Practice Medicine in Australia

Practicing medicine is a great career that allows you to help people every day. There are a few requirements to get approved as a doctor if you're an Australian citizen. Australia also has several plans and pathways to make this process easy for international medical graduates (IMGs) who have earned their credentials overseas and are moving to Australia. Whether you're just starting to think about a career in medicine or have been working as a doctor for years, there are plenty of ways for you to successfully practice medicine in Australia.

Steps

Australian Citizens

1. Graduate from a 4-year medical school program. The first step for any aspiring doctor is Succeed-in-Medical-School. After you finish your bachelor's degree, apply to medical programs. During medical school, you'll learn all the technical knowledge that you need to practice medicine. Courses in a range of fields will give you a solid foundation in medicine. Work hard and pass medical school to take the next steps in your career.
   • Medical school may take up to 6 years, depending on the program and how many credits you take at once.
   • Some Australian medical programs will accept students without a bachelor's degree if they have extensive experience working in healthcare already. This is specific to each program.
2. Apply for provisional registration in your final year of medical school. A provisional registration allows you to practice medicine under supervision, which you'll need to complete internships. The Medical Board of Australia recommends applying for provisional registration 6 weeks before your graduation from medical school. Apply online at the MBA website and upload your proof of identity and medical experience, medical school credentials, and criminal background check to get your provisional registration.
   • For the online provisional registration application, visit: https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/registration/forms.aspx/.
3. Complete a 12-month supervised internship in a community setting. With a provisional registration, you can work under supervision as a medical intern. This is usually in a community setting, but you may be able to transition into a private practice. As an intern, you'll complete a series of rotations to learn all of the clinical aspects of treating patients. You'll need all this experience to practice medicine independently.
   • Internships are usually broken into rotations that last a few weeks each. A common breakdown is 8 weeks of emergency care, 10 weeks of medicine, 10 weeks of surgery, and 19 weeks of other categories.
   • Work hard and do a good job during your internship! Your supervisor will report your progress, and you might not pass if you do a poor job.
4. Obtain general registration when you complete your internship. A general registration means that you're approved to practice medicine independently. Once you complete your internship, then you can apply to the MBA for your registration. Apply online by uploading your medical credentials, proof of internship experience, proof of identity, and criminal background check to get your general registration. Congratulations! You can now independently practice medicine in Australia.
   • For the general registration application, visit: https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/Forms.aspx.
   • The required documents may change, so always confirm what you need for your application by checking on the MBA website.
   • If you want to go further in your medical career, you can complete a residency or fellowship after getting your general registration to become a specialist.

Competent Authority Pathway for IMGs

1. Meet all of the requirements to practice medicine in your home country. To be eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway, you must already be a licensed doctor in your home country. That means completion of coursework and internships from an approved medical school, as well as residencies and other practical training. If you’ve done all of this and are a licensed doctor, then you can take the Competent Authority Pathway.
   • Your medical school has to be recognized by the Australian Medical Council to qualify for this pathway. To check your school’s eligibility, visit https://www.amc.org.au/assessment/pathways/self-check/list-of-medical-schools/.
   • In the United States, the process is typically completion of medical school and a 1 or 2-year residency to practice medicine independently. The process may be different in your home country.
   • If you’ve completed a fellowship to become a specialist, then you’re eligible for the Specialist Pathway to practice in Australia.
2. Apply to the competent authority in your country for an assessment. Australian Medical Council recognizes organizations in 6 countries as competent authorities to assess and examine IMGs for service in Australia. Each organization has its own process for approval, and some give competency exams to test your qualifications. Apply to the recognized authority in your country for approval to begin practice in Australia.
   • The 6 competent authorities are the General Medical Council in the UK, the Medical Council of Canada, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates of the United States, the Medical Council of New Zealand, the Medical Council of Ireland, and the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, also for the US.
   • If your country doesn’t have a recognized competent authority, don’t worry! You can still practice in Australia by taking the Standard Pathway.
3. Secure a job offer in Australia. You need an employment offer before applying to the Australian Medical Council for approval, and ideally before you move to Australia. Approved sites include hospitals and general practices, so send out your applications to find a job. Once you get an offer, you can continue moving forward with your approval process.
   • The job site must be approved and accredited to supervise your work, otherwise, the work experience may not count for your licensing. For more information about approved supervisions sites, visit https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-Graduates/Supervision.aspx.
   • You’ll have to work at this location for at least a year because the AMC requires 12 months of supervised practice for full licensing.
4. Upload your documents to the AMC for verification. This process, called primary source verification, is how the Australian Medical Council decides if you’re qualified to practice medicine in Australia. Open a portfolio with the AMC and upload the required documents to get approval.
   • You can open an AMC portfolio here: https://www.amc.org.au/assessment/amc-portfolio/.
   • The documents are typically your medical credentials, proof of graduation from medical school, proof of ID, and a criminal background check.
5. Get provisional registration from the Medical Board of Australia. Provisional registration allows you to practice medicine with supervision in Australia. To apply, make an online account at the MBA website and upload the required documents. Once the MBA approves you, you can begin supervised work.
   • For the provisional registration form, visit https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/Forms.aspx.
   • Typical documents include your CV, transcripts, work history, scores on medical exams, proof of employment offer, and a criminal background check.
6. Complete 12 months of supervised practice in Australia. Once you get your provisional registration, then you can begin your job in Australia. Begin work at your supervised location, and do the best job you can so your supervisors give you a good report.
   • Your supervisor will give you an orientation and work performance reports after 3 months to track your progress. You must submit this report to the MBA to demonstrate that you’re performing well.
7. Obtain general registration when you complete supervised practice. You’re almost there! After 12 months of supervised work experience, submit the required documents to the MBA for general registration approval. Once you get general registration, then you can practice medicine freely in Australia.
   • Required documents include your work history supervisor reports, a letter of support from your supervisor, and work history.

