How Can I Help My Child Get Into Medicine?

In addition to your child’s ATAR score, UCAT score and university interview performance, some medical schools require (or strongly recommend) certain subjects at high school.

Each university sets its own prerequisites, so it’s important that you carefully read and understand the admissions guidelines for every institution your child is considering. While there is no single rule that applies everywhere, most universities expect satisfactory marks in English, Mathematics, and often Chemistry and/or Physics.

MedEntry publishes the basic admissions guidelines for most Australian universities, helping you clearly understand what your child will need.

You can also read more about the prerequisites for Medicine and Dentistry to ensure your child selects the right subjects early on.

Is Medicine Right for Your Child? If you’re reading this, your child likely has the academic ability to perform well in exams and gain admission to medical school. However, before they make one of the most important decisions of their life, it’s essential that you both have a realistic understanding of what a career in medicine truly involves.

Aptitude

Medical entry criteria are designed to ensure students possess the qualities required to become capable doctors.

Your child’s ATAR score reflects their academic ability and proficiency in core subjects. The UCAT assesses cognitive and emotional reasoning skills, as well as their ability to perform under significant pressure. Interviews evaluate whether they can lead, work effectively in a team, and demonstrate empathy toward patients.

These are not just entry hurdles — they are core skills required in the medical profession.

Passion

Very few people succeed in demanding careers without genuine passion. While medicine is intellectually stimulating, your child must also have a deep and sustained interest in the field.

Encourage them to research the day-to-day realities of being a doctor and explore the career journeys of medical practitioners. Our Head of Education, Dr Ray Boyapati, shares insights from his own medical journey in our UCAT workshop, helping students better understand what the profession involves.

Commitment

It’s important to be realistic about the level of commitment required.

Medicine is a career built on lifelong learning. In addition to 5–6 years of university study, it may take up to ten more years of training before a doctor can practise independently in certain specialties.

And qualification is only the beginning. Being responsible for people’s health carries immense responsibility. While the rewards are meaningful, the challenges require resilience, sacrifice and long-term dedication.

Understanding

Before your child commits to studying medicine, we strongly recommend that they speak with practising doctors, read case studies, and carefully research the medical admissions process.

For students wanting deeper exposure, Dr Adam Braithwaite runs the MedSummit Summer School — an exclusive 4-day, in-person medical mentoring and work experience camp (limited places).

By this stage, your child should already understand university entry requirements, beginning with choosing the right subjects. Now it’s time to focus on the application process.

You’ll need to ensure your child has achieved the required ATAR and UCAT scores, as well as the minimum results in any prerequisite subjects.

Each university places different weight on the various components of the application — ATAR, UCAT and interviews — so it’s important that you understand how each institution calculates eligibility. Before submitting applications, we strongly recommend contacting the admissions office of each course your child is considering to confirm you have the most up-to-date information.

Applications for medicine are submitted through the relevant Tertiary Admissions Centre (each state has its own). Deadlines typically fall in late September each year.

Because interviews are subjective and highly competitive, there is no guarantee of receiving an offer from a single preferred university. For this reason, MedEntry recommends applying to as many medical schools as possible to maximise your child’s chances.

MedEntry offers a Comprehensive Admissions Guide within our medical entry packages and also provides free information on most university health science courses.

You can read our Free University Admission Guide and this blog to better understand the application process.

Universities are not only assessing academic results — they are also looking closely at your child’s personal qualities. In many cases, the interview is considered just as important as, or even more important than, ATAR and UCAT scores.

It’s important to understand that the interview is not a casual conversation or a simple “getting to know you” chat. Your child cannot rely on natural charm or attempt to “wing it.” They are competing against other high-achieving applicants, and as with any competition, those who prepare thoroughly are far more likely to succeed.

After the enormous effort required to reach the interview stage, it’s completely normal for students to feel anxious about a face-to-face assessment. The good news is that interviews are highly trainable. With the right preparation techniques and structured strategy, students can enter their interview feeling calm, confident and ready to perform at their best.

MedEntry provides targeted resources, training and personalised guidance to help students present themselves effectively and maximise their chances of securing an offer. We also offer free introductory information that answers many frequently asked questions about interviews.

Medical Interviews & MMI

Your child has now navigated an incredibly demanding process — from the UCAT to ATAR/GPA results and interviews. The next major decision is determining which medical schools to apply to and how to preference them.

While it’s important to discuss options with family and friends, this decision should ultimately reflect your child’s goals, priorities and learning style. There is a great deal of misinformation surrounding medical school “prestige” and rankings. Many families assume that attending the highest-ranked school guarantees better career outcomes, but long-term progression in medicine depends far more on individual performance, postgraduate training and professional development.

Instead, encourage your child to carefully consider practical factors such as:

• Location and proximity to home
• Cost of living
• Internship opportunities
• Clinical placement exposure
• Course structure
• Teaching style
• Student experience and wellbeing

It’s a significant decision and can feel overwhelming. To help families make a well-informed choice, we’ve prepared a comprehensive guide outlining how to evaluate medical schools thoughtfully and strategically.

Medicine is one of the most carefully regulated professions, requiring rigorous oversight at every stage of training. After medical school, your child will complete at least five additional years of supervised training before being able to practise independently. In the early years, graduates typically work as interns, then as Resident Medical Officers, and later as Registrars within their chosen specialty.

As a parent, it’s completely natural to focus on the length and intensity of this pathway. The years of study, structured training and responsibility can feel daunting when viewed all at once.

However, it’s important to also consider the rewards. Many doctors speak with genuine pride and fulfilment about their careers. Medicine is intellectually stimulating, offers strong job security, competitive remuneration and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives every day.

It is also a life of continual learning, strict professional standards, long hours and personal sacrifice. Yet the consistently high number of applicants each year reflects the enduring appeal of medicine as a career in Australia.