University: The University of Western Australia

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Integrated Medical Science and Clinical Practice | Assured Pathway to Doctor of Medicine

School Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics Methods, Mathematics Specialist, Western Art Music, Literature

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Hi!

My name is Kaining, and I am currently a 3rd year undergrad student studying at UWA with an assured pathway to postgrad Medicine in 2025. In this blog, I’ll aim to outline the course structure for Medicine at UWA, my experiences so far, and what to expect after graduating.

What Should You Expect from UWA Medicine?

In most cases, Medicine at UWA will involve 6 years, comprising 2 years of undergraduate (pre-med) content and 4 years of postgraduate medicine. Compared to other unis providing assured entry to postgrad Medicine, the 3rd year at UWA will count towards both the final year of the Bachelor of Biomedical Science and the 1st year of the Doctor of Medicine, thus shortening the normal study time by 1 year.

8 out of the total 16 units in your first 2 years at uni are compulsory pre-med units. Each semester has 2 compulsory units, and these cover a broad range of allied health topics:

These units are a great way to develop a broader understanding of the holistic nature of Medicine and introduce other allied health professions, which are vital to the overall care of patients.

Most units use lecture-based learning with occasional in-person labs or workshops throughout the semester. The teaching style is similar to most other uni units.

My Experience So Far

Coming from a mathematical background in high school, the pre-med units initially felt very foreign to me. Instead of problem-solving and doing practice questions, my units mostly involved memorisation instead. As such, one of my major challenges is finding study strategies suitable for this new type of content. One strategy, which I’m still using now, is handwriting lecture notes to help with memorisation.

A typical week for me usually consists of around 6 lectures and a 2-3 hour workshop or lab (core units only). Lectures are recorded and not compulsory to attend, so uni life is very chill and flexible compared to Year 12. Assessments usually involve closed-book topic tests and semester exams. Personally, I believe that as long as you maintain a consistent study schedule, achieving a high GPA should not be an issue.

What Comes Next?

The 3rd year of uni is when you start actual Medicine, and the content increases dramatically. At this stage, most of the learning is still lecture-based, with weekly workshops for clinical skills.

Hospital placements commence in the 2nd semester of your 4th year. You will be sorted across a vast variety of hospitals located in WA and gain experience through a more hands-on approach. This will coincide with more lectures and scholarly projects.

After graduating at the end of your 6th year of uni, you will commence an internship year at a hospital. This will usually be succeeded by 2-3 more years of working as a junior doctor. Once you’ve gained sufficient experience, you will be able to choose a field to further specialise in. Specialty training will usually take 3-5 more years, the end of which you will graduate as a specialist doctor (such as a Paediatrician, Cardiologist, or General Practitioner).

Medical School Admission Tips

Medical school is infamous for having a strenuous admission process with the high ATAR prerequisite, UCAT, and interviews (and CASPER if you are applying for Curtin Medicine as well). Personally, I started preparing for UCAT in Year 12. I bought the MedEntry subscription and mostly did the practice questions. For the first half of the year, it was mostly short practice sessions. I ramped up my preparation 2 weeks before my test. During those 2 weeks, I averaged about 5-6 hours a day and mostly worked on mock tests and exams.

My tip is to spend most of your time doing questions. I believe discovering your own methodologies to tackle each section is much more useful as it is personalised, rather than trying to implement general tips you’ll read or watch online. Also, don’t leave the UCAT preparation to the last minute like I did! Starting early will make the process less stressful, so I highly recommend planning what you want to achieve each day.

For the interview section, I found myself talking far below the time limit. To be honest, I’m not sure if that’s recommended; however, I do believe there is no point in waffling the same idea to stretch out the time. I recommend preparing personal examples where you demonstrate empathy, persistence, etc. Honesty and speaking concisely is the key for the interviews, in my opinion.

My Advice to Prospective Students

Medicine is a very rewarding yet time-consuming field to study. You will be sacrificing the better half of your adult life training to become a doctor. Before you start, make sure to find an important reason for choosing Medicine over other careers (besides the income!). This will ensure that you stay motivated throughout your journey in uni and onwards.

In uni, try to prioritise building healthy and stable social connections. This will ensure that you’ll have the necessary support for potentially difficult times throughout the course of your study. My best advice is to be willing to try out new opportunities – you’ll never know what to expect!