Other Healthcare Courses
Before you go ahead full steam preparing for medical school admission in Australia and New Zealand, take a moment to consider other healthcare professions too.
Updated 10 Mar 2025
If you are reading this article, you will likely have a strong desire to become a medical doctor and be determined to gain admission to a medical school. Indeed, it is a very rewarding profession in many ways. However, it is worth at least considering other healthcare professions for the following interrelated reasons:
Medical School Places Are Limited
As much as Medify strives to help all students, we recognise the hard truth that medical school places are limited and not all applicants will be offered a place. If you are still keen to work in the healthcare sector, there are many related professions that are similar in nature and may be just as rewarding as practising medicine.
It May Give You An Advantage When Applying To A Medical School Again
Having a degree and work experience in the healthcare sector often gives you advantages if you wish to apply to medical schools again. For example, some universities give bonus points for applicants with a background in the healthcare sector. Furthermore, the clinical knowledge and skills that you develop will be greatly advantageous for your medical study.
It May Be What You Really Wanted To Do
It is possible that certain healthcare professions may actually suit you better than being a medical doctor. For example, if you like the idea of having the knowledge and/or skills to help patients on a daily basis but prefer a regular lifestyle, you may find greater satisfaction in working as a dentist, optometrist, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional.
Admission Criteria Overlap in Many Cases
It is worth noting that admission criteria for other healthcare professional degrees often overlap considerably with that of medicine. This means that you can easily prepare for entry to different courses without too much extra effort and leave your options open until the last minute, effectively maximising your opportunities. For example:
UCAT ANZ is also used for admission to dentistry at the University of Adelaide, Charles Sturt University, Griffith University, La Trobe University, University of Queensland, University of Western Australia and University of Otago.
GAMSAT is also used for admission to dentistry and optometry at the University of Melbourne; dentistry at the University of Sydney; and dentistry at the University of Western Australia.
Many healthcare professional courses require an interview as part of selection, and a high ATAR score or GPA.
