Postgraduate medical admissions can be confusing, long and stressful for many students. With different Universities using different selection processes, its frequently unclear how decisions are actually made.

This article breaks down how postgraduate medical school admissions work in Australia, explaining how applications are assessed and how offers are determined, by focusing on understanding the process itself, leaving the preparation and studying to you.

Postgraduate medicine in Australia refers to graduate entry medical degrees that students undertake after completing an undergraduate qualification in a related area. These programs are typically four years long and lead to a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a graduate entry Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), with equivalent outcomes. Both qualifications allow graduates to practise as doctors.

The GEMSAS is a one stop online application system used by 10 out of 13 postgraduate medical schools in Australia for domestic applicants seeking entry into graduate medical programs, they handle GPA calculation, GAMSAT scores Interviews connecting students with their preferred medical schools. It uses a weighted system of GPA, GAMSAT and Interviews.

1. Application

You apply for postgraduate medical school through the GEMSAS portal.

2. Assessment

Your application is assessed based on several components:

• GPA (Grade Point Average): Calculated from your qualifying degree, usually on a 7-point scale.

• GAMSAT score: Results from the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test.

• Interview performance: Applicants who progress may be invited to a medical school interview, where performance is assessed as part of the selection process.

• Portfolio: Some universities offer pathways where a strong portfolio may be considered as part of the application. a medial portfolio is a structured cover letter, that aspiring medical students provide to the GEMSAS university, a portfolio is good when it answers the medical portfolio questions appropriately, a good medical portfolio is direct.

Universities assessing postgraduate medical applications in Australia (via GEMSAS) mainly use your academic results (GPA from your qualifying degree) and your GAMSAT score to decide who receives an interview offer, and GEMSAS states that selection for interview is based equally on standardised GPA and standardised GAMSAT overall score.

After interviews, universities then use a standardised interview score (used across participating medical schools) together with GPA/GAMSAT according to each school’s specific selection rules some schools may also require additional components such as a portfolio/supplementary application or CASPer where specified.

The exact weighting of each component varies significantly by institution, some universities using scores as minimum hurdles for eligibility while others use a calculation rank for their final offers.

Your GAMSAT and or GPA scores are used to create a ranked list of candidates who will be invited for an interview. Then the interview score will be combined with your GAMSAT and your GPA to determine which students receive a final offer.

1. Eligibility Check: First, GEMSAS ensures applicants meet minimum GAMSAT and GPA cut-offs set by each university.
2. Interview Ranking: Applicants meeting the minimum criteria are ranked, typically using a combination of their GPA and GAMSAT scores, to determine who receives an interview offer.
3. Final Offer Ranking: After interviews are conducted and scores standardised, the final ranking for a place offer is determined by combining the scores from your GPA, GAMSAT, and interview performance.
4. Allocation: GEMSAS uses an algorithm to allocate successful applicants to their highest possible preferred medical school.

Understanding how postgraduate medical school admissions work can make the application process feel far less overwhelming. Universities don’t rely on just one score or result instead, they look at a combination of your academic record, admissions test results, and interview performance.

The way these components are weighted can differ between universities, which is why meeting the minimum requirements doesn’t always guarantee an offer. By having a clear understanding of how the admissions process works, applicants can approach their application with more realistic expectations and a better sense of how final offers are decided.

Thanks for reading our article, we have linked other useful articles below. Good luck for your Medical Application and remember we are here to help!

• A Complete Guide to 2025 GAMSAT Scores
• GAMSAT & GPA Average Score Cutoffs
• Best Bachelor’s Degree Before GAMSAT
• GEMSAS Guide 2026
• GEMSAS & Medicine GPA Calculator

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