The Medical Board of Australia recognises an additional competent authority

16 Sep 2020

US medical graduates who have successfully completed the United States National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) from 2005 and prescribed experience can now apply for provisional registration.

The Medical Board of Australia established the new competent authority pathway after it received advice from its accreditation authority, the Australian Medical Council, on the suitability of the NBOME and its COMLEX-USA as a competent authority.

The competent authority pathway allows international medical graduates who have completed specified training and/or assessment and prescribed experience in a competent authority country to be deemed qualified for general registration following satisfactory completion of 12 months supervised practice in Australia.  

Details of the new competent authority Category G is available on Board’s competent authority pathway webpage.

Background 

There are two pathways for primary medical training in the USA – Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO USA) and the Doctor of Medicine (MD). Both pathways are recognised in the USA. Graduates from both pathways are considered equally for positions as medical practitioners in the USA. Doctors who have been awarded the DO USA were until now eligible for limited registration in Australia.

The COMLEX-USA is a licensing examination for osteopathic medical graduates which leads to medical licensure in the USA. Osteopathic medical gradates seeking medical registration in the USA can choose to complete the COMLEX-USA or the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). US osteopathic medical graduates also complete an accredited residency program. The Board currently recognises the USMLE and prescribed experience for the purposes of provisional registration.