MBBS
Browse Healthcare Professionals - MBBS
Description: Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery or in Latin: Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae (abbreviated in many ways, viz. MBBS, MBChB, MBBCh, MBBChir(Cantab), BMBCh(Oxon), BMBS, etc.), are the two first professional degrees in medicine and surgery awarded upon graduation from medical school by universities in countries that follow the tradition of the United Kingdom. The naming suggests that they are two separate undergraduate degrees; however, in practice, they are usually treated as one and conferred together, and may also be awarded at graduate-level medical schools. In countries that follow the tradition of the United States, the equivalent medical degree is awarded as Doctor of Medicine (MD).
Historically, Australian medical schools have followed the British tradition by conferring the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) to its graduates whilst reserving the title of Doctor of Medicine (MD) for their research training degree, analogous to the PhD, or for their honorary doctorates. Although the majority of Australian MBBS degrees have been graduate programs since the 1990s, under the previous Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) they remained categorised as Level 7 Bachelor's degrees together with other undergraduate programs.
The latest version of the AQF includes the new category of Level 9 Master's (Extended) degrees which permits the use of the term 'Doctor' in the styling of the degree title of relevant professional programs. As a result, some Australian medical schools have replaced their MBBS degrees with the MD to resolve the previous anomalous nomenclature. With the introduction of the Master's level MD, universities have also renamed their previous medical research doctorates. The University of Melbourne was the first to introduce the MD in 2011 as a basic medical degree, and has renamed its research degree to Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc).
Recognising Authorities: Medical Board of Australia, Australian Health Practitioner Agency (AHPRA)
Education Providers: Australian National University (ANU), Bond University, Deakin University, Flinders University, Griffith University, James Cook University, Monash University, University of Western Australia, University of Adelaide, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, University of Notre Dame, University of Queensland, University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, University of Western Sydney, University of Wollongong
Region: Australia
Course Type: Bachelor Degree
Course Length: 4 to 5 years
