Australian Medicine & Dentistry Glossary

Plain-English definitions for every acronym, exam and pathway you will meet applying to Australian medicine or dentistry — GAMSAT, UCAT-ANZ, GEMSAS, CSP, BMP, ACCHO, the Modified Monash Model and more. 68 terms covered, grouped by topic and alphabetised within each group.

Applying in the UK instead? See the UK glossary.

Application bodies & processes

CASPer— Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics: A 90-minute online situational judgement test from Acuity Insights, used as a values/professionalism screen by Monash (graduate), Curtin, and (from the 2024 cycle) Notre Dame Sydney and Notre Dame Fremantle. Combines typed video and written responses to ethical scenarios. See also Snapshot.
GEMSAS— Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions Service: The consortium application service used by most graduate-entry MD programs in Australia (e.g. Melbourne, Notre Dame Sydney, UQ, Wollongong, Deakin, ANU, Griffith). One application, one set of GAMSAT/GPA scores, ranked preferences across up to six schools. Runs in two rounds (Round 1 mid-year offers, Round 2 supplementary).
GEMSAS Round 1— GEMSAS first-round offers: The main GEMSAS offer round, typically in late November. Applicants who rank a preference and receive an interview offer can be made a place offer for their highest-ranked successful preference. Most graduate-entry MD places are filled in Round 1.
GEMSAS Round 2— GEMSAS supplementary round: A supplementary GEMSAS offer round (usually January) that fills remaining graduate-entry places after Round 1 acceptances. Round 2 offers go to applicants on standby lists for their preferenced schools.
QTAC— Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre: The Tertiary Admissions Centre for QLD undergraduate applications — used for UQ undergraduate biomedical pathway, Griffith dentistry, JCU medicine and dentistry, and Bond. Manages Educational Access Scheme equivalents and rural-origin documentation.
SATAC— South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre: The Tertiary Admissions Centre handling applications for SA and NT undergraduate programs — Adelaide MD direct entry, Flinders undergraduate biomedical and the Northern Territory Medical Program (NTMP).
Snapshot— Snapshot one-way video interview: A one-way recorded video interview component from Acuity Insights, typically paired with CASPer. Applicants answer 2-3 short prompts to camera within a fixed time window. Used alongside CASPer by Monash, Curtin and Notre Dame for the non-cognitive screen.
TISC— Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (WA): The Tertiary Admissions Centre for Western Australian undergraduate applications — UWA Assured Pathway, Curtin Medicine, Curtin Dentistry, Notre Dame Fremantle undergraduate streams.
UAC— Universities Admissions Centre (NSW / ACT): The Tertiary Admissions Centre handling undergraduate applications for NSW and ACT universities, including UNSW, Sydney, Western Sydney, Newcastle and ANU undergraduate streams. Processes ATAR-based applications and adjustment factor schemes (EAS, rural).
VTAC— Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre: The Tertiary Admissions Centre for Victorian universities — used for Monash undergraduate, Melbourne (Chancellor's Scholars / Bachelor of Biomedicine) and Deakin undergraduate applications. Handles SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) and Indigenous pathway applications.

Admissions tests

Bond MPST— Bond Medical Personality and Skills Test: Bond University's in-house non-cognitive assessment, sat by all applicants to Bond's undergraduate MD program. Combines a clinical-personality questionnaire with situational-judgement and emotional-intelligence components. Replaces UCAT-ANZ at Bond.
GAMSAT— Graduate Medical School Admissions Test: The 5.5-hour graduate-entry admissions test administered by ACER. Three sections: Section 1 (Humanities / Social Sciences), Section 2 (Written Communication, two essays), Section 3 (Biological & Physical Sciences). Scored 0-100 per section, with a weighted overall = (S1 + S2 + 2×S3) / 4. Median offer-holders typically score 60-66 overall.
ISAT— International Student Admissions Test: A computer-delivered admissions test from ACER, historically used as an alternative to GAMSAT for some international applicants to Australian medical schools (notably Sydney international stream). Tests critical reasoning and quantitative reasoning. Several schools have phased ISAT out — confirm current acceptance with the school.
SJT— Situational Judgement Test: The 5th sub-test of UCAT-ANZ, scored separately as a band (1-4) rather than a numeric score. Several Australian schools (e.g. UNSW, Adelaide) use the SJT band as a hard filter or weighted component.
UCAT-ANZ— University Clinical Aptitude Test (Australia / New Zealand): The ~2-hour computer-based aptitude test sat by undergraduate medicine and dentistry applicants in Australia and New Zealand. From the 2025 sitting onwards there are three cognitive sub-tests (Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning) — Abstract Reasoning was dropped — plus a separately-banded Situational Judgement Test. The aggregate cognitive total is now reported out of 2,700 (previously 3,600). Separate sitting from the UK UCAT — UK scores are not transferable.

