COVID-19 and intern requirements

30 Aug 2021

The Medical Board of Australia has made further changes for 2021 interns directly affected by COVID-19.

In June 2021 the Medical Board of Australia (the Board) reviewed requirements for 2021 interns who had their rotations interrupted due to COVID-19 related leave for illness or to isolate. The changes allowed for reduced time in core terms and reduced total time.

With recent COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns in a number of states and territories causing workforce pressures, the Board has made further changes for 2021 interns directly affected by COVID-19.

The Board expects that interns will complete the core terms and 47 weeks accredited service unless they:

• had to take genuine COVID-19 related leave (for COVID-19 illness or to isolate), and/or
• have been redeployed by their health service to meet COVID-19 related workforce needs.

For 2021 interns the requirements are:

1. Interns who have been directly affected by COVID-19 (had to take COVID-related leave):
   1. must complete at least 40 weeks full-time equivalent supervised service (a reduction of up to seven weeks from the standard 47 weeks required)
   2. can gain their clinical experience in accredited and non-accredited positions
   3. do not have to meet the requirement for the usual rotations of medicine, surgery and emergency medical care. The Board will accept clinical experience in any supervised rotations.

The intern will need to provide details of when the leave was taken and explain the reasons.

2. Interns who have been redeployed as a result of COVID-19:
   1. must complete at least 47 weeks full-time equivalent service
   2. can gain their clinical experience in accredited and non-accredited positions
   3. do not have to meet the requirement for the usual rotations of medicine, surgery and emergency medical care. The Board will accept clinical experience in any supervised rotations.

The Board may request confirmation from the employing health service that the redeployment was the result of COVID-19.

3. Interns who have not been directly affected by COVID-19 or redeployed as a result of COVID-19 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.