Melbourne Medical Electives

The Melbourne Medical School administers elective programs for non-University of Melbourne Medical students on behalf of our partner hospitals. A range of elective options are available, in a number of disciplines across eight clinical sites.

Melbourne Medical Electives are observational and available only to students in their final year (or penultimate year) of an approved university professional-entry medical course. We don’t provide structured curriculum, access to lectures, or formal teaching placements at any of our sites.

Specialty medical areas available

We offer observational placements in a number of specialty medical areas, including:

Aged care; anaesthesia & pain management; cardiology; dermatology; emergency medicine; endocrinology; gastroenterology; general medicine; general surgery; haematology; infectious diseases; intensive care; oncology; nephrology; neurology; obstetrics & gynaecology; ophthalmology; orthopaedics; paediatrics; palliative care; pathology; psychiatry; respiratory medicine; rheumatology; specialist surgeries including EN&T, plastics, cardiac, cardiothoracic, urology, hepatobiliary, vascular, neurosurgery, colorectal and spinal; trauma medicine; and women’s health.

Enrolment status

The elective program is designed to give medical students an opportunity to experience a range of health services and medical specialties, and encourages a broader understanding of the medical profession. Participants remain enrolled at their home University for the elective period and will not be enrolled as students of the University of Melbourne.    As electives are not structured teaching programs, they cannot be counted as credit towards a degree.

Applying for an elective

Typically, applications will need to be submitted at least 12 months ahead of the elective period and capacity is extremely limited.  Each site charges an elective fee, and some also require payment of an application and/or accommodation fee.

Our partner hospitals have their own specific requirements, which may differ slightly, but all will expect applicants to provide:

  • immunity to or evidence of vaccination against a defined list of vaccine preventable diseases
  • a recently completed Police check
  • medical indemnity insurance equivalent to 10 million Australian dollars
  • personal travel insurance (or equivalent health cover for Australian residents)
  • evidence of enrolment in the clinical component of an approved medical course
  • proof of English Language competency
  • A CV/resume

If you are interested in applying to do a Melbourne Medical Elective, please read through the site-specific information available at the links below and contact our elective placement coordinator at the hospital of your choice.

Hospital / Health Service

Information

Contact

Austin Health

Health service website

Austin Clinical School

ah-clinsch@unimelb.edu.au

Northern Health

Health service website

Northern Clinical School

nhcs-info@unimelb.edu.au (Please include ‘New elective Placement Enquiry’ in subject line.)

The Royal Children’s Hospital (Paediatrics)

Elective program info or hospital website

Pam Morison

rch.elective@rch.org.au

The Royal Melbourne Hospital

Elective program website

RMH Clinical School

rmh-electives@unimelb.edu.au

The Royal Women’s Hospital (Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

Department website or elective program info

Meredith Poyner

rwh-electives@unimelb.edu.au

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Health service website

St Vincent’s Clinical School

stv-electives@unimelb.edu.au

St Vincent’s Hospital

Clinical school website

St Vincent’s Clinical School

stv-electives@unimelb.edu.au

Western Health (Sunshine and Footscray Hospitals)

Electives are offered in June and November/December each year. Electives will not be considered outside of these periods.

Health Service Website

Western Clinical School - Elective Coordinator

wcs-electives@unimelb.edu.au

Elective placements in our rural hospital network are offered by Goulburn Valley Health (Shepparton), Ballarat Health Services, and North-East Health (Wangaratta). Applicants should contact these rural health services directly.

Indicative costs (AUD)

Please see specific health service elective websites for further info.

  • Austin Health: $110 per week plus $150 per week for on- site accommodation
  • St Vincent's Hospital & Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre: $100 application fee + $600 administrative fee for 4 weeks
  • The Royal Melbourne Hospital: $100 per week
  • Northern Health: $200 application fee plus $150 per week