Place types & funding

BMP— Bonded Medical Program: A federally subsidised medical place tied to a return-of-service obligation. From 2020 BMP graduates must work three years in an eligible regional, rural or remote area (MM2-7) within 18 years of fellowship. Replaced the legacy MRBS scheme nationally for new commencements from 2020. See also MM model.
CSP— Commonwealth Supported Place: A government-subsidised university place. Domestic medical CSPs cost roughly A$12,000 per year in student contribution (the Commonwealth pays the balance). Restricted to Australian citizens, permanent humanitarian visa holders and (from 2024) New Zealand citizens meeting residency criteria. Most domestic medicine and dentistry places are CSPs.
Full-fee place— Full-fee paying place: A non-subsidised domestic place, charged at the full tuition fee (around A$70,000-90,000 per year for medicine). Offered by Macquarie, Bond and Notre Dame for the MD; some other schools offer limited full-fee places. Eligible for FEE-HELP government loans up to the lifetime cap.
International place— International student place: A medicine or dentistry place reserved for international applicants, charged at the full international tuition fee (typically A$80,000-110,000 per year). Each school sets its own international quota, entry test and English-language requirements.
MRBS— Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship: A legacy bonded scholarship scheme (closed to new entrants in 2020, when the redesigned Bonded Medical Program took over) that paid an annual scholarship in exchange for a six-year return-of-service obligation in eligible rural/remote areas. Existing MRBS participants continued under MRBS rules with the option to opt into the new BMP framework from 2020.

Regulators & licensing

AHPRA— Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency: The national agency that administers registration and accreditation across 16 regulated health professions in Australia, including medicine and dentistry. (Some tallies cite 15 by omitting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners — AHPRA's own published material lists 16.) Works in partnership with the National Boards (e.g. Medical Board of Australia, Dental Board of Australia). Mandatory and voluntary notifications about practitioners go to AHPRA.
Code of Conduct— AHPRA Code of Conduct: The professional and ethical standards expected of registered health practitioners in Australia. The Medical Board and Dental Board each publish profession-specific codes that elaborate on AHPRA's shared code. Routinely tested in interview and CASPer scenarios.
Dental Board of Australia— Dental Board of Australia: The National Board that registers dentists, oral health therapists, dental therapists, dental hygienists and dental prosthetists. Accredits dental programs via the Australian Dental Council.
Medical Board of Australia— Medical Board of Australia: The National Board that registers medical practitioners and accredits Australian medical programs. Sets the Code of Conduct, manages provisional and general registration after internship, and handles fitness-to-practise matters jointly with AHPRA.

