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1.	Does English language proficiency testing apply in Victoria?

Yes. International medical graduates applying for registration in Victoria must be able to communicate effectively with patients, other medical practitioners and health professionals and to maintain professional standards.

The Board has determined that the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an appropriate language-testing model to ensure this.

All international medical graduates applying for registration in Victoria for the first time must provide evidence of competency in speaking and communicating in English. This means they must have:

• Completed the IELTS examination (academic module) and gained a minimum score of seven in each of the four components or
  Gained pass in each of the components the Occupational English Test (OET) administered by the Centre of Adult Education with grades A or B only or
• Passed the Professional Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) in the United Kingdom or
• Passed the English language proficiency component of the New Zealand Registration Exams (NZREX)

Results must have been obtained in one sitting and less than two years before applying for registration in Victoria, with the following exceptions:

• An IELTS (or approved equivalent) Test Report Form more than two years old will be accepted as evidence of present level of ability if accompanied by proof that a candidate has actively maintained employment as a medical practitioner in a country where English is a native or first language
• An applicant can provide evidence of secondary education in English one of the following countries – Canada, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA, South Africa
• The Board has the discretion to exempt an applicant from the above requirements in “special circumstances”, which may include when the registration is for:
• Performance of a demonstration in medical techniques or
• Undertaking research which involves limited or no patient contact or
• Undertaking postgraduate study or training while working in an appropriately supported environment which will ensure patient safety is not compromised.

The policy detailing National English Language Proficiency Requirements for International medical graduates is available here.

2.	Does the Board provide information on job vacancies and training opportunities in Victoria for overseas trained doctors?

No. The Board’s role is to register suitably qualified medical practitioners to practise medicine in Victoria. It does not maintain information on job vacancies.

When you apply to the Board for registration to undertake supervised training in Victoria, you will need to have already secured a suitable job offer.

The following website may assist you in establishing contact with Victorian teaching hospitals - www.drsref.com.au/hospitals/vic.html

3.	I intend to reside permanently in Australia. How do I obtain registration to practice medicine in Victoria?

You will need to have qualifications that entitle you to apply for General Registration under section 6 of the Health Professions Registration Act 2005 or have specialist qualifications that entitle you to apply for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(f) of the Act

General Registration - section 6

General Registration enables you to work independently within the boundaries of your training and competence**.

**If your primary medical qualification was obtained from a medical school outside of Australia or New Zealand, which was not accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC), you can apply for General Registration only when you have completed:

• The AMC exam and
• 12 months of broad based supervised training in an Australian teaching hospital. This period of supervised training should include rotations of 10 weeks duration in medicine and surgery and eight weeks in emergency medicine.

You should refer to the policy - General Registration - for details of eligibility requirements

Press to access application form - General Registration - AMC Graduates

Specific Registration - section 7(1)(f)

If you are not eligible for General Registration, but you have specialist qualifications that are recognised by an Australian specialist college, you can apply to the Board for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(f) of the Act. This enables you to practise within a medical specialty.

To establish that your overseas qualifications are equivalent to Australian qualifications, you must first apply to the relevant Australian specialist medical college, through the Australian Medical Council (AMC), to have your overseas specialist training and qualifications assessed.

You should note carefully the AMC’s procedural requirements – see http://www.amc.org.au/

When an Australian specialist college has recognised your specialist qualifications, you are eligible to apply to the Board for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(f) of the Act. This entitles you to practise medicine in your specialty field.

Press to access Specific Registration application form section 7(1)(f)

You should refer to the policy – Specific Registration under Section 7(1)(f)- for details of eligibility requirements

 

Note: You may be eligible for another form of Specific Registration that enables you to work in Victoria while you study for the AMC exam for General Registration or seek recognition of your qualifications from an Australian specialist college.

Other types of Specific Registration that may be available to you are:

Specific Registration - section 7(1)(d)(i)&(ii)

This enables you to work towards specialist recognition by an Australian specialist college or to work in a supervised training position as you prepare for AMC examinations.

To be eligible for registration for this type of registration you must:

• Have received a job offer from a Victorian teaching hospital and
• Meet English language proficiency testing requirements (see question 1) and
• Provide evidence of good standing with the medical registration authority with which you are currently registered (or most recently registered), dated within the last three months and
• Provide evidence of having successfully completed a period of internship (or equivalent) and
• Provide evidence that you are a candidate for AMC examinations or evidence that you are working towards specialist recognition through an Australian specialist college and

Have completed the application form, providing all attachments.

