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The purpose of the Australian Medical Council is to ensure that standards of education, training
and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the Australian Community.
A u s t r a l i a n M e d i c a l C o u n c i l
A P P L I C A T I O N P R O C E D U R E S
A N D R E Q U I R E M E N T S F O R
S P E C I A L I S T A S S E S S M E N T
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A P P L I C AT I O N P R O C E D U R E S
A N D R E Q U I R E M E N T S F O R
S P E C I A L I S T A S S E S S M E N T
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................2
SPECIALIST BOOKLET ..............................................................................................................3
STATEMENT ON PRIVACY .........................................................................................................5
STANDARDS OF SPECIALIST PRACTICE IN AUSTRALIA .....................................................6
THE 11 STEP SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT PROCESS ..............................................................7
AMC COMMUNICATION PROCESS WITH THE APPLICANT ...................................................8
Incomplete application communication process ...............................................................................................8
Complete application applicant contact points ..................................................................................................8
STEP 1 RECEIPT OF FORMS SUBMITTED BY APPLICANT ...............................................10
STEP 2 PRIMARY SOURCE VERIFICATION ........................................................................11
EICS verication under the Specialist Pathway................................................................................................. 11
Successful or incomplete applications ...............................................................................................................12
STEP 3 REFERRAL TO SPECIALIST COLLEGE .................................................................13
STEP 4 APPLICANT TO SEND FORM SC AND ASSESSMENT FEE TO COLLEGE ..........14
College fees ......................................................................................................................................................14
Fees to be paid in Australian currency ...............................................................................................................14
Illness and/or deferring scheduled interview......................................................................................................14
STEP 5 COLLEGE ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATION ..........................................................15
College assessment processes ........................................................................................................................15
College interview processes ..............................................................................................................................15
Interview purpose...............................................................................................................................................16
College comparability standard ..........................................................................................................................16
College rejection of application ..........................................................................................................................18
College to schedule interviews...........................................................................................................................18
General college training and examination requirements ....................................................................................18
STEP 6 AMC TO RECEIVE COPY OF REPORT 1 AND FORWARD TO APPLICANT .........19
College notication of assessment outcome Report 1/Combined report........................................................19
Application progress by college outcome ...........................................................................................................20
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STEP 7 PARTIALLY COMPARABLE DECISION REQUIREMENTS FOR FURTHER
TRAINING AND/OR EXAMINATION .........................................................................................21
STEP 8 AMC TO ADVISE COLLEGE OF APPLICANTS INTENTION TO COMPLY ............23
STEP 9 COLLEGE ADVISES AMC OF FINAL ASSESSMENT DECISION ...........................24
STEP 10 AMC RECEIVES REPORT 2 FROM COLLEGE .....................................................26
Application progress by college outcome ...........................................................................................................26
STEP 11 AMC ADVISES THE MEDICAL BOARD OF AUSTRALIA (MBA) & WESTERN
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL BOARD OF APPLICANTS ELIGIBILITY TO PRESENT FOR
REGISTRATION .........................................................................................................................28
STATEMENT ON COLLEGE FELLOWSHIP .............................................................................29
SEEKING REGISTRATION .......................................................................................................30
APPENDIX A STATUTORY DECLARATIONS ........................................................................31
Statutory declarations witnessed in Australia.....................................................................................................31
Statutory declarations/afdavit witnessed overseas ..........................................................................................31
APPENDIX B ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ..........................................................33
APPENDIX C COMMON ERRORS THAT DELAY APPLICATIONS .......................................34
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1 Information Bookletfor applicants
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2
INTRODUCTION
An applicant is eligible to apply to the Australian Medical Council (AMC)
as an overseas trained specialist under the specialist assessment
pathway if they can meet the eligibility criteria set out in theApplying
to the Australian Medical Council Booklet. At the conclusion of the
specialist assessment process, successful applicants will be eligible
to present to the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western
Australian Medical Board for registration to practice as a specialist in
the assessed speciality only.
An applicant under the specialist assessment pathway will be expected
to have satisfied all the training and examination requirements
to practice in their field of specialty in their country of training. An
applicant who cannot meet this criterion will be required to apply under
the AMC non-specialist pathway to be deemed eligible to present to
the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian Medical
Board seeking general (non-specialist) registration.
The purpose of the specialist assessment procedure is to determine
the level of comparability of overseas trained specialists training and
qualifications with the level of Australian trained specialists currently
entering the Australian workforce.
The role of the AMC is to verify the information contained within the
application provided by the applicant to determine if an applicant is
eligible to have their specialist skills assessed by a specialist medical
college. After the specialist medical college assessment, it is the role
of the AMC to advise the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western
Australian Medical Board of the outcome of the assessment made by
the specialist medical college. The AMC administers the procedure,
but the appropriate specialist medical college assesses the applicants
training and experience.
The role of the specialist medical college is to assess the training
and experience of the applicant as compared to the training and
examination program of the college for Australian trained specialists,
and the skills standard required practicing in that specialty in Australia.
