Instead of taking ATAR and UCAT ® scores into account, graduate programs generally use GPA (from the previous degree/s) and GAMSAT ® scores plus an interview score - Some graduate entry medical schools also require a portfolio submission.
With no ATAR, or a low rank, there are essentially three ways to get into university. You can do an appropriate VET training qualification, gain and present general evidence of learning, or do a pathway program organised by a university. Let's explore each of these alternative pathways.
HSR – your high school rank at the end of grade 12 may need to be an ATAR of 99 or better for direct entry into medical school, but it is lower for some medical schools; click here for ATAR and entry requirements for every medical school in Australia in 2022.
After completing a general undergraduate course, for example, science, you can apply for a specialised course of your choice, provided you meet the criteria. It is effectively your second chance if you didn't get a high enough ATAR for the initial entry.
An ATAR of 75 is hard to get when you consider that only one in four people manage to do it. You can interpret this score as saying that 75 percent of people in the age cohort either didn't get an ATAR or scored lower. Only 25 percent, or one-quarter, of people did better.
Universities use the ATAR to help them make decisions around admissions to their courses. The ATAR score helps students and course administrators feel confident that they'll be academically able to meet the demands of higher study. ATAR is only one part of getting into a chosen course of study.
For non-rural students who do not qualify for any special access schemes, UNSW Medicine has an official ATAR minimum cut-off of 96.00, and no official UCAT ANZ cut-off exists. However, to have a realistic shot, your scores need to be higher than around ATAR 99.50 & UCAT 92%tile.
University of Queensland Medical School
The University of Queensland has a large pool of applicants, accepting as many as 455 students per year. The GPA is valued at 50/50 with the multiple mini-interview (MMI) should the applicant make it to that stage, but the GPA is used as a tiebreaker when necessary.
How to become a General Practitioner in Australia. Becoming a GP is quite a long and involved process. You will need to complete an accredited university-level qualification, before completing an internship and further specialist training.
The Federation University of Australia's lowest reported ATAR was 22, for Southern Cross University it was 35, and 36 for the Australian Catholic University (ACU).
In general, most students consider an ATAR of below 30 to be bad. This is because the actual ATAR score is not reported for an ATAR less than 30, it is just stated as <30. Still, this ATAR may be good and all that is required for a student who wants to pursue a trade or enrol in TAFE.
There is no 'Pass' or 'Fail' ATAR and the ATAR is intended to be used as a measure for tertiary study selection only.
In Australia, the lowest minimum ATAR required by a medical program is an ATAR of 90 (Monash University) or adjusted ATAR of 90 (University of Adelaide). If you're a rural student, you could also apply to La Trobe's medical program, which has a minimum unadjusted ATAR requirement of 80.
Rank, not a score
So an ATAR of 70 doesn't mean you got 70 percent – it means that you're in the top 30 percent of your year group.
The easiest and shortest medical degrees to get are in phlebotomy, physical therapy, and dental hygiene. Easier medical degrees and jobs to get may have lower starting pay, but can progress to healthcare careers that pay well.
Top 5 ANZ Medical Schools
According to the table above, the top 5 universities in Australia for medicine/clinical sciences are: University of Melbourne. University of Sydney. Monash University.
Choose Direct or Accelerated Programs
Consider applying to a direct medical program such as BS/MD programs. These programs combine undergraduate and medical school education, allowing you to earn your Bachelor's and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees in a shorter time frame.
To pursue a career in medicine you need to finish year 12 and graduate from a bachelor's degree. You then need to complete a four-year postgraduate medical program. To be fully registered, you must also complete an intern year.
An ATAR of 100 is impossible
Because the ATAR is a rank (not a percentage or mark) and it's measured in increments of 0.05 the highest ATAR you could get is 99.95.
Although eligibility for an ATAR requires completion of at least four subject areas, the aggregate may be based on fewer subject areas; for example, English Advanced, English Extension 1 and Extension 2, Mathematics Extension 1 and Extension 2, and one other 2-unit course.
ATAR: at least 96 / IB 38. UCAT: the overall score of the cognitive subtests (Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning). There is no minimum UCAT ANZ score as such. However, applicants must reach the 50th percentile to proceed to the interview stage of the application process..
ATARs are calculated on a percentile basis and increase in increments of 0.05. An ATAR of 75.00, for example, indicates that you fall in the top 25 per cent of all students in your cohort. In other words, you scored better than 75 percent of the state.
Your rank is based on how you went compared to other Year 12 students. So even if your test scores are lower than you'd hoped, if you're still ranked in the top 20% of students, then you'll receive an ATAR of 80. As long as you try your best with what you have, chances are, you'll do better than you expect.
"In other words, it's not entirely possible because a rank of 100 means you have beaten 100 per cent of your cohort, including yourself. "The highest is 99.95 because ATARs are in increments of 0.05. If we had an ATAR at every decimal place, we could have had a maximum rank of 99.99."