On 20 December 2024, AHPRA & National Boards released a new pathway for healthcare professionals wanting to enter Australia.
Well-credentialled internationally trained psychiatrists from the UK will be able to access a new fast track registration pathway so Australian patients can access their services sooner.
The expedited specialist pathway – a fast track to specialist medical registration that opened to specialist general practitioners in October 2024 – will now also be extended to eligible internationally qualified psychiatrists coming from the UK.
Under the expanded pathway, Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs) with the following qualifications will be able to apply for registration directly to AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia from 23 December:
Psychiatry:
- United Kingdom: Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) and a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), awarded under any RCPsych curriculum from August 2007 to date following satisfactory completion of a General Medical Council or Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board approved specialty training program in psychiatry in the United Kingdom.
Psychiatrists educated from other countries will still need to go through the The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP)
What is the process to apply?
- Apply to the AMC for primary source verification (PSV) of your primary and specialist medical qualifications. The AMC use the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) verification services.
- Apply to the ECFMG to establish an EPIC/MyIntealth account for verification of your qualifications.
- Check that your qualification is on the Board’s Expedited Specialist pathway: accepted qualifications list.
- Apply to the Medical Board for specialist registration.
- Submit a supervised practice plan including nominating a supervisor and details of an appropriate specialist position, that the Board will need to approve. This can be done when you apply for registration or after registration has been granted.
- If you want fellowship, contact the relevant specialist medical college to find out what the requirements are while on the Expedited Specialist pathway.
Eligible internationally qualified specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists will be able to access the pathway from early 2025, after the Australian Medical Council (AMC) has completed the required, robust qualifications assessment process and the Medical Board of Australia has approved specific qualifications.
The gateway to the pathway is a list of pre-approved qualifications (the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list). The qualifications on the list have been proposed by the specialist medical colleges, assessed by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and approved by the Medical Board of Australia for the accepted qualifications list.
Jurisdictions have confirmed that General Medicine, General Paediatrics and Diagnostic Radiology will be the next priorities for the Expedited Specialist Pathway in 2025.
The qualifications assessment process for these specialties, involving the Medical Board, the AMC and whenever possible the specialist colleges for these specialties, will begin in early 2025.
Get in touch with one of our recruitment consultants
