GPA of 5.49 does not meet the entry requirement).

Applications from those who have undertaken an appropriate two-year bachelor degree in an accelerated program (e.g. three semesters per year) would only be able to apply after completion of the full degree.

Applicants with overseas qualifications are required to achieve an equivalent level (e.g. a GPA of 2.7 out of 4 for USA/Canada universities, a GPA of 3.3 out of 5 for Singapore universities, bachelor degree at a Lower II class for UK universities). GPAs will be calculated by the Admissions Committee on a case by case basis after a formal application is forwarded to the Faculty by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The University will not calculate your GPA prior to your application.


* The GPA is calculated for the last 3 years of the most recent bachelor degree or 2, 3 and Honours year if undertaken.
* Subjects are grouped according to calendar year not academic year level. (If you studied part time or undertook any Summer/Winter School units, you should list subjects equivalent to full-time academic years.)
* Each year is weighted equally.
* Percentages are used when available rather than grades.
* Applicants are instructed to enter unit values if they have subject weightings, otherwise a value of 1 will be assigned.
* Calculation based on subjects completed at the time of application. First semester results of applicants who are applying whilst in the final year of their degree are not included in the assessment of applicants for interview. Any offer of a place is conditional on the applicant completing his/her degree with the appropriate level of performance.
* Honours year grades will be converted to GAMSA grades using the table below. Percentage marks should not be used at this academic year level.
* For applicants who have undertaken a combined degree or parallel degree program, final 3 years only will be calculated whether or not they count towards the award of the degree.
* Any qualification for which credit was given towards the bachelor degree used as the basis for admission will be included in the calculation of the GPA (applicants must submit original transcripts; where credits are unspecified, GPA will be calculated from all subjects completed in the first institution, and will contribute towards credits allocated by the second (degree awarding) institution.
* Postgraduate coursework qualifications are not used in the calculation of a GPA.
More details on school website.

Q: How many classes of students enter each year, and when are the application deadlines?

A: May and June

Q: What are estimated annual expenses, including tuition and fees, books,
supplies, study materials, housing, food, travel and other living costs, hidden
fee’s/costs?

A: Applicants who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, or are not citizens of New Zealand, will be considered as international students, and are accepted into the University only on a full-fee basis. The fee for 2008 is AUD$51,360 p.a. + four year’s health cover around $1,412. You will need to allow for around A$17,000 p.a. to cover living costs.

The University’s tuition fees are reviewed annually and may be varied during the period of study. International students who interrupt their studies or who do not make satisfactory progress and then join a later cohort of students will pay the fees applicable to that cohort.

Q: How do students fund their education? What loan programs and scholarships are students eligible for?

A: International Student Merit Scholarships take the form of a 50% fee reduction for the first year and, subject only to satisfactory performance in the first year, for the second year of the University of Sydney Medical Program.

The Faculty awards these Scholarships to up to 10% of the international students in each intake into the Program.

No separate application is necessary as all international applicants admitted to the Medical Program will be considered automatically.

Scholarships will be awarded based on the ranked list of applicants.

Fedral, private loand and scholarships may be available. Must fill out FAFSA.

Q: How many students are enrolled in each class? What is the attrition rate for
matriculated students, i.e., how many typically dropout before finishing?
What are common reasons for dropping out?

A: Data not available.

Q: What is the length and structure of the entire curriculum?

A: 4 years

Q: What are the academic credentials of the faculty teaching basic science
courses? Where were they educated?

A: ?.

Q: Where do students do their clinical training?

A: From the very first week of the medical program students have patient contact in the various Clinical Schools: Western, Central, Northern and Rural Clinical Schools provide students with invaluable clinical experience in a variety of settings.

The Clinical network comprises large urban hospitals and smaller rural hospitals. This offers students a balanced view of urban and rural health care and their differences. Across the hospitals a huge range of specialisations are catered for, with paediatrics and its sub specialties being the focus of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

Students have access to most parts of the hospitals; they are able to sit in on surgical procedures, visit wards and accident and emergency units.

Clinical Schools provide students with access to the internet, library catalogs and email as well as to study and exam areas. It is not all work, thankfully, as students can relax in common rooms, swimming pools, and lounges or whip up a meal in bbq areas and kitchens within the hospitals.

While practical clinical experience forms the basis for all learning in the latter two stages of the USydMP, it is accompanied by a structured teaching program. The balance between clerkship-based activities and scheduled sessions varies. In general, formal teaching sessions reduce in number and frequency as students move from the early part of their Stage 3 attachments to the last rotations in Stage 4 and are essentially withdrawn in the Pre-internship term.

Q: How do students perform on USMLE I and II? In recent years, what are the
1st time and total pass rates for students from this school?

A: Please contact school for current information

Q: How many students graduate each year?

A: Please contact school for current information

Q: Where did students in the most recent graduating class match for residency?
In what specialties?

A: USA, Australia, Canada.

Q: What are the entrance/admissions requirements?

A: 45 international students are admitted each year, Please see above for details.

Q: How can I contact some former IMS graduates who are practicing in the U.S.
in my area?

A:Please contact school for information.

Q: Who is the Dean of Admissions?

A: ?

Q: How can I contact the IMS – telephone, fax, e-mail, WWW?

A: Admissions Officer
Email: admissions@med.usyd.edu.au
Tel: +61 2 9351 3132
Fax: +61 2 9351 3196

All information courtesy of UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, Australia