For a list of fields of specialist practice and assessing colleges in
Australia and Summary of college training/examinations please refer
to www.amc.org.au.
The role of the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian
Medical Board is to administer the registration laws in Australia and
to make the final decision to register a medical practitioner within a
State or Territory.
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3 Information Bookletfor applicants
SPECIALIST BOOKLET
This booklet outlines the requirements relating to the assessment
of overseas trained specialists, as administered by the Australian
Medical Council (AMC) and conducted by the constituent Specialist
Medical Colleges of the Committee of Presidents of Medical
Colleges (CPMC). These are current as at May 2010.
The assessment procedure came into operation in January 1993.
Assessment requirements and fees may change at any time
without notice, therefore applicants are advised to visit the AMCs
website www.amc.org.aufor current fees and requirements before
submitting their application.
All applications received by the AMC after 1 January 2006 will
be required to have Primary Source Verifications. In the case of
specialists, this will include postgraduate qualifications.
Applicants should:
be familiar with current assessment requirements before
lodging an application;
note that the AMC cannot determine eligibility for assessmentuntil it receives a formal written application, which includes the
required documentation; and
be aware that the AMC is unable to provide advice on matters
relating to an individuals specialist qualification, training or
experience without completion of a formal assessment through
the agreed procedures that are outlined in this booklet.
All matters concerning the AMC/Specialist Medical Collegeassessment process including: eligibility; arrangements for
assessment; steps after the application has been referred to
the assessing College; and notification of the final result, will be
conveyed to the applicant in writing by the AMC Secretariat or the
assessing College. While the AMC Secretariat will assist applicants
by answering inquires over the telephone, the Council is bound
only by information and requests provided in writing.
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It is the responsibility of all applicants for specialist assessment to
know and comply with the procedures and instructions of the AMC
and assessing College. These are set down in this booklet and in
instructions and requirements in formal correspondence from the
AMC Secretariat and the relevant College.
In 1996, the Commonwealth Government amended legislation to
impose restrictions on access to Medicare (the national universal
health insurance scheme); including a ten-year delay on access
to Medicare provider numbers for overseas trained doctors who
apply to sit the AMC examination after 1 January 1997. Inquires
about the restrictions should be addressed to the Workplace and
Distribution Section of the Australian Department of Health and
Ageing (telephone 02 6289 5903).
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5 Information Bookletfor applicants
STATEMENT ON PRIVACY
The AMC is required to observe the provisions of the Privacy
Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, which has effect from 21
December 2001 and sets out the requirements for the collection
and use of personal information collected before and after that
date.
Each of the Application Forms required by the AMC includes a
statement relating to the AMCs privacy procedures. Each must be
signed by the applicant to give formal consent for the AMC to collect
and hold personal information. If the consent is not provided, the
AMC will not be able to process the application.
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STANDARDS OF SPECIALIST PRACTICE IN
AUSTRALIA
For a list of medical specialties recognised in Australia please refer
to the recognition area on the Australian Medical Council websitewww.amc.org.au.
Medical education and clinical practice vary considerably from one
country to another, reflecting access to educational and clinical
resources, disease patterns and local health care priorities. These
variations are even more significant in the area of specialist medical
practice. Experience with the assessment of overseas trained
specialists in New South Wales from 1990, and nationally through
the AMC from 1993, confirms that many overseas trained specialists
will experience difficulties meeting the standards required for
specialist practice in Australia, or will require significant periods of
advanced training to meet the standards. Advanced training
positions are limited in number and are subject to open competition
with Australian applicants.
Note: Fellows of specialist medical
colleges are expected to undertake
Continuing Professional Developmentor Maintenance of Professional
Standards programs conducted by
the relevant colleges for the purposes
of re-certification for registration in
Australia.
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7 Information Bookletfor applicants
THE 11 STEP SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT
PROCESS
The final decision to register a medical practitioner rests solely with
the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian MedicalBoard in Australia.
THE APPLICANT THE AMC SPECIALIST MEDICALCOLLEGE
Application assessed through
AMCPrimary SourceVerification.
AMC receives forms anddocumentation from applicant.
STEP 1
If the colleges final decision in that the applicant is not comparable theapplication for specialist assessment is discontinued in accordance with
step 10. If the applicant has been determined to be substantinallycomparable, the application proceeds to step 11.
If the applicant has been determined not to be comparable the application forspecialist assessment is discontinued in accordance with the process outlined in Step 6.
If the applicant has received advice that they are required to undergo additional components of the assessment procedurethen the application will proceed to step 7.
If the applicant has been recognised as being substantially comparable the application will now proceed directly to Step 9.
STEP 2
Referral sent to specialist college,
applicant advised of referral.
STEP 3
STEP 10
Applicant completes and sendsForm SC and initial assessment
fee to specialist college.
STEP 4
Assess application against collegestandards to determine compatibilityto an Australian Trained Specialist.
