Medical Registration in Australia
The Australian Medical Council is responsible for the verification of doctors wishing to work in Australia. They are also the initial point of contact for any Specialist/Consultant wanting to have their qualifications recognised by the Australasian Colleges. Consultants/Specialists can apply to have their post-graduate qualifications recognised prior to having an offer of employment.
There are several ways for doctors, who are not Consultants/Specialists, to obtain their AMC Certificate. Please see below.
From the 1 July 2010, all States and Territories, except Western Australia (due to commence in October 2010), came under the guidance of The Medical Board of Australia. The Medical Board of Australia is supported by Boards in each State and Territory. These Boards make individual registration and notification decisions, based on national policies and standards set by the Medical Board of Australia.
Antipodean Medical Recruitment will assist you with the requirements of gaining registration once a position is confirmed.
House Officers / Registrars (Junior Doctors)
The Australian year commences in January for House Officers and Registrars, however, hospitals may have positions open at any time of the year.
Doctors who have completed specified training and assessment through approved overseas competent authorities are eligible to apply for advanced standing towards the AMC Certificate. A person granted advanced standing is not required to sit the AMC MCQ or clinical examinations, but must undertake a workplace based assessment whilst working under supervision.
The Competent Authority Pathway is for international medical graduates applying for non-specialist positions who have completed specified training and assessment through approved overseas 'competent authorities'. These include:-
- UK medical graduates who have successfully completed the FY1 or 12 months supervised training (Internship equivalent) approved by the GMC in the United Kingdom or another AMC designated Competent Authority country;
- UK doctors who have successfully completed the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test since 1975, AND THEN have successfully completed the FY1 or 12 months supervised training (Internship equivalent) approved by the GMC in the United Kingdom or another AMC designated Competent Authority country;
- Irish graduates of a Medical School in Ireland accredited by the Medical Council of Ireland AND successfully completed an internship in Ireland (certificate of experience) or in another Competent Authority country approved by the Medical Council of Ireland;
- Canadian doctors who have successfully completed the licentiate examinations of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC) since 1992;
- New Zealand doctors who have successfully completed the New Zealand Registration Examination (NZREX) AND have successfully completed the required rotating internship (four runs accredited by the MCNZ). Please note - this excludes medical graduates from New Zealand universities ;
- USA doctors who have successfully completed the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3 since 1992 AND have successfully completed a minimum of two years of graduate medical education within a residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education;
Such graduates are eligible to apply for 'advanced standing' towards the AMC Certificate. A person granted advanced standing is not required to sit the AMC MCQ or Clinical Examinations, but must to undertake a workplace-based performance assessment by an AMC accredited authority while working under supervision.
If you are an International Medical Graduate who has not completed training and assessment from a competent authority, you will need to sit the AMC MCQ. Please refer to the AMC website for AMC MCQ and Clinical dates, application form and fees - www.amc.org.au
The AMC MCQ can be sat in Australia or overseas. Please refer to the AMC website for dates, application form and fees - www.amc.org.au
Specialist / Consultants
Overseas trained Specialist/Consultants can apply for registration through the following categories:-
a) Specialist applying for assessment for comparability - the relevant College assesses qualifications and experience (you do not need a job offer for this pathway);
b) Specialist applying for an area of need - Specialist College pathway assessed against position description (will be combined iwth an assessment of comparability to the standard of an Australian trained specilaist in that specialty).
In the Competent Pathway those applicants who hold qualifications from certain countries with similar health systems, training and registration bodies can be granted advanced standing towards the AMC certificate. This allows the applicant to undertake a period of practice under peer review or oversight prior to gaining full registraiton.
Given that most Colleges require such a period of practice prior to confirming substantial comparability and allowing admission to fellowship, there is broad agreement to grant certain International Medical Graduates "advanced standing towards substantial comparability" on the basis of inital assessment (possibly including an interview). No further examination is required before registration or fellowship. A period of practice under oversight or peer review for up to 12 moths may be required by some Colleges, determined on a case-by-case basis.
Please refer to the AMC website for dates, application form and fees - www.amc.org.au
All Doctors
All Doctors (including UK, Canadian and Irish medical graduates and Consultants) have the following Registration Standards to satisfy:
a) English Language Skills Registration Standard
b) Criminal History Registration Standard
c) Continuing Professional Development Registration Standard
d) Limited registration for area of need Registration Standard
e) Limited registration for postgraduate training (supervised practice) Registration Standard
f) List of specialties, fields and related titles Registration Standard
g) Professional Indemnity Insurance Registration Standard
h) Recency of Practice Registration Standard
i) Limited Registration for Teaching or Research Registration Standard
j) Limited Registration in Public Interest Registration Standard
k) Primary source verification of qualifications (Australian Medical Council EICS verification of your primary medical degree)
l) National identification validation standard for medical registration applicants
Once a position is confirmed, Antipodean Medical Recruitment will assist you with all the processes required to ensure your registration application is completed in a timely and stress free manner. For more information please register..
Specialist recruiters of doctors for Australia and New Zealand
- providing opportunities
Telephone: +61 2 4381 1449
Australian Mobile: 0438 267 888
NZ Mobile: 0210 263 1013
