Overseas Trained Physicians in Australia


A Guide for Overseas Trained Physicians

The information on these webpages is for Overseas Trained Physicians or Paediatricians (OTPs) who wish to apply for:

RACP Reconsideration and Review Processes - if you have been through the College's assessment processes and are dissatisfied with the outcome of your application, click here to find out about Appeals, Reconsideration and Review.

Notification from the OTP Sub-Committee Adult Medicine Division regarding change of process - Effective from 1 August 2007
Changes in the OTP Assessment Process


Assessment for suitability for an Area of Need position

Areas of Need (AONs) positions are declared by the States and Territories in Australia. To apply under this pathway, you must have identified an AON position for which an employer considers you suitable and has offered you employment. An application must then be made to the Australian Medical Council (AMC).

Please note that assessment of an OTP’s skills by the RACP for an Area of Need position will be against the position requirements rather than against comparability to an Australian trained physician or paediatrician. For this reason, an OTP seeking specialist registration or wishing to eventually practise independently and unsupervised, should apply for assessment under the Specialist Registration Pathway.

Once an OTP has been assessed as suitable for an Area of Need position AND
has completed the required period of 12 months practice under peer review they are eligible to apply for Fellowship of the College. This involves a further application and assessment process. Details on this process can be found in the Fellowship section of the website.
More information about the Area of Need process >>


Specialist Registration in Australia

The Specialist Registration Pathway is intended for OTPs who wish to practise independently and unsupervised in Australia. All applications for specialist registration must be made through the AMC who will make an assessment of an applicant’s documentation to ensure they are eligible to proceed to assessment by verifying:
   • Identity,
   • English proficiency,
   • Primary medical and specialist qualifications, and
   • Ensuring that all required documentation has been provided

(Note: incomplete or inaccurate documentation is the major cause of delay in processing applications).

If deemed eligible for assessment, the AMC will forward the application to the College for assessment of specialist qualifications.

The assessment process is one in which the formal training and assessment, clinical experience and standard of practice of the applicant are assessed against those of an Australian consultant physician or paediatrician. The process does not solely consider formal training and assessment but takes into consideration subsequent clinical experience and the nature of the OTP’s current practice including participation in continuing professional development activities and overall contribution to the profession. This is a comprehensive process that involves:

• an application using a standardised pro forma;
• referees’ reports; and
• an interview.

Once the College has made an assessment, the AMC is notified of the outcome. The AMC then informs the OTP regarding the outcome of the College’s assessment.

If an applicant is assessed as ‘not comparable’, there are other options that may be pursued in order to practise medicine in Australia. Please see the DoctorConnect website for more information (www.doctorconnect.gov.au).
More information about the Specialist Registration Pathway >>


Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)

Overseas Trained Physicians or Paediatricians (OTPs) who have previously been assessed for and granted specialist registration via the Australian Medical Council (AMC) are eligible to apply for Fellowship of the College (FRACP). Further information can be obtained from the section of the website for OTPs who have specialist registration and wish to apply for FRACP.

OTPs who currently hold unconditional or general registration in Australia are also eligible to apply directly to the College for FRACP. These would be doctors who either completed their undergraduate medical training in Australia (and who then undertook specialist training overseas) or those OTPs who have successfully completed the AMC Examinations. Doctors who wish to apply for FRACP under this category should see the information contained in the document for OTPs who are seeking assessment for specialist registration or FRACP (general registration pathway), which can be found under the Specialist Registration Pathway section.
More information about Fellowship of the College >>


RACP Reconsideration and Review Processes

Below is the RACP's policy regarding Reconsideration and Review. These documents are for the information of Overseas Trained Physicians/Paediatricians who have been through the College's assessment processes and who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their application. All applications should be addressed to the Manager, OTP Assessment Unit.

 

 

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