Standard Pathway for IMGs

1. Apply to the AMC for the Standard Pathway program. This pathway is for trained medical graduates who don’t qualify for the Competent Authority Pathway. First, open an AMC portfolio and upload the required documents to apply for the Standard Pathway. The AMC will then assess your qualifications and approve you to start the registration process.
   • You can open an AMC portfolio here: https://www.amc.org.au/assessment/amc-portfolio/.
   • The Standard Pathway just requires some earlier steps to test your competency. After that, it’s the same as the Competent Authority Pathway.
   • If you aren’t sure which pathway is right for you, contact the AMC to ask.
2. Pass the AMC Multiple Choice Question exam. This exam measures your overall medical knowledge in a variety of fields, including general practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and gynecology. It’s a 3.5-hour exam with 150 multiple-choice questions. The test is scored on a scale of 0-500, and you need at least 250 to pass.
   • The test is usually only given once a year, so make sure you keep track of the dates and don’t miss it.
   • Contact the AMC for test prep guides or recommendations.
   • You may be able to take this test online or at a number of testing locations around the world. You’ll receive instructions from the AMC.
3. Take the Clinical Exam to demonstrate your hands-on qualifications. Unlike the MCQ exam, the Clinical Exam tests your clinical skills and not just your knowledge. The exam includes 16 stations, where you’ll be assessed in different fields like general practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics. If you pass each station with satisfactory scores, then you’ve completed the Clinical Exam.
   • This test may be online or at a testing center.
   • Unfortunately, all Clinical Exams are currently postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The AMC has not announced when it will schedule the exams.
4. Satisfy a work assessment if you work at an accredited location. It’s possible to skip the AMC Clinical Exam if you’ll be working at one of the accredited AMC workplace approval locations. This way, you can satisfy your clinical requirement on the job if you perform well.
   • There are relatively few accredited locations, so most applicants take the exam instead of getting workplace approval.
   • For a list of accredited locations, visit https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-Graduates/Standard-Pathway.aspx.
5. Complete the remaining steps from the Competent Authority Pathway. Once you complete your exams and approvals, the process for getting registered in Australia is the same as the Competent Authority Pathway. You have to secure a job offer, apply for provisional registration, complete 12 months of supervised work, and then apply for general registration. After that, you can freely practice medicine in Australia.

Specialist Pathway for IMGs

1. Submit your application to the AMC for primary source verification. If you’re already a qualified specialist or surgeon in your home country, then the process for getting approved to practice in Australia is much quicker. Start by opening a portfolio with the AMC and uploading all the required documents for assessment.
   • You can open an AMC portfolio here: https://www.amc.org.au/assessment/amc-portfolio/.
   • To qualify as a specialist, you must have already completed all the education, training, and fellowships required to specialize in medicine in your home country. If you have any questions about your eligibility, check https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-Graduates/Specialist-Pathway.aspx for more information.
2. Apply to a medical college to get approval as a specialist. Once the AMC clears your qualifications, you then need specialist approval from a relevant medical college in Australia. Select a college that specializes in your field and submit your application. If the college approves you, then you’ll be designated as a specialist in Australia.
   • The college may also judge that you don’t qualify as a specialist. In this case, you may need to pass more examinations to qualify or take a different pathway.
   • If you need further training, you may be able to complete a fellowship at the college you applied to.
3. Get specialist registration from the MBA. Once the relevant medical college approves you, then apply to the MBA for further approval. If the MBA approves your qualifications, then you’ll receive a specialist registration. This qualifies you to practice medicine as a specialist in Australia.
   • You might also receive provisional registration, which qualifies you to work as a specialist under supervision.

Tips

• If you have any questions about the process, you can contact the Australian Medical Council or Medical Board of Australia. They will be happy to help.

References

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