Healthcare system

Bulk billing— Bulk billing: When a practitioner accepts the Medicare rebate as full payment for a service — the patient pays nothing out of pocket and the practitioner bills Medicare directly. The proportion of GP visits bulk billed has been a recurring policy and interview-ethics topic.
CDBS— Child Dental Benefits Schedule: A targeted Medicare scheme that funds up to A$1,132 (2024-2025 cap) of basic dental services per eligible child every two calendar years. Means-tested via family eligibility for Family Tax Benefit Part A or similar payments. The main route by which paediatric dentistry intersects Medicare.
Gap payment— Gap payment: The out-of-pocket charge a patient pays when the practitioner's fee exceeds the Medicare rebate. The gap is the difference between billed fee and the rebated MBS scheduled fee. Equity-of-access discussions in interviews routinely involve gap fees.
MBS— Medicare Benefits Schedule: The list of medical services that Medicare partially or fully subsidises, each identified by an MBS item number with a scheduled fee. Doctors choose whether to bulk bill (accept the rebate as full payment) or charge above the schedule (creating a gap payment).
Medicare— Medicare (Australia): Australia's universal public health insurance scheme. Funds hospital care in public hospitals at no out-of-pocket cost and subsidises out-of-hospital services (GP visits, specialist consults, diagnostic imaging) through the MBS. Dental services are largely excluded for adults.
PBS— Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: The federal scheme that subsidises prescription medicines for Australian residents. PBS-listed drugs are dispensed for a capped patient co-payment; the Commonwealth pays pharmacists the balance. Frequent topic in ethics and access scenarios.

Indigenous health

ACCHO— Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation: A primary healthcare service initiated, governed and operated by an Aboriginal community to deliver comprehensive, culturally appropriate care. ACCHOs are coordinated nationally through NACCHO. Most medical schools include ACCHO placements within the Indigenous health curriculum.
Bourra Bunya— Bourra Bunya (Western Sydney): Western Sydney University's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathway into medicine, providing structured academic and cultural support and an alternative selection route.
Closing the Gap— Closing the Gap: The intergovernmental framework agreed in 2008 and refreshed in 2020 (National Agreement on Closing the Gap) that targets disparities in life expectancy, infant mortality, education, employment and incarceration between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. Annual Prime Minister's reports track progress against 17 socioeconomic targets. The 2020 refresh brought the Coalition of Peaks in as a decision-making signatory partner alongside Commonwealth and state/territory governments.
Cultural safety— Cultural safety: A patient-defined experience of feeling safe to express their cultural identity in a clinical encounter — the practitioner's responsibility is to enable that safety by reflecting on their own biases, identity and power, and acting so as not to diminish, demean or disempower the patient (especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients). Cultural safety differs from cultural awareness/competence: it is judged by the recipient of care, not the practitioner. Embedded in the AHPRA Code of Conduct and routinely assessed in interviews.
Gadigal Program— Gadigal Program (Sydney) — formerly Cadigal: The University of Sydney's entry pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants across medicine, dentistry and other health professions. Sydney now publishes the program under the spelling "Gadigal" (the historical "Cadigal" spelling is being phased out). Provides academic, financial and pastoral support alongside an alternative selection process.
Miroma Bunbilla— Miroma Bunbilla (Newcastle): The University of Newcastle Joint Medical Program's alternative entry pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. Combines an academic interview, written work and personal interview rather than relying primarily on ATAR/UCAT.
Murrup Barak— Murrup Barak (Melbourne): The University of Melbourne's Institute for Indigenous Development. Coordinates the Indigenous entry pathway to the Melbourne MD and related Indigenous student support across the university.
palawa pathway— palawa pathway (Tasmania): The University of Tasmania's entry pathway for palawa (Aboriginal Tasmanian) and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants into the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program.
Wirltu Yarlu— Wirltu Yarlu (Adelaide): The University of Adelaide's Aboriginal Education unit. Coordinates the Indigenous entry pathway into Adelaide medicine and dentistry, plus academic and pastoral support across programs.
Yulendj / William Cooper Institute— Yulendj Pathway and William Cooper Institute (Monash): Monash University's Indigenous entry pathway (Yulendj) is administered through the William Cooper Institute, which leads Indigenous engagement, research and education across the university. Applies to both undergraduate (Year 12) and graduate-entry MD applicants.

