Doctor of Medicine
Degree resolutions
Sydney Medical School resolutions and the printed handbook are the official statement of faculty policy. The resolutions contained in the printed handbook are accurate as at November 2013. If a conflict is perceived between the content of the printed handbook and information available elsewhere, Sydney Medical School resolutions and the information available in the handbook online shall always take precedence.
See the Policy Online website: sydney.edu.au/policy, for copies of University policies.
Doctor of Medicine
These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2014 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Coursework Policy 2014, the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism. Up to date versions of all such documents are available from the Policy Register: http://www.sydney.edu.au/policies.
Course resolutions
1 Course codes
| Code | Course and stream title |
|---|---|
| MAMEDICI-03 | Doctor of Medicine |
2 Attendance pattern
(2)
The attendance pattern for this course is normally full time for Stage 3. Under exceptional circumstances the Dean may approve a part time attendance pattern.
3 Admission to candidature
(1)
Available places will be offered to qualified applicants based on merit, according to the following admission criteria.
(a)
completion of a bachelor degree comprising at least three full-time equivalent years of study which will be either:
(i)
a bachelor degree (pass) accredited at Level 7 under the Australian Qualifications Framework or a bachelor degree (with honours) accredited at Level 8 under the Australian Qualifications Framework, from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or
(ii)
a bachelor degree from an overseas university listed in the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition Guide, provided that the degree is equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree (pass or with honours);
(b)
a demonstrated sustained academic performance to a standard considered satisfactory by the Dean or Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. In assessing sustained academic performance the Dean or Deputy Dean may, at his or her discretion, consider performance in the Bachelor’s degree(s) and/or performance in any graduate diploma, master or doctoral degree (or equivalent);
(c)
performance in an admissions test approved by the Dean or Deputy Dean to a standard considered satisfactory by the Dean or Deputy Dean;
(3)
If the bachelor degree was completed more than 10 years before 1 January of the year for which the applicant is seeking enrolment, the applicant must, in addition, have completed within this 10 year period, or completed prior to 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Medicine, a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma (or equivalent), which will be either:
(a)
a postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma accredited at Level 8, 9, or 10 under the Australian Qualifications Framework, from an Australian university or self-accrediting higher education institution; or
(b)
an overseas university listed in the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition Guide, provided that the postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma is equivalent to an Australian postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma accredited at Level 8, 9, or 10.
(4)
An applicant will not be admitted to candidature for the Doctor of Medicine unless he or she has completed a bachelor degree prior to 1 January of the year in which the applicant intends to commence the Doctor of Medicine.
(5)
The official results listed on an applicant’s transcript, and his or her admission test results, will be taken as the awarding and testing authorities’ assessment of the academic standards reached by the applicant, taking due account of illness and misadventure according to the authorities’ policies.
(6)
A person who has commenced the Doctor of Medicine in a fee-paying or bonded place at the University will not be eligible for admission or transfer to a Commonwealth supported or non-bonded place in the MD. For this purpose, students are considered to have commenced the course at the time of their first enrolment.
(7)
The Dean may, in exceptional circumstances, admit to the Doctor of Medicine an applicant who has commenced studies in postgraduate medicine at another University, provided that the applicant:
(a)
has not previously applied unsuccessfully for admission to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or the Doctor of Medicine at the University of Sydney;
(b)
would have met the requirements for admission to the Doctor of Medicine that were in place at the time the applicant was admitted to his or her previous course in medicine; and
(8)
Prior to admitting an applicant to the Doctor of Medicine in accordance with subclause 3(7), the Dean will consider:
(b)
whether the curriculum undertaken by the applicant in his or her previous course in medicine is comparable to the Doctor of Medicine;
(9)
The Dean may, prior to admitting an applicant to the Doctor of Medicine in accordance with subclause 3(7), require the applicant to undertake a barrier examination that permits entry into the relevant year.
(10)
Subject to the approval of the Academic Board, the Faculty of Medicine may establish special admission schemes for defined classes of applicant, including:
(11)
The Faculty of Medicine may establish a maximum quota for the number of applicants for admission as candidates for the Doctor of Medicine within a special admission scheme.
(12)
The Faculty of Medicine will publish details of any special admission schemes approved by the Academic Board.
(13)
A committee consisting of the Dean, Deputy Deans and Head of the Medical Program may confirm or withdraw an offer which has been made to an applicant but which is not in accordance with the admission criteria.
4 Deferment
(1)
Applications for deferral of enrolment following the offer of a place in the Doctor of Medicine are permitted only on the following grounds:
(c)
for completion of "professional years" where awarding of a bachelor's degree is dependent upon such completion only.
(2)
Deferral will only be granted one year at a time and will not be expected to last longer than two years.
5 Requirements for award
(1)
The units of study that may be taken for the course are set out in the Table of Units of Study: Doctor of Medicine
(2)
To qualify for the award of the pass degree, a candidate must successfully complete 192 credit points of core units of study in the order prescribed by the faculty.
6 Progression rules
(1)
Candidates in Stage 1 must pass all units of study designated for that year before proceeding to Stage 2. Candidates in Stage 2 must pass all units of study designated for that year before proceeding to Stage 3. Failure in any single unit of study in Stages 1 or 2 will result in a failure of the year and will require the candidate to re-enrol and successfully complete the units designated for the entire year, without credit or exemption for work previously completed.
(2)
Candidates in Stage 3 who fail one unit of study, may be permitted to proceed to units designated for the subsequent year of study providing that the failed unit of study is repeated before commencement of the Pre-Internship (PRINT) Term. Candidates who fail more than one unit of study and/or their barrier (summative) examination will be required to repeat the whole year, without credit or exemption for work previously completed.
7 Medicine weighted average mark (MWAM)
MWAM = |
sum(Wc x Mc) | ||
| sum(Wc) |
0.
Where Wc is the unit of study credit points x the unit weighting and Mc is the mark achieved for the unit. The mark used for units with a grade AF is zero. Only Stage 3 units are used for the purpose of the calculation.
8 Time Limits
(1)
Subject to sub-clause 8(2), a candidate for the Doctor of Medicine must complete the requirements for the degree within five calendar years.
(2)
The Dean may, in exceptional circumstances, extend the time limit for completing the requirements for the Doctor of Medicine to a maximum of 10 years.