The 2019 Australian Medical College data for international medical graduate (IMG) applications makes interesting reading.
This data is about the applications from specialists trained outside of Australia who undertake paper based assessments (forms) and in most cases also include a face to face or video interview. A respective college assesses qualifications and training against a specialist trained in Australia.
I read it all so you didn't have to. My major take-aways were:
- Highest number of applications came from UK (316), India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Iran (25).
- The two colleges with the highest number of applications were the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) with 192 applications and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) with 187 applications.*
- Across ALL the colleges 94% of IMGS who completed their specialist training in UK and Ireland were assessed as 'substantially comparable' - the highest level of outcome. This compares to 89% in 2018.
- In 2019 41% of psychiatry applications were submitted from specialists in the UK and 23% from psychiatrists in India.
- In 2019 the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists assessed 85 IMGs. In 2018 this figure was 71.
- Out of 85, 6 (7%) Psychiatrists were assessed as 'not comparable'.
- Out of the 85, 31 (36%) of Psychiatrists were assessed as "partially comparable".
This last figure is significant as you cannot work as a consultant psychiatrist in Australia with a 'partially comparable' outcome. Clearly, the psychiatrists assessed as 'partially comparable' didn't receive proper guidance prior to their college application. If I believe a psychiatrist doesn't meet RANZCP criteria I advise the combined factors of the financial risk (cost of application) plus the time needed to complete the application makes it too risky for them to proceed. Further, because a psychiatrist must submit a formal job offer with their assessment application (this doesn't apply to all medical colleges) an adverse 'partially comparable' outcome for a psychiatrist means they cannot fulfil the prospective employer's offered contract.
Please note each medical college has different criteria.
Important stuff! If you would like to check your eligibility for any of the medical colleges or to ask about working in Australia or to discuss any jobs, please contact Alasdair Spinner on alasdair@spinnermedical.com or call +44 7414 531 583.
*Notably the 2019 figure of 192 General Practitioners applications is markedly down from the 2018 number of 353. Why? Major changes were announced in 2019 whereupon the number of areas where IMG GPs could work were limited and costs increased for IMG GPs.
Reference: https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/