The Brisbane District Court on Thursday heard that Doctor Dzung Price, 40, wrote 166 unauthorised prescriptions between August 2002 and November 2004.
The total cost to Medicare for the illegal subsidies was $27,821.
The court was told Price obtained the subsidies through the government's Pharmaceutical Benefits Schemes (PBS), which allows eligible people to access a range of drugs at a substantially subsidised rate.
However, the PBS specifies that subsidised drugs must only be used to treat specific illnesses.
The court heard Price, who became disillusioned with the medical profession several years ago and started taking a more holistic approach to treatment, believed some of these restricted medicines had therapeutic benefits for other chronic illnesses.
The court was told she prescribed Anastrozole - a drug restricted by the PBS for treatment of advanced breast cancer - for elderly men to increase testosterone levels.
Price also prescribed subsidised Selegiline - used under the PBS to treat Parkinson's disease - for anti-ageing purposes.
By accessing the scheme, Price - who works as a doctor in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast - saved her patients up to $187.55 per prescription.
"She was simply trying to help some of the elderly patients who couldn't afford it," defence lawyer Craig Chowdhury said.
Price on Thursday pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorised writing of prescriptions.
She was sentenced to 12 months' jail, but was released immediately on a $1,000, two-year good behaviour bond.
She was also ordered to repay the money lost to Medicare.