 

You should refer to the policies – Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i) and Specific Registration under Section 7(1)(d)(ii) - for details of eligibility requirements

Press to access Specific Registration application form section 7(1)(d)(i) & (ii)

You are strongly advised to visit the Australian Medical Council’s website http://www.amc.org.au/ for information on both the AMC examination and the process for assessing overseas specialist qualifications.

4.	How do I obtain an assessment of my medical qualifications for the purposes of the Skilled Occupations List (SOL) or Migration Occupations in Demand list (MODL)?

To take advantage of the SOL or MODL, you must be eligible to apply to the Board either for General Registration under section 6 of the Act or Specific Registration under section 7(1)(f) of the Act.

Refer to Question 3 to establish eligibility for either of these forms of registration.

5.	I wish to visit Victoria to undertake supervised training. How do I obtain registration for this purpose?

You may be eligible for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i) or (ii) of the Act to pursue your training objective in Victoria.

To register for this you must:

• Have received an appropriate job offer from a Victorian teaching hospital and
• Meet English language proficiency testing requirements (see Question 1) and
• Provide evidence of good standing with the medical registration authority with which you are currently registered (or most recently registered), dated within the last three months and
• Have successfully completed a period of internship (or equivalent) and
• Provide evidence of your candidacy for AMC examinations or evidence of progress made towards specialist recognition through an Australian specialist college and
• Have completed the application form, providing all attachments

Guidelines for for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i) or (ii) are available here.

You can download an application form for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i) or (ii) here (PDF format).

6.	I am in Victoria to undertake a medical teaching or research position. How do I obtain registration for this purpose?

You may apply to the Board for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(a) of the Act for this purpose. With your application you must also provide:

• Details of the nature, time and location of the demonstration
• The name of the registered medical practitioner responsible for coordinating the demonstration
• Certified copy of your primary degree
• Certified copy of evidence of completion of internship or equivalent
• Certificate of Registration Status/Good Standing from the last medical registration authority with which you are/were registered, dated within the last three months Certified copy of photo identification
• Passport size photograph
• Evidence of compliance with English language testing requirements or, where appropriate, an application for exemption from these requirements

When the Board grants your application, you will be issued with a Certificate of Registration for the period requested. You will not be required to attend the Board’s offices to present documentation to complete registration formalities.

Guidelines for for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(a) are available here (PDF format).

You can download an application form for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(a) here (PDF format).

7.	As an International Medical Graduate, am I able to undertake my internship in Victoria?

You may be eligible for medical registration for this purpose, but you would need first to be offered an accredited intern position by a Victorian teaching institution. The Post Graduate Medical Council of Victoria (PMCV) coordinates the allocation of accredited intern positions to eligible graduates. Visit http://www.pmcv.com.au/ for policy information and contact details.

When you have been offered an accredited intern position, you can lodge evidence of this with the Board, together with your application for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i).

Guidelines for for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i) are available here (PDF format).

You can download an application form for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(d)(i) here (PDF format).

8.	I have completed Australian Medical Council examinations but have not undertaken the required period of supervised training to be eligible to apply for General Registration. How do I obtain registration for this purpose?

You can apply to the Board for Provisional Registration for this purpose only when you have been offered an appropriate supervised training position from a Victorian teaching institution.

Note: The 12 months supervised training you are required to complete must be broad based and include at least 10 weeks in medicine and surgery and eight weeks in emergency medicine.

When assessing an application for General Registration, the Board takes into account periods of Australian supervised training begun before your completion of Australian Medical Council examinations.

To gain provisional registration for this purpose you must:

• Have received an appropriate job offer from a Victorian teaching hospital and
• Meet English language proficiency testing requirements (see Question 1) and
• Provide evidence of good standing with the medical registration authority with which you are currently registered (or most recently registered), dated within the last three months and
• Have successfully completed period of internship (or equivalent) and
• Be able to provide evidence of your candidacy for AMC examinations or evidence of progress made towards specialist recognition through an Australian specialist college and
• Have completed the application form, providing all attachments

Guidelines for Provisional Registration under section 9(1) as an AMC exam graduate are available here (PDF format).

You can download an application form for Provisional Registration under section 9(1) as an AMC exam graduate here (PDF format).

9.	I am a graduate of New Zealand medical school who has completed an intern year in New Zealand. Am I eligible for registration in Victoria?

Yes. You are eligible to apply to the Board for General Registration. You must include the following information with your application:

• A certified copy of your primary degree and
• Evidence of your completion of a period of internship and
• A Certificate of Registration Status/Good Standing from the medical registration authority with which you are currently registered (or have held most recent registration), dated within the last three months.

The Board will consider your application at a regular meeting and, when it is granted, you must attend the Board’s offices to establish identity to complete registration formalities.

