AussieIMG Basics, Uncategorized

AMC vs AHPRA

AMC:

  • The Australian Medical Council (AMC) is an independent national standards body for medical education and training.
  • From an IMG perspective, its importance lies in the fact that AMC verifies/ certifies your medical degree (via EPIC ECFMG) and conducts AMC 1 and AMC2 exams.

AHPRA:

  • Manages the registration and renewal processes for health practitioners and students in Australia
  • Manages investigations into the professional conduct, performance or health of registered health practitioner
  • Works with the Health Complaints Commissions in each state and territory to make sure the appropriate organisation deals with community concerns about individual, registered health practitioners 
  • In short, AHPRA is responsible for approving and maintaining your registration.
AussieIMG Basics, Jobs and Registration

English Language Competency

The AHPRA requirements for English Language Competency are:

  • IELTS (academic module):  minimum overall score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
  • OET with a minimum score of B or 350 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
  • PTE Academic: minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking)
  • TOEFL iBT: minimum total score of 94 and the minimum scores of 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing, and 23 for speaking

You do not need to demonstrate English Language Competency if you apply via Competent Authority pathway. However, you may still need to take one of the above exams for visa purposes.

AussieIMG Jobs and Registration, Uncategorized

EPIC- ECFMG Verfication of degree

Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials or EPIC is a service provided by ECFMG, USA. EPIC is a service that verifies your medical credentials.

GMC requires your primary medical qualification/ medical degree to be verified by EPIC before GMC registration. You can start this process as soon as you have your degree certificate in hand. Please note that there is no need to get your transcripts verified.

Procedure establishing an EPIC account:

  • Login to their official account: www.ecfmgepic.org
  • Create your own account
  • They will ask for your personal details as well as details about your medical college.
  • Enter your name as mentioned in your passport.
  • Pay the required fee.
  • EPIC will take 1-3 days to verify and establish an account for you. You will receive an email when it is done.

Procedure for confirming your Indentity/ NotaryCam:

  • Once your account is established, Login in to your account.
  • EPIC will upload your EPIC Identification Form or the EIF form.
  • You will now have to get it verified and digitally signed by using NotaryCam.
  • You will receive an email through which you can schedule your NotaryCam appointment.
  • You will need your passport and your laptop/mobile.(make sure it has the front camera)
  • On the given date and time, you will receive a link from a NotaryCam agent.
  • Open that link and your video call will start.
  • The person will have a copy of your EIF form with them.
  • You will be asked to check the spelling of your name and other details on the form.
  • After this, you need to show the first page of your passport. Make sure that the entire passport is visible on the screen.
  • Once this is done, the person will help you to digitally sign your account and the process is done. It hardly takes 2 minutes for this.
  • The signed form will reflect in your EPIC account in a day or 2.

Verification of your credential:

  • Login to your account and upload your credentials in the ‘My credentials’ tab.
  • Select ‘Primary Medical Diploma’ while uploading your degree.
  • Also, select for the report to be sent to AHPRA directly once the entire process is done.(If you do not do this now, you will have to pay a small fee to EPIC later)
  • EPIC takes about $80 for each credential verification. You will have to pay the fees now.
  • Now comes the tricky part. If your college participates in electronic credential verification process, EPIC will directly send an email to your medical college and they will verify it electronically.
  • However, if your medical college doesn’t have this facility, EPIC will send a courier to your college. It needs to be signed by an authorised official(mostly the dean) of your college.
  • There is an optional courier fee. This is highly recommended as you can track your application and see whether it has reached your medical college.
  • Once it is signed by the authorised official, the college itself has to directly courier it to ECFMG. Make sure that the college sends it, that is, there should be a college stamp in the ‘From’ address.
  • You will receive an email once your credential is verified and you can view it in ‘My reports’ tab. A report will also be sent to AHPRA if you have selected the same prior.

