aussieimg1 Uncategorized

UK vs Australia Part 3

Life of a doctor in UK vs Australia

Professional Life

Despite less work hours and less work in general, compared to the UK, one might find it slightly more difficult to adjust to the Australian health care system in the beginning. This is because Australia has far less IMGs compared to the UK and hence colleagues might not be aware of the challenges that come up during the process of transition, thereby being less supportive. That said, nothing should be difficult if you have a sound knowledge base and good clinical skills.

Considering that Australia is a smaller country than UK in terms of population, naturally there are less training spots making it highly competitive to get into training. Also the process of getting into training is not as well structured as UK. However, local experience and local contacts are highly valued and it is your quality of work/ experience/ethics that will help you get a training spot. Once you have local experience, you are evaluated at par with any local graduate. I was able to successfully secure of training position within 6 months of starting work in Australia.

Once you become a consultant, Australia offers more flexibility and power to chose what you want to do, especially if you work in the private sector. The more you work, the more money you make. I personally know consultants who work long hours, but make great money (Read over 1 million AUD an year!) in return.

Personal Life

The work-life balance that Australia offers is probably the best in the world. 38 hour work week means one has lots of free time to themselves. It is not uncommon for doctors to have hobbies like camping, trekking, fishing or playing a musical instrument. Furthermore, Australia enjoys a warm weather round the year, which means you can spend most of your time outdoors/ basking in the sun- a major difference compared to the UK. For me, being able to enjoy life outdoors/ try new hobbies is a massive advantage, especially given that I live alone.

For people coming from the tropical/ sub-tropical countries, another major advantage is the easy availability of cheap, locally grown tropical fruits and vegetables- be it mangoes, guava, custard apples or different species of gourd. I personally enjoy having the same kind of food here in Oz as that back home.

IMGs (and immigrants in general) are able to maintain closer ties with parents and siblings considering the ease of long term visa availability for parents as well as the option of sponsoring visas for siblings. Almost every doctor that I know of, who has lived in this country for more than 10 years has had their parents move to Australia permanently.

Average Australian houses are larger compared to the UK. Most houses have a huge backyard and a pool- in keeping with the outdoor lifestyle.

As mentioned in my other posts, you earn a lot more in Australia compared to UK. Earnings will rise exponentially once you become a consultant and have your own private practise.

aussieimg1 Life in Australia, Uncategorized

UK vs Australia- Part 2

Salary in UK vs Australia

The following table compares the average salary of a PGY2/3 doctor in UK vs Australia.

 United KingdomAustralia
Annual income (Basic/Pre-tax)AUD 55,231AUD 89,852
Monthly income (Basic/Post-tax)AUD 4,603AUD 7488
Tax paid (based on income slab)20%32.5%
Average hours/week worked48 hours38 hours
Hourly pay (Basic/Pre-tax)AUD 24AUD 46

Disclaimer: Please note that I have calculated the above by comparing my PGY2 salary received in UK in the year 2019 with my PGY3 salary received in Australia in 2020.

Other important thing to note:

  1. Weekend rates
    • If you are rostered to work on Saturdays, you are paid 50% extra for every hour worked, whereas if you work on Sundays, you are paid 100% extra/ double your basic pay for every hour worked.
    • For instance, if your basic hourly pay is AUD 40, you will be paid AUD 60 for every hour of work that you do on a Saturday and AUD 80 per hour on a Sunday.
  2. Overtime rates
    • For every hour of rostered overtime work i.e beyond 76 hours/fortnight, you are paid double the basic pay.
    • For instance, if you basic pay is AUD 40/hour, you will be paid AUD 80 for every work worked beyond 76 hours a fortnight.
  3. Night rates
    • You are paid 15% extra for every hour worked between 7pm and 8am (provided that the majority if your shift lies between this time).
aussieimg1 Life in Australia, Uncategorized

UK vs Australia-Part 1

Why I chose to move to Australia?

