How do I become a medical practitioner
Get qualified to work as a medical practitioner with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
Related career opportunities
Browse occupations related to Medical Practitioner.
Common questions
Salaries for Medical Practitioners working in Australia start at $3,830 per week ($199,160 annually). Increase your earning capacity by obtaining post-graduate qualifications and becoming a specialist practitioner (eg, Surgeon, Allergist, Gynecologist, Oncologist, ENT Specialist).
Courses.com.au Team
There are currently 42,000 General Medical Practitioners working in Australia. This does NOT include specialist doctors. This is a growing occupation and there is a significant shortage of qualified doctors in regional and remote areas of Australia.
Courses.com.au Team
Becoming a registered Medical Practitioner generally takes 10 years of study including an internship. The steps are as follows:
- Obtaining a suitable Bachelor’s degree (eg, health science, pharmacy, nursing, human movement, science).
- Passing the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).
- Completing a Doctor of Medicine (MD).
- Working as an intern at a hospital for at least one year.
- Obtaining general medical registration through the Medical Board of Australia.
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
Further reading
What can you do with a Diploma of Practice Management?
27th January 2022
What is the Difference Between a Psychologist and Psychiatrist?
25th October 2022All medical practitioner courses
Medical Practitioner careers
Medical Practitioners are registered doctors who diagnose and treat diseases, infections, injuries, and mental health problems. They usually work in private practice, medical centres and community health clinics and are commonly known as General Practitioners or GPs.
As a Medical Practitioner you could be listening to a patient explain their symptoms, examining a patient’s medical records, examining a patient and diagnosing an illness, prescribing medication, providing advice on diet and general health care, ordering laboratory tests, asking a Registered Nurse to perform a blood test, referring a patient to a specialist, or coordinating with admin staff to schedule some days off for a much-needed vacation.
This is a very demanding occupation and to succeed you will need to be highly organised, have excellent interpersonal skills, and a natural sense of empathy and compassion.
