Specialist medical practitioner training in Australia

Australian universities do not have responsibility for conducting the courses which provide training for medical practitioners who wish to become specialists. These are controlled by professional and medical colleges.

To become a specialist, a medical practitioner must complete a training program arranged by one of the recognised professional colleges (for example, the Royal Australiasian College of Surgeons or Royal Australasian College of Physicians). A major part of this training takes place in teaching hospitals but is NOT the responsibility of any of the Australian universities, although university staff have significant roles in both colleges and in hospitals.

Medical practitioners who want to become specialists are appointed to hospital training positions by individual hospitals with the approval of the State Health Departments, and sometimes in conjunction with the Colleges who select trainees for some specific training programs (for example, Orthopaedic Surgery).

Training positions are competitive and often not easily available, particularly to non-residents.

Under special circumstances, arrangements can be made for selected overseas students to undertake specific training programs in Australia, for example in a speciality such as cardiology. This may be organised by bodies such as the International Development Program (IDP), Australian Aid (AusAID), through the Australian Postgraduate Federation in Medicine (APFM) or by discussion with senior Australian specialists in charge of specialist units. Temporary registration for the purpose of training is granted by the State Medical Board concerned, if it accepts the qualifications of the applicant and the host hospital is prepared to undertake responsibility for the trainee.

At the University of Sydney some graduate vocational Masters by coursework programs are conducted (for example, in Public Health and Sexual Health). However, graduates of these courses do not automatically become eligible to work as medical practitioners. Universities also provide research training, e.g. PhD courses, but this training is not a qualification to practise medicine.

If you are a non-resident medical practitioner, and wish to arrange a period of training in Australia, you should ensure that you are eligible for an appropriate visa.

Enquiries for hospital positions should be directed to appropriate hospitals, to the relevant professional College, or to the Australian Postgraduate Federation in Medicine.