Medical Training in Australia

Basic medical registration in Australia requires a practitioner to complete a comprehensive program of training and examination.

A specialist medical practitioner must complete an additional program of advanced training and examination after completing their undergraduate medical degree and intern training.


Basic medical qualifications

Basic medical training consists of:
  • a primary medical degree obtained from a medical school accredited by the AMC after completion of either:
    - an undergraduate course in any discipline and then a 4-year, graduate entry medical course
    or
    - an undergraduate medical course of 5 or 6 years duration
  • and a 12-month internship in approved/accredited posts.
Specialist medical qualifications

The education and training requirements for each medical specialty depend on the type of clinical medical practice, but can be summarised as:
  • pre-vocational training involving broad practical clinical experience in the intern and second postgraduate years, during which career aspirations are clarified
  • vocational training in a chosen specialty.
Vocational training commonly includes basic and advanced training over from 3 to 7 years, depending on the specialty.

The educational component of vocational training includes the completion of:
  • a broad education program in basic medical sciences and clinical skills, with objective assessment of proficiency
  • supervised practical training in accredited training programs that emphasise graduated practical experience and further development of a knowledge base in the science and practice of the specialty
  • the requirements for fellowship of the specialist medical college, including a range of structured objective assessments and satisfactory supervisors' reports.
The structured assessments conducted during specialist training and the progressive increase in experience and level of responsibility are closely related. To be safe to practise as a specialist, it is not possible to sit and pass these examinations in isolation from the training program.

However, the specialist medical colleges allow medical practitioners who have undertaken comparable training and gained experience outside Australia and New Zealand to be assessed and recognised for specialist medical practice.

To encourage the development of additional skills and to broaden career paths, the colleges support participation in research and completion of postgraduate degrees (PhD, MD) during training or during periods when training is temporarily interrupted.
Last Updated on Monday, 22 February 2010 15:22
 
Australian Medical Council