STEP 5
AMC receives report from specialistmedical college advising of applicantslevel of comparability. Report forwarded
to applicant.
STEP 6
STEP 8
AMC advises college of the applicantsintention to comply with Report 1
requirements.
STEP 9
After applicants completion ofReport 1 requirements advise theAMC of final assessment decision
via Report 2.
STEP 7
Applicant advises AMC in writingof their intention to comply with
the requirements set out inReport 1.
Receive report 2 from college andforward copy to appplicant.
STEP 11
Advise the relevant Medical Boardof the applicants eligibility
to present for registration as a specialist.
An incomplete application will not proceed past Step 2 until completedocumentation is provided. If the AMC determines that your application
is complete the application will proceed to Step 3.
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AMC COMMUNICATION PROCESS WITH THE
APPLICANT
After the lodgment of the required application forms and
documentation with the AMC, the application for specialistassessment will proceed along the 11-Step Specialist Assessment
Process identified at page 6 of this booklet.
During various steps of the assessment process, the applicant will
be contacted by the AMC to be advised of the current stage of the
application and where relevant, the actions required by the applicant
to further progress the application.
The AMC will advise the applicant of the outcome of the Primary
Source Verification process as the first point of contact in
processing all applications as identified within the Assessment
Process Diagram.
Incomplete application communication process
If an application does not comply with the AMCs requirements set
out in theApplying to the Australian Medical CouncilBooklet it will
be deemed to be incomplete and the first contact point with the
applicant will be at Step 2 of the specialist assessment process.The applicant will be notified that the application will not proceed
past Step 2 until the required documentation and forms have been
provided to the AMC.
Complete application applicant contact points
If an application is determined to be complete after the Primary
Source Verification process in accordance with Step 2, the applicant
will be notified at all following steps of the application process:
Applicant contact point one STEP 3:
The AMC advises the applicant that the application has been
referred to the specialist medical college.
Applicant contact point two STEP 5:
The specialist medical college will directly contact the applicant
to schedule the time and place for an interview to take place
between the applicant and the specialist medical college, if aninterview is required by the relevant college.
Note: Because of the high number
of applications received by the AMC,
and in order to be able to process
all applications equally and fairly,
applicants should not contact the AMC
to request whether their application
has been received.
Note: Applications that are incompletewill incur an administration fee of
$110.00 before they can be processed
by the Australian Medical Council.
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9 Information Bookletfor applicants
Applicant contact point three STEP 6:
After the interview, the AMC formally advises the applicant of
the specialist medical college decision by forwarding to the
applicant a copy of the Report 1 or Combined Report provided
by the college to either:
1. Recognise the applicants training and experience as
substantially comparable OR reject the applicant from further
assessment by determining that the applicants training and
experience are not equivalent to the level of an Australian
trained specialist.
or the college will
2. Require the applicant to undergo additional components of
the assessment procedure to make a final assessment of
the applicants training and experience comparability to the
level of an Australian trained specialist.
Applicant contact point four STEP 10:
On completion by the applicant of the required additional
training or exam components determined by the specialist
medical college, the AMC will provide the applicant with a copy
of the Report 2 which is the colleges final determination of
comparability to either recognise the applicant as substantially
comparable to the level of an Australian trained specialist or to
determine the applicant not to be comparable on the basis of
the assessment undertaken by the specialist medical college.
Applicant contact point fve STEP 11:
If the Report 2 deems the applicants training and experience to
be substantially comparable, the AMC will provide the Applicantwith a copy of correspondence to the Medical Board of Australia
(MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board advising of the
applicants eligibility to present for registration to practice in the
field of specialty which they have been assessed in under the
specialist pathway.
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STEP 1 RECEIPT OF FORMS SUBMITTED BY
APPLICANT
At this stage of your application you have already forwarded the
required specialist assessment application forms to the AustralianMedical Council (AMC). It is important that these forms have been
completed in accordance with the requirements set out within the
AMCsApplying to the Australian Medical CouncilBooklet.
Application forms and documents which have not been correctly
witnessed are not legally recognised in Australia and will not be
accepted.
When the required application forms and documents have been
received by the AMC, your application will take up to two weeks
to be assessed by the Primary Source Verification section. In the
interests of processing all applications efficiently and fairly, you
should not contact the AMC to check the status of your application
if it has not been at least two weeks since your documents were
sent to the AMC.
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11 Information Bookletfor applicants
STEP 2 PRIMARY SOURCE VERIFICATION
Primary Source Verification is the process used by the AMC to verify
the documentation and information provided by each applicant
according to the AMCs requirements set out in the Applying to
the Australian Medical CouncilBooklet and to the documentation
requirements of the individual specialist medical college.
It is the role of each specialist medical college to conduct an
assessment of an applicants training and experience under
the specialist pathway; however the AMC must ensure that the
documentation provided by the applicant satisfies the initial
requirements to be forwarded on to the assessing college.
