Study Medicine

MBChB, 6 years (NQF 8), followed by 2 years internship and 1 year community service

Pay in South AfricaR950k–1.0ma year · typical R980k Work abroad3.8 of 5best: Ireland, United Kingdom AI outlookSteadyAI changes little of the daily work

Getting inVery highcompetition for places · 6 years MBChB + 2 years internship + 1 year community service

R65 584 to R113 510 first-year fees 5 bursaries list Medicine

School subjects: Maths requiredPhysical Sciences required at some universitiesLife Sciences required at some universitiesPhysical Sciences or Life Sciences requiredMaths Literacy not accepted

Entry details and typical minimums

English required. Stellenbosch, UKZN and UFS also require Life Sciences, so take it to keep every medical school open. Wits accepts Life Sciences in place of Physical Sciences for now, but may require both from 2029. Of the six medical schools we cover, only UCT and Wits require the National Benchmark Tests (NBT).

Typical minimums: Varies by university. Each school ranks applicants on its own score, built mainly from school marks (plus NBT results at UCT and Wits), so offers usually go to averages far above the published minimums. Meeting the minimum is no guarantee of a place.

Sources: UCT Faculty of Health Sciences undergraduate eligibility and process · Wits Guide for Undergraduate Applicants 2027, Faculty of Health Sciences minimum admission requirements (p. 20) · Wits MBBCh course page (Life Sciences AND/OR Physical Sciences Level 5)

Pay

Yearly gross pay, turned into rand at the exchange rate. The dot is the typical figure. How pay is measured

USAR2.9–6.0m
CanadaR1.2–5.6m
UKR1.9–2.8m
NetherlandsR1.9–2.6m
New ZealandR1.4–2.7m
IrelandR1.9m^~
UAER1.5–2.2m^~
GermanyR1.8m
AustraliaR930k–1.9m^~
South AfricaR950k–1.0m

~ limited evidence

Working abroad 3.8 of 5

Score out of 5. Tap a country for steps and visas.

AI outlook

SteadyAI changes little of the daily work

Physical examination and procedures, patient trust, and a licence with personal liability. AI assists diagnosis and paperwork rather than replacing the doctor.

Hands-on In-person care Licensed & accountable

How AI changes each field

Careers

Intern and community service doctor
General practitioner
Hospital medical officer
Specialist registrar (surgery, paediatrics, psychiatry)
Emergency medicine doctor
Public health or clinical research doctor

Where to study 6

First-year tuition, as published. My Matric Map can check your results against each of these. Tap a university for its entry requirements and dates. Compare study costs

Country by country: steps, exams, visas and pay sources

Six-year MBChB plus two years internship and a community service year. SA doctors are wanted everywhere, but almost every country makes them sit licensing exams first. Ireland accepts an SA internship started from 1 July 2006 as equivalent to its own, which exempts the doctor from its PRES exam; in the US and Canada most SA doctors need national licensing exams plus a residency place or, in Canada, a provincial Practice Ready Assessment.

Professional regulator: Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)

Where it can take you

Medicine → United States

Overall 3/5 · Moderate

Most SA doctors must win a US residency place and redo postgraduate training; a growing number of states now offer experienced doctors a supervised licence route instead.

Recognition: 2/5 · Major requalification. Substantial re-study, long supervised practice, scarce posts or a hard language barrier.
Demand: Some demand

Sources: USMLE Bulletin of Information - eligibility · NRMP residency data reports · ECFMG - 2027 Pathways: communication skills and English language proficiency (OET Medicine) · FSMB - states with enacted and proposed licensure pathways for internationally trained physicians (chart, June 2026), p1

Qualification and licensing guide

Pay, in rand at the exchange rate

Typical gross pay in each country, turned into rand at the exchange rate. Compare salaries switches between the exchange rate, buying power and after tax, and says how each works.

