COVID-19 and intern requirements

25 Jun 2021

The Board has introduced flexibility for 2021 interns who have had their rotations interrupted because of COVID-19.

This includes a small number of interns who started their intern year in November or December of 2020.

The Board expects that interns will complete 47 weeks accredited service and will complete the full time in each core rotation, unless they have taken genuine COVID-19 related leave. The flexibility is only available to interns who have been unable to work as a direct result of COVID-19, such as a requirement to isolate or due to COVID-19 related illness.

For 2021 interns (including those who commenced in November-December 2020) the requirements are:

1. Interns who have had to take genuine COVID-related leave must complete:
1. at least 40 weeks full-time equivalent supervised service (a reduction of up to seven weeks from the standard 47 weeks required)
2. all accredited core terms, but each term length can be reduced by no more than two weeks if COVID-related leave was taken during that term
3. a minimum term of:
• eight weeks in surgery
• eight weeks in medicine
• six weeks in emergency medical care and
• a range of other approved terms to make up a minimum of 40 weeks full-time equivalent service.

The intern will need to explain the reasons for the shortfall when the period of supervised practice has been less than 47 weeks, but at least 40.

2. Interns who have not taken COVID-related leave must meet the requirements in the registration standard Granting general registration as a medical practitioner to Australian and New Zealand medical graduates on completion of intern training. Interns must complete:
1. at least 47 weeks full-time equivalent service
2. all accredited core terms with a minimum of:
• ten weeks in surgery
• ten weeks in medicine
• eight weeks in emergency medical care and
• a range of other approved terms to make up a minimum of 47 weeks full-time equivalent service.

For the purpose of granting general registration at the end of the intern year, the Board will continue to accept a report from the Director of Medical Services, Director of Training or another person authorised to sign off intern reports which confirms that each intern has performed satisfactorily during the intern year.

There are different arrangements in place for 2020 interns, including those who commenced their internship in a mid-year intake in 2020. These can be found in the Board’s March 2020 COVID-19 announcement.