Someone we know was locked into another professional programme. In their final year, they dropped out to start a degree so they could try for Medicine. By then they had spent two to three years on a course they didn't want.
Their story has two lessons, and they pull in opposite directions. Don't pick something only because you got into it. And if you're already in something, don't waste the opportunity it gives you. If you're thinking about switching to Medicine from another degree in NZ, both lessons apply to you, and the admission rules decide how they play out.
Switching to Medicine from another degree in NZ: what the rules say
After HSFY, a lot of people get an offer for a programme that wasn't their first choice. Otago's seven HSFY papers form the first year of Medicine, Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy, according to its admissions FAQ. Taking one of those offers is a good outcome for many people. For someone who still wants Medicine, it raises a question that's worth answering on day one: if I finish this, what happens to my Medicine chances? The answer depends on the school.
- Otago. The qualifying degree for the Graduate category is the first university degree you're awarded, and you must apply within three years of completing it, according to Otago's Medicine guidelines. If you finish the programme you're in, that degree is the one Otago ranks you on.
- Auckland. From 2028 entry, you need a degree, postgraduate degree or postgraduate diploma from a New Zealand university, completed normally in the minimum time and within five years of applying, with a GPA of 6.0, according to Auckland's MBChB entry requirements.
- Waikato. Its graduate school, opening in 2028, says graduates from any field with a B average can apply, alongside a GAMSAT pass. Those requirements are indicative until the programme is accredited.
- Otago's Alternative category. If you're no longer eligible as a graduate, Otago's Alternative category considers people with a degree or with health professional experience. For health professionals, Otago recommends at least five years in the profession.
One thing we couldn't confirm: how Otago's weighted GPA handles a four-year professional degree with 400 level papers. Otago's published example uses a standard three-year degree. If that's your situation, ask AskOtago before you decide anything.
Lesson one: don't pick something only because you got in
An offer can feel like a decision someone else made for you, and it's easy to accept it on those terms. If you take a programme you don't want as a placeholder, you're spending years of your life, and the grades you earn in it may become the grades a medical school ranks you on.
The person in this story spent two to three years on a course they didn't want before changing. The earlier you ask yourself if a programme is where you want to end up, the less it costs to change your answer.
Lesson two: don't waste the opportunity you have
The opposite mistake is treating the programme you're in as dead time. If you stay, it can become your qualifying degree, so the grades count. A finished professional degree also gives you a career if Medicine doesn't happen, and Otago's Alternative category is open to experienced health professionals. Coasting through it helps none of those options.
If you decide to leave, leave with a plan: know which degree you'll do next, how your existing papers credit to it, and which school's rules you're aiming at.
Do this instead: a decision you make on purpose
- Write down why you're in the programme. If the honest answer is "because I got in", stop and sit with that answer.
- Check the rules for your situation. Find out which degree Otago would treat as your qualifying degree, and how long your window would be at Otago and at Auckland.
- Ask how your papers credit. A Student Development adviser through AskOtago can tell you what transfers to a new degree.
- Price the switch. Count the years and fees for each path before you commit to one.
- Pick a path and commit to it. Either finish strong in the programme you're in, or move to a degree you'll do well in, and give that choice your full effort.
We go through why planning matters more than effort in getting into Medicine after a degree comes down to planning, and the most common paper mistakes in the NZ$30,000 mistake. If Dentistry is on your list too, read how Otago's BDS graduate category works. All three schools' graduate rules are in our complete guide to graduate entry Medicine in NZ.
Two to three years is a long time to spend on something you didn't choose. Choosing on purpose, either way, is the part you control.
FAQ
Can I switch to Medicine from another professional programme?
Yes, through the graduate routes. At Otago, your first completed degree becomes your qualifying degree for the Graduate category, and you apply within three years of finishing it. Auckland and Waikato have their own graduate rules.
Does a physio or pharmacy degree count for graduate entry Medicine?
Otago accepts a bachelor's degree from a New Zealand university and gives no preference to degree or major. Ask Otago how it calculates the weighted GPA for a four-year degree, because its published example uses a three-year one.
Is it a waste to finish a degree I don't want?
Not if you finish it well. It can become your qualifying degree and gives you a career to fall back on. It's a waste if you stay without a reason and your grades suffer.
Weighing up whether to stay or switch? Take the free 60-second graduate entry check and see which route fits where you are.
Cutline is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Otago, the University of Auckland or the University of Waikato. Rules are from the universities' published entry pages and Otago's admissions FAQ, checked 11 October 2026. Admission rules change every year, so check the official pages for the year you're applying.