Rural & regional

ACRRM— Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine: The specialist college for rural generalist medicine, offering Fellowship (FACRRM) via a rural-focused training pathway. Trains doctors for procedural, emergency and primary care roles in MM3-7 communities.
ARHEN— Australian Rural Health Education Network: The peak body for university Rural Clinical Schools and Departments of Rural Health (UDRHs), which deliver mandatory year-long rural clinical placements for medical students under the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) program.
DPA— Distribution Priority Area: Geographic regions identified by the Department of Health as having a workforce shortage of GPs. Overseas-trained doctors and some bonded participants must serve part of their return-of-service in DPA locations. The DPA map is updated periodically and overlays the MM classification.
KCRMT— Kimberley Centre for Remote Medical Training: Notre Dame Australia's remote medical training base in Broome, WA, operational from 2027. Delivers the first two years (years 1-2) of the Notre Dame MD in the Kimberley region with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health; years 3-4 are distributed across rural WA. Priority for Kimberley/Pilbara residents and Indigenous applicants.
MM— Modified Monash Model: The geographic classification system used to categorise Australian locations by remoteness and population size, from MM1 (major city) through MM2 (regional centres 50,000+), MM3-5 (smaller regional and large rural towns), MM6 (medium rural) and MM7 (very remote). The reference grid for rural entry eligibility, BMP return-of-service zones, and Distribution Priority Area mapping.
MM2-7— MM2-7 locations (non-metropolitan): Shorthand for any location classified MM2 through MM7 under the Modified Monash Model — i.e. anywhere outside a major capital. Rural entry pathways typically require applicants to have lived a minimum number of years (often 5+) in MM2-7 locations.
NTMP— Northern Territory Medical Program: Flinders University's NT-based MD stream, delivered in Darwin in partnership with Charles Darwin University. Strong emphasis on Indigenous and remote health placements across the Top End and Central Australia.
RACGP— Royal Australian College of General Practitioners: One of two colleges offering vocational training and Fellowship in general practice in Australia (the other is ACRRM). FRACGP is the most common GP qualification. Training pathways include the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program.
RFDS— Royal Flying Doctor Service: A non-profit aeromedical organisation providing emergency retrieval, primary healthcare clinics and dental outreach to remote and rural Australia. Frequently cited in rural-health interview questions and a common medical-student placement provider.
RTS— Rural Training Stream (Deakin): Deakin University's rural-specific entry and training stream within its graduate-entry MD. Combines reserved places for rural-origin applicants with extended longitudinal placements in regional Victoria.
TRTS— Tasmanian Rural Training Stream: The University of Tasmania's rural training stream within its MBBS, delivering extended placements in north-west Tasmania (Burnie) and other regional locations.

Academic credentials

ATAR— Australian Tertiary Admission Rank: A rank from 0.00 to 99.95 (in 0.05 increments) calculated from Year 12 results, reflecting an applicant's position relative to their state cohort. Undergraduate medicine and dentistry cut-offs typically sit between ATAR 95 and 99.95, depending on adjustment factors and the specific pathway.
FEE-HELP— FEE-HELP loan: The federal income-contingent loan available to full-fee paying domestic students (e.g. Macquarie MD, Bond MD, Notre Dame MD). Subject to a lifetime FEE-HELP limit which medicine students will frequently hit — the limit is higher for medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses.
GPA— Grade Point Average: A 7.0-scale (most Australian universities) average of subject grades used by GEMSAS and other graduate-entry pathways. GEMSAS GPA is calculated from the most recent three years of full-time undergraduate study, with diminishing weight (years 1, 2, 3 → weight 1, 2, 3 in most schemes).
HECS-HELP— HECS-HELP loan: The federal income-contingent loan covering the student contribution amount in a Commonwealth Supported Place. Repaid via the tax system once income exceeds the annual threshold; balance indexed to inflation. Available to CSP students who are Australian citizens or eligible humanitarian / NZ residents.
WAM— Weighted Average Mark: A weighted average of subject marks (out of 100) used by some Australian universities — notably Monash, which uses WAM from its internal undergraduate degrees in graduate-entry MD ranking. Differs from GPA in that it preserves raw mark granularity rather than collapsing to a 7-point band.

