Getting started
Congratulations and welcome to The University of Queensland Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.
You're about to embark on an exciting new chapter in your career. To prepare you for starting at UQ, we've developed this getting started page, which provides you with key contact details and requirements for the MD.
The content here and on the Starting at UQ homepage will help you navigate all the new systems you will use as a UQ medical student.
Please note that all dates and times stated on this page are Australian Eastern Standard time (AEST).
Watch the 2024 Doctor of Medicine Getting Started webinar
4. Learning Community Allocations
Can I preference my Learning Community?
Greater Brisbane students
Greater Brisbane students will be a member of a Learning Community headquartered within our Greater Brisbane Clinical School. Greater Brisbane students will spend their majority of their first year at the MD Learning Hub (St Lucia Campus) before joining a Greater Brisbane Clinical School Learning Community from Year 2. Greater Brisbane students will have the ability to preference from each of the four GBCS Learning Communities: Central, North, South and West.
Learning Community Allocation Guidelines, and instructions on how to preference for your Learning Community, can be found here (under ‘Learning Community Guidelines’).
UQ-Ochsner students
UQ-Ochsner students will be a member of the Ochsner Learning Community headquartered at our Ochsner Clinical School in Louisiana, USA. Students will spend their first year in Greater Brisbane based at the MD Learning Hub (St Lucia) before joining Greater Brisbane Clinical School Learning Community for Year 2. UQ-Ochsner students will have the ability to preference the Central or South Learning Communities. From third year, UQ-Ochsner students will undertake most of their learning at hospital or community facilities within the Ochsner Clinical School.
Central Queensland and Wide Bay Regional Medical Pathway students
Regional Medical Pathway (RMP) students will be a member of the Wide Bay or Central Queensland Learning Community headquartered at our Rural Clinical School sites for the duration of their studies. Central Queensland RMP students will be based out of the Rockhampton Regional Clinical Unit for the full four years. All Wide Bay RMP students will be based at the Bundaberg Regional Clinical Unit for Years 1 and 2. During Years 3 and 4, some Wide Bay RMP students will be based out of the Bundaberg Regional Clinical Unit and others will be based out of the Hervey Bay Clinical Unit.
From the 2025 intake, all four years of the program will be offered by the Wide Bay or Central Queensland Learning Community.
2023 and 2024 intakes
Students will spend their first year in Greater Brisbane based at the MD Learning Hub (St Lucia) before transitioning to the Wide Bay and Central Queensland Learning Communities for Years 2 – 4 as noted above.
Darling Downs & Southwest Medical Pathway students
Darling Downs and Southwest (DD-SW) Pathway students will be a member of the DD-SW Learning Community headquartered at our Rural Clinical School in Toowoomba for the duration of their studies. DDSW students will not preference for a Greater Brisbane Clinical School Learning Community for Year 1. They will be assigned to the Central Learning Community.
From the 2026 intake, all four years of the program will be offered by the DD-SW Learning Community.
2024 and 2025 intakes
Students will spend their first year in Greater Brisbane based at the MD Learning Hub (St Lucia) before transitioning to the Darling Downs and Southwest Learning Community for Years 2 - 4.
Can I change my Learning Community?
In certain circumstances, there may be the opportunity to change Learning Communities within your Clinical School (if applicable). You should refer to the Learning Community Guidelines.
If you would like to change Clinical Schools, you should refer to the Clinical School Transfer Guidelines.