Darling Downs – South West Medical pathway (MD graduate entry)

If you’ve completed a key degree or are in your final year of bachelor's degree (or equivalent), you can apply as a graduate entry applicant for the Darling Downs – South West Medical Pathway.

In the Darling Downs – South West Medical Pathway, you’ll complete your first year in Greater Brisbane before moving to our rural clinical schools in the Darling Downs and South West Queensland regions.

Applicants who wish to be considered for the Darling Downs – South West Medical Pathway must select UQ as your first, second or third preference as part of their GEMSAS application. Applicants will be considered for entry on a tier system: 

Tier 1: Applicants from Darling Downs (DD) or South West (SW). Applicants must have resided in DD or SW for 5 consecutive years, or 10 years cumulatively. 
Tier 2: Applicants with a rural background. Applicants who have resided in any rural location in Australia for 5 consecutive year, or 10 years cumulatively.  
Tier 3: Any other interested applicants. Any applicant who is interested in the Darling Downs – South West Medical Pathway.

Further information on the Local Government Areas for Tier 1 can be found on our Darling Downs- South West Medical Pathway location eligibility page.

Visit the GEMSAS site for further information about documentation requirements. 

Entry requirements

To meet the minimum entry requirements for this pathway, you'll need to have:

been awarded a bachelor's degree or equivalent, (known as a key degree)
completed your key degree in the last 10 years
- if your key degree is your first degree, it must be completed by 31 December in the year you apply
- if you've completed subsequent study, for this study to be considered as your new key degree, it must be completed by the end of Semester 1 in the year you apply
successfully completed the subject prerequisite courses
achieved a minimum UQ equivalent grade point average (GPA) of at least 5.0 on a 7-point scale in your key degree
achieved a minimum score of 50 in each section of the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) within 4 years before you commence
completed a multiple mini-interview (MMI).

Meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee admission.

Understanding key degrees

You'll need to have completed a bachelor's degree, but your key degree will be your most recently completed degree (including a separate honours degree, a graduate diploma, master's or doctoral degree).

If your most recent degree is from more than 10 years ago, you may still be able to use it as your key degree if you've since completed approved tertiary study.

You'll also need to complete the required subject prerequisites.

Refer to Schedule 3 of the Admission to Coursework Procedure for more information.

How to apply 

You apply through the Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions System (GEMSAS). 

When you apply you'll be required to: 

select UQ as your first, second or third preference, and 
select the tier that matches your circumstances and preferred region.

Region preference options are linked with tier eligibility. Region preference will be considered, however, we cannot guarantee you'll receive an offer for that region. If you are unsuccessful in obtaining an offer in CQ-WB RMP or DD-SW MP pathway, you'll be considered for the Greater Brisbane pathway.

To be eligible for Tiers 1 and 2, you must demonstrate 10 years cumulative or 5 years consecutive residency in a rural area. See UQ’s Regional Medical Pathway – location eligibility webpage for more information.

See the GEMSAS website for:

Apply through GEMSAS

What happens next

Selection for interviews

Once your application has been assessed, GEMSAS will email you to let you know if you’ve been invited for a multiple mini-interview (MMI).

Applicants are selected for interviews based on GPA and GAMSAT scores.

Applicants are ranked for invite to interview within the pathways they apply.

If you have indicated that you would like to be considered for the:

Central Queensland – Wide Bay Regional Medical Pathway (CQ-WB RMP), or
Darling Downs-South West Medical Pathway (DD-SW MP)

you'll be ranked for those pathways first and within each tier (Tier 1 first, followed by Tier 2, then Tier 3).

If you're not ranked for an invite to interview for the CQ-WB RMP or DD-SW MP, you'll be ranked and considered for an invite to interview in the Greater Brisbane pathway.

Applicants to all pathways must meet the same minimum selection criteria, but this doesn't guarantee selection for interview.

Eligible applicants will receive only one invitation to interview from a medical school participating in GEMSAS. Participating medical schools share and accept interview outcomes so applicants will only be interviewed once.

Interview and invitation dates

GEMSAS issue interview invites in late August/early September. If you're selected for interview, you must:

accept your invitation in the GEMSAS portal
book an interview time directly with UQ by the booking due date on the invitation.

Interviews will be scheduled for mid-September 2024.

Receiving your invitation

It's your responsibility to provide the correct email address and check all inboxes (including junk and spam folders).

If you experience any issues with your booking, you must contact the Faculty of Medicine during the booking window for assistance (med.enquiries@uq.edu.au).

We won't consider requests to accept late bookings for interviews unless there are exceptional circumstances. Interview times are subject to availability.

A lack of knowledge about the booking procedure, the associated timelines or not checking your junk mail folder are not considered to be circumstances beyond your control and would not meet the criteria for a late application to be considered.

Offers and location preferences

Following the interviews, eligible applicants indicating you'd like to be considered for CQ-WB RMP or DD-SW MP are ranked in merit order within each tier. Offers are made to eligible applicants in Tier 1 first, followed by Tier 2, then Tier 3.

If you're an eligible applicant in Tier 1 DD-SW MP, you'll receive an offer in accordance with the applicable pathway location.

If you're an eligible applicant in Tier 2 or Tier 3, your preferred location will be considered, but offers may be made for either CQ-WB RMP or DD-SW MP locations.

If you're offered a place in the DD-SW MP, you will not be permitted to transfer to the CQ-WB RMP or Greater Brisbane pathway within the UQ Medical School. Accepting a DD-SW MP place is a commitment to undertake the MD program at the location specified in the offer letter.

If you exit the DD-SW MP, you forfeit your position in the MD program.

If you're unsuccessful in receiving an offer for CQ-WB RMP or DD-SW MP, you may be considered for the Greater Brisbane pathway.

Applicants from all pathways are ranked in merit order to determine whether you will receive a non-bonded or bonded medical place. CSP places are offered first, followed by bonded medical places.

If you receive an offer and you're in the final year of your first key degree, your offer is conditional on completing your current degree and other outstanding entry requirements before 31 December in the year you apply.

If you receive an offer and decline it, you won't be eligible to receive any other offers from medical schools that participate in GEMSAS. You can apply again next year.

More information on admission requirements, interview and offer selection, and deferment can be found in UQ’s Undergraduate, Doctor of Medicine, Non-Award and CSP Admissions – Schedule 3, and on the GEMSAS website.

Feedback on your application

Once the relevant admission period has passed, we'll provide feedback on your unweighted average GAMSAT score, grade point average and MMI score in comparison to the cohort (other applicants).

Please note that we’re unable to provide qualitative or quantitative feedback on your individual MMI performance.