Resources on Medical Schools in Australia

Medical Schools in Australia

Medical Schools

A medical school, or faculty of medicine, is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, which is involved in the education of future medical practitioners (medical doctors) as well as their accreditation to legally practice medicine. Medical schools teach subjects such as human anatomy, clinical practice, as well as many basic sciences.

The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of medical programs offered at medical schools vary considerably around the world. Medical schools are often highly competitive, with medical schools accepting only a few number of applicants based primarily on test scores such as the MCAT or other standardized entrance examinations.
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Medical students
A person accepted into a medical school and enrolled in an educational program in medicine, with the goal of becoming a medical doctor, is referred to as a medical student. Medical students are generally considered to be at the earliest stage of the medical career pathway.

Medical students typically engage in both basic science and practical clinical coursework during their tenure in medical school. Generally, the first one to two years of training are devoted to the study of the basic sciences as they pertain to healthcare, including molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, human anatomy, histology, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, and pathology. The remainder of a medical student's training is typically devoted to gaining direct clinical experience by participating in the care of patients in a hospital or clinic setting.

Excerpt from "Medical school." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 27 Oct 2006, 20:42 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 29 Oct 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medical_school&oldid=84115305

Medical Education in Australia

Medical education in Australia is concerned with both the basic training of medical practitioner and further post-graduate training.

Medical school
Various models of medical education exist in Australia. Undergraduate-entry program typically last 5-6 years, and permit entry from secondary school matriculation. Applicants are required to complete the UMAT (Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test). Graduate medical programs typically last 4-4.5 years, and require the entrant to have attained a previous bachelor degree qualification at a certain level of achievement in addition to aptitude tests and interviews. The most common selection test used is the GAMSAT (Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test) which is highly competitive.

In early years, theoretical domains of study predominate, with increasing clinical focus during the program. However, early clinical exposure — in which students commence clinical skills from very early in the course, concurrently with theoretical study — is a component of many degrees, most notably the graduate medical programs. In recent years medical school learning and teaching in Australia has taken on a new direction. At several Universities there has been a move away from the more traditional methods of teaching with a shift towards the Problem Based Learning (PBL) system. The new age medical curricula with an emphasis on student’s self directing their learning also has a focus on developing doctors’ interpersonal and communication skills. As a result medical students’ are graduating with skills and attributes not always associated with doctors.

Depending on the program undertaken, students graduate as Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), or simply a Bachelor of Medicine (BMed), in addition to any other degrees attained during study.

Excerpt from "Medical education in Australia." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Oct 2006, 20:25 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 29 Oct 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medical_education_in_Australia&oldid=83274739

Australia

Australia consists of six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories. The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. The two major mainland territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. In most respects, the territories function similarly to the states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments.
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By far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Australia is the driest inhabited continent, the flattest, and has the oldest and least fertile soils. Only the south-east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate. The northern part of the country, with a tropical climate, has a vegetation consisting of rainforest, woodland, grassland and desert. Climate is highly influenced by ocean currents, including the El Niño southern oscillation, which is correlated with periodic drought, and the seasonal tropical low pressure system that produces cyclones in northern Australia.

Excerpt of "Australia." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 12 Jun 2006, 04:52 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 12 Jun 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Australia&oldid=58154957