The Primary Source Verification section will check your application
against the criteria set out within the Applying to the Australian
Medical CouncilBooklet to determine the application to be either
complete or incomplete.
A complete application will have satisfied all the requirements set
out in theApplying to the Australian Medical CouncilBooklet.
An incomplete application will require the applicant to provide further
documentation or information to satisfy all of the requirements setout in theApplying to the Australian Medical CouncilBooklet. In this
event, the applicant will be notified by the AMC that the application
will not be able to proceed until the applicant provides or resubmits
the required documentation.
EICS verication under the Specialist Pathway
All applications received by the AMC for assessment after 1 January
2006 are required to be verified by the International Credentials
Service (EICS) of the United States Education Commission forForeign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).
The applicants primary and highest specialist degree/diploma will
be electronically sent to the ECFMG for verification at this stage of
the Primary Source Verification process. The AMC must then wait
to receive the results of the verification process by the ECFMG. At
this stage of the process the applicant will receive an EICS number.
Note: The AMC processes all
applications for specialist assessment
strictly in the order they are received.
Whilst every effort is made by the
AMC to reduce the processing time
for applications, many applications
submitted to the AMC are incomplete
or do not comply with the prescribed
requirements, adding to the processing
times and causing unnecessary delays
for other applicants. Applicationsthat are incomplete will incur an
administration fee of $110.00 before
they can be processed by the Australian
Medical Council.
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Once this process is completed, a covering letter and an AMC
Certificate of Verification of Medical Qualifications will be issued
with the applicants verification number. The AMC will notify the
relevant Medical Board and Specialist College of the results of this
process.
Applicants should be aware that the process of EICS verification
can take a significant amount of time. Often, the notification from
the ECFMG back to the AMC of the verification results can take up
to three months to be received. In some cases, the process can
take longer. Because of this, the AMC will continue to progress
your application after the initial request for EICS verification has
been made. This means that a complete application is eligible to be
referred to the specialist medical college for assessment of trainingand experience whilst the AMC waits to receive the results of the
EICS verification process.
When the ECFMG provides final confirmation that the EICS
verification process has been successfully completed, the AMC
will notify the applicant and the Medical Board of Australia (MBA)
& Western Australian Medical Board in writing of the result of the
EICS verification process.
Successful or incomplete applications
Successful application
If the AMC determines that the applicant is eligible to present
for assessment for recognition as a specialist, and that all
documentation requested by the assessing specialist medical
college is complete, the AMC will refer the application to the college
in accordance with Step 3 below.
Incomplete applications
Notification of incomplete or inadequate documentation will be sent
by email or letter to the applicant. The assessment of the application
will be suspended at this stage and the applicant will not be able to
proceed to Step 3 until the required documentation is provided to
the AMC. The applicant should comply with the request to forward
complete documentation to the AMC as soon as possible to avoid
further delays at this stage of the process.
If an applicant is required to provide information by completing
a statutory declaration, please refer to Appendix A for further
information on how to complete this stage of the process.
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13 Information Bookletfor applicants
STEP 3 REFERRAL TO SPECIALIST COLLEGE
When the AMC has determined that an application is complete,
the application will be forwarded to the specialist medical college
for assessment of the applicants training and experience against
college standards.
The AMC will advise the applicant of referral of their application
to the college by email and enclose a Form SC Application for
Assessment by Specialist Medical College within this letter. It is
the applicants responsibility to complete and forward the Form SC
and initial assessment and interview fee to the relevant college to
progress the application at this stage. For further information on
how to complete the Form SC, please refer to theApplying to the
Australian Medical CouncilBooklet.
A schedule of Colleges fees for specialist assessment is provided
on the AMCs Website at www.amc.org.au/
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STEP 4 APPLICANT TO SEND FORM SC AND
ASSESSMENT FEE TO COLLEGE
The specialist medical college is not obliged to initiate its
assessment process until it has received the completed Form SC,required fee (which must be made payable in Australian dollars by
bank draft to the assessing College) and any other relevant college
application forms from the applicant.
College fees
College fees are subject to variation from time to time and
colleges may charge additional fees following the initial specialist
assessment. Further information should be sought directly from the
relevant college.
Information regarding withdrawal fees and refunds that may be
payable in certain circumstances by a college, is available directly
from the relevant college.
Fees to be paid in Australian currency
Fees must be paid in Australian currency. Payments from outside
Australia must be made by credit card, bank cheque, or bank draft,
payable by an Australian bank.
Illness and/or deferring scheduled interview
Applicants withdrawing from a scheduled specialist medical college
interview must advise the assessing college immediately and
provide documented proof of severe illness or pressing domestic
circumstances to enable the College to decide whether a refund is
payable.
Assessing colleges may not be able to provide a facility for deferring
fees for the interview, nor assist applicants in obtaining financial
assistance to present for assessment.
The AMC and specialist medical colleges reserve the right to
introduce, alter, amend or make other changes to fees at any time
without notice.
Applicants wishing to defer an interview or application process are
required to notify the AMC in writing of such requests.
