Inside Otago’s medical programme
Get an inside look at studying Medicine at Otago. Discover the journey from Health Sciences to clinical years, and hear firsthand experiences from staff and students.
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Dr Katherine Hall:
Kia ora everyone, my name’s Katherine Hall. I’m the Assistant Dean of Medical Admissions at Otago University Medical School, and you’re interested in medicine, I’m assuming, because you’re watching this video.
I’m here to tell you what it is like to be a medical student and come to Otago University. Well, if you choose to come here and you get in, you will discover that the medical course is an incredible journey through challenges and experiences that you will not even know you are going to have at this point. But I can give you an outline about what it’s going to be like for you, and you can think about it and think, “Is this for me?” And if it is, put your application in when the time comes.
So, what do you do when you come to medical school? Well, first of all, if you’re coming from school, usually you come to medical school via Health Sciences First Year. It’s a really big, very pressured year where you get to do lots of science stuff, and at the end of that, some of you will get into medicine.
Once you’re in medicine, the pressure is a little bit less actually because you’re here. We’re not going to throw you out unless you do something very bad, very naughty, or you don’t get the marks. Most of you do get through. It’s not to say it’s a cruise – it is certainly not that. You work jolly hard, but you have an awesome time. You learn so much about what it means to be a person, what it means to be a doctor, and what it means to be a patient. You will have a ball.
The first two years you’re in the university, you’re doing what’s called the Early Learning Medicine course. That involves things like anatomy, biochemistry, a little bit of pathology, physiology, and those sorts of things, plus a course called Early Professional Education. Now, this one is really important. Because I tutor in it, I know quite a bit about it, and it’s a really cool course that teaches you about how to become a doctor.
This is training you for a career which is a profession, so there is a whole vast range of things you’ve got to learn about how to be a doctor. After third year, you have the option of doing a research year. You can also do a double degree in Arts or Science if you’re that way inclined and then come back into med school in Year Four.
Years Four, Five, and Six are the clinical years. These are the years where you are attached to medical teams, work with medical teams, and learn on the job, rather like an apprenticeship. At the same time, though, you have to be responsible for a lot of learning. You have to do your own book work and study work and be very self-directional.
The people who succeed in medicine are self-disciplined and are able to do that self-directional work. After six years, you then graduate and become a first-year house surgeon and then a second-year house surgeon. From that point on, you can then choose specialisations.
It’s a long course because if you decide that you are going to specialise – and almost everyone does, as general practice is a specialisation in its own right – most people are knocking on 30 before they’ve actually finished all the training they need to do. So it’s not a lightweight commitment. However, it’s a fascinating one, and if you choose to do it, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Sean Dougherty:
Kia ora, my name is Sean. I’m a sixth-year medical student this year at the University of Otago. I chose to study medicine at Otago because, well, for a couple of reasons actually. It’s really close to home for me, as I live in Te Anau.
I really like Dunedin and the fact that it’s such a bustling community and it’s really vibrant. The medicine course itself as well is really good. I’ve really enjoyed it so far. There’s such a variety of things that you get to do.
Obviously, you start with Health Sciences First Year – that’s what I did – and then I went through from Health Sciences First Year to just study medicine. Once you’re in medicine, you basically have a bunch of different subjects that you need to study at the same time, like pharmacology – the study of drugs and how they work and medications and things like that.
There’s also anatomy – the study of how the body is made up – and physiology – how the body works. You study things like pathology and diseases and things that can go wrong with the body, if that makes sense. The variety for me is something that keeps me active all the time, and I really enjoy that.
Once you hit Fourth Year, you do your clinical years, so you’re based in the hospital. I really enjoy the fact that you get to see such a variety of different patients and talk to so many different people from all over the country and all over the world.
What is Medicine?
Medicine is a scientific, research- and evidence-based profession, which covers many areas of specialisation, including general practice, public health and hospital-based specialities, such as surgery, psychiatry, cardiology, and many more.
If you are considering a career in Medicine, you should be prepared for lifelong learning to maintain your practising standards. Society expects a high level of technical competence. Patients expect to be treated with patience, kindness and humanity. Ethical behaviour and rapport with people are necessary so patients can trust you with problems of their body and mind.
What will I study?
After selection from Health Sciences First Year (HSFY), or the Graduate or Alternative categories, you commence the second year of the six-year medical degree – called the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB).
2nd–3rd years
Second- and third-year Medicine offers an integrated course based on various body system modules and core clinical cases. The clinical cases run throughout the programme and act as a framework for learning, as well as bringing relevance to the underlying clinical and basic science.
Learning clinical skills and a focus on health in the community start at the beginning of the second year, and feature prominently through a variety of modalities including experimental practise (laboratories, clinical skills, talking with people), lectures, small group discussions and independent learning.