United States R2.9–6.0m4.4× SA

Canada R1.2–5.6m3.0× SA

United Kingdom R1.9–2.8m2.4× SA

Netherlands R1.9–2.6m2.1× SA

New Zealand R1.4–2.7m2.0× SA

Ireland R1.9m^*1.9× SA

United Arab Emirates R1.5–2.2m^*1.9× SA

Germany R1.8m1.8× SA

Australia R930k–1.9m^*1.5× SA

South Africa R950k–1.0m

South Africa · line: the South African figure · pay range · starting pay · hover or tap a bar for details · gross pay a year, low to high estimate; the bar ends at the typical figure · * weaker figure

Country	Typical gross pay	Range and starting pay	Occupation and source
South Africa	ZAR 982 900 Middle of the pay scale, as gross pay 2026	ZAR 946 600 to 1 019 200 lowest and highest point of the pay scale, 2026 · DPSA Circular 15 of 2026 OSD salary scales (1 Apr 2026), Appendix F · Converted to gross like the typical figure. PUBLIC, TCE package. Medical Officer Gr 1 notches 1-6 (vacancy circular 31/2026 confirms R1,041,402 entry). Gr 2 to R1,297,089, Gr 3 to R1,713,534. Starting ZAR 586 100 During year 1 of the compulsory 2-year internship (Medical Officer Intern), straight after the MBChB, 2026 · DPSA Circular 15 of 2026 OSD salary scales (1 Apr 2026), Appendix F · Intern TCE R644,757 x 0.909, plus commuted overtime (excluded). Community service yr R848,967 TCE = R771,700 gross.	Medical Officer Grade 1, OSD for Medical Officers etc. (Appendix F, PERSAL 267/268) DPSA Circular 15 of 2026 OSD salary scales (1 Apr 2026) · Gross pay: package midpoint R1,081,322 x 0.909 (less the State's GEPF contribution, 13% of the 70% basic). PUBLIC-SECTOR. Scale quoted as total-cost packages; amounts below are as quoted. Gr 1 scale R1,041,402-R1,121,241; Gr 2 to R1,297,089, Gr 3 to R1,713,534. Community service MO R848,967. Private-sector cross-check: PayScale South Africa - General Practitioner (n=37) median R589,600 (crowd-sourced, low confidence).
United Kingdom	GBP 98 729 Middle of the pay scale 2026	GBP 78 699 to 118 759 lowest and highest point of the pay scale, 2026 · NHS Employers Pay and Conditions Circular (M&D) 1/2026 R2 · Salaried GP contract min-max from 1 Apr 2026 (same range as typical midpoint). Consultants run higher. ASHE 2211 p25-p75 is 43,727-68,946 (incl. registrars). Starting GBP 41 226 Foundation Year 1 (FY1) resident doctor, first year after graduating, 2026 · BMA guide to the June 2026 resident doctor pay deal; NHS Employers Pay Circular (M&D) 1/2026 R2 · FY1 basic pay (nodal point 1), England, under the June 2026 deal (was 40,190 before it). Excludes on-call/unsocial-hours supplements. GP qualification takes ~5 more years.	Salaried GP (salaried GP contract) pay range, England NHS Employers Pay and Conditions Circular (M&D) 1/2026 R2 · Midpoint of official range GBP78,699-118,759 from 1 Apr 2026. ASHE 2211 employee median is 55,494 but includes GP registrars, excludes self-employed partners.
Ireland	EUR 93 369 Median 2023	Starting EUR 47 127 Intern year, first year after the medical degree (needed for full registration), 2026 · HSE/Dept of Health Consolidated Salary Scales, Health Sector, effective 1 June 2026: Intern (single point) · Basic salary only. CSO HGO15: 2022 medicine graduates' median in 2023 was EUR1,354/wk (~70,400) incl. overtime and allowances.	Medicine graduates 1-13 years after graduation (not GP-specific) CSO Health Graduate Outcomes, table HGO15 Graduate Earnings · Ireland has no salaried GP scale (GPs are self-employed contractors). Median weekly earnings of 2010-2022 medicine graduates in 2023, graduate-weighted, x52; includes hospital doctors.
