Doctor of Medicine

Unit of Study information on faculty page

The Sydney Doctor of Medicine Program is undertaken full-time over four years. First year (known as Stage 1 of the program) and the second year (Stage 2) consist of clinical problems presented in tutorials in which concepts of health and disease are related to the basic biomedical sciences. This ensures that the knowledge and problem-solving abilities which underpin medical practice have a strong scientific foundation. From the second week of Stage 1 students have patient contact in the various clinical schools at Westmead Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, Concord Hospital, Nepean Hospital and Dubbo Hospital. Clinical training is undertaken at large urban hospitals and smaller rural hospitals affording a balanced view of urban and rural health care and their differences. Across the hospitals a huge range of specialisations are catered for, with paediatrics and its subspecialties being the focus of the Children's Hospital at Westmead.

Research methodology is introduced in year 1, with students developing a research plan by the end of year 2. The research project culminates in a written report or an article suitable for publication by the end of year 4.

While practical clinical experience forms the basis for all learning in the latter two years of the Sydney Medical Program, it is accompanied by a structured teaching program. The balance between clerkship-based activities and scheduled sessions varies. In general, formal teaching sessions reduce in number and frequency as students move throughout years 3 and 4 of Stage 3 and are essentially withdrawn in the pre-internship block.

Candidates in Stages 1 & 2 of the Sydney Doctor of Medicine Program must pass all units of study designated for each year of enrolment before proceeding to units designated for the subsequent year of study. Failure in any single unit of study results in a failure of the year and requires the candidate to retake the units designated for the entire year, without credit or exemption for work previously completed.
Candidates in Stage 3 (integration of Years 3 & 4) must pass all units of study before being able to graduate. If a student fails a single unit of study during this Stage, they may be permitted to proceed to units designated for the subsequent year of study. However, they will be required to repeat the failed unit of study before commencing the Pre-Internship unit of study. Candidates in Stage 3 who fail more than one unit of study and/ or any summative assessment in a year will be required to retake the units designated for the entire year, and all summative assessments and a tailored program of remediation will be devised by the relevant Stage Coordinator in consultation with the Associate Dean of the candidate's clinical school.