This entire process can take anywhere between 2 weeks to a few months. It is highly advisable to plan this process in advance to avoid delays in booking your AMC 1

AussieIMG AMC 2

AMC 2

Duration: About 3.5 hours

Pattern: 16 stations (14 score+ 2 non scored or pilot stations) and 4 rest stations, each 10 min duration

Location: National Test Centre, Melbourne (note that during COVID times, it was held online)

Passing score:

PassObtain a pass score 10 or more of the 14 assessed stations
FailObtain a pass score in 9 or less of the 14 assessed stations
AussieIMG AMC 2, Basics

Work Place Based Assessment Pathway

Work place based assessment pathway or simply the WBA provides an alternative route for standard pathway applicants to gain General registration with AHPRA.

Instead of taking your AMC 2 or the clinical exam, candidates can enrol themselves into the WBA program, in which your daily performance in everyday clinical practice in Australian healthcare system is analyzed using tools like case- based discussions, multisource feedback etc, to ensure that you are clinically safe, make effective clinical judgements and can work prductively in a team

Eligibility

  • Successfully passed AMC 1 exam
  • Able to secure a WBA job in an accredited hospital

The list of AMC accredited WBA hospital can be found here.

Advantages:

  • Not required to take the AMC 2 exam (notorious for a low pass rate)

Disadvantages:

  • It costs a lot more financially to be on the WBA program
  • Finding a WBA job in an accredited hospital is difficult/ competitive
AussieIMG Basics

10 Year Moratorium

Under Section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973, international medical graduates (IMGs) are restricted on where they can work and access Medicare benefits. With restrictions placed on their Medicare provider number for a period of 10 years, IMGs are required to work in a Distribution Priority Area (DPA) if they are a GP or a District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) area if they are a non-GP specialist. An IMG is classified as a person who:

  • Completed a medical degree outside of Australia or New Zealand
  • Completed a medical degree in Australia or New Zealand as a temporary resident

Known as the 10 year moratorium, the restrictions remain in place until the service period is completed and the doctor becomes a permanent resident or Australian citizen.

10 year moratorium scaling:

Through 10 year moratorium scaling, GPs and non-GP specialists can work in more remote locations to reduce the amount of time they are required to work in DPA and DWS areas by up to 5 years. The more remote a location is, the more scaling credits will be applied to their 10 year moratorium service requirements. Once the doctor meets the requirements of Section 19AB and 19AA, they will be able to work in any location across Australia.

What does this mean for an IMG?

As long as you are in training or working in public hospital (even as a consultant), this clause should not impact you.

The problem arises if you want to enter private practise before your moratorium ends, in which case you will not be able to access Medicare Benefits. This means that your patients will have to pay the entire fee that you charge from their own pocket. There are quite a few exemptions to this rule (which I might elaborate later)

AussieIMG Basics, Jobs and Registration

Types of registration

There are 3 different kinds of registration that AHPRA offers:

Limited registration

IMGs must pass the AMC CAT MCQ Examination before they can apply to the Board for limited registration. In addition, the IMG must have secured an offer of employment.

The type of limited registration depends on the position:

  • Limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice 
  • Limited registration for area of need – if working in an area of need

Further information on limited registration is available on the Board’s website.

Provisional registration

IMGs who have successfully completed both the AMC CAT MCQ and the AMC Clinical Examinations (AMC Certificate holders) must apply for provisional registration. The IMG also needs to have secured an offer of employment.

Further information on provisional registration is available on the Board’s website.

General registration

IMGs on the Standard pathway must successfully complete 12 months of supervised practice (minimum of 47 weeks full-time service) in an approved position before being eligible to apply for general registration. The requirements for general registration are outlined in the Board’s Registration standard Granting general registration to medical practitioners who hold an Australian Medical Council certificate.

Regardless of whether an IMG has completed the AMC exams or the WBA, they must demonstrate that they have achieved the expected learning outcomes – either during completion of core rotations or through other learning experiences.

All IMGs on the Standard pathway must pass the AMC CAT MCQ Examination before they can apply to the Board for registration. IMGs who have passed the AMC CAT MCQ only can apply for limited registration.

IMGs who have passed both the AMC CAT MCQ and the AMC Clinical Examinations before commencing their period of supervised practice in Australia, must apply for provisional registration (they are not eligible to apply for limited registration).

All IMGs coming via the Competent Authority pathway must apply for provisional registration.