 

Guidelines for General Registration under section 6(1) are available here (PDF format).

You can download an application form for General Registration under section 6(1) here (PDF format).

 

10.	How do I obtain registration to work as a general practitioner in an area of need?

You must have a job offer that provides you with access to a provider number and you must be eligible to apply for specific registration under the policy Specific Registration under Section 7(1)(c).

Guidelines for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(c) are available here (PDF format).

You can download an application form for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(c) here (PDF format).

11.	How do I obtain registration in Victoria as an area of need specialist?

Before you apply to the Board for specific registration under section 7(1)(c), you must have fulfilled the requirements of the Australian Medical Council’s Assessment Process for Area of Need Specialists (http://www.amc.org.au/).

Guidelines for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(c) are available here (PDF format).

You can download an application form for Specific Registration under section 7(1)(c) here (PDF format).

12.	Is there a ceiling on the period of specific registration that the Board will grant under sections 7(1)(c) and (d) of the Act?

The Board may grant specific registration under section 7(1)(d) or (e) of the Act to a maximum of 60 months. In calculating the period of available registration, grants of equivalent registration in other States/Territories of Australia are taken into account.

The Board may grant specific registration for more than 60 months only when an applicant can demonstrate satisfactory progress has been made towards an achievable goal of General Registration or specific registration under section 7(1)(f) of the Act.

 

13.	I am currently registered in another State/Territory of Australia. Can I apply for registration in Victoria?

You may be eligible for registration by mutual recognition when you:

• Currently have General Registration in another State/Territory or
• Are an overseas trained medical practitioner and you have current registration in another State/Territory based on recognition of your specialist qualifications by an Australian specialist college.

You should complete the application form and forward it to the Board no earlier than seven days before the date you expect to begin work, together with the registration fee and documentation specified in the application form.

Your application will be placed on the Board agenda at a regular meeting of the Board for approval, after which formal documentation will be issued confirming your registration status in Victoria. However, you may begin work before the Board meeting after confirming with the Board’s staff on 96550555 that your application meets the requirements of the Mutual Recognition Act 1992

Please note that you are not required to attend the Board’s offices to complete registration formalities.

You can download an application form for Mutual Recognition Registration here (PDF format).

14.	I have been registered previously in Victoria. How do I apply for reinstatement to the Register of Medical Practitioners?

Except when you are eligible for General or Specialist Registration by mutual recognition, (see Q 13) You should complete the Application for General Registration

15.	How do I obtain a Certificate of Registration Status?

Requests for Certificates of Registration Status need to be made in writing to the Board and be accompanied by payment of $70.00. Payments may be made by cheque, visa or master card.

Certificates of Registration Status are valid for three months from the date of issue and will be issued within two working days of the request being received by the Board.

You can email the Registration Department with details of your request to registrations@medicalboardvic.org.au.

16.	How do I obtain a copy of my Certificate of Registration?

You will be issued with a Certificate of Registration when you register or renew your registration.

When you require a duplicate of your Certificate of Registration, you need to apply in writing to the Board enclosing payment of $70. Payments may be made by cheque, visa or master card.

Duplicates of Certificates of Registration will be issued within five working days of your request being received by the Board. You can email the Registration Department with details of your request to registrations@medicalboardvic.org.au.

17.	How do I notify the Board of a change of address?

You can notify the Board of your change of address in following ways:

• Online through the Board’s website at http://www.medicalboardvic.org.au - click on-line facilities on the left hand menu. You will require a PIN to do this. If you have misplaced your PIN, you can obtain it from Registration Department by telephoning 96550555 or you can obtain the PIN from the website - Email your address change to the Registration Department – press here on registrations@medicalboardvic.org.au or
• In writing to the Board at

GPO Box 773
Melbourne Vic 3001
Australia

Changes to the Register cannot be made over the telephone.

18.	Where do I obtain information on Provider and Prescriber Numbers?

Information on matters related to provider numbers and prescriber numbers can be obtained by visiting Medicare Australia’s website - www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/providers or telephoning 13 21 50 (within Australia) or (61) 3 9605 7984 (outside Australia)

19.	Do I need to inform the Board of any postgraduate qualifications I may possess?

The Board is required by the law to record details of your primary degree only on the Register of Medical Practitioners.

However, it is recommended that you provide the Board with details of your postgraduate qualifications that are recognised by the Australian Medical Council.