Netherlands	EUR 100 400 Average 2024	EUR 95 899 to 128 782 lowest and highest point of the pay scale, 2026 · Cao Huisartsen in loondienst 2025-2027, salaristabel HD (schaal A) from 1 Aug 2026 (LHV) · Salaried GP (HD) trede 1-9: 7,025.56-9,434.55/mo full-time x12 x1.1375 (8% holiday + 5.75% year-end), matching typical incl. special pay. PD scale to 10,177/mo. Starting EUR 64 784 Newly graduated basisarts working as arts-assistent (ANIOS/AIOS), first year after the 6-year degree, 2026 · Cao umc 2026-2027, Bijlage B schaal 11a arts-assistenten, salarisnummer 0 from 1 Jul 2026 · 4,642/mo full-time x12 x1.163 (8% holiday + 8.3% year-end), to match typical basis; 55,704 without. General hospitals (Cao Ziekenhuizen aios 0 jaar) 4,629 from Aug 2026. Excl. shift pay.	BIG-geregistreerde arts; huisartsgeneeskunde, alleen werknemer CBS StatLine 84061NED Beloning van in zorg werkzame artsen · Mean annual wage incl. special payments, salaried GPs (n=1,400), not FTE-adjusted. Self-employed GPs averaged 127,800 profit in 2023.
Germany	EUR 89 400 Median 2025	Starting EUR 68 665 Assistenzarzt (resident doctor) year 1 at a municipal hospital, TV-Aerzte/VKA Ae1 Stufe 1, after the 6-year degree and licence, 2026 · TV-Aerzte/VKA Entgelttabelle 2026 (valid from 1 Jun 2026) · Basic pay only, 40h week; excludes on-call/night supplements. University hospitals (TV-Aerzte TdL) Ae1 Stufe 1: 5,792.90/mo (69,515).	KldB 2010 81404 Ärzte/Ärztinnen (ohne Spezialisierung) - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten BA Entgeltatlas (Beschäftigungsstatistik), Stichtag 31.12.2025 · Median monthly gross full-time x12. Employees in social insurance only (no self-employed/Beamte); capped at 8,050 EUR/mo. Non-specialist doctors incl. Hausärzte; self-employed GPs excluded. n=116,071.
United States	USD 244 180 Median 2025	USD 162 420 to 334 270 25th to 75th percentile, 2025 · BLS OEWS May 2025 national (via BLS Public Data API) · OEWS May 2025 p25/p75, SOC 29-1215. No top-coding in May 2025 (p90 $428,550 published). Generalists only; specialists earn more. Starting USD 68 166 PGY-1 resident (first year of residency after the MD/DO), stipends as of 1 July 2025, 2025 · AAMC Survey of Resident/Fellow Stipends and Benefits 2025 (national unweighted mean PGY-1) · Mean, not median; regional means $65,076 (South) to $77,649 (West). Scorecard 1-yr MD earnings: $64,906 (2022 $). Attending pay starts after 3+ yrs residency. Taken from published reports of the AAMC 2025 survey; the AAMC table itself was not reachable.	29-1215 Family Medicine Physicians BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 national · OEWS national median annual wage, May 2025. Generalist, not specialists. May 2025 OEWS no longer top-codes at $239,200 (90th pct for this SOC is $428,550), so this is a true median.
Canada	CAD 232 227 Median 2024	CAD 90 826 to 435 240 10th to 90th percentile, 2024 · Job Bank wage data 2025 release (CIHI physician payments 2023-24), national low/high · Job Bank publishes only low/median/high (low/high = p10/p90 'in most cases') for NOC 31102; annual clinical payments, which Job Bank says are net of CMA-estimated overhead. No quartiles. Starting CAD 73 367 PGY-1 resident (first year of residency after the MD), Ontario, 2025 · PARO-OTH Collective Agreement 2023-2026, Art. 22 annualized salary scale, effective 1 Jul 2025 (Ontario) · C$73,367.35. The agreement ran to 30 Jun 2026; PARO's contract page still gave this scale (Effective July 1, 2025) when checked on 10 Oct 2026, with no renewed scale published. Other provinces (CaRMS, 2026): BC C$71,390 (rate effective first pay period after April 1, 2027), AB C$67,440, QC C$58,728, Maritimes C$78,578. Independent practice follows 2-5+ yrs residency.	31102 General practitioners and family physicians Job Bank wage data (open data); CIHI / CMA custom tabulation · Published as an annual figure (no annualisation). Physician payment data: clinical payments adjusted to remove practice overhead (CMA estimate), per Job Bank's wage methodology. Range C$90,826-C$435,240.