Note: Under Australian law it is illegal
to send cash through the mail.
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15 Information Bookletfor applicants
STEP 5 COLLEGE ASSESSMENT OF
APPLICATION
It is the role of the specialist medical college to assess the
applicants previous training and experience to determine theapplicants comparability to the standard of an Australian trained
specialist currently entering the workforce and to assess the
applicants competency to practice in that specialty in Australia.
College assessment processes
At this stage of the assessment process, the college must make
an initial assessment of the applicants specialist training and
experience against college standards. The assessment procedures
used by each college may include the following components:
1. Initial assessment of documentary evidence of specialist
training overseas and relevant experience, including a review
of log books and evidence of advanced training overseas;
2. A formal interview;
3. The Part I or Primary Examination of the relevant college (or a
modified examination based on the Part I Examination);
4. Further specialist training;
5. The Part II (Membership or Fellowship) Examination (or a
modified examination based on the Part II Examination).
College interview processes
In most cases, the specialist medical college will arrange for an
interview with the applicant following a review of the applicants
documentation. This interview will involve a committee of Senior
Fellows of the college.
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Interview purpose
The aim of the interview at this stage of the assessment process is
to determine and confirm the nature and quality of the applicants
training and experience, and to ensure that the applicant
understands the standards of competence and safety expected of
an Australian trained specialist currently entering the workforce.
The interview is used by the college to determine the training or
examination components, if any, which the applicant would need to
complete to meet the college standard.
College comparability standard
The standard applied by the college in the assessment process
is the level of the applicants specialist training and experience
determined by the college as compared to the training and
examination program of the college applied to Australian trained
specialists, and the skills standard required to practice in that
specialty in Australia.
Overseas trained specialists will be considered by the college to
be either substantially comparable, partially comparable, or not
comparable on the basis of the initial assessment undertaken by
that college, after referral of the application to the college by the
AMC.
Substantially comparable determination
A determination to be substantially comparable means that an
applicant must have satisfied the college requirements for this
category in relation to previous training, assessment and recent
practice.
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17 Information Bookletfor applicants
Partially comparable determination
A determination to be partially comparable means that an
applicant must have satisfied the college requirements for
this category in relation to previous training, assessment andrecent practice. In order for a partially comparable applicant to
be considered substantially comparable the applicant will be
required to undertake a period of up to 24 months top-up training
under a supervisor appointed through the college assessment
unit, to ensure that the level of performance reaches that of an
Australian trained specialist, and to assist with their transition to
the Australian health system, provide professional support and
help them to access continuing professional development.
Other prescribed requirements including formal assessment may
be imposed at this stage of the specialist assessment process.
Applicants who are considered to be partially comparable are
required to complete a period of top-up training and/or practice
assessment to address identified training needs or determine
competence in specified skills area.
Not comparable determination
A determination to be not comparable means that an applicant
should not be permitted to register to practice as a specialist, but
may be eligible to seek registration to enable them to complete
formal college training and assessment, if they are able to gain
a training post, or to seek registration to practice in another
capacity.
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College rejection of application
In some cases however, the college may decide to reject the
application without scheduling an interview with the applicant if it
is clear to the Board of Censors of the college following review
of the documentation that the applicants training and examination
experience bears little relationship to the standard expected of an
Australian trained specialist in that field. The college would decide
to reject the application on these grounds in the interests of saving
the time and money of the applicant.
College to schedule interviews
Each college will follow its own schedule of interviews. If the college
decides to proceed to interview, it will contact the applicant directlyto arrange the timing and location of the interview upon receipt of
the required assessment application forms, documentation and fee
payment by the applicant.
General college training and examination requirements
Each specialist college will usually have its own general training and
examination requirements applied as the college standard. Where
these components are applied, they will be the same components
or will be derived from the examination components that apply to
local specialist trainees. An applicant will be assessed against the
standard of an Australian trained specialist on this basis.
To further explain the individual college training and examination
requirements, a table is provided at the AMCs website at
www.amc.org.au. This table provides a listing of the general training
and examination requirements for each college.
At the conclusion of the initial assessment process, the college willbe required to advise the AMC by way of a Report 1 or Combined
Report whether the applicant is either substantially comparable,
partially comparable or not comparable after being initially assessed
against the college standard.
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19 Information Bookletfor applicants
STEP 6 AMC TO RECEIVE COPY OF REPORT 1
AND FORWARD TO APPLICANT
College notication of assessment outcome Report 1/
Combined report
Following the applicants interview with the specialist college, the
initial assessment outcome will then be provided to the AMC by the
relevant college, advising of the college decision by way of a report
to either:
1. As a final decision:
a. Recognise the applicants training and experience as being
substantially comparable to the level of an Australian trainedspecialist currently entering the workforce; or
b. Reject the applicant from further assessment on the basis
of the applicants training and experience being deemed not
comparable to the level of an Australian trained specialist.