For more information on specialist recognition under the Health Insurance Act 1973, visit Medicare Australia’s website www.medicareaustralia.gov.au

20.	When does the Board meet to determine applications for registration?

The Board meets on a threee weekly cycle and applications for registration for consideration by the Board should be received at least three weeks before a scheduled Board meeting. Meetings dates are published on the website Click here to link

21.	How will I know the outcome of the Board's determination of my application for registration?

You will be advised of the Board’s decision about your application for registration by email and by mail to your sponsor. When this address is the address of the sponsoring institution, you should contact that institution to obtain your copy of the Board’s decision.

Please note that when an application for registration is incomplete, the application will be returned to the person nominated on the application form as the contact with details of the information required.

22.	What do I need to do to obtain proof of registration?

When the Board grants your application for registration and you have not been registered in Victoria before, you will need to make an appointment with the Registration Department on (03) 9655 0555 to attend the Board’s offices and present your application.

Please note that under current Board policy a Certificate of Registration Status/Good Standing issued by a medical registration authority will remain current only for 3 months from the date of issue.

When you provide the required documentation, your name will be entered on the Register of Medical Practitioners and you will be given a Certificate of Registration specifying the terms and conditions of your registration.

You are strongly advised to discuss any matter in doubt, particularly related to documentation requirements, with the staff of the Registration Department before making an appointment to register, as you will not be registered unless you bring all necessary documentation.

When you provide the required documentation, your name will be entered on the Register of Medical Practitioners and you will be given a Certificate of Registration specifying the terms and conditions of your registration.

When you have been registered previously in Victoria and the Board grants your application for further Specific Registration in Victoria, you will be provided by mail with evidence of the Board’s decision to amend your registration.

23.	What are the fees for registration and ancillary services?

The Board fixes registration and ancillary fees annually with effect from 1 July. The registration fee specified in the Schedule of Fees is payable regardless of length of time registration is required.

You should contact the Registration Department on 96550555 if you are unsure about what fee is payable.

Please note that the Board charges a non refundable fee in addition to the registration fee for certain applications for registration - see application forms.

There is no provision under the Schedule of Fees for pro-rata payments of registration fees.

Press for access to Schedule of Fees

24.	What period does the registration year cover and what do I need to do to renew my registration?

The registration year for medical practitioners with General Registration or Specific Registration under section 7(1)(f) commences on 1 October and expires on 30 September.

Renewal notices will be forwarded to the nominated postal address appearing on the Register of Medical Practitioners in August of each year advising the doctor of the need to apply to renew their registration by 30 September. If the renewal fee is not received by 30 September and ongoing Victorian registration is required, a late fee will be imposed. The names of medical practitioners who do not apply to renew their registration by 31 December must be removed from the Register.

Doctors holding forms of Specific Registration other than Specific Registration under section 7(1)(f) of the Act are not subject to the same registration cycle. They are registered for a specific period, commencing and expiring on the dates specified on the Register and on the Certificate of Registration provided to them.

Medical practitioners are reminded that they are responsible for ensuring that their medical registration is current at all relevant times.

25.	Who can make a complaint to the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria?

Anyone can make a complaint (notification) to the Board about the conduct of a medical practitioner who is working as a doctor in Victoria and who is therefore registered with this Board.

Complaints to the Board are called notifications.

26.	How do I make a complaint about a medical practitioner?

You can do this by completing a Notification Form. This can be downloaded from the website by clicking this link (http://www.medicalboardvic.org.au/content.php?sec=20) or you can have a copy sent to you in the mail by phoning the Board’s Professional Conduct Department on 03 9655 0560.

The person making the notification (or their representative) needs to sign the authority section on the form so the Board can investigate.

27.	Can I lodge a notification on another person's behalf?

Yes. A person can lodge a notification on behalf of another person. In most situations the person who is giving permission for someone else to act on their behalf needs to sign the authorisation on the Notification Form.

If you are acting on behalf of someone who is deceased or incapacitated, the Board needs evidence of your authority such as a copy of power of attorney.

28.	Is there a limit on the amount of time that can pass between when something happened and when I lodge my notification (complaint)?

No, there is no time limit. The Board will accept all notifications made in good faith, no matter when the events of concern took place. However, memory and recall fade over time. Also, doctors are only required to hold their patient records for seven years after the last consultation.

29.	Can the Board investigate anonymous complaints?

Sometimes the Board is not able to investigate a complaint. It can only investigate when it is able to identify the medical practitioner concerned, and when it has enough information to start the investigation. Board staff may ask you to provide further information if at first you don't provide the Board with enough information to properly investigate your concerns. It is extremely difficult to investigate complaints that are anonymous. If you would like more information about this before making a complaint you can telephone the Professional Conduct Department on (03) 9655 0560.

