Gain practical skills in core medical specialties
Our course focuses on providing high quality clinical experiences for all our students, creating a pathway to gain healthcare industry experience and help shape their future professional careers.
Applications for 2026 will be open September 29 - November 14.
The Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences at Macquarie University is pleased to offer elective placements to any final year Doctor of Medicine student, both domestic and international inbound.
We oversee elective placements at both Macquarie University Health and Northern Beaches Hospital:
- Macquarie University Health is Australia’s first university-owned teaching hospital, combining world class clinical care, teaching and research.
- Northern Beaches Hospital (NBH) is a state-of-the-art facility, with 24/7 emergency department, dedicated to the care of the people and families of the Northern Beaches community.
Elective placements across both hospitals are designed to prioritise student learning experiences and practical skills in core medical specialties. Learn more about the application process below.
Dates, locations and disciplines
Placements are a minimum of four weeks and a maximum of eight weeks.
You can apply separately to do four weeks at Macquarie University Health followed by four weeks at NBH or vice versa. We are unable to offer you a placement at both hospitals within the same four week block.
There are a variety of disciplines available at each location, see below for the disciplines and the 2026 start dates.
| Area | Electives |
|---|---|
| Medicine |
|
| Surgery |
|
| Area | Electives |
|---|---|
| Critical Care |
|
| Medicine |
|
| Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics |
|
| Surgery |
|
The below start dates align with the Macquarie University medical course. Each block is four weeks but you can apply to do two consecutive blocks to make up to eight weeks of placement.
If your dates do not align with our set block dates we will try to accommodate your request but you will have a stronger chance of successfully being accepted if your dates align with the dates listed here.
| Block | Dates |
|---|---|
| Block 1A | 2–27 February |
| Block 1B | 2–27 March |
| Block 2A | 30 March – 24 April |
| Block 2B | 27 April – 22 May |
| Optional zone | 25 May – 19 June |
| Block 3A | 6 July – 31 July |
| Block 3B | 3 – 28 August |
| Block 4A | 31 August – 25 September |
| Block 4B | 28 September – 23 October |
Macquarie University also offers placement opportunities at Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad, India, to students at partner universities. To enquire about a placement at Apollo, contact apollo.placements@mq.edu.au.
Application process
Applications will not be considered if the requested start date is less than two months after the application submission date. We recommend students submit applications as soon as practical, especially candidates from overseas, to allow sufficient processing time.
Inbound elective placements are only available for medical students undertaking elective placements in an AMC recognised medical degree.
View lists of AMC recognised medical degrees for:
How to apply
The application process for inbound elective placements at both hospitals is via Macquarie University. While students may have contacts with clinicians or staff at Macquarie University Health or NBH, elective placements cannot be arranged independently to the below application process.
If there is a particular discipline or supervisor that you would like to oversee your elective placement, include this information on your application form and we will endeavour to accommodate your request. Please note in your application process if you have obtained the support of a particular clinician.
Prepare the following documents before you start your application. These documents (in PDF format) must be uploaded with your online application:
- medical elective form with home university stamp. Download form.
- official academic transcript (a certified English translation if the original is not in English)
- a copy of your curriculum vitae (CV). This must include an outline of your previous clinical experience.
- letter of good standing
- copy of your passport
- English language proficiency (if applicable). If your medical program is not taught 100 per cent in English, we require, within two years of completion, either:
- a statement of English proficiency from your home university
- evidence of an IELT's score of 7.0 (both overall and in each sub-band).
- insurance documents – evidence of your medical school's Professional Indemnity Insurance (AUD $20,000,000) which covers you for the period of your elective placement. If your university does not cover you for Professional Indemnity Insurance you can apply to MIPS (which is free for students). Learn more about MIPS.
You will be able to preference up to five specialties on the application form.
Apply online (survey opens on 29 September and closes 14 November)
Application review
Your application will be reviewed after the application close date, and you will receive a response advising if your application is successful by January 30, 2026.
If your application has been successful, your will receive a Conditional Letter of Offer outlining which specialty you have been allocated and confirming the dates of the placement. This letter will also detail further information of compliance documents required and a link to pay the placement fee (AUD$250).
Visa information
If you are an international student, you may be required to apply for a visa to enter Australia. Learn more from the Department of Home Affairs.
Note: elective placements are classed as observation visits (not training/research).
Unsuccessful applications
If your application has been unsuccessful, you will receive a response.
Offer acceptance and payment of the AUD$250 placement fee must be received within two weeks of the Letter of Offer being sent.
If you do not confirm the offer and pay the placement fee within two weeks, the offer will be cancelled.
Other compliance documents must be received within six weeks of the acceptance of the offer.
You must complete the health course requirements module, and a number of online modules (this information will be sent in the welcome pack email).
Payment
- Application fee: $250 is due at time of accepting your offer. You will be sent payment information and instruction of how to pay with your Letter of Offer. Your placement application will not be progressed following your Letter of Offer until payment has been received.
- Refunds: The application fee is non-refundable should you wish to cancel your application or not meet compliance requirements.
- Cancellations: If circumstances change or you have a change of mind, let us know as soon as possible. The application fee is non-refundable.
More information
Visas
You may be required to obtain a visa if you are travelling to Australia for placement.
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they have the correct visa for the placement. For more information on Australian visas, contact the Department of Home Affairs.
Macquarie University cannot arrange your visa and cannot provide information in relation to what visa you require while on placement/in Australia.
Arriving in Sydney from overseas
We recommend you allow at least one week between your arrival date and your placement start date in order to give you time to apply for certain compliance documents.
The three documents are:
- Working With Children check. You will need to visit a Service NSW office in person to complete this application. You will then be given a receipt number, which is needed to start placement.
- Influenza vaccine certificate. You can arrange this vaccination from a general medical practitioner (GP) or some pharmacies in Australia. It must be the southern hemisphere seasonal influenza vaccination.
Note: you won’t be able to start your placement until proof of these has been submitted.
Accommodation is not included with the placement. Inbound students will need to arrange their own accommodation.
Learn more about Macquarie University accommodation and potential options while on placement. Other suggestions can be provided upon request.
Frequently asked questions
No, only students who are in their final year of study (at the time of the placement) can apply for a placement.
Yes, you can apply for dates that fall outside the Macquarie University blocks.
Flexibility to align your placement dates with the Macquarie University medical program dates may increase the chance of your application being successful.
Applications for 2026 placements are only accepted between September 29 and November 14, 2025.
Unsuccessful applicants (who apply in the timeframe) can nominate to be added to the waitlist for placements.
All documents listed in Step One must be submitted with your application for consideration of a placement.
If you are experiencing difficulties with obtaining the required documents, contact fmhhs.placements@mq.edu.au
In your application, advise that you are travelling with another student and this will be noted. Co-placements are dependent on availability of supervisors for the requested hospital and dates and cannot be guaranteed.
Placement offers are contingent on you providing all the requisite compliance information and the availability of supervisors. Placement availability is very limited. It is highly encouraged that you apply to other hospitals.
A maximum of one offer will be made per applicant.
No further offers will be made if:
- the offer is declined
- the placement fee is not paid within two weeks of the Letter of Offer
- the compliance documents are not received within eight weeks of the letter of offer.
All applications will be reviewed after the application period has closed. You will be notified by January 30, 2026 if your application has been successful or not.