Or the college will decide to:
2. As an interim decision:
Recognise the applicants training and experience as being
partially comparable and require the applicant to undergo
additional components of the assessment procedure to
provide the college with more information to make a decision
about comparability of training and experience. These
additional components may include:
i. Completing the Part II Examination of another assessment
at an equivalent level; or
ii. Completing a period of Advanced Specialist Training and
completing the Part II examination; or
iii. Completing the Part I Examination, completing a period
of Advanced Specialist Training and completing the Part
II Examination.
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Application progress by college outcome
At this stage of the assessment process, the application will be
progressed according to whether a specialist medical college has
made either a final decision or an interim decision on the level
of the applicants training and experience. The application will
be processed according to the college assessment outcome as
follows:
College outcome 1
Applicant is considered to be Substantially Comparable
Final Result: The Applicant will be provided with a copy of the
Report 1 or Combined Report and the application
will proceed to Step 11 of the Assessment
process.
College outcome 2
Applicant is considered to be Not Comparable
Final Result: The Applicant will be provided with a copy
of the Report 1 or Combined Report and the
application will be discontinued. The applicant
will be required to apply under the AMCs non-
specialist pathway should they wish to be eligible
to present for general registration to either work
in Australia as a non-specialist or to complete
basic specialist or general training and attempt
to apply for college training positions.
College outcome 3
Applicant is considered to be Partially Comparable
Interim Result: The Applicant will be provided with a copy of the
Report 1 or Combined Report and the application
will proceed to Step 7 of the assessment
process.
Note: It is up to the individual assessing
specialist college to determine the
criteria by which an applicants training
and experience may be considered
either substantially comparable or
not comparable to the standard
of an Australian trained specialist
currently entering the workforce. A
determination that a decision is not
yet possible will require the applicant
to undertake further training and/or
examination requirements specified
by the assessing college so that a
final decision can be made after the
applicant completes the required
training and/or examination.
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21 Information Bookletfor applicants
STEP 7 PARTIALLY COMPARABLE DECISION
REQUIREMENTS FOR FURTHER TRAINING AND/
OR EXAMINATION
A college decision that the applicants training and experienceis partially comparable will require the applicants completion of
further training and/or examination to allow the college to make a
final assessment of the applicants training and experience.
Applicants who are required to undertake further training and/
or examinations should obtain comprehensive details about the
relevant specialist program from the specialist medical college.
The following points should be noted:
a. Accredited training positions are usually advertised by the
training institutions in July/August each year;
b. Accredited training positions are subject to open competition
with Australian trained specialists for college recognition;
c. Limits may apply to the number of times an applicant may
present for a college examination, in particular for the Part II
Examination;
d. Fees associated with the accredited training and
examinations of most colleges are indicated in summaries
issued by the individual colleges and available upon
application to the relevant college. The payment of fees for
these components of the assessment, when they have been
required by a college, is for direct settlement by the applicant
with the college;
e. The college will remain the primary point of contact for
an applicant who is completing further training and/or
examination requirements.
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An applicant who has received a Report 1 with the outcome
Partially Comparable from the AMC will need to write to the AMC
to advise of their intention to comply with the extra training and/or
examination requirements set by the assessing specialist college.
Please note that the AMC is not able to accept either email or
telephone communication as evidence of the applicants intention
to comply with the stated Report 1 requirements. This advice must
be in writing and contain the applicants AMC number and signature,
in addition to the written notification of intention to comply with the
Report 1 requirements, if the applicant intends to do so.
Note: the Medical Board of Australia
(MBA) & Western Australian Medical
Board have indicated that when a
College assesses that an overseas
trained specialist must commence with
a period of basic specialist training, or is
required to undertake other additional
training in addition to completing
Advanced Specialist Training and
examinations, the applicant will be
required to complete one of the AMC
non-specialist pathways to be eligible
to obtain general (non-specialist)
registration.
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23 Information Bookletfor applicants
STEP 8 AMC TO ADVISE COLLEGE OF
APPLICANTS INTENTION TO COMPLY
When the AMC receives formal written notification of the applicants
intention to comply with the Report 1 requirements, the AMC willformally notify the assessing specialist medical college by letter.
If an applicant has advised the AMC that they do not intend to comply
with the requirements set out by the college, the application will be
discontinued at this point and the applicant may then be eligible to
apply under an AMC non-specialist pathway to be eligible to obtain
general (non-specialist) registration from the Medical Board of
Australia (MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board.
If the applicant has advised the AMC that they do intend to comply
with the Report 1 requirements prescribed by the specialist medical
college, they will need to be in direct contact with the relevant
specialist medical college to organise completion of the further
training and/or examination requirements.
The college will remain the primary point of contact for applicants
who proceed through this stage of the specialist assessment
process.
An applicant may be registered by the Medical Board of Australia
(MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board for the purpose of
undergoing further specialist training or examination by the relevant
specialist medical college as part of the specialist assessment
process conducted by that college.
