Rural Entry Admission Scheme

For rural students wanting to study medicine

The Rural Entry Admission Scheme (REAS) is an initiative to promote Medicine to applicants with an extensive rural background who are able to demonstrate and meet rurality and other assessed factors. Applicants who enter the Joint Program in Medicine through the REAS, study the same program as students who apply and enter through the General Applicant process. 

Applicants must choose to apply through the REAS or through the General Applicant process, you cannot apply for both.

Western offers a minimum of 15 places specifically for REAS students to study medicine. REAS applicants must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident (New Zealand citizens are not eligible to apply via this scheme). The pathway is open to current school leavers, non-current school leavers and graduates.

The UCAT threshold for interview selection is not determined by your overall UCAT score; individual sections may be subject to weighting.

Final offers are made on the basis of: 75% interview performance, 25% UCAT performance and meeting the relevant academic threshold.

 

How to Apply

Step 1 – Register and sit the UCAT ANZ


 

The University Clinical Aptitude Test Australian and New Zealand (UCAT ANZ) is a standardised test designed to assess your aptitude in cognitive and non-cognitive qualities associated with successful medical studies.

This test is used by the UCAT ANZ Consortium of universities in Australia and New Zealand for their medical programmes. Applicants must register via the UCAT ANZ website.

NOTE: You must sit UCAT ANZ in the current application year. UCAT ANZ results from previous sittings will not be considered. Please ensure you use your UCAT ANZ candidate number in your UAC application (starts with ANZ).

More information including registration and dates can be found on the UCAT ANZ website.

Step 2 – Apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC)

Submit your application through the Universities Admission Centre and include 725505 Doctor of Medicine as a preference. Applications close at Midnight AEST on 29 September each year, late applications will not be accepted. 

You will be required to indicate a preference to study at either Western Sydney University or Charles Sturt University. Your University preference will be taken into consideration but is not guaranteed. Only one offer will be made into the MD Joint Program in Medicine.

Additions or changes to your Doctor of Medicine preference including the provision of supporting documentation will not be considered after applications have closed.

Step 3 – Confirm your Remoteness Area

REAS applicants must have lived in an Australian Statistical Geography Standard – Remoteness Area (ASGS-RA) of 2 to 5 for five consecutive or ten cumulative years since the age of five.

  • To check your postcode(s) please refer to Doctor Connect. Under Classifications Filter select ASGS Remoteness Areas Select the Year 2016 and enter your residential address.

Step 4 – Lodge your Community Member Confirmation Form

The School of Medicine requires all REAS applicants to provide documentation confirming their eligibility to apply as a rural applicant. Applicants must upload a completed Community Member Confirmation form as part of their UAC Application by the 29th of September. The form is downloadable from the button below.

Step 5 – Multi-Mini-Station Interview (MMI) and Medical Admission Questionnaire

The purpose of our MMI is to assess non-cognitive qualities important to patients and communities, and which are best assessed in person, rather than through an online test.

If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to complete two brief statements in response to the Medical Admissions Questionnaire (MAQ). Your statement will be used to inform some interview questions.

Interviews are held in late November each year; specific details will be provided to those invited to attend.  It is important to note that no other interview dates will be offered.

All domestic General and REAS applicants will complete their interviews via video conferencing (Zoom). This involves the applicant being asked a series of questions; each question is asked by a separate interviewer in a separate interview station. Applicants will have approximately eight minutes to respond to the question before being moved onto the next interview station.

Where possible your interview location will be consistent with your preferred study location. The interview location will not determine the study location. Applicants will also be notified if they have not been selected for interview. Individual feedback on application outcome is not provided.

Step 6 – Meet the Academic Threshold

The University will only assess this criterion for applicants that participated in the MMI interview process (step 5).

This guide is for domestic applicants only and the University reserves the right to ascertain your equivalent score. These criteria are reviewed annually and the criteria published on 1 October each year will apply to your application.

This is not a complete list of degrees that are accepted.

The University may deem degrees not listed below to be equivalent and will consider these to meet the academic threshold.

Rural Entry Admission Scheme applicant
 - Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) or equivalent of 91.5.

Applicants with current or previous university study:

Applicants with current or previous university study will be assessed on their GPA. Applicants who have attempted or completed more than one tertiary degree will be assessed based on the degree with the highest GPA (minimum of 4 subjects or one semester equivalent full-time).

Grade Point Averages (GPA) are on a 7 scale. If your GPA is calculated on a 4 scale, simply multiply your GPA by 1.75.

It is recommended applicants who are currently studying at university or have just completed studying at university, contact UAC to ensure their final academic results have been assessed. Universities have different dates as to when their students’ results are finalised. 

No deferrals will be accepted for this program.

  • Equivalency: IB 35 or higher; OP 1 to 4, GCE of A, A, A* or higher (3 or less A2 subjects)
  • 1 semester or more but less than 1 year undergraduate (4-7 subjects) GPA = 5.8
  • 1 year or more but uncompleted undergraduate (8-23 subjects) GPA = 5.6
  • 3 years or more but uncompleted undergraduate (24 subjects or more) GPA = 4.9
  • Completed undergraduate degree GPA = 4.9
  • Completed undergraduate with Honours degree (Class 1, 2A, 2B and 2d) = no minimum GPA required
  • Completed Graduate Certificate = 5.7
  • Completed Graduate Diploma = 5.4
  • Completed Programwork Masters = 4.6
  • Completed Research Masters = no minimum GPA required

Grade Point Averages (GPA) are on a 7 scale. If your GPA is calculated on a 4 scale, simply multiply your GPA by 1.75.

Apply now and start your unlimited journey.

Got questions?

For further information, please contact Team U at 1300 897669.