The weather

This was probably main reason as to why I chose to move to Australia. I moved to UK in the end of September, by then the days had started to become short. It was dark when I left for work in the morning and dark when I returned home. I could never see the sun for days at a stretch. This drastically affected my mental well-being.

Australia, on the other hand has great weather. While the southern parts of the country can get very cold in winters (with the weather being very similar to that of UK eg Hobart or Launceston is Tasmania), rest of the country enjoys a pleasant, warm weather with plenty of sunshine.

Coming from a tropical/subtropical country, this change in weather made a HUGE positive impact on me- the same/similar species of flowers, grass and birds as that in India made me miss Home a bit less and living away from Home more tolerable.

Better working conditions

NHS is amazing, but the work load is immense. Australian hospitals are way less busy than the NHS, thanks to the tiny population of Australia- which is less than half of UK. This means less work, leaving work on time and better working conditions in general

Better pay

Part 2 of life in UK vs Australia will compare the salary of a doctor in UK vs Australia

Better outdoor activities

Better weather translates into better outdoor activities! Camping, fishing, hiking, fossicking and so on. Do not forget the amazing beaches!

Laid back attitude/ less formal

People in UK are polite, extremely polite. Polite even if they don’t like you. While some might like the countless ‘thank yous and sorrys’, it felt fake to me. I could never really understand as to why people were not straightforward and to the point.

Australians are polite, but not ‘fake’ polite. You will not hear ‘thank yous and sorrys’ for no reason- a culture very similar to that back home.

Less training time, especially when dual training

Training time in Australia is less compared to UK for most specialties by a year or so. Although 1 year less does not matter much in the long run, it matters if you want to dual train ie train in 2 specialties together. For instance, if you want to dual train in renal and palliative care or endocrine and nuclear medicine, you can complete your training in 7 years if you plan well (3 years of basic training+ 4 years of specialty training)

Easier access to community based services

This is something that I did not know while making the move to Australia, but I do know of people who moved for this very reason. If you have someone in your family who require community based healthcare services (for instance, a child who is autistic that needs regular occupational therapy), it is much easier to get that funding and support in Australia compared to UK

Less time to get permanent residency and citizenship

I have mentioned about permanent residency here. You can apply for an Australian citizenship after living in Australia for atleast 4 years (need to be a permanent resident for atleast 1 year before applying for citizenship)

Easier long stay visa for parents

Getting your parents to stay with you in the long run is much more easy in Australia than UK. Parents can also apply for permanent residency.

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 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 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.

AussieIMG AMC 1, Uncategorized

AMC 1- Exam Pattern

About AMC 1 or the AMC Computer Adaptive Test MCQ Examination

Duration: 3.5 hours

Mode of delivery: Online, at Pearson VUE test centres

Exam dates: Generally held in the third week of every month (From Monday to Friday, i.e 5 days/ month). When you pay your exam fee, you will be issued a 12 month authorisation to schedule for one MCQ examination event covered in that 12-month period.

Number of questions: 150

Number of questions from each subject:

1. Medicine -35
2. Surgery Questions-25
3. Obstetrics and Gynecology Questions-15
4. Pediatrics Questions-15
5. Psychiatry Questions-15
6. General Practice and Public Health Questions-15 

Non-scored Questions or Trial: 30

Passing score: You need a score of atleast 250 to pass.

This is what the AMC website says about the scoring system:

candidates are expected to answer all 150 MCQ questions in the examination.
It is important to note that the determination of a candidate’s ability is not based simply on the
number of correct answers given by the candidate. Because of the CAT component of the
examination some candidates would have been administered difficult questions whilst others
would have been administered easier questions – depending on the correct or incorrect
answers to previous questions. Therefore, if candidates have the same number of correct
answers, the ability of the candidate that answered the difficult questions will be higher than
the ability of the candidate that answered the easier questions.
The AMC score is based on measurement of the candidate ability level and (for convenience)
represented on a scale of 0 to 500. A passing score is represented on the scale at 250.
Failure to complete all 150 items in the AMC CAT MCQ examination may lead to insufficient
information for a reliable ability to be determined and therefore a result on the AMC adaptive scale.

