Specialist pathway - specialist recognition

SIMGs seeking specialist registration in Australia.

All IMGs must have a primary qualification in medicine and surgery awarded by a training institution recognised by both the AMC and the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS).

To be eligible for the Specialist pathway – specialist recognition, SIMGs must have satisfied all the training and examination requirements to practise in their field of specialty in their country of training.

The specialist pathway is for all recognised medical specialties.

This pathway leads to specialist registration.

SIMGs on the Specialist pathway need to apply for provisional or limited registration so they can complete a period of supervised practice.

When all requirements have been met the SIMG can apply for specialist registration.

• Apply to the AMC for primary source verification (PSV) of your primary and specialist medical qualifications. The AMC uses 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.
• Apply to the relevant specialist medical college for a specialist recognition/comparability assessment.
• SIMGs who want to work in an area of need can apply for an area of need assessment by the specialist medical college at the same time (combined assessment).
• The specialist college will send you the outcome of the assessment – either substantially comparable, partially comparable or not comparable (Report 1).
• For combined assessments – the specialist college will also send you the outcome of the area of need assessment – either suitable or not suitable for the position (Combined report).
• If you are assessed as substantially or partially comparable, you will need to secure a suitable position.
• If you are assessed as not comparable, you will not be eligible for specialist registration but you have the option to apply for a different pathway.
• Apply to the Medical Board for provisional registration (if you are also eligible for the Competent Authority pathway) or limited registration (all other applicants). The Board must approve the position you have secured and your proposed supervision arrangements.

• You can start practising when the Medical Board has granted you provisional or limited registration.
• Complete an orientation to the Australian health system and cultural safety education.
• After three months of practice, submit orientation and work performance reports (see Supervision arrangements and forms below).
• Complete the period of supervised practice (between three and 24 months), upskilling and assessments specified by the specialist college.
• Submit a work performance report at annual renewal of registration (if more than 12 months of registration required).
• Receive confirmation from the specialist college of satisfactory completion of requirements (Report 2).
• Apply to the Medical Board for specialist registration.

There are different fees charged by different organisations for different purposes.

• The AMC charges a fee to establish an AMC candidate account for you, so that it can arrange primary source verification (PSV) of your qualifications. Contact the AMC for fee information.
• ECFMG charge a fee for the EPIC PSV service. Contact the ECFMG for more information about fees.
• The specialist medical colleges charge fees for an assessment of comparability. See the relevant college website about college fees for IMGs.
• The specialist medical colleges charge fees for fellowship/membership. See the relevant college website about fees.
• There may be additional fees for assessments/exams while on this pathway.
• Ahpra and the Medical Board charge an application fee and a registration fee for limited/provisional and specialist registration. See the Medical Board fees page.
• CPD homes charge a joining fee. See the relevant specialist medical college for fees.

You can apply for registration online in the Ahpra portal.

Some requests and reporting associated with applications for registration still need to be made on a PDF form. Download the relevant form and once completed, log in to your Ahpra practitioner portal and upload it.

• Application for specialist college assessment – you need to source the application form from the relevant specialist medical college

Application for limited or provisional registration

• Application for limited registration postgraduate training or supervised practice as a medical practitioner can be made through the portal (previously - ALPS-30)

OR

• Application for provisional registration as a medical practitioner - Australian Medical Council certificate holders or applicants via the competent authority pathway can be made through the portal (previously - APRI-30)

Application for specialist registration

• Application for registration as a medical specialist (applicants who do not hold general registration) can be made through the portal (previously - AGSP-30)

OR

• Application for specialist registration for a medical practitioner (currently holding general and/or specialist registration) can be made through the portal (previously - ASPC-30)

The PDF supervised practice forms are on the Board’s Supervision page.

SIMGs on the Specialist pathway complete a period of supervised practice lasting between three and 24 months. The specialist medical college determines the length of the supervision period.

The SIMG will need to submit a supervised practice plan and a declaration form with their application for registration and nominate a supervisor, who the Board will need to approve.

• Supervised practice plan and supervisor's agreement for IMGs with limited or provisional registration - SPPA-30
• Declaration form (application) – DFLP-00

Your supervisor must complete the Declaration form - DFLP-00.

Both SPPA-30 and the Declaration form - DFLP-00 must be provided with your application for registration. We recommend you upload them as part of your application, the online form will prompt you when to upload the documents.

Alternatively, if you need to, you can upload them after you’ve submitted your application, to do this, click Upload documents in your dashboard in the Ahpra portal.

While you hold provisional or limited registration and are working towards specialist registration, you and your supervisor will need to complete these reports and provide them to the Board after three months’ practice:

• Orientation report for IMGs with limited or provisional registration - ORIG-30
• Work performance report for IMGs with limited or provisional registration - WRIG-30 

See the Guidelines - Supervised practice for international medical graduates for more detail.

Registration standards define the requirements to apply for registration and for ongoing registration.

For limited registrants:

• Limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice registration standard
• Limited registration for area of need registration standard

For specialist registrants: Registration standard: Specialist registration (2024).

See also mandatory registration standards for English language, criminal history, CPD, professional indemnity insurance and recency of practice on the Board’s registration standards page.

If you are on the Specialist pathway - specialist recognition and you have limited or provisional registration, you need to have a CPD home and do 50 hours of CPD each calendar year.

Your specialist medical college will be your CPD home.

General information about CPD is on the Board’s CPD page.

A list of the specialist medical colleges is available on the Board’s Useful contacts page.

The Board has developed Standards: Specialist medical college assessment of specialist international medical graduates. These Standards support specialist medical colleges in conducting assessments of SIMGs and explain what the Board expects of colleges when they are assessing SIMGs.

The Medical Board publishes data on the Specialist pathway collected from the specialist medical colleges.

FAQs for SIMGs are on the Board’s FAQs page.