General Medicine in Australia

• Providing assessment and management of patients with acute undifferentiated illnesses – including acutely ill patients.
• Can be undertaken in emergency or in some general practice settings that provide equivalent experiences.

• Caring for patients with a broad range of medical conditions. 
• Participating in assessment and admission of patients with acute medical problems.
• Managing in-patients with a range of general medical conditions.
• Discharge planning (including preparation of discharge summaries and other components of handover) to the patient’s GP and sub-acute/long-term care facility or ambulance care.

• Caring for patients with a broad range of acute and elective surgical conditions and/or who exhibit the common features of surgical illness including metabolic response to trauma, infection, shock and tumours (neoplasia).

• Includes aged care, anaesthesia, general practice, palliative medicine, psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine or surgery.

For this pathway, you will need to have completed the requirements of a ‘competent authority’ as defined by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA). For more information, please click here.

For this pathway, you need to have a primary qualification in medicine and surgery awarded by a training institution recognized by the Australian Medical Council and World Directory of Medical Schools. You also need to have satisfied all the training + examination requirements that are needed to practice in your field in your country of training. 

For more information, please click here. 

For more information, please click here. 

For more information, please click here. 

Cardiology is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the prevention, investigation, therapy and research of disease that involves the cardiovascular system.

• 15th February (last date for applications for approval of rotations in the current year) 
• 31st August (last date for application for approval of rotations in the second half of the year) 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• Completion of RACP Basic Physician Training (including completion of the RACP Written and Clinical Examinations — for more information on these assessments, please click here)

• Employment in an accredited training position in Cardiology

Basic Adult Medicine Training: 3 years 

Advanced Training: 3years 

You will typically be required to do 36 months of full-time Basic Adult Medicine training. Out of these 36 months, 24 months (i.e. 2 years) will be spent in core training (including training in general and acute care medicine and medical specialties). You can also expect to spend some time in a Level 3 Teaching Hospital, and a few months outside it. After this, 36 months of full-time core training will be required. 

In Basic Training, the following will typically be required: 1 ward/service consultant report per rotation, 4 mini-clinical evaluation exercises per year, an annual progress report per year, the divisional written examination and the divisional clinical examination.

In Advanced Training, the following will typically be required: 1 final supervisor’s report per rotation, a mid-year progress report (for 12 month rotations), 2 case-based discussions per year; 2 direct observations of procedural skills per year, a completed procedural logbook, 1 published article or presentation, 2 quality assurance/audits, 1 electrophysiology supervisor’s report, 1 cardiothoracic surgical training supervisor’s report.

Cardiology is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the prevention, investigation, therapy and research of disease that involves the cardiovascular system. Paediatric Cardiologists are sub-specialist cardiologists who are experts in diagnosing and managing cardiac disorders and multisystem disorders.

• 15th February (last date for applications for approval of rotations in the current year) 
• 31st August (last date for application for approval of rotations in the second half of the year) 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• Completion of RACP Basic Physician Training (including completion of the RACP Written and Clinical Examinations — for more information on these assessments, please click here)
• General Medical Registration (done after you complete your internship)
• Employment in an accredited training position in Cardiology

Basic Paeds and Child Health Training: 3 years 

Advanced Training: 3years 

You will typically be required to do 36 months of full-time Basic Paeds and Child Health training. Out of these 36 months, 24 months (i.e. 2 years) will be spent in core training (including training in general paediatric medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, neonatology, and training in paediatric medical specialty). You can also expect to spend sometime in a Level 3 Teaching Hospital.

After this, 36 months of full-time core training will be required. 