In practice, there is no difference between limited and provisional registration

AussieIMG Jobs and Registration

Recency of Practice

AHPRA requires you to meet their standard of recency of practice in order for you to be eligible for provisional/ limited registration.

To meet the standard of recency of practice, you must work WITHIN your scope of practice for a minimum of:

  • 4 weeks full time clinical practice in 12 months
  • 12 weeks full time clinical practice in 3 years

Full time clinical practice refers to 38 hours/week.

If you do not meet the recency requirements, the easiest way is to go back to your home country and work for 3 months. Else, you have the following options:

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE       GAP PERIODREQUIREMENTS
2 years or more1-3 yearsMaybe asked to complete CPD
2 years or more3 yearsRequire a plan for professional development and re-entry into practice
<2 years>1 yearRequired to recommence in a supervised training position
AussieIMG Jobs and Registration

Filling the AHPRA Registration Form

What are the steps to fill the AHPRA provisional/ general registration form?

You can apply for provisional or limited registration ONLY after you secure a job offer.

  • Gather all the required documents:
    • Proof of Identity-certified: Although there is a huge list of documents that you can choose from, the most commonly used ones are:
      • Passport
      • Driving License
    • Primary medical degree- certified
    • If coming via competent authority pathway, evidence of additional examinations (eg PLAB)
    • If you have any specialist qualifications (eg MD, DNB, MRCP etc), its evidence
    • Details of internship certificate
    • Certificate of Good Standing from all the authorities of all those countries where you have registration in the last 5 years
    • Signed and dated Curriculum Vitae
    • Letter of employment
  • International criminal history check (ICHC)
    • From all countries other than Australia in which you have lived, or been primarily based, for six consecutive months or longer, when aged 18 years or more
    • From either of the two AHPRA approved supplier:
  • Evidence of English language competency
  • Fill in the relevant application form
    • APRI-30: Application for provisional registration
    • APLS-30: Application for Limited registration
  • Send the application form to your hospital where you have been offered the job
    • They will attach the offer letter, supervised training plan and get your form signed by the Director of Clinical Training
  • Hospital will then forward your form to AHPRA
  • Wait for AHPRA to allot a Case Officer, who will go through your documents and ask for any clarifications/ additional documents, if needed
  • AHPRA will send you an in-principle approval letter
  • Once you make your move to Australia (which will be within a month or so after you receive your in-principle letter), do an ID check with AHPRA. The documents needed are:
    • Passport and driving license (or any other document that you submitted while filling the form)
    • Copy of your visa
    • Proof of your date of entry into Australia: Your trip itinerary or boarding pass (please note that Australian immigration does NOT stamp your passport)
  • Application will be finalized within the next few days. You can now start working.

AHPRA may deny your application for provisional or general registration if you do not meet the recency of practice.

AussieIMG Uncategorized, Visa

Work Visa (482) Application

  • The visa that most hospitals will sponsor is the ‘Temporary Skill Shortage Visa-Short Term Stream’ 482 subclass or simply the ‘482 visa’
  • You can stay on this visa for upto 2 years and it can be further extended for a period of another 2 years only
  • The application is entirely online and can be started after your hospital gives you a nomination letter.
  • Depending on your nationality, you may or may not be required to provide biometrics (Eg. Indian nationals are exempt from biometrics and the application is entirely online)

Documents required for this visa:

  • A digital photograph: A selfie from your phone is sufficient
  • Digital copy of your passport
  • Nomination letter from hospital
  • Police clearance certificate from your home country and any other country that you have lived in for more than a year since you turned 18 years old.
  • Evidence of English Language ability (note that the language requirements for 482 visa is different/lower level than that required for AHPRA registration)
  • In-principle AHPRA registration letter
  • A copy of your primary medical qualification
  • Your Curriculum Vitae
  • A letter from you stating that you are a Genuine Temporary Entrant and that you will not breach your visa conditions.

Once you gather these, all you need to do is to:

  • Submit the online application form and pay the fee.
  • A case officer (CO) will be allotted for your application who will then assess your case and ask for any clarification or details if required. The CO will also generate a HAP ID, which you will need to get your medical check-up done.
  • You will receive a copy of your finalized visa application in your inbox.

Learn more about the 482 visa via the Australian Government, Department of Home Affairs Website.