Medical Training Review Panel 19th Report

Overseas Trained Specialists

Applications from overseas trained physicians or paediatricians for specialist recognition in Australia are assessed by the RACP. The assessment of comparability is based on the professional attributes, knowledge and clinical skills expected of an Australian trained specialist in the same field of specialist practice.

When assessing an overseas trained specialist for comparability, the RACP considers any training, assessment, experience, recent practice and continuing professional development (CPD) completed by the applicant to determine whether he or she is able to practice at a level comparable to the standard expected of an Australian trained specialist commencing in the same field of practice. Applicants are interviewed to assess their comparability to Australian-trained physicians and paediatricians. Representatives from the relevant subspecialty are involved at every stage of the process. The documentation and interview report are assessed by the relevant overseas trained physician/paediatrician (OTP) committee, which determines one of three possible outcomes to the assessment:

• 
  OTP is deemed to be substantially comparable to an Australian-trained physician/paediatrician;
  
• 
  OTP is deemed to be partially comparable to an Australian-trained physician/paediatrician; or
  
• 
  OTP is deemed to be not comparable to an Australian-trained physician/paediatrician and is advised to complete the AMC examination and apply to join the RACP training program.
  

If deemed ‘substantially comparable’, the applicant is generally required to complete
12 months of prospectively approved professionally supervised peer review before being eligible to apply for fellowship. If deemed ‘partially comparable’, he or she may be required to successfully complete some or up to 12 months of top up training before up to 12 months of peer review, as well as other assessments as required, such as written or clinical/oral examinations, work-based assessments or a practice visit.