In Basic Training, the following will typically be required: 

• 1 ward/service consultant report per rotation, 
• 4 mini-clinical evaluation exercises per year, 
• annual progress report per year, 
• the divisional written examination and the divisional clinical examination
• Advanced life support in Paeds 

In Advanced Training, the following will typically be required: 

• 4 final supervisor’s reports per year, 
• a mid-year progress report (for 12 month rotations), 
• 2 case-based discussions per year; 
• 2 mini clinical evaluation exercises per year 
• 2 direct observation of procedural skills per year, 
• a completed procedural logbook, 
• 1 published article or presentation, 
• 2 quality assurance/audits, 
• 6 months of development and psychosocial training

Dermatologists, in Australia, are required to look after patients of all age-groups (infants – adults) and typically spend a substantial amount of time treating a variety of skin-related disorders caused by sun exposure. They are considered to be experts in the diagnosis and management of disorders affecting all areas that are classified as skin. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Successful completion of PGY2 (i.e. 1 year of residency, following your internship) 
• Employment in an accredited training program 

• February (for entry into the program for the following year)

Basic Training: 2 years (full-time)

Advanced Training: 2 years (full-time)

Basic Training will typically include the following assessments: 

• Clinical Sciences Online Competency Modules Examination (CSOCM) – these are online modules that need to be completed and passed by the end of your first year of training 
• Pharmacology Examination (MCQ) – this examination also needs to be passed in the first year of training

Advanced Training will typically include the following assessments: 

• Fellowship Examination (written) – this will be taken in June of your final year of training, i.e. Year 4 
• Fellowship Examination (short case) – this will typically be taken in June of your final year of training, i.e. Year 4 
• Fellowship Examination (long case) – this will typically be taken in June of your final year of training, i.e. Year 4 

You should only consider applying for this if you hope to (and can) become an Australian Permanent Resident since those are the only individuals who are eligible to enter this pathway. 

A GP (i.e. a General Practitioner) is involved in providing patient-centric, constant, comprehensive, and coordinated health care to individuals/families/communities.

In Australia, a GP:

• Is the first point of contact for many patients when it comes to personal health;
• Is responsible for coordinating the care of patients and referring patients to other specialists; 
• Is accessible to patients of all ages and sexes, across all disease categories; 
• May have to care for a patient for a considerable length of time 
• May be required to provide advice and information on health-care; 
• Is responsible for performing legal processes — such as certification of documents or provision of reports in relation to motor transport or work accidents

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Australian Permanent Resident or Citizen

This will include: 

• 1 year of hospital rotations,
• 1.5 years in an accredited general practice training post under an accredited supervisor, 
• 0.5 years (maximum) of extended skills training

You may also choose to do an optional 4th year of training in advanced rural skills training

1. Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) – which tests the knowledge required to enter unsupervised general practice 

1. Key Feature Problems (KFP) – which tests applicants through general practice cases, and by testing their decision-making skills

1. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) – which tests practical skills: like clinical reasoning, knowledge, clinical and communication skills, and professionalism + attitude of hopeful General Practitioners. 

You will need to pass the AKT and KFP before you take the OSCE. 

For more information on these tests required for the GP, please go through this link.

You should only consider applying for this if you hope to (and can) become an Australian Permanent Resident since those are the only individuals who are eligible to enter this pathway. 

If you are interested in the operative and non-operative management of disorders that affect the central, peripheral and autonomic nervous system (including their supportive structures and vascular supply. This includes the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, critical care and rehabilitation and operative/non-operative management of pain. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Completion of RACP Basic Physician Training (including completion of the written and clinical examinations — for more information on these assessments, please click here)
• Employment in an appropriate Advanced Training position

Step 1: Selection Registration (January-February) 

Step 2: Selection Application (March-April) 

Step 3: Reference Reports Collection (April-May) 

Step 4: Interviews (June/July) 

Step 5: Offers Announced (July) 

The basic training will usually include the following assessments: 

• Generic Surgical Science Examination 
• Surgical Science Neurosurgery Examination 

The advanced training will usually include the following assessments: 