30.	Does the Board accept complaints about medical reports?

Yes. You can make a complaint (notification) to the Board about medical practitioners who delay too long before writing a report or who fail to write one. However the Board cannot direct a practitioner to change their opinion in a medical report.

31.	Does the Board offer advice to notifiers or practitioners?

The Board can offer information about its role, processes and possible outcomes. It is not able to offer advice to complainants or medical practitioners about medical or legal issues.

Complainants can seek legal advice from their own lawyer, while medical practitioners seeking medical or legal advice can contact their medical insurance provider, their lawyer, their Specialist College or the AMA if they are a member. Investigation of Complaints.

32.	What is involved in an investigation?

The Board has developed an information sheet for notifiers, which outlines what happens when you notify the Board about your concerns.

This document can be downloaded from the website by clicking this link, (http://www.medicalboardvic.org.au/content.php?sec=20) or you can telephone the Professional Conduct Department on 03 9655 0560 and ask for the information sheet for notifiers to be sent to you.

After an investigation, the Board refers some matters to a hearing. You can find more information about hearings on this website by clicking this link, (http://www.medicalboardvic.org.au/content.php?sec=25) or using the website menu under Complaints/Hearings.

33.	What is the role of the Investigating Officer and the Investigations Coordinator?

Each preliminary investigation carried out by the Board is conducted by one of the Board’s investigating officers. An investigations coordinator assists the investigating officer. The letter you receive from the Board will identify the investigations coordinator assigned to your case. If you have any questions about the investigation, you can telephone your investigations coordinator.

34.	What are the timelines for an investigation?

The time it takes for a Board investigation varies, depending on the nature of the concerns raised and the amount of information that needs to be collected. The Board tries to complete its initial investigations within six months, but this is not always possible.

35.	Are investigations carried out confidentially?

Yes. Information given by people making a notification, or by people asked to provide a report relating to an investigation, is treated confidentially. The Board is bound by Acts of Parliament . All complainants are asked to sign the Board’s privacy statement on the Notification Form they lodge, which relates to the collection and use of the information provided.

However, to make sure its investigations are thorough and fair, the Board needs to hear from both the person making the complaint and the doctor involved. This usually involves the Board sending a copy of the notification form you have provided (and/or your letter detailing your concerns), and other relevant material, to the doctor for comment. When serious sexual or other allegations are involved, the Board can decide not to tell the doctor the name of the complainant or the detail of the concerns raised at this stage of the investigation. If this applies to your concerns, the Board will discuss the matter with you.

36.	What information about medical practitioners does the Board make public?

The Board has a register of medical practitioners containing the names of all medical practitioners registered to practise medicine in Victoria.

No information about ongoing investigations is available to the public. Even if the Board refers your concerns to a hearing, your name and identity are protected by law.

The following information about every doctor on the register is available to the public on request:

1. Name of medical practitioner
2. Address of medical practitioner
3. Professional qualifications
4. Date of initial registration
5. Registration number and type
6. Registration expiry date
7. Any current conditions, restrictions or limitations imposed on the registration of the practitioner
8. Any current suspension of the practitioner.

The Difference between the Board and the Victorian Health Services Commissioner

37.	How does the role of the Board differ from the role of the Health Services Commissioner?

The Health Services Commissioner (HSC) receives and addresses complaints about health service providers. This includes individual practitioners, hospitals or health clinics. The HSC is an independent statutory authority. The Commissioner’s complaints process strongly emphasises conciliation either formally or informally, to resolve complaints.

Examples of complaints the HSC can receive are:

– issues involving the collection, use, retention, disclosure and costs relating to health records as detailed under the Health Records Act 2001.
– claims for financial compensation relating to health services
– complaints relating to medical bills or clinic waiting times

The Board investigates concerns that relate to the conduct of specific medical practitioners. Notifications about doctors’ professional conduct vary widely and include:

– poor standards of clinical care
– the conduct or behaviour of the medical practitioner (including their communication)
– issues with medical certificates, reports and records
– unethical behaviour
– inappropriate practice management
– sexual misconduct
– inappropriate advertising.

You can also report to the Board concerns that a medical practitioner’s ability to practise medicine may be affected because of his or her physical or mental health or because the medical practitioner has an incapacity or alcohol or drug addiction.

You can get more information about the role of the Board and the kind of issues the Board can investigate from the Information Sheet For Notifiers (http://www.medicalboardvic.org.au/content.php?sec=20).

The Health Services Commissioner can be contacted on 03 8601 5200 or 1800 136 066 or by emailing hsc@dhs.vic.gov.au

The Board and the HSC meet every week to discuss notifications they have received and decide together which organisation should investigate. The two organisations can investigate the same matter but not at the same time.