Medical Training Review Panel 19th Report

Competent Authority Pathway

Competent Authorities are designated overseas-accredited medical training and licensing examination authorities that have been reviewed and approved against criteria developed by the AMC as competent to undertake a basic assessment of medical knowledge and clinical skills for the purposes of registration in Australia. One of the criteria used to recognise a Competent Authority is the extent to which the clinical context of the country in which it operates is consistent with the Australian context of health care. This is defined in terms of the pattern of disease, level of medical technology and the delivery of medical education and professional ethics. The Medical Board of Australia has approved the following examination authorities:

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  General Medical Council (United Kingdom – for the PLAB examination or for graduates of GMC-accredited medical courses in the United Kingdom);
  
• 
  Medical Council of Canada (LMCC);
  
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  Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates of the United States (USMLE);
  
• 
  Medical Council of New Zealand (NZREX); and
  
• 
  Medical Council of Ireland (graduates of medical courses in Ireland accredited by this Council).
  

International medical graduates undergo a pre-employment assessment of suitability for a position if required by the Medical Board of Australia. Where the MBA determines a
Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI) is required, it is carried out by an
AMC-accredited provider against the position description. This may be carried out if required for more senior hospital-based positions and is included as a matter of course for general practice positions. International Medical Graduates eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway may apply for provisional registration.

In line with recommendations of the House of Representatives Lost in the Labyrinth report to streamline processes for the assessment of International Medical Graduates, the administration of IMG assessment for the Competent Authority pathway was passed over to the MBA/AHPRA and the assessment of overseas trained specialists to the relevant specialist medical colleges with effect from 1 July 2014.

Data for the period from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2014 were provided by the AMC and for the period from 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2014 by the AHPRA. Data for the two six month periods are presented separately for the AMC and the AHPRA because of differences in approaches to collection.

Table 5.4a shows that, for the period 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2014, the AMC assessed a total of 587 applicants through the Competent Authority Pathway. During this period, a total of 595 applicants qualified for advanced standing.

A total of 503 AMC Certificates were issued during the period from 1 January 2014 to
30 June 2014. Of these, 75.7% of Certificates were granted to international medical graduates from the United Kingdom. Graduates from Ireland were the next highest represented group (12.1%), followed by graduates from India (4.8%).

Table 5.4a: International medical graduates: Applications assessment through Competent Authority Pathway by AMC, 1 January 2014 - 30 June 2014