• Fellowship Examination 

If you are interested in looking at and treating a patient’s physical and mental symptoms and needs holistically, this pathway might be suitable for you. As a Psychiatrist, you can expect to do the following: study and treat the effects of emotional disturbance on the body, and the effects that physical conditions/ailments/injuries etc. can have on the mind. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Completion of PGY1 (i.e. an internship)

1. Stage 1 Basic level adult psychiatry for 1 year (full-time) – including 6 months in an acute setting 
2. Stage 2 Proficient Level rotations for 2 years (full-time) 
3. Stage 3 Advanced Level rotations for 2 years (full-time)

You will typically need to take: 

• a psychotherapy written case (which will typically need to be finished by the end of Stage 2) 
• A written and essay-style examination (in both stage 2 and stage 3) 
• OSCE (objective structured clinical examination — in stage 3)

If you are interested in the diagnosis and treatment of a patient through the use of medical imaging (like X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and nuclear medicine imaging techniques), this may be the right pathway for you. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Successful completion of PGY2 (i.e. 1 year of residency, following your internship) 
• Employment in an accredited training program 

This will include: 

• 3 years of full-time general radiology training
• 2 years of full-time system-focused advanced radiology training

• Part 1 Examination (which is generally taken in year 1 or year 2) on Anatomy and Applied Imaging Technology 
• Part 2 Examination (which is generally taken in year 4 or year 5) on Radiology and Pathology. 

You should only consider applying for this if you hope to (and can) become a Resident of Australia (or New Zealand), since those are the only individuals who are eligible to enter this pathway. 

If you are interested in gaining specialist training in the diagnosis and management of eye/visual system disorders, you can consider this pathway. Ophthalmology will train you to: provide complete eye care (including prescription of glasses/contact lenses, medical treatments and complex microsurgery). A number of ophthalmologists also choose to get involved in scientific research – by studying the causes and cures for eye disease and vision problems. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Successful completion of PGY2 (i.e. 1 year of residency, following your internship) 
• Resident of Australia or New Zealand

• March-April: Registration for selection 
• June-August: Employment Applications open in training networks 
• August: Match 
• September-October: Receive employment offers from hospitals

Basic Training:2 years full-time

Advanced Training: 2 years full-time 

Final Year Training:1 year full-time

1. Ophthalmic Science Examinations in:
   1. Anatomy 
   2. Physiology
   3. Optics 
   4. Clinical Ophthalmic Pharmacology and Emergency Medicine (COPEM) 
2. Ophthalmic Basic Competencies and Knowledge (OBCK) Clinical Examination (to be taken within the first 12 months of training)
3. Ophthalmic Pathology Examination (taken in the 3rd year of training)
4. Advanced Clinical and Written Examinations 

If you are interested in specializing in the investigation, study, diagnosis, management and treatment of benign and malignant tumors, growths, cancers and diseases, this pathway may be suitable for you. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Completion of RACP Basic Physician Training (including the written and clinical examinations –for more information on these assessments, please click here) 
• Employment in an appropriate advanced training position 

• If you wish to apply for rotations in the current year, you will most likely have to submit your application by 15th February. 
• If you wish to apply for rotations in the second half of the current year, you will most likely need to submit your application by the 31st of August. 

Basic Adult Medicine Training: 3 years 

OR 

Basic Paediatric and Child Health Training: 3 years

Advanced Training: 3 years 

Basic Adult Training will include: minimum 2 years of full-time core training, 

Basic Training

• Learning Needs Analysis (1 per rotation)
• Ward/Service Consultant Report (1 per rotation)
• Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (4 per year)
• Annual Progress Report (1 per year)
• Divisional Written Examination
• Divisional Clinical Examination
• Advanced Life Support (Recommended to be completed in Year 1 of training)

Advanced Training

• Final Supervisor’s Report (1 per rotation)
• Mid-Year Progress Report (1 per year for 12 month rotations)
• Case-Based Discussions (2 per year / 1 per 6 month rotation)
• Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercises (4 per year / 2 per 6 month rotation)
• Research Reports (2 per year for research based rotation only)
• Communication Skills Workshop (Adult Medicine Trainees ONLY)
• Developmental and Psychosocial Training (Paediatric and Child Health Trainees ONLY)

You should only consider applying for this if you hope to (and can) become an Australian Permanent Resident, since those are the only individuals who are eligible to enter this pathway.

