Endocrinology Training Pathway

How to become an endocrinologist in Australia — RACP Basic Physician Training, the Divisional exams, the competitive jump onto Advanced Training in Endocrinology, the diabetes-and-hormones case-mix, and what the published ATO data shows endocrinologists earn.

There are two bottlenecks, not one: getting onto Basic Physician Training, then — after passing both Divisional exams — winning an accredited Advanced Training post. Selection for Advanced Training is run by hospitals, networks and states, not the RACP, and no national scored rubric with percentage weightings is published. Worth knowing up front: endocrinology is a non-procedural cognitive specialty, so its own ATO income code sits below the blended physician figure rather than above it.

Why endocrinology

You diagnose and manage disease of the endocrine glands and metabolism — diabetes (type 1, type 2, in pregnancy and increasingly with technology like pumps and continuous glucose monitoring), thyroid disease, pituitary and adrenal disorders, calcium and bone metabolism, reproductive and gonadal disorders, and obesity and lipid disease. The work is predominantly clinic-based and cognitive: detailed history, dynamic biochemical testing and long-term management, combined with inpatient consults (diabetes, electrolyte and hormonal emergencies) and multidisciplinary clinics. It is largely non-procedural — there are no endoscopy or catheter lists — although some endocrinologists perform thyroid ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration. It suits people who want a physician specialty built on careful reasoning, biochemistry and long-term relationships with patients rather than a procedural list — who are interested in diabetes and metabolic medicine, value a generally controllable lifestyle with limited acute on-call, and are prepared for a long pathway with two competitive entry points and an expectation of research output to be competitive for advanced training.

• Draws: Cognitive, clinic-based work with long-term patient relationships, Generally controllable lifestyle with limited acute on-call, Diabetes and metabolic medicine — large, growing and varied caseload, Strong outpatient and chronic-disease focus, broad subspecialty options.
• Trade-offs: Two competitive bottlenecks (BPT, then Advanced Training), No published national selection rubric to optimise against, Non-procedural — its ATO income code sits below the physician blend, Long pathway (minimum ~6 years of college training after internship).
• Subspecialties: Diabetes & diabetes technology, Thyroid disease & thyroid cancer, Pituitary & neuroendocrine disorders, Reproductive endocrinology & medicine in pregnancy, Calcium, bone & metabolic disease, Endocrinology & chemical pathology (dual training).

The training pathway

The same fellowship, two very different timelines. The fast route assumes everything goes right; most people land on the realistic one.

How competitive is it?

Endocrinology is competitive — the PMCV match describes selection as 'competitive, and merit-based' — but the hard numbers are limited. The RACP does not publish a national applicant-to-offer ratio for endocrinology Advanced Training, and none was located from any body, so the true success rate isn't published. The PMCV (Victoria/Tasmania) match listed 28 endocrinology Advanced Training positions across its accredited health services for 2025, but with no companion applicant count, so no ratio can be derived. NSW Health's 2019 workforce modelling counted about 50 endocrinology advanced trainees and about 208 specialist fellows in NSW (55.8% female). On workforce scale, the Department of Health's endocrinology fact sheet (2016 NHWDS data, the most authoritative dedicated source but now dated) recorded about 622 employed endocrinologists, roughly 49% female, an average age of about 48, around 90% in major cities, and about 42% working in the private sector — a lower private share than the procedural physician subspecialties. Trainee numbers ran between about 115 and 153 across 2013–2016.

Unaccredited time: There's no formal 'unaccredited' tier as in surgery, but endocrinology Advanced Training is competitive enough that many do extra unaccredited endocrinology/registrar time and research after the Divisional exams to build a competitive CV before a successful application. No required or typical number of years is published.

Sources: RACP — Endocrinology Advanced Training, PMCV — 2025 Endocrinology (Vic/Tas) Match, Department of Health — Endocrinology 2016 Factsheet (NHWDS), NSW Health — Endocrinology workforce modelling (2019 data).

Selection criteria & how to apply

Endocrinology has two competitive entry points, and neither is a national scored round with published percentage weightings — so this section works differently from the surgical pathways. First you compete for a Basic Physician Training post: you apply directly to a hospital or BPT network (the RACP sets standards but does not recruit or select trainees), and selection is state/network-based. After three years of BPT you must pass both Divisional exams. Then comes the harder step: a separate, competitive, employment-based application for an accredited endocrinology Advanced Training post. The RACP again does not run this — selection is by hospitals, networks and states. Victoria and Tasmania use a formal PMCV computer match (a Gale–Shapley algorithm) where a selection committee scores applicants on CV and academic record, strength of referees' reports and a scored panel interview, combining CV and interview scores into an overall score; Queensland runs a centralised statewide process allocating positions on interview ranking, CV score and referee reports. Crucially, neither the College nor the state processes publish numeric scoring weightings for endocrinology — the PMCV rules even state that 'overall ranking will not be available to candidates.' The components below are therefore shown as qualities assessed, not as percentages:

Key documents: RACP — Endocrinology Advanced Training, RACP — Entry into Basic Training, PMCV — 2025 Endocrinology (Vic/Tas) Match, Queensland Health — Endocrinology (Advanced Training).

How it works, state by state

How to optimise your application

• Pass the Divisional exams cleanly (tied to Eligibility gate, start during BPT) — Both the Divisional Written and Clinical Examinations must be passed to be eligible for Advanced Training — a first-time pass keeps you on timeline and frees time for research and endocrinology terms.
• Build a CV with research and endocrinology exposure (tied to CV / academic record, start PGY2 onwards) — Both the PMCV match and the Queensland process score CV and academic record — aim for endocrinology/diabetes rotations, publications and presentations early.
• Line up strong referees (tied to Referee reports, start BPT / post-exam) — Strength of references is a core ranking factor in both processes; sustained endocrinology terms let you field strong consultant referees who have worked with you recently.
• Prepare thoroughly for interview (tied to Interview, start pre-application) — The scored panel interview is central to ranking — practise structured answers and be ready to discuss your research, clinical experience and motivation.

Key documents & official links

• RACP — Endocrinology Advanced Training
• RACP — Endocrinology & Chemical Pathology (dual training)
• RACP — Entry into Basic Training
• RACP — Divisional Written Examination (past results)
• RACP — Divisional Clinical Examination
• Endocrine Society of Australia — trainee information
• RACP — Standard Specialist Assessment Pathway (IMGs)

FAQ

Trained overseas? (IMG pathway)

Related specialties

Last reviewed 2026-06-01.