Australian and NZ medical graduates with overseas specialist qualifications

Medical practitioners awarded a Board-approved primary medical qualification in Australia or New Zealand and who hold an international specialist qualification and are seeking specialist registration in Australia. 

• To be eligible, Australian or New Zealand medical graduates must have satisfied all the training and examination requirements to practise in their field of specialty in their country of specialist training.
• To be eligible for the Expedited Specialist pathway, Australian and New Zealand medical graduates must have a specialist qualification on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list.

This pathway leads to specialist registration. 

Medical practitioners who have an approved Australian or New Zealand primary medical qualification are also qualified for general registration. 

Australian and New Zealand medical graduates whose specialist qualification is on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list can apply for specialist registration.

If the specialist qualification is not on the list, the doctor will need to apply for provisional or general registration to complete the requirements set by the relevant specialist college following the assessment of their specialist qualification. 

Australian and New Zealand medical graduates who have completed an accredited internship in Australia or New Zealand, can apply for general registration. If they have not completed an accredited internship, they apply for provisional registration.

• Apply to the AMC for primary source verification (PSV) of your specialist medical qualification. The AMC uses the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) verification services.
• Apply to the ECFMG to establish an EPIC/MyIntealth account for verification of your qualifications.

The verification process of the specialist qualification is the same as that undertaken for IMGs. 

The outcome of the verification process can be accessed by the college and Ahpra on the AMC portal.

If your specialist qualification is on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list:

• Apply to the Medical Board for specialist registration. You can also apply for provisional registration (if you have not completed an accredited internship in Australia) or for general registration (if you have completed an accredited internship in Australia). 
• See the application process on the Expedited Specialist pathway page.

If your specialist qualification is not on the list Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list:

• Apply to the relevant specialist medical college for a specialist recognition/comparability assessment. 
• The specialist college will send you the outcome of the assessment – either substantially comparable, partially comparable or not comparable. If your qualification is assessed as not comparable you will not be eligible for specialist registration and you have the option to apply for the college training program.
• Apply to the Medical Board for provisional registration (if you have not completed an accredited internship in Australia) or for general registration (if you have completed an accredited internship in Australia).
• If you are required to apply for provisional registration, you will need to secure a suitable position and provide details of your proposed supervision arrangements for Board approval.

If your specialist qualification is on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list and you have been granted specialist registration without conditions, you can start practising as a specialist.

• If you are not exempt from the requirements for supervised practice, orientation and cultural safety education, you will have conditions imposed on your specialist registration to enable you to complete these requirements. You cannot start practising until you secure a suitable position and provide details of your supervision arrangements for Board approval.
• See the Expedited Specialist Pathway page for information about these requirements.

If your specialist qualification is not on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list, you will hold either provisional or general registration and you can start practising. 

• Complete any requirements and assessments specified by the specialist college.
• Receive confirmation from the specialist college of satisfactory completion of requirements.
• There are additional reporting requirements for provisional registrants.
• Apply to the Medical Board for specialist registration.

There are different fees charged by different organisations for different purposes.

• The AMC charges a fee to establish an AMC candidate account for you, so that it can arrange primary source verification (PSV) of your specialist qualification. Contact the AMC for fee information.
• ECFMG charges a fee for the EPIC PSV service. Contact the ECFMG for more information about fees. 
• The specialist medical colleges charge fees for an assessment of comparability and associated requirements. See the relevant college website about college fees. 
• There are fees for assessments on the Expedited Specialist pathway. See the Expedited Specialist pathway page for details.
• Ahpra and the Medical Board charge an application fee and a registration fee for registration. See the Medical Board fees page. 
• CPD homes charge a joining fee. See the relevant CPD home for fees.
• If you choose to get fellowship, there will be college fees. Contact the college for details.  

Apply online or find the medical registration forms on the Board’s forms page.

For Australian and New Zealand graduates having their specialist qualification assessed by the college:

• Application for specialist college assessment – you need to source the application form from the relevant specialist medical college

Application for provisional or general registration

• Application for provisional registration as a medical practitioner - Australian and New Zealand medical school graduates - APRA-30

OR

• Application for general registration as a medical practitioner

Application for specialist registration

• Application for registration as a medical specialist (applicants who do not hold general registration) 

OR 

• Application for specialist registration for a medical practitioner (currently holding general and/or specialist registration)

If your qualification is on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list and you are not exempt from the requirement for a period of supervision, see the Expedited Specialist Pathway page for details. 

If your specialist qualification is not on the Expedited Specialist Pathway: accepted qualifications list, you will need to complete any requirements and assessments specified by the specialist college which may include supervised practice. 

If you hold general registration, there are no Board supervision requirements. 

There are additional reporting requirements for provisional registrants. Contact Ahpra for the details. 

Registration standards define the requirements to apply for registration and for ongoing registration.

For specialist registrants:  Registration standard: Specialist registration (2024).

See also mandatory registration standards for English language, criminal history, CPD, professional indemnity insurance and recency of practice on the Board’s registration standards page.

Australian and New Zealand medical graduates with an overseas specialist qualification who hold provisional registration, general registration or specialist registration need to have a CPD home and do 50 hours CPD each calendar year. 

You can choose an AMC-accredited CPD home that is suitable for your scope of practice – either a college or non-college CPD home. The CPD homes are listed on the About CPD homes page. 

More information about CPD requirements is on the Board’s CPD page. 

A list of the specialist medical colleges is available on the Board’s Useful contacts page. 

There are FAQs on the Expedited Specialist pathway on the Board’s FAQs page.