SPECIALIST RECOGNITION FOR OVERSEAS PHYSICIANS
SPECIALIST RECOGNITION FOR OVERSEAS PHYSICIANS
The Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP) provides a specialist assessment for all overseas trained physicians that plan on practicing within their specialist field in Australia.
As part of this process, RACP will assess your training, their expertise, recent practice and continuing professional development to determine if you are practicing at the level expected of an Australian trained physician.
RACP assesses 35 different specialty fields of medicine for specialist recognition and also provides training across all of these specialties. A list of these fields can be found at this link: https://www.racp.edu.au/trainees/advanced-training/advanced-training-programs
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to apply for specialist recognition with RACP, you need to meet the following criteria:
- Completed specialist training overseas in a specialty assessed by RACP &
- Hold Specialist Recognition as a consultant physician or paediatrician in your country of training
- Completed EPIC Verification for your primary medical degree and specialist qualification
- Passed an English Language Test
- Either:
- 4 years of accredited overseas specialist training in your speciality OR
- 3 years consultant experience in your specialty
WILL RACP ORGANISE EMPLOYMENT FOR ME?
RACP will not organise employment for physicians; it is your responsibility to obtain an appropriate position in Australia with the timeframe specified by RACP, which is generally 2 years. RACP recommends you research potential employment opportunities before applying for an assessment as the appropriate roles can be highly competitive.
WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE ASSESSMENT?
The specialist assessment comprises of 3 different stages. You will 1st complete the initial assessment, which is where RACP will assess your application and determine what requirements you will need to undertake to become a specialist in Australia. Additionally, you will be required to attend an interview that provides suitably qualified Fellows in Australia to discuss your training and experience with you. Interviews are generally conducted via videoconference. During this process you will receive either a Substantially Comparable, Partially Comparable or Not Comparable outcome. If you receive either Substantially or Partially Comparable, you will proceed to the next stage. The initial assessment process can take between 3-9 months.
The 2nd stage is the ongoing assessment. This is where you complete the requirements RACP have given you from the initial assessment. This can include undertaking a minimum amount of practice, supervisors’ reports and further training courses. This process can take 6 months to 4 years to complete and will depend on the requirements that have been set.
The last stage is the final assessment. During this stage, RACP will determine if you have completed all requirements and if successful, will recommend you for specialist registration. This process takes approximately 2 months.
WHAT LEVEL OF AHPRA REGISTRATION WILL I BE ON?
You will be on Limited Registration with AHPRA, unless you are eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway. If you are eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway you will be on Provisional Registration.
FEES FOR SPECIALIST RECOGNITION
You will be expected to pay an Application submission fee and if eligible for recognition the Assessment of comparability fee for the initial assessment. After this, the required fees will depend on the requirements set by RACP.
A list of the fees can be seen below:
| Service | Initial Assessment Only | Substantially Comparable | Partially Comparable |
| Application Submission Fee | $999.90 AUD | $999.90 AUD | $999.90 AUD |
| Assessment of Comparability Fee | $5,637.50 AUD | $5,637.50 AUD | $5,637.50 AUD |
| Annual Work Based Assessment Fee (Year 1) | N/A | $4,379.10 AUD | $4,379.10 AUD |
| Annual Work Based Assessment Fee (Year 2) | N/A | N/A | $4,379.10 AUD |
| Total | $6,637.40 AUD | $11,016.50 AUD | $15,395.60 AUD |
Please note, the totals in the table above are an estimate as the required fees are dependent on the requirements of your placement.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
Once you have prepared your application, you can submit it electronically to OTP@racp.edu.au
AREA OF NEED POSITION
If you receive a job offer in an Area of Need, you will be required to submit an Area of Need assessment. This can be provided with your specialist recognition assessment or after, depending on when you receive the job offer. The Area of Need assessment helps to determine if you have the specific training and experience required for the position as there are less resources available and health practitioner in Areas of Need.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU:
If you are looking for further guidance on RACP Specialist Assessment or would like to ask further questions about the information mentioned, this is something our team can help you with. Contact us directly on help@peoplemedical.com.au.
Information for this blog has been taken directly from:
People Medical Consulting are a team of professionals with a passion for guiding those specialising in the Medical industry to find their career pathway and settle into Australia. Working with both Australian trained and Overseas trained professionals, we have extensive experience in Recruitment of General Practitioners and Document Assistance for those requiring support with RACGP, AHPRA, 19AA and 19AB Medicare Exemptions.
Responses