Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine

Specifically designed for general practitioners who wish to expand knowledge and skills, this course is conducted via off-campus learning and enables doctors to meet personal and professional needs as well as those of their patients and the community.  It is open to both domestic and international students.

There are two intakes each academic year commencing late February or mid July.

Applications for 2009 are now open

2008 Direct Application - Family Medicine (PDF)

2008 Information - Family Medicine (PDF)

Course Coordinator: Professor Leon Piterman
Course Code: 1759

What is Family Medicine?

Family medicine is ‘whole person care in the context of the family and the community….continuing care drawing on biomedical, psychological, social and environmental understandings of health.’ (RACGP 2004).  Primary medical care in Australia, and in many other countries, is largely delivered by general practitioners and has a long and proud history as a clinical discipline.  As medical information and knowledge develop, general practitioners/ family physicians need to manage emerging concepts in practice as well as know how to access information and critically analyse literature.

Why study Family Medicine at Monash?

Ranked in the top 50 of the world's universities, Monash has over 50,000 students, 200,000 alumni and a powerful network of international alliances. By studying at Monash you will become an active member of this global Monash community.

“This course inspires me to really think about the discipline of general practice, to think about what I am doing daily in my practice”  International Family Medicine student

“This course has been very useful…having a better understanding of what I have been doing these last few years has given me a stronger sense of identity as a GP, reigniting the passion I had when I first commenced General Practice.”   Australian Family Medicine student

What is off-campus learning?

More than 14,000 Monash students take advantage of the flexibility off-campus programs provide.  This mode of study allows you to study when and where you choose.

We provide comprehensive course materials, to let you learn at your own pace, and tutor contact for academic queries.  Our courses are assessed by coursework which means you submit work by designated due dates.

Is the course accredited?

The RACGP QA & CPD program has approved this course for the 2008-2010 triennium for 90 (Category 1) Higher Education Points. 

The course is also accredited by the Medical Council of Hong Kong as a ‘quotable qualification’.

Please note, successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine will not entitle non-Australian registered general practitioners/family physicians to work in Australia.  For information about working in Australia, please refer to the Australian Medical Council website: www.amc.org.au

Do I need a computer?

You will require access to a computer in order to check your Monash email account and for other purposes such as viewing images on a CD, research on the internet and the typing of assignments

What are the pre-requisites for entry?

Applicants must be

• currently registered by the medical board in their respective state, or
• have a qualification which is eligible to be registered in a state of the Commonwealth.

A minimum of two years of work experience in general practice is essential.  Preference will be given to applicants who are currently employed and have been in active general practice for a minimum period of two years.

Special consideration may be given to suitably qualified overseas graduates residing in their own country.

How long does the course take?

The Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine takes a minimum of two years to complete (four semesters).  Semester 1 commences at the end of February and Semester 2 in mid July.

Students may adjust their study program according to their professional commitments by undertaking a 6 or 12 months leave of intermission (deferment of study) during enrolment in the course or by varying their pattern of study.

Assessment varies from unit to unit and is based on a continual assessment system.  There are no formal examinations for this course.  For further information about the units of study, please click on the links below:

What are the course fees?

Fees are payable to the University on a semester by semester basis.  Students are not required to pay the full amount at the beginning of the course. The Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine is a full fee paying course.  The total costs TBA

*For future years of your course Monash University reserves the right to adjust annual tuition fees.  However, Monash University undertakes that any adjustment will not exceed 6% per annum.

Am I eligible for recognition of prior learning or credit transfer?

Credit for previous learning (advanced standing) may be granted where this is assessed as equivalent to Monash University study. Credit towards the course for previous learning may include credit transfer and recognition of prior learning.  Up to a maximum of 50% of the course credit points may be granted for previous postgraduate learning in a

• university or
• TAFE course or
• accredited course offered by a Registered Training Organisation, or
• overseas equivalents of the above.

Recognition of prior learning may be granted for previous non-accredited formal study such as professional development or on-the job-training.

Holders of the FRACGP or equivalent (MRCGP) qualification are entitled to 24 credit points of advanced standing.  All other requests will be assessed on a case by case basis.

Credit may not be granted to studies or learning completed more than seven years prior to the date of enrolment in the current course.

To apply for Advanced Standing, please contact Department of General PracticeGraduate Studies.

On successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine, students may progress to the either:

Master of Family Medicine  (provided a grade of 65% or above has been obtained in MFM2006 Introduction to Research Methods) or,

Master of Family Medicine (Clinical).   

The maximum allowable advanced standing of 48 credit points from the Graduate Diploma will then be credited towards the enrolment in the Master degree.

What are the English language requirements?

Students are expected to be proficient in English and must satisfy the minimum English language requirements of the university.  You can meet these requirements in one of the following ways:

• You have achieved a satisfactory level of performance in an English subject at Year 12 or equivalent level.  For postgraduate study, a study score of at least 30 in units 3 and 4 in any VCE English subject is required.
• You have studied in an institution where English is the language of instruction and assessment for the entire institution and have satisfactorily completed either:
  • at least the equivalent of the first year of a university course (if the university was outside Australia, you must have completed this study within the past two years), or
  • at least the equivalent of a two year tertiary program (if the institution of study was outside Australia, you must have completed this study within the past five years).

Completion of an Australian TAFE, Singapore Polytechnic or Malaysian College diploma will satisfy this requirement. 

Documentary evidence in the form of a letter or transcript is required from the institution at which the study was undertaken.

• You have undertaken an English language proficiency test within 24 months prior to your study commencement date and have achieved the following results:
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System - academic) minimum test score of 6.5with no individual band score less than 6.5. Please refer to important IELTS information below. For more information on IELTS go to www.ielts.org
  • TOEFL (American Test of English as a Foreign Language) minimum test score of 580 with a Test of Written English (TWE) score of at least 4.5 or a minimum test score of 237 in the computer-based TOEFL with an Essay Rating (ER) of at least 5.  You must include the original TOEFL or TWE test report with your application.  For more information on TOEFL go to www.ets.org and select TOEFL.
• You have successfully completed the Monash University English Language Bridging Program, or equivalent programs, at the appropriate level.  For further information on the Monash University English Language Bridging Program, visit www.monash.edu.au/englishcentre/courses/elbp.html
• All of your secondary schooling was in English and you have successfully completed at least two university level subjects in an institution where English is the language of instruction and assessment.
  

How do I apply?

If you are interested in applying for the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine, please use the Application Form  (PDF).

Regrettably faxed or e-mailed forms cannot be accepted, please submit the original form with supporting documents to the address on the Application form.

If you have any further questions or wish to discuss your application to the course, please contact

Julieanne.McLuckie@med.monash.edu.au
Administration, Marketing & International Development Manager, Graduate Studies
Department of General Practice
School of Primary Health Care

Can I work in Australia if I pass this course?

Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine will not entitle non-Australian registered general practitioners/family physicians to work in Australia. For further information on working in Australia, please refer to the Australian Medical Council website: www.amc.org.au

Do I need a computer?

Students are issued with a Monash email account; it is the main method of correspondence with the University.  You will require access to a computer in order to check your Monash email account and for other purposes such as viewing images on a CD, research on the internet and the typing of assignments.