The purpose of training in internal medicine is to produce a physician competent to provide, at consultant level, unsupervised comprehensive medical care in internal medicine, or one or more of its subspecialties.

Trainees are required to complete a specified program of training and examination in order to be eligible for admission to Fellowship of the College under Article 37 of the Articles of Association of the College.
The Board of Censors of the Division of Adult Medicine is responsible for advising the College Council on the training program, assessment and examination. The Committee for Physician Training (CPT) is the College committee that has direct responsibility for overseeing physician training. The training program in adult internal medicine is a minimum of six years in length. It is divided into two periods, basic training and advanced training, each of at least three years.

Basic physician training is undertaken in hospitals accredited by the College for basic physician training. A Director of Physician Training (DPT) is appointed by the College at each major hospital involved in basic training.
Advanced training is undertaken under the supervision of a Specialist Advisory Committee of the College (SAC) or a Joint Specialist Advisory Committee of the College and another medical college (JSAC). Trainees are required to undertake at least one year of the six years of training in either Australia or New Zealand.

The prerequisite for entry into basic training is the completion of the first post-graduate or pre-registration year (intern year). The prerequisites for entry into advanced training are the completion of basic training and success at the FRACP Examination (the Examination), which can be attempted in the third year of basic training or later. The Examination comprises written and clinical examinations, both of which must be completed successfully. However success at the Examination alone is not recognised as a specialist qualification.
Admission to Fellowship requires completion of all training requirements.

Registration with the relevant Medical Board is required before one can practise as a consultant physician in Australia.

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