Doctor of Medicine (WA)

The Doctor of Medicine of The University of Notre Dame Australia is a four-year postgraduate degree accredited by the Medical Board of Australia on the recommendation of the Australian Medical Council. The School of Medicine has seven clinical schools in Sydney and Melbourne and rural locations in NSW and Victoria. Students undertake clinical placements in the third and fourth years of the program in a wide variety of settings, including aged care facilities, public and private hospitals, general practices and community-based health services.

As the only medical program offered by a Catholic university in Australia, the Doctor of Medicine aims to develop and train caring and ethical doctors imbued with the values of compassion, respect, and service. All students at Notre Dame undertake a Core Curriculum component of study that involves an exploration of bioethics in the first year of the program.

The first and second years of your studies provide a solid foundation for your medical degree. You will have the opportunity to undertake problem-based learning tutorials conducted by medically-qualified tutors, clinical and communication skills sessions, workshops, clinical debriefing tutorials and site visits. In second year, you will begin to work on a research-based or professionally-focused project in one of 10 themes such as Clinical Science, Bioethics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Rural Medicine or Medical Leadership and Health Policy.

In third year, you will undertake a series of clinical placements in Sydney, Melbourne, Lithgow, Wagga Wagga or Ballarat. By actively participating in hospitals and community settings you will engage with patients, their families and the healthcare professionals caring for them. This strong focus on experiential learning is further complemented by a series of weekly 'Back-to-Base Days', in which you will return to your principal Clinical School for short case tutorials, grand rounds, journal club sessions and expert guest lectures.

Your fourth and final year will see you complete further clinical placements in the Sydney, Melbourne or Rural Clinical Schools. You will explore a range of disciplines in a range of health settings, as well as present your project for examination in the Applied Research Project course of study. Following the fourth year end-of-year examinations, you will commence a four-week elective learning period where you can extend your medical knowledge in an area of personal interest.