Commencing students

Congratulations on receiving an offer to study the Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine! Your medical studies over the next five years will prepare you for a rewarding career as a doctor. You'll gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to play a key role in the maintenance and promotion of individual and community health in Australia and worldwide.

Now that you've received your offer, you can choose to accept, apply for deferral or decline.

University orientation

All students are encouraged to attend orientation in February at their enrolled university. The University of Newcastle and University of New England orientation activities include enrolment sessions, information on student services and university resources, as well as lots of fun social activities.

Personal Health Guidelines

NSW Health Verification

Medical students are at some risk to their own personal health and may pose a health risk to patients they have contact with during the clinical placements due to exposure to infectious diseases. For these reasons, intending students are obliged to make themselves aware of their status with respect to a range of infectious diseases before enrolment.

All commencing students are required to satisfy the NSW Health Verification Requirements, including obtaining a National Police Check, providing evidence of vaccination/immunisation status and complying with the relevant NSW Health policy directives prior to undertaking clinical placement.

Students have an ongoing obligation to monitor their status with respect to infectious diseases throughout their enrolment and to declare changes in their status as soon as possible. This is in the interests of both their own well-being and that of the patients with whom they may have clinical contact.

Health facilities within Australia have the right to exclude from their premises anyone they consider presents a risk to their patients/clients. This includes any student who does not satisfy the NSW Health Verification Requirements.

It is important to note that the award of the Bachelor of Medicine or the Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine is dependent upon a student satisfactorily completing and passing all of the academic, clinical and placement components of the program.

Inherent Requirements

All students must be familiar with the Inherent Requirements as outlined here.

Medical Board of Australia registration

The Medical Board of Australia requires all medical students to be registered. Students will be registered from the first year of the medical course. The registration process will be automatic, to the extent that the names and particulars of students will be provided by the university to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the agency which supports the Board. This information will be entered on the register of medical students. This register is not publicly available and registration is free. Find out more.

Fitness to practise

Medical students are subject to the same standards of behaviour and practice required of qualified medical practitioners. From the outset of the program, students are assessed not only on the development of skills and knowledge but also their suitability to practise medicine as demonstrated by attitudes and behaviour.