Medical & dental qualifications

BDH— Bachelor of Dental Health (historical / non-dentist): There is no current Dental Board-accredited "Bachelor of Dental Health" qualifying graduates as dentists at any Australian school as of 2026. Newcastle's equivalent is the Bachelor of Oral Health (BOH) — which registers under AHPRA as an Oral Health Therapist, NOT a dentist, and has a more limited scope of practice than the dentist registration granted by BDS / BDSc / DMD. The "BDH" abbreviation is more commonly seen overseas for Bachelor of Dental Hygiene.
BDHS— Bachelor of Dental Health Science: The 3-year undergraduate dental science degree at Griffith University that feeds into the 2-year graduate DMD. Completing BDHS does not by itself grant Dental Board registration — students must progress to or articulate into DMD to register as a dentist.
BDS— Bachelor of Dental Surgery: A 5-year undergraduate dental qualification (e.g. Adelaide BDS, Sydney DMD's predecessor, La Trobe BDS, Charles Sturt BDS). Grants eligibility for Dental Board of Australia general registration as a dentist.
BDSc— Bachelor of Dental Science: A 5-year undergraduate dental qualification used by some Australian schools (historically Queensland, Melbourne pre-DDS). Curriculum is equivalent to a BDS — title differs by institution. Grants Dental Board registration.
BOH— Bachelor of Oral Health: A 3-year undergraduate degree that qualifies graduates for Dental Board registration as a dual oral health therapist / dental hygienist (not as a dentist). Distinct from BDS/DMD — BOH graduates have a defined scope of practice (preventive, paediatric to age 18, basic restorative).
DMD— Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry: A graduate-entry dental qualification, offered notably by the University of Sydney (4-year graduate DMD) and Griffith University (3+2 DMD following BDHS). Functionally equivalent to BDS for Dental Board registration.
MBBS— Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery: The older naming for the entry-level medical degree, retained at a small number of schools (e.g. Tasmania, JCU). Functionally equivalent to MD for AHPRA registration; many schools transitioned MBBS to MD between 2014 and 2020 to align with the Australian Qualifications Framework master's level.
MD— Doctor of Medicine: The current entry-level professional medical qualification in Australia, typically a 4-year graduate-entry degree (Melbourne, Sydney, Monash graduate, Notre Dame, Wollongong, Deakin, ANU, Griffith) or a 3+4 / extended undergraduate structure (UNSW, Adelaide, JCU undergraduate). Replaces the older MBBS naming at most schools.
MMI— Multiple Mini Interview: A circuit-format interview with 6-10 short stations (typically 5-8 minutes each), each assessing a different attribute — communication, ethics, role-play, motivation. The dominant interview format at most Australian medical and dental schools (e.g. UNSW, Newcastle, Western Sydney, JCU, Notre Dame).

Other

Citizen— Australian citizen: A holder of Australian citizenship, either by birth, descent or grant. Citizenship is required for some entry pathways — including most Indigenous-entry streams (which also accept Torres Strait Islander applicants) and several rural pathways that require citizenship plus an Australian schooling history.
PR— Permanent Resident: A non-citizen who holds a permanent visa giving them indefinite right to live in Australia. Permanent residents are generally eligible for Commonwealth Supported Places only if they hold a permanent humanitarian visa — most other permanent residents pay full domestic fees. Always confirm CSP eligibility against current Department of Education rules.
VAD— Voluntary Assisted Dying: The legal framework permitting eligible terminally-ill adults to access medical assistance in dying. VAD is legislated in all six Australian states (Victoria 2019, WA 2021, TAS 2022, QLD 2023, SA 2023, NSW 2023). Following the 2022 federal repeal of the Restoring Territory Rights ban, the ACT enacted its own scheme (Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2024 (ACT), commenced 3 November 2025); the NT has not yet legislated VAD as of 2026. Recurring topic in ethics interview stations and CASPer.

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Reviewed by Isaac Butler-King, medical student at the University of Glasgow. Last reviewed: 28 May 2026