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Medical Specialties in Australia

A plain-English guide to every specialty training pathway — how to get in, how competitive it really is, the selection criteria with links to the source documents, and what specialists actually earn in public and private practice.

Generalist

General Practice Draft

RACGP / ACRRM · Royal Australian College of GPs · Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine

3 (RACGP) · 4 (ACRRM) yrs Accessible competition

Adult medicine

Cardiology Draft

RACP / CSANZ · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs High competition

Endocrinology Draft

RACP / ESA · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Endocrine Society of Australia

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Gastroenterology Draft

RACP / GESA · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Gastroenterological Society of Australia

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs High competition

General & Internal Medicine Draft

RACP · Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Adult Medicine Division)

6 minimum (3 basic + ~3 advanced) yrs Two-stage competition

Medical Oncology Draft

RACP / MOGA · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Medical Oncology Group of Australia

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Nephrology Draft

RACP / ANZSN · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Australian and New Zealand Society of Nephrology

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Neurology Draft

RACP / ANZAN · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Respiratory & Sleep Medicine Draft

RACP / TSANZ · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Rheumatology Draft

RACP / ARA · Royal Australasian College of Physicians / Australian Rheumatology Association

6+ (3 BPT + 3 Advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Surgery

General Surgery Draft

RACS / GSA · Royal Australasian College of Surgeons · General Surgeons Australia

5–6 (SET) yrs High competition

Orthopaedic Surgery Draft

RACS / AOA · Royal Australasian College of Surgeons / Australian Orthopaedic Association

~5 (SET, min 4) yrs Very high competition

Otolaryngology (ENT) Draft

RACS / ASOHNS · Royal Australasian College of Surgeons / Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

5 (SET) yrs Very high competition

Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Draft

RACS / ASPS · Royal Australasian College of Surgeons / Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons

~5 (SET, 3-stage) yrs Very high competition

RACS / USANZ · Royal Australasian College of Surgeons / Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand

5 (SET) yrs High competition

Acute & critical care

Anaesthetics Draft

ANZCA · Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists

5 (after prevocational) yrs High competition

Emergency Medicine Draft

ACEM · Australasian College for Emergency Medicine

5 (after prevocational) yrs Moderate competition

Intensive Care Medicine Draft

CICM · College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand

6 minimum (most take longer) yrs Exam-gated competition

Women's & children's

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Draft

RANZCOG · Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

6 (4 basic + 2 advanced) yrs High competition

Paediatrics & Child Health Draft

RACP · Royal Australasian College of Physicians — Paediatrics & Child Health Division

6+ (3 basic + 3 advanced) yrs Moderate competition

Mental health

Psychiatry Draft

RANZCP · Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists

5 (60 months FTE) yrs Accessible competition

Diagnostics & imaging

Pathology Draft

RCPA · Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

5 (FRCPA) yrs Moderate competition

Radiology Draft

RANZCR · Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists

5 yrs Competitive competition

Eyes & skin

Dermatology Draft

ACD · Australasian College of Dermatologists

4 yrs Very high competition

Ophthalmology Draft

RANZCO · Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists

5 yrs Very high competition