The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian
Medical Board and Specialist Medical Colleges have confirmed that
the specialist assessment pathway is not an alternative pathwayto specialist training in Australia. The Medical Board of Australia
(MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board will, in general, provide
restricted registration for up to a maximum of two years to allow
completion of specialist practice under supervision where specified
by a College for recognition for specialist practice. Where longer
periods or advanced training are specified by a College, the overseas
trained specialist will be required to pass the AMC Examination to
be eligible to apply for general (non-specialist) registration.
When the applicant completes the Report 1 requirements prescribed
by the specialist medical college, the application will then proceed
to Step 9.
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STEP 9 COLLEGE ADVISES AMC OF FINAL
ASSESSMENT DECISION
When the applicant has completed all of the prescribed Report 1
requirements, the specialist college will make a final assessmentof the applicants training and experience compared against the
standard of an Australian trained specialist currently entering the
workforce. The final assessment will take into account all of the
criteria applied during the initial assessment process undertaken
during Step 5, in addition to the performance of the applicant during
the required further training and/or examination requirements.
The college is required to notify the AMC of the final assessment
decision by way of a Report 2 which is sent directly to the AMC.
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STEP 10 AMC RECEIVES REPORT 2 FROM
COLLEGE
The specialist medical college will notify the AMC that it has reached
one of two possible decisions at this stage of the assessmentprocess by providing the AMC with the Report 2. The college will
notify the AMC that the decision was made to either:
1. Recommend that the applicant be granted recognition as
a specialist on the basis that the applicants training and
experience is considered to be substantially comparable to
that of an Australian trained specialist currently entering the
workforce;
OR:
2. Recommend that the applicant should not be granted recognition
as a specialist on the basis that the applicants training and
experience is considered not comparable to that of an Australian
trained specialist currently entering the workforce.
Application progress by college outcome
At this stage of the assessment process, the application will be
processed according to the college assessment outcome asfollows:
College outcome 1
Recommendation that the applicant be granted recognition
as a specialist.
Final Result: The Applicant will be provided with a copy of the
Report 2 and the application will proceed to Step
11 of the Assessment process.
College outcome 2
Recommendation that the applicant is not granted
recognition as a specialist.
Final Result: The Applicant will be provided with a copy of the
Report 2 and the application will be discontinued.
The applicant will be eligible to apply under the
AMCs non-specialist pathway should they wish to
obtain general registration to work in Australia asa non-specialist or to complete basic specialist or
general training and attempt to apply for college
training positions.
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The outcomes described by the specialist medical college within
the Report 2 require either a yes or no answer only. The college will
need to ensure that they retain the necessary documentation that
justifies the decisions which have formed the basis to the answers
for question set out in the Report 2.
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STEP 11 AMC ADVISES THE MEDICAL BOARD
OF AUSTRALIA (MBA) & WESTERN AUSTRALIAN
MEDICAL BOARD OF APPLICANTS ELIGIBILITY
TO PRESENT FOR REGISTRATIONAt this stage of the assessment process, the AMC has received
formal notification from the assessing specialist medical college that
the applicants training and experience is substantially comparable
to that of an Australian trained specialist currently entering the
workforce. This notification would be received by the AMC in the
form of either a Report 1, Report 2 or Combined Report (combined
AON/Specialist Assessment Report) forwarded to the AMC by the
relevant specialist medical college.
This recognition of the applicants specialist training and experience
will determine that an applicant is eligible to present to The Medical
Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board
seeking registration as a specialist, subject to the condition that
their registration is restricted to practice in the assessed field of
specialty only, which is reported to the Medical Board by the AMC.
When the AMC receives the formal notification from the specialist
medical college that the applicants training and experience hasbeen deemed to be substantially comparable, the AMC will notify
the relevant Medical Board in Australia of the applicants eligibility
to present for conditional registration as a specialist.
At this stage, the specialist assessment process is complete. The
final decision to register a medical practitioner rests solely with the
Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian Medical
Board.
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STATEMENT ON COLLEGE FELLOWSHIP
The purpose of the specialist assessment procedure is to
determine comparability of training and experience of overseas
trained specialists with Australian trained specialists, with a view
to establishing their eligibility to apply for (conditional) registration
in Australia. However, while applicants may complete a Colleges
requirements for specialist recognition for registration to practice
in Australia, the College may set further requirements such as,
for example, some form of bridging training or experience, for
eligibility to apply for election to Fellowship of the College. Further
information should be sought from the relevant College.
A medical practitioner holding the Fellowship of an Australian
or Australasian Specialist Medical College who does not hold a
primary medical qualification for general registration in Australia
may apply direct to the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western
Australian Medical Board for conditional registration, to practice in
the specialty in which they hold Fellowship only.
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SEEKING REGISTRATION
Specialist medical college confirmation of substantial comparability,
including the award of College Fellowship (where applicable) will
not in itself confer the right to practice. In addition, the Medical
Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board may
impose conditions on registration, if, in their opinion, appropriate
specialist positions do not exist within their State or Territory that
is, the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian
Medical Board have the right of final decision on applications for
registration under any category.
