Medical Training Review Panel 19th Report

Standard Specialist Assessment

Overseas trained specialists applying for comparability to an Australian-trained specialist must have completed all training requirements and be recognised as a specialist in their country of training before applying under the specialist pathway for assessment of comparability.

There are three possible outcomes of assessment:

• 
  substantially comparable;
  
• 
  partially comparable, requiring up to two years of up-skilling to reach comparability; and
  
• 
  not comparable.
  

The majority of medical colleges will allow participants who are considered substantially comparable to Australian-trained specialists to gain fellowship, although most require a period of practise under oversight.

International medical graduates with specialist qualifications who are eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway apply for provisional registration under the Competent Authority Pathway. They must complete 12 months supervised practice if they wish to apply for general registration, in addition to applying for specialist registration through the Specialist Pathway.

For the period from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2014, a total of 1,708 overseas trained specialists applied for recognition as a specialist in Australia. Table 5.7a shows that 571 applicants were deemed to be substantially comparable and therefore had their application approved, while an additional 162 were deemed to be partially comparable (that is, requiring further training and/or examinations to gain approval).

Table 5.7b shows that, for the period 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2014, 637 overseas trained specialists applied for recognition as a specialist in Australia. During this period, 219 specialists were recognised as substantially comparable, with a further 172 considered partially comparable.

Table 5.7a: Specialist assessment process by medical specialty, 1 January 2014 – 30 June 2014