Paediatric surgeons are those specialists who have training in looking at conditions  of children (which may require surgery). Specialist paediatric surgeons normally deal with non-cardiac thoracic surgery, general paediatric urology. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Successful completion of PGY2 (i.e. 1 year of residency, following your internship) 
• Permanent Resident of Australia or New Zealand 
• Completion of the RACS Hand Hygiene Learning Module

• Stage 1: Selection Registration (January – February) 
• Stage 2: Selection Application (March – April) 
• Stage 3: Reference/Referee reports collection (April – May) 
• Stage 4: Interviews (June/July) 
• Stage 5: Offers Announced (July) 

Early SET: 3 years full-time 

Mid and Late SET: 4 years full-time 

The Early SET will include 3 years of full-time training, in which 1 year will be spent in Paediatric surgery training and the next 2 years will be spent in Operative surgery training. 

The Mid and Late SET will include 4 years of full-time training in accredited speciality Paediatric Surgical Training posts. 

In the Early SET, you will typically have to take the following assessments: 

1. Generic Surgical Science Examination 
2. General Clinical Examination 
3. Paediatric Anatomy Examination (this can also happen in the Mid SET) 

In the Mid SET, you will typically have to take the following assessments: 

1. Paediatric Anatomy Examination (this can also happen in the Early SET) 
2. Paediatric Pathophysiology and Embryology Examination 

In the Late SET you will typically have to take the following assessments: 

1. Paediatric Fellowship Examination (Late SET) 

If you are interested in becoming a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, you can consider following this pathway and get your certification. As a gynecological oncologist, you will be able to treat women who have a genital malignancy. Gynecological oncologists will have to spend at least two-thirds of their time in gynecology in gynecological oncology. 

These specialists are also required to submit for recertification every 3 years, and only those who are actively participating in gynecological oncology will receive the recertification. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Successful completion of 3 years of full-time Core Training with RANZCOG
• Completion of the written and oral examinations

These 3 years will include: 

• At least 2 years of full-time training in a public hospital training site 
• The training time has to be completed in Australia and/or New Zealand

• Sub-specialty written examination (you can sit for this assessment after 12 months of full-time training) 
• Sub-speciality oral examination (you can sit for this assessment after 24 months of full-time training)

You should only consider applying for this if you hope to (and can) become an Australian Permanent Resident since those are the only individuals who are eligible to enter this pathway.

General Surgery is the broadest of all surgical specialties. A General Surgeon is a surgical specialist who is responsible for the care of surgical patients. Sometimes, a General Surgeon may be required to have knowledge of the whole field of surgery — and is typically the first point of contact for a patient who is acutely ill/injured. 

For more information, please visit the college website. 

• General Medical Registration (which you can apply for after completing your internship) 
• Successful completion of PGY2 (i.e. one year of residency after the internship) 
• Australian or New Zealand Permanent Resident
• Completion of the RACS Hand Hygiene Learning Module

• Stage 1: Selection Registration (January – February) 
• Stage 2: Selection Application (March – April) 
• Stage 3: Reference/Referee reports collection (May) 
• Stage 4: Interviews (June/July) 
• Stage 5: Offers Announced (July) 

You will need to complete 5 SETs. 

• SET 1 includes satisfactory completion of at least 2 6-month terms (full-time)
• SET 2-5 includes 8 6-month (or 4 years) of full-time accredited posts

• You can expect to have the following assessments in SET 1/2:

• General Surgical Science Examination 
• General Clinical Examination 
• Surgical Science General Surgery Examination 

• You can expect to have the following assessments in SET 5: 
  • Fellowship Examination