Guidance and support for international medical graduates navigating job applications and medical registration in Australia.
Guidance and support for international medical graduates navigating job applications and medical registration in Australia.
DoctorConnect is a useful starting point to find out more about working as a doctor in Australia.
The Australian Government Department of Home Affairs provides information on working in Australia, skilled visas, bringing family here, citizenship, and life in Australia, among other things. Explore this website for more information.
All IMGs pursuing registration as a medical practitioner in Australia via the standard pathway are required to apply to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) for verification of their primary medical degree and to sit examinations. News and information about the AMC can be found here. Click on verifications and examinations for specific information.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) regulates Australia's medical practitioners in partnership with the Medical Board of Australia (the Board). All IMGs wanting to work as medical practitioners in Australia need to secure a job offer and satisfy AHPRA’s registration standards in order to gain registration.
I recommend bookmarking the following AHPRA pages. Click through to my services to find out how I can assist you with your registration.
Are you searching for a hospital job in Victoria? Health.Vic provides a list of all public hospitals in Victoria, divided into metropolitan Melbourne hospitals and rural Victorian hospitals.
Click on a hospital to be redirected to its website. Once there, click on Careers to browse current job opportunities and to read about the benefits of working with that particular hospital. Click on About to learn about the hospital’s mission and values. Knowledge about a hospital will help you stand out against other applicants.
Each year, the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria (PMCV) administer an allocation and placement service (previously known as the Computer Match) to match junior doctors with hospital positions. The initial allocation and placement service is open to IMGs who are Permanent Residents on the Standard Pathway currently completing a year of Limited or Provisional Registration who will be eligible for General Registration the following year. However the HMO Late Vacancy match held in November is open to IMGs without current AHPRA registration as long as you can provide documentation in support of your eligibility for registration and evidence of meeting English Language Skills Test and Recency of Practice requirements.
In addition, the Intern and HMO Health Service Directory (found under Matches > HMO Match > Reading Material) contains very useful information for your job search and application process all year round.
For more guidance on how to take advantage of this information, contact me for a consultation.
NB: These documents are updated each year and may not be live during the early months of the year.
All General Practitioners need a Medicare Provider Number (MPN) in order to treat patients and be paid for their services. Depending on your residency status, IMGs are subject to Medicare billing restrictions known as Section 19AB and Section 19AA of the Health Insurance Act.
The 19AB restriction applies to all IMGs and was put in place to improve the distribution of health care in Australia. The most common exemption for 19AB is to secure employment in a Distribution Priority Area (DPA). This exemption is known as the 10-year moratorium because IMGs must work in a DPA for a 10-year period starting from the first day of their medical registration.
The 19AA restriction applies to General Practitioners who are permanent residents or citizens of Australia and do not hold Fellowship of the RACGP (non-vocationally registered GPs). It was put in place to improve the quality of health care in Australia. To be eligible for a 19AA exemption, doctors must be enrolled in a section 3GA approved training or workforce program and working towards achieving Fellowship (FRACGP). IMGs who are temporary residents of Australia are not bound by Section 19AA.
Before pursuing a PESCI and applying for registration with AHPRA, it is important to check that you will be eligible for an MPN. You can read more about 19AB and 19AA at the following links:
The pathway to becoming a GP in Australia has undergone change recently. From January 2022, it will be compulsory for non-vocationally registered GPs (non-VR GPs - GPs who don’t have a specialist qualification) to complete an approved program to be eligible to sit the RACGP Fellowship exams. The below information was updated on 30 August 2019.
IMGs with prior general practice experience may be eligible for RACGP Fellowship (FRACGP) via the Practice Experience Program (PEP), either in the Standard Stream or the Specialist Stream. The PEP Specialist Stream is for IMGs with a specialist qualification in general practice from their country.
The PEP is a fairly new, self-directed education program designed to support non-VR GPs on their journey to FRACGP. The first intake for the Standard Stream was 1 July 2019. The Specialist Stream commences on 31 August 2019, and is replacing the Specialist Recognition Program.