4th–6th years
After the third year, you will complete studies at one of Otago's campuses in Christchurch, Dunedin, or Wellington.
Fourth- and fifth-year medicine offer increased interaction with people and are centred around clinical work in hospital wards and outpatient clinics in teaching hospitals, in smaller rural practices, and general practices. You will also complete components of public health and community medicine.
Sixth-year medicine is an apprenticeship-style year, also known as the Trainee Intern (TI) year. You assume greater responsibility in hospital wards and general practices. This final year includes a three-month elective involving a project or clinical work, usually in another hospital or overseas.
Research opportunities
There are research opportunities within the medical programme, including the option of taking one year off after the third or fifth year to complete a Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours (BMedSc(Hons)) degree. Some medical graduates choose to undertake further research and may enrol in a higher degree such as a combined MB ChB / PhD. Otago Medical School offers scholarships to many of the students who undertake the BMedSc(Hons) or combined MB ChB / PhD degree.
Registration
Before you can practise as a doctor in New Zealand, you must register with the Medical Council of New Zealand and complete a one-year internship in a hospital.
There are limited if any, New Zealand hospital places available for international students and an internship placement in a New Zealand hospital is not guaranteed for international students.
Admission to the Medicine programme
Admission to Medicine is competitive, and there are only about 300 places available for New Zealand and international students. There are different categories of admission to Medicine, but the majority of places are offered to students who have completed the Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) programme at the University of Otago.
Selection into Medicine from HSFY is very competitive. High grades are required and no compulsory paper grade can be less than a B.
Applications are also considered in the Graduate category and Alternative category (for allied health professionals and those who graduated more than three years ago).
Applicants may also apply via the subcategories for Te Kauae Parāoa, including Māori, Pacific, rural, socioeconomic equity, and refugee background, which are outlined in the Guidelines for Admission.
Medicine: Guidelines for Admission
International applications
Persons who do not hold New Zealand citizenship or permanent residence should address their enquiries to the University's International Office.
How to apply
Application information for admission into the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB) programme is available on the Division of Health Sciences website:
Medicine: Guidelines for Admission
Recommended background
If you are new to university study and planning to study Medicine, your first year of study will be the Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) programme. There are no subject requirements for entry into HSFY, but we strongly recommend you take Chemistry, Physics and Calculus to NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent), and an English-rich subject.
Health Sciences First Year must be your first year of university study. Undertaking any other tertiary study before enrolling in HSFY could jeopardise your enrolment in the HSFY programme, so you are strongly advised to contact AskOtago if you are considering this.
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Undergraduate qualifications
For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.
Further study opportunities
Whether you are looking to bridge your undergraduate studies to advanced knowledge or aiming to specialise in a specific field, Otago offers a range of graduate and postgraduate options to suit your aspirations.
Programme details
Compare programmes for this subject as a major and minor (where available).
| Year | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | Health Sciences First Year Course | 126 |
| Note: Students enrolled in the Health Sciences First Year course will be required to achieve a satisfactory mark in a standard diagnostic English test or another approved measure of achievement. | ||
| 2nd year | MICN 201 Medicine Second Year | 120 |
| 3rd year | MICN 301 Medicine Third Year | 120 |
| 4th year | MICN 401 Medicine Fourth Year | 120 |
| 5th year | MICN 501 Medicine Fifth Year | 120 |
| 6th year |
Three of MICN 641 Medicine Sixth Year 1st Quarter MICN 642 Medicine Sixth Year 2nd Quarter MICN 643 Medicine Sixth Year 3rd Quarter MICN 644 Medicine Sixth Year 4th Quarter and | 105 |
| MICN 648 Elective Quarter | 15 |
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
MICN papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICN201 | 2025 | Medicine Second Year | 120 points | Full Year (12 February 2025 - 31 October 2025) |
| MICN301 | 2025 | Medicine Third Year | 120 points | Full Year (17 February 2025 - 31 October 2025) |
| MICN401 | 2025 | Medicine Fourth Year | 120 points | Full Year (27 January 2025 - 24 October 2025) |
| MICN501 | 2025 | Medicine Fifth Year | 120 points | Full Year (3 February 2025 - 31 October 2025) |
| MICN601 | 2025 | Medicine Sixth Year | 120 points | 1st Non standard period (18 November 2024 - 16 November 2025) |
| MICN621 | 2025 | Medicine Sixth Year 1st Quarter | 30 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| MICN622 | 2025 | Medicine Sixth Year 2nd Quarter | 30 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| MICN623 | 2025 | Medicine Sixth Year 3rd Quarter | 30 points | Not offered in 2025 |
| MICN624 | 2025 | Medicine Sixth Year 4th Quarter | 30 points | Not offered in 2025 |
More information
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.
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