Results announced in: 4 weeks time

AussieIMG Jobs and Registration, Uncategorized

Job Interview Questions

Some of the common interview questions ( junior doctor level- Intern, RMO )

  • What did you learn during your internship? What was your day typically like?
  • Tell me one instance which demonstrates your team work?
  • What is your biggest strength and biggest weakness?
  • What are you future plans? How do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
  • Why did you apply for this job?
  • Tell me one mistake that you made at work. What did you learn from it?
  • Clinical scenario: MI, PE, DKA, Heart Failure, Pneumonia
  • Ethical scenario: Patient’s son calls you and asks about his father’s condition.
  • Questions about audit, clinical governance and research.
  • Some informal questions about my city, bollywood and my favourite bollywood hero.
  • Do you have any questions for us?
AussieIMG Jobs and Registration, Uncategorized

Job Application Overview

  • Jobs contracts in Australia (for junior doctors) are given out for a maximum period of 1 year.
  • This means that every junior doctor (including trainees) needs to re-apply for a job every year, even if staying in the same hospital (in which case, it is more or less a formality)
  • For this purpose, every year, around May to September, each Australian state runs an annual recruitment drive called the ‘Campaign’.
  • The posts that are not filled through the Campaign are advertised/ filled later.
  • Getting your first job in Australia through the campaign is less likely. Applying to each hospital individually gives you a higher success rate of landing your first job.

Websites:

  1. Queensland: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/employment/job-search
  2. New South Wales: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/careers/Pages/search_job.aspx
  3. Victoria: https://careers.vic.gov.au/jobs
  4. Western Australia: https://medjobswa.mercury.com.au
  5. Tasmania: https://careers.jobs.tas.gov.au
  6. Northern Territory: https://jobs.nt.gov.au

Jobs are also advertised through the following websites:

  1. https://www.seek.com.au
  2. https://au.indeed.com

Interview:

  • Successful candidates will be notified about their interview date and time via email.
  • Most interviews are held online (via Skype, teams etc) or via a phone call
  • Remember that you are almost always guaranteed a job if you get an interview, unless you royally mess it up.
  • Most interviews last for <15 min.

Wondering how to prepare for the interview? Read about this here.

AussieIMG Basics, Uncategorized

Australian Healthcare System Overview

How does the Australian healthcare system work?

Note that this is an extremely simplified explanation of the Australian Healthcare System. In reality, the system is much more intricate.

Australian healthcare system is undoubtedly one of the best in the world.

There are two parts to this:

Public system

  • Which is fully funded through the State government and Medicare

Private system

  • Most Australians will have some sort of private health insurance which will enable them to access the private health system.
  • If your income is above a certain thresh-hold, you will be required to pay a ‘surcharge’ to the government if you do not hold private health insurance. This arrangement has been in place to encourage high income individuals to take out private health insurance and thus reduce the pressure off the public health system

What is Medicare?

  • Medicare is Australia’s universal healthcare scheme.
  • It is available to Australia citizens, permanent residents and people from countries with reciprocal agreements.
  • Medicare covers the entire cost of public hospital services, services provided by GPs and specialists.
  • The Medicare also includes the PBS or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which provides subsidy on medicines.

How does the Private System work?

  • Billing in a private healthcare system is slightly complicated with lots of rules and regulations. I am only going to talk about the very basics here, in a very simplified way.
  • Say, you are having an outpatient Gastroscopy, for which the Specialist charges AUD100 from you.
  • Medicare will contribute a pre-fixed amount eg AUD85
  • Your private health insurance may contribute a part/full of the remaining AUD15, depending on your health insurance cover.
  • Some specialists (or GPs) may choose to ‘Bulk’ or ‘Medicare’ bill- which means that they will only charge AUD85 for their services, which will come directly from Medicare (no out of pocket expenses).