Young Queensland school leavers aspiring to study medicine could soon commence right out of high school, with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) announcing plans to deliver an innovative five-year undergraduate entry Doctor of Medicine program—the first of its kind in Queensland.
Aiming to welcome its first students in 2027, the program could offer a streamlined path to becoming a doctor, allowing eligible students to enter medical training directly from high school and graduate with less education-related debt than other longer pathways. The planned curriculum is designed to address the state’s urgent healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in General Practice, with a strong emphasis on community-based care.
A unique and practical approach to medical education
QUT’s new School of Medicine is progressing Australian Medical Council accreditation to offer its undergraduate entry Doctor of Medicine program, as well as a lateral-entry option into the third year for graduate students. It will be the most streamlined public pathway to a medical degree in Queensland. With an initial intake of 48 first-year places in 2027, the course structure aims to prioritise early real-world clinical experience, interprofessional education, and an innovative admissions process aimed at diversifying the student cohort.
Unlike many existing medical programs, QUT is seeking to deliver an innovative education model that will allow students to contribute to the healthcare workforce during their studies, with flexible part-time options available in the final years. The program will work with specialist training colleges and Queensland Health to develop streamlined pathways, reducing overall training time and accelerating Queensland’s medical workforce development.
QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil AO said: “This program will ensure that Queensland’s talented, aspiring doctors will have the opportunity to train right here in their home state and to serve their communities where they are needed most.
“We are working to deliver a streamlined pathway into medicine and will ultimately equip our graduates with the skills to provide high-quality, community-based care. It’s a real-world solution to Queensland’s healthcare needs now and into the future,” she said.
Faculty of Health Executive Dean Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates said: “The addition of a medical program to our existing Faculty of Health with its current 11,000 students will also produce health practitioners who learn to work together to more effectively and efficiently deliver health care into the future.
“QUT's new School of Medicine builds on QUT’s strong reputation for industry collaboration and innovation, with a focus on addressing critical challenges in the healthcare workforce across disciplines such as biomedical science, nursing, psychology and exercise and nutrition,” she said.
With support from the Australian Government, the program will be funded through a reallocation of existing QUT Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) and play a critical role in meeting the health workforce demands of the future.
Addressing Queensland’s critical doctor shortage
Queensland faces a severe shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) and other frontline healthcare professionals, particularly in outer metropolitan, regional, and rural areas, in line with the rest of the country.
Recent data from the Medical Student Outcomes Database highlights that demand for medical school places in Australia far exceeds availability. Additionally, 50% of doctors who registered to practice in Australia in the 2022-23 financial year were educated internationally, revealing a pressing need for more locally trained medical professionals.
In partnership with Queensland Health, QUT medical students will fill clinical placements in areas with high demand for medical professionals, initially in outer metropolitan areas and progressing to clinical experience in key regional centres.
Building a diverse Queensland health workforce
With an intentional focus on equity and accessibility, QUT will also introduce dedicated pathways for eligible students from rural and remote communities, lower socio-economic backgrounds, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
QUT Dean of Medicine Professor Jen Williams said diversifying the demographics of Queensland’s medical workforce was a critical element of ensuring these communities will continue to access quality healthcare into the future.
“We must continue to strive for a clinical workforce that reflects the diverse communities health practitioners serve, particularly in rural, remote, and outer metropolitan areas. QUT’s medical program will provide opportunities for aspiring doctors who come from, train in, and ultimately choose to practice in the areas and communities that need them the most.”
Pictured at top: QUT Executive Dean of Health Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates, QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, QUT Chancellor Ann Sherry, ALP Candidate for Brisbane Madonna Jarrett, and QUT Dean of Medicine Professor Jen Williams.
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