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APPENDIX A STATUTORY DECLARATIONS
In the event that you are required to complete a statutory declaration
to progress your application during the specialist assessment
process, the AMC will accept the following personsonlyas eligible
witnesses:
Statutory declarations witnessed in Australia
Chief Magistrate Police Magistrate Resident Magistrate Special Magistrate;
A Justice of the Peace;
A person appointed under the Commonwealth StatutoryDeclarations Act 1959 as amended, or under a State Act to be
a Commissioner for Declarations;
A Notary Public;
A person appointed as a Commissioner for Declarationsunder the Statutory Declarations Act 1911, or under thatAct as amended, and holding office immediately before thecommencement of the Statutory Declarations Act 1959;
A person before whom a Statutory Declaration may be madeunder the law of the State in which a Declaration is made.
Statutory declarations/afdavit witnessed overseas
A Notary Public;
Commissioner of Oaths (South Africa and Canada only);
A person appointed to hold, or act in the office in a countryor place outside Australia in an Australian Embassy, HighCommission, Legation or other post as Australian Consul-General, Consul or Vice-Consul;
Australian Trade Commissioner or Consular Agent;
Australian Ambassador or High Commissioner;
Australian Minister, Head of Mission, Commissioner, Chargedaffaires or Counselor;
Australian Secretary or Attach; or
A person authorized to perform notarial duties.
Note: A Justice of the Peace
registered outside Australia is NOT
accepted by the AMC for witnessing
documentations
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Penalties for making false declarations
A person who willfully makes a false statement in a Statutory
Declaration/Affidavit under the Statutory Declaration Act 1959, as
amended, is guilty of an offence against that Act, the punishmentof which is imprisonment not exceeding four years, if the offence is
prosecuted upon indictment.
An applicant for specialist assessment who willfully makes a false
statement or provides false information in his/her application
forms, or in the documents attached may forfeit his/her eligibility
to present for assessment or be accorded recognition by an
Australian or Australasian specialist medical college, or be subject
to de-registration (if registration has already been obtained)
and/or other penalties as prescribed in the relevant State or Territory
medical registration laws.
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APPENDIX B ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PROFICIENCY
In Australia, evidence of English language proficiency is currently a
medical board requirement for registration for international medicalgraduates.
From 1 January 2009, English language proficiency will be an AMC
requirement for eligibility to progress to step three of the specialist
assessment process.
From January 2009, medical practitioners seeking registration
through the specialist pathway must have demonstrated their
English language proficiency before assessment by specialist
colleges. The standard required is set by the Medical Board
of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board and is
nationally consistent.
From January 2009, the AMC will require proof (English Language
Testing System (IELTS) or Occupational English Test (OET) at the
agreed national standard) in accordance with the national policy on
English language proficiency before assessment by colleges under
the specialist assessment pathway.
Introducing an up-front English language test in the specialist
registration pathway aims to ensure that college assessment
resources are focused on candidates who meet existing national
language proficiency requirements.
It will also ensure the same standards are expected by the specialist
colleges and medical registration boards for English language
requirements for the specialist registration pathway.
Please note that a two-year time limit is applicable to results from
both the OET and the IELTS. All documents submitted to the AMC
and the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) & Western Australian
Medical Board must be within the valid time period.
Applicants should view the National Policy on English Language
Proficiency requirements for International Medical Graduates,
along with the English Language Proficiency flowchart at for
further information. This policy is available on the AMC website at
www.amc.org.auand the websites of the Medical Board of Australia
(MBA) & Western Australian Medical Board.
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APPENDIX C COMMON ERRORS THAT DELAY
APPLICATIONS
The most likely cause of delay in the processing of applications
is incorrectly completed Application Forms and incorrectlycertified documents. It is in the applicants interest to ensure that
all Application Forms and copies of documents are completed
correctly as incomplete or incorrect applications will not be sent to
specialist colleges for assessment.
The most common problems with applications include:
Using multiple witnesses to certify documents/photographs.
The AMC requires that all documents be certified by the
individual that witnesses the applicants signature on the
application form. Where additional witnesses must be used, a
statutory declaration must be provided to explain why.
Not providing certified copies of the primary medical degree
and specialist qualification. Where the degree is issued in a
language other than English, a certified or original, word-for-
word translation by a professional translator must be provided
(an extract translation will not be accepted).
Not providing sufficient information to allow the college to make
an assessment of the applicants specialist skills. As part of
the College assessment, many colleges conduct an initial
assessment of documentary evidence of training and relevant
experience to determine eligibility to present for an interview.
Curriculum Vitaes that are missing information, not up to date,
or do not provide an in-depth expanded explanation of the
applicants skills and experience will be deemed incomplete
and are a frequent cause of delay in the specialist assessmentprocess.
Not providing certificates of good standing from all registration
authorities during the last two years of employment.
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