Revised registration standards for limited registration take effect from today

01 Jul 2016

Revised registration standards for the four types of limited registration available under the National Law¹ take effect from today.

The revised registration standards for the four types of limited registration are:

• Registration standard for limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice
• Registration standard for limited registration for area of need
• Registration standard for limited registration in public interest
• Registration standard for limited registration for teaching or research

Limited registration applies to international medical graduates (IMGs) who do not qualify for general or specialist registration. The registration standards for the four types of limited registration define the requirements IMGs must meet to be granted limited registration or to renew limited registration.

The revised standards will replace the current standards. Applicants for registration and registered medical practitioners renewing registration are expected to meet the requirements of the registration standard that applies to their type of registration from 1 July 2016.

The revised standards are available on the Board’s website. For more information on changes to limited registration requirements, see the news item previously published by the Board.

The Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council approved the revised standards on 27 August 2015. The standards were revised after a scheduled review, which included public consultation. The submissions to the public consultation are published on the past consultations page of the Board’s website.  

Guidelines for short-term training in a medical specialty published today

New Guidelines: Short-term training in a medical specialty for international medical graduates who are not qualified for general or specialist registration (the Guidelines) are also in effect from today.

These guidelines apply to international medical graduates (IMGs) who are either qualified specialists, or specialists in training in other countries, who wish to have additional training in Australia for a short period of time (usually up to two years). Practitioners in this pathway have to confirm that they do not intend making further applications for registration in Australia at the end of the specified training period.

The Guidelines are linked to the revised registration standard for limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice. Both documents define the eligibility criteria for registration under this existing pathway (specialist pathway – short-term training) to be known as the ‘short term training in a medical specialty pathway’ from the effective date.

The eligibility criteria for registration under this pathway have not changed. However, the Guidelines clarify the intended purpose of this pathway and make it clear that this pathway does not lead to a qualification for specialist registration. International medical graduates seeking to qualify for specialist registration must meet the requirements of the ‘specialist pathway - specialist recognition’.

The Guidelines also clarify the roles of the specialist medical colleges and the Board in assessing and registering IMGs seeking short-term training in a medical specialty. 

The Board developed these Guidelines after public consultation. The submissions to the public consultation are published on the past consultations page of our website.

¹Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory