The recognition process
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) uses a two-stage process to assess applications for recognition against specific criteria and standards.  Recognition as a specialty is conditional upon successful completion of both stages of the process, and on the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing having made a decision to recognise a specialty.

The recognition process is described in detail in The Recognition of Medical Specialties: Policy and Process.

Why seek recognition?

Recognition can be sought for:

  1. The purposes of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) and its regulations.  This enables practitioners with specific qualifications in a recognised specialty to attract a relevant Medicare benefit for services rendered.

    AND/OR
  2. Inclusion on the AMC’s List of Australian Recognised Medical Specialties. This enables training providers (eg. medical colleges) to participate in the AMC’s accreditation of specialist medical education, training and professional development programs.

Applying for recognition

The AMC's two-stage recognition process assesses applications against specific criteria and standards.  As a first step, applicants must demonstrate a prima facie case for recognition before being invited to lodge a full application for recognition.

Stage 1

Stage 1 is overseen by the AMC's Recognition of Medical Specialties Advisory Committee. During Stage 1, the AMC assesses the case for recognition against four recognition criteria:
  1. that the proposed specialty is a well-defined, distinct and legitimate area of medical practice with a sustainable base in the medical profession
  2. that specialisation in this area of medicine is demonstrably contributing to substantial improvements in the quality and safety of healthcare
  3. that specialisation in this area is demonstrably contributing to substantial improvements in the standards of medical practice
  4. that recognition of the specialty would be a wise use of resources.

Stage 2

Stage 2 of the recognition process and standards are described in the AMC's Accreditation of Specialist Medical Education and Training and Professional Development Programs: Standards and Procedures. During Stage 2, the AMC assesses the standard of the specialist education, training programs and continuing professional development programs available for the medical specialty.

Stage 2 is overseen by the AMC's Specialist Education Accreditation Committee.

Important documents for applicants

Transparency

The AMC's recognition process is an open process. All applications for recognition are placed in the public domain.

During the application process, stakeholders and members of the public will be invited to submit comments on the case for or against recognition of the discipline.

While the AMC's advice to the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing is confidential, the assessment report on which this advice is based will be placed in the public domain following a decision by the Minister at the completion of Stage 1.

Completed Stage 1 applications

To date, the Minister for Health and Ageing has recognised that a case has been made for the recognition of the following fields as medical specialties:

The minister has concluded that no case has been made for rural and remote medicine.
Last Updated on Friday, 04 January 2013 14:03
 
Australian Medical Council