Can I work as a General Practitioner or Physician in Family Medicine in Australia?

Yes, if you have obtained your specialist training in the following countries:

Curricula assessed as Partially Comparable

How to apply for registration as a General Practitioner in Australia

The first step in the process is applying for an assessment to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)

Specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs) must undertake a comparability assessment to determine eligibility to apply for entry into the PEP Specialist Stream Program.

Completing the comparability assessment

Comparability is the extent to which an SIMG’s recency, continuity of practice, continual professional development, assessment methods, training, qualifications and clinical experience are assessed as equivalent to an Australian-trained general practitioner at the point of attaining Fellowship with the RACGP

There are three parts to the application process for assessing your eligibility to enter the Program:

Part A – Comparability assessment

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Hold a specialist general practice qualification with a recognised curriculum and provide evidence of the training route completed and assessments undertaken
2. Assessment type – completed a summative assessment comprising both theoretical and practical components equivalent to those utilised within the RACGP examinations.
3. Recency of practice – your experience within both the last 12 months and last four years must meet the requirements of the Practice Experience Program – Specialist Stream Assessment of Recency Policy
4. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – completion of 50 hours CPD in the last 12 months and complete 10 case analyses on the RACGP template
5. Continuity of practice – explain any gaps in clinical practice of longer than three months

Applicants who receive a comparability outcome categorisation of Substantially Comparable or Partially Comparable will proceed to Part B.

Part B – Job offer approval application

1. Your job must meet the minimum part-time requirement of 14.5 hours over 2 days
2. Your job must be in comprehensive general practice in an approved practice location

Applicants with an approved job offer will proceed to Part C.

Part C – Right to work application

Applicants must provide evidence of the following:

1. Visa details including evidence of visa type
2. Health workforce certificate
3. Australian medical registration

If you have any questions about your specialist training as a GP, please contact  HealthStaff Recruitment by email: [email protected] or phone us on one of the free call numbers:

Australia 1800 330 533 │UK 0800 047 0924│ Ireland 1800 422 011 │ NZ 0800 223 381 │Canada 1866 286 7349

Find out more about GP Jobs in Australia at HealthStaff Recruitment.