Working in Australia as a doctor
Clinical fellows - working in Australia as a
doctor
Detailed information on working in Australia and how to register
as a doctor is available on the DoctorConnect website of the
Department of Immigration & Citizenship
Medical registration
For doctors working with Victorian Clinical Genetics
Services (trading as Genetic Health Services
Victoria)
Before you can work as a Medical Practitioner in Australia, you
need to gain registration. Medical Registration is currently
managed by each individual state Medical Registration Board, with
plans to move to a national system. Throughout Australia and New
Zealand there is a mutual recognition policy, which means that your
registration will be recognised in other states, thus making
ongoing registration a streamlined process.
For more information on medical registration, please visit
the Australian Health
Practitioner Regulation Agency website.
For doctors working with the MCRI and the Royal
Children's Hospital (RCH)
In the case of clinical fellows employed within the MCRI,
medical registration will generally be organised by staff from the
RCH since it is trough this organisation that you will undertake
your clinical work. Generally if visa arrangements are also
required, these will also be organised through the RCH. In this
instance, you must seek input from MCRI Human
Resources.
English language proficiency for clinical
fellows
International Medical Graduates who have applied for, or who
have been offered an appointment as a clinical genetics fellow or
clinical metabolic fellow within the VCGS or as a clinical fellow
with the MCRI/RCH, must meet the English Language requirements as
detailed in the table below. English Language Testing will be
mandatory where doctors are not native English speakers. Results of
a MCRI and VCGS-recognised English test (International English
Language Testing System (IELTS)) must be forwarded to the MCRI
Human Resources team, prior to commencement of the formal
appointment process.
|
IELTS Score Achieved
|
Appointment at MCRI/VCGS possible?
|
Action
|
| All bands >= 7 |
Yes |
Appointment proceeds with no
further action. |
"Observing" doctors
Doctors classified as "observers" (ie not performing any
clinical duties and thus not requiring medical registration with
the Medical Registration Board of Victoria) will not be required to
undertake English Language testing.
Exemptions from English Language Testing
Exemptions from English Language testing for International
Medical Graduates will be approved in accordance with the
recommendations by the Australian Medical Council, which are:
- The doctor has completed secondary education in a country with
English as the first language (not merely the official language)
and a copy of secondary school records have been forwarded to the
MCRI Human Resources team.
Licensing requirements for other health (or similar)
professionals working as researchers
We have outlined specific information for clinical doctors
wanting to work in their profession in Melbourne. For other
health professionals, there will also generally be licensing
requirements in order for you to practise in these professions eg
for psychologists, physiotherapists, dentists etc. Please consult
the relevant website regarding your professional qualifications and
accreditation and remember to indicate that you seek to practise in
Victoria. If you are to join a specific position within the
Institute, the relevant recruiting line manager will also be able
to provide you with guidance about this process. Human Resources is
also available to assist.
Information is provided below about the Overseas Qualification
Unit for individuals looking to work in their professional
occupations in Melbourne and to have their pre-existing overseas
qualifications recognised.
General
If you are relocating to Australia, we strongly suggest you
always bring certified copies of your academic transcripts,
references and any other documents relevant to any professional
qualifications you may hold eg as a psychologist, physiotherapist
etc.
Recognition of your overseas
qualifications
To have your overseas academic qualifications recognised in
Australia, you need to contact the
Overseas Qualification Unit and follow the
processes set by that body.