Australia	AUD 127 192 Median 2025	AUD 80 638 to 166 025 lowest and highest point of the pay scale, 2025 · NSW Health IB2026_007: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award rates from 1 Jul 2025 (interim) · low confidence · NSW non-specialist ladder: intern to senior registrar (resident yr 4 127,827). Still the latest published rates when checked on 10 Oct 2026 (NSW Health lists IB2026_007, 2024 and 2025 increases, for Medical Officers; the IRC arbitration continues). Typical is an ABS median (GPs+RMOs), not a scale. Staff specialists from 197,583. Starting AUD 80 638 Intern (PGY1), first year after the medical degree, NSW public hospitals, 2025 · NSW Health IB2026_007: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award, Intern rate from 1 Jul 2025 · NSW base salary, excludes overtime/penalties; award under arbitration, rates interim. Still the latest published rate when checked on 10 Oct 2026: NSW Health's conditions-of-employment list for Medical Officer gives IB2026_007 (2024 and 2025 increases) and no 2026 rate. GOS 2025 medicine median 86,100 (UG) / 91,200 (PG).	General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers (ANZSCO 2531) ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025 (customised report), via JSA Occupation Profiles · Median $2446/wk x52; FT non-managerial adult-rate employees, before tax. Group mixes GPs with salaried resident medical officers; excludes self-employed GPs, so well below true GP earnings.
New Zealand	NZD 188 000 Median 2026	NZD 130 000 to 258 000 careers service range, 2026 · Tahatu Career Navigator job profile: General practitioner ('most common' pay range) · Tahatu 'most common' band (full published range 80,000-353,000); Stats NZ IDI/Census + IR data, percentiles not defined, no vintage stated. Incl. self-employed GPs. Starting NZD 80 882 PGY1 house officer (first year after the MBChB), base salary for a 40-44.9 h/week (Category F) roster, 2026 · NZRDA - Health NZ Resident Doctors Collective Agreement 2026-2028, cl. 8.3 House Officers (from 3 Aug 2026) · Base scale entry. Pay rises with rostered hours: Cat D (50-54.9 h) 101,841, Cat C (55-59.9 h) 115,703. Tahatu MBChB year-1 median income 111k. GP training follows.	General practitioner Tahatu Career Navigator (Ministry of Education / Tertiary Education Commission careers service) · Published range $80,000-$353,000, most common $130,000-$258,000. GPs incl. self-employed; wide spread. From Stats NZ Census/IDI + Inland Revenue data; no vintage stated (year = year observed).
United Arab Emirates	AED 378 000 Middle of the advertised range 2026	AED 300 000 to 456 000 salary survey range, 2026 · SearchPlus HR UAE Healthcare Salary Guide 2026 (medical recruiter) · low confidence · Same row as typical: GP 2-5 yrs, AED 25k-38k/mth base x12; housing etc. extra. Expat licensing needs post-internship experience. Govt scales not published.	General Practitioner (GP), 2-5 years SearchPlus HR UAE Healthcare Salary Guide 2026 (medical recruiter) · Small recruiter guide, not official. AED 25,000-38,000/month base x12; housing/allowances extra. DHA/DoH/MOHAP licence required. Govt scales not published.

General information, not immigration or legal advice. Researched 2026-10-07.