Overview

Each year, we welcome around 1000 new Fellows, offering them the chance to collaborate with peers in improving training, medical care, and health policies.

Fellowship recognises your success in training and provides opportunities to:

• develop skills at the forefront of your profession
• make a positive impact on individuals and communities
• support the next generation of physicians

Pathways to Fellowship

There are 2 pathways to Fellowship depending on your background.

Advanced Trainees

You’ll be considered for Fellowship only after you’ve completed all the requirements of your first Advanced Training program. Your Training Committee will review your training and decide whether to recommend you. You can’t receive a provisional Fellowship if any requirements are still incomplete.

Once you’re recommended, you’ll be invited to apply for Fellowship, and after everything is finished, it usually takes about 6–8 weeks for your admission to be finalised.

When to submit your requirements

If completing your training in February (at the end of a training year), submit your final requirements from 15 October. If you're completing your training at any other time of year, submit your final requirements about 1 month before your training end date. Submitting at these times can help your recommendation be processed sooner.

Browse Advanced Training requirements

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Overseas Trained Physicians (OTPs)

You can be recommended for Fellowship after successfully completing a specialist assessment to practise in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.

Explore OTP pathways

Steps to becoming a Fellow

These steps apply to both Advanced Trainees and Overseas Trained Specialists.

1. Recommendation to Fellowship

   4–6 weeks

   If you're an eligible Advanced Trainee or OTP, the relevant Committee will review your training or application and recommend you for admission to Fellowship once all requirements are complete. You'll receive confirmation when the recommendation has been made. 

2. Apply for Fellowship

   1–2 weeks

   Once your recommendation is confirmed, Member Services will email you instructions to apply for Fellowship via MyRACP.

   You'll need to complete your application, pay the Admission to Fellowship fee, and ensure any outstanding College fees are paid before finalisation.

3. Confirmation of Admission

   Within 5 days

   After submitting your application and payment, you'll receive an email from the College President confirming your admission to Fellowship.

   Your admission letter is also sent to the relevant regulatory body (AHPRA or MCNZ) for registration purposes.

4. Fellowship Certificate

   2–3 months

   Your Fellowship certificate (testamur) will be sent by registered post within 2–3 months of admission.

Using your Fellowship marks

Once you become a Fellow, you're awarded RACP post-nominals (FRACP, FAFPHM, etc.). You can download the Fellowship mark through MyRACP.

You may only use a post-nominal if you're a member of the College.

Registering with a regulatory body

Before you can practice as a specialist or consultant physician, you must register with a national regulatory body, AHPRA in Australia or MCNZ in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Post-FRACP Completion of an Advanced Training Program

You can only be admitted to Fellowship of the College once. If you complete additional Advanced Training, you won’t receive another Fellowship or testamur.

Instead, you’ll receive a letter confirming completion of the program, which you can use to update your specialty registration records with the relevant regulatory body in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.

Re-admission to Fellowship

If you're a former Fellow, you can apply for re-admission to the College. Requirements depend on how long you've been out of Fellowship.

College Ceremonies

Resources

Contact us
New Fellow Survey
Overseas Trained Physicians (OTP)
New Fellow Resources
College CeremonyAustralian Medical Council
Medical Council of New Zealand
Medicare Australia