Postgraduate training or supervised practice

Limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice

Typically, this type of registration is for international medical graduates (IMGs) who are undertaking supervised training in Australian hospitals or other health-care facilities.

IMGs may intend to return to their country of training after completing their training in Australia, or may seek to complete the requirements to become eligible for general or specialist registration.

This is also a suitable type of registration for medical practitioners who are undertaking training so that they can sit the Australian Medical Council (AMC) clinical examination.

New applicants who are eligible for the competent authority pathway or who already hold the AMC Certificate apply for provisional registration (they are not eligible to apply for limited registration).

Medical practitioners with this type of registration must comply with the Medical Board of Australia’s registration standard on limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice, which includes requirements that they:

• comply with a supervision plan 
• comply with a training plan 
• authorise and facilitate the provision of regular reports from their supervisors to the Board about their safety and competence to practise 
• perform satisfactorily in the postgraduate training or supervised practice position, and 
• provide evidence to confirm satisfactory progress towards meeting the requirements for general registration or specialist registration. Medical practitioners are exempt from this requirement if they will not apply for more than three renewals of registration.

Medical practitioners with this type of registration are in one of three pathways leading to general or specialist registration:

• competent authority pathway (prior to 1 July 2014) 
• standard pathway, or 
• specialist pathway.

Applying for a change in circumstances

If you wish to change the circumstances under which your registration was granted, you must apply to the Board for approval of any proposed changes. For example, if you want to work in a new position, want to change or add work sites to your existing position, change supervisors or change supervision levels, you must complete the Request for change in circumstances for international medical graduates with limited or provisional registration form (ACCL-30) for the Board’s consideration.

IMGs who are on the specialist pathway who are participating in hospital based, college supervised exam preparation and/or fellowship exams, outside their approved registration location(s), do not need Board approval of the additional locations, provided the IMG has no patient care responsibilities and they do not interfere with or intervene in the management of any patients. IMGs will need to seek the approval of the hospital to participate in these activities.

For more information see the registration standard for limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice.