Becoming a Doctor in Australia

Jul 10, 2024

Becoming a Doctor in Australia for International Students

Introduction

  • Presenter: Dr. Manik Madan, PGY2 resident in the U.S.
  • Video divided into 7 parts:
    1. Benefits of becoming a doctor in Australia
    2. Pathways to become a consultant in Australia
    3. Required exams
    4. Residency training
    5. Salary and lifestyle of attending doctors
    6. Costs
    7. Visa and immigration

Benefits of Becoming a Doctor in Australia

  • Globally recognized degree (e.g., UK, Canada, Middle East, Singapore, New Zealand, India)
  • More affordable compared to USMLE and PLAB
  • Salary details:
    • Intern (PGY1): ~70,000 AUD
    • General Practitioner: 300,000 AUD
    • Consultant: 250,000-500,000 AUD
  • Quick immigration process:
    • Green card/Permanent Residency received within 2 years post full registration
    • Citizenship within 1 year post PR

Pathways to Become a Doctor in Australia

1. Standard Pathway

  • Eligibility Check: Via Australian Medical Council (AMC) website
  • Open EPIC Account: Identity verification through ECFMG
  • AMC Portfolio: Includes CV and medical degrees
  • AMC Exams:
    • Part 1: MCQ exam
    • Part 2: Clinical exam
  • OET/IELTS: Required for registration
  • Provisional Registration: Work as an intern (1 year)
  • General Registration: Post internship
  • Residency Training: Further specialization

2. Competent Authority Pathway

  • Recognizes doctors from certain countries (US, Canada, UK, NZ, Ireland) as equivalent
  • Process:
    • Medical school eligibility check
    • Open EPIC account & identity verification
    • Establish AMC portfolio
    • Bypass AMC exams
    • Provisional registration for 1-year internship
    • General registration
    • Residency and registrarship

3. Specialist Pathway

  • For internationally trained specialists
  • Sub-pathways:
    • Specialist recognition
    • Area of need recognition
    • Both specialist and area of need recognition
  • Process:
    • Obtain identity and medical degree verification
    • Apply to specialist colleges for assessment
    • Outcomes: Not comparable, partially comparable, substantially comparable

Required Exams

AMC Part 1

  • MCQ exam testing clinical knowledge
  • 150 questions, 3.5 hours
  • Unlimited attempts, no negative marking
  • 60% pass rate
  • Recommended resources:
    • John Murtagh’s General Practice, AMC Handbook of MCQs
    • Question banks: AMEDEX, AMC question bank

AMC Part 2

  • OSCE exam testing clinical skills
  • 20 stations
  • Online format
  • 28% pass rate due to knowledge gaps in older graduates
  • Alternative: Workplace Based Assessment (WBA)
  • Recommended resources:
    • AMC Handbook of Clinical Assessment, Karen’s short notes
    • Question banks, Geeky Medics for clinical videos

OET/IELTS

  • Required for any kind of registration
  • OET: Minimum B in all components
  • IELTS: Minimum 7 in all components
  • Recommended resources: Sample questions on the official website, free courses by E2 OET

Residency Training

  • Internship (PGY1): 1-year
  • Residency (PGY2): Pre-vocational training
  • Registrarship: Specialization (3-7 years)
  • Work-life balance: 40 hours/week, 5 days/week
  • Salary details:
    • Intern: 60,000-80,000 AUD/year
    • Annual increase by 10,000 AUD per year

Salary & Lifestyle of Attending Doctors

  • 40 hours/week, 5 days/week, compensated overtime
  • 5 weeks paid vacation
  • No 24-hour calls
  • Average salary:
    • General Practitioner: 300,000 AUD/year
    • Consultant: 400,000 AUD/year
    • Private Practice: Up to 1 million AUD/year

Costs

Standard Pathway

  • Total: 10,800-12,600 AUD (depending on limited registration)

Competent Authority Pathway

  • Total: ~3,700 AUD

Specialist Pathway

  • Total: ~5,500 AUD

Visa & Immigration

  • Work Visa: 482, 2-year initial, extendable to 4 years
  • Permanent Residency: Average 2 years post full registration
  • Citizenship: 1 year post PR
  • Faster green card process compared to US (14 years) and UK (5 years)