Higher medical and surgical degrees in the University of Sydney

Three hundred and twenty-six higher medical and surgical degrees were awarded by the University of Sydney between 1883 and 1977. A questionnaire was sent to 209 graduated known to be alive to gather data regarding their prior and subsequent careers. As many of the graduates were in their fourth decade before commencing the research studies for the M.D. thesis, there would appear to be reasons for recommending the Ph.D. degree, with its three years of supervised course work, to prospective higher degree candidates. 286 B.Sc. (Med.) degrees were awarded midway through the medical course between 1949 and 1974. This earlier introduction to research probably does more to encourage and academic or research career than the M.D. degree which currently appears to be a prerequisite to a University appointment. Some concern is raised by the comment of 27% of M.D. graduates who claimed no personal scientific benefit from their studies.