WA Intern & Resident Pay 2026–27
This page is for WA interns, Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) and early-career doctors who want the practical pay picture without registrar rows. It focuses on base salary, estimated take-home, intern-to-resident progression, penalty rates, Professional Development Allowance and leave items that affect real payslips.
By Jacob Stretton, RN & final-year medical student · figures sourced from the public EBAs & the ATO · About & methodology →
Key takeaways
- Resident - Year 1 is $99,395, a base increase of $8,531 before roster effects.
- Interns and residents get a Professional Development Allowance of $6,503 a year, paid pro rata fortnightly.
WA Intern & Resident Pay Levels (Base Salary and Estimated Take-Home)
Filtered to the early-career WA rows so you can compare intern and resident pay without registrar lines getting in the way.
| Level | Base salary | Estimated take-home | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intern | $90,864 | $68,067 | Open calculator |
| Resident - Year 1 | $99,395 | $72,589 | Open calculator |
| Resident - Year 2 | $108,776 | $77,560 | Open calculator |
| Resident - Year 3 | $119,165 | $83,067 | Open calculator |
This page covers intern, resident, RMO and house officer pay in Western Australia.
Rates effective 3 September 2025 · WA Health System – Medical Practitioners – AMA Industrial Agreement 2024 (Schedules 1 & 3, metro + north of 26°) · source.
What changes intern & resident take-home pay in WA?
- Classification and year level set the base row before roster effects.
- Evening, night, Saturday, Sunday, public holiday and overtime inputs can move pay beyond ordinary salary.
- Professional Development Allowance, on-call, recall, meal allowance and higher duties are practical checks when they apply.
- Higher Education Contribution Scheme/Higher Education Loan Program (HECS/HELP) withholding and salary packaging settings still decide what lands in your bank account.
What changes between intern and resident pay in WA?
The first WA pay step is moving off the intern row, then adding the roster and entitlement items that apply to the term.
- WA base salaries use a 40-hour ordinary week.
- Model evening, night, weekend, public holiday and overtime inputs separately rather than treating the base row as the full pay picture.
- The Professional Development Allowance for Intern/Resident Medical Officer rows is paid pro rata fortnightly.
Early-career penalty-rate table
Use these WA rates to model the roster you actually work; the base salary row does not include roster-driven additions.
| Roster item | WA rate/loading | Why it matters | Where to model/check it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evening shift | +20% | Eligible evening work can lift intern or resident take-home above base salary. | Open intern calculator |
| Night shift | +25% | Night-heavy terms are a major early-career pay driver. | Model night work |
| Saturday ordinary hours | +50% | Saturday work adds a clear weekend loading. | Model Saturday work |
| Sunday ordinary hours | +75% | Sunday work has a larger loading than Saturday. | Model Sunday work |
| Public holiday work | 2.5x total pay | Public holiday work can materially change the value of a term. | Model public holidays |
| Extended shift overtime | After 10 hours: 150% first 3 hours, then 200% | Long shifts can trigger overtime even if the roster average looks ordinary. | Model overtime |
| Recall / call-back | 3-hour minimum; paid at 150% (weekday), 175% (late-night), or 200% (Sunday/PH) under Agreement Clause 33(2)(b) | Recall is paid at higher rates than ordinary overtime: Sunday call-backs earn more than weekday ones. | Model on-call and recall |
Leave and professional development for interns and residents
These items affect practical job value alongside base salary.
| Item | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Development Allowance | $6,503/year | Intern and Resident Medical Officer rows, paid pro rata fortnightly. |
| Professional development leave | 3 weeks/year | Paid, per calendar year, with carryover up to 9 weeks. |
| Exam leave | 4 paid days | To sit approved exams, plus 3 clear days off immediately before the exam. |
| Annual leave | 160 hours/year | Full-time rate, accruing pro rata weekly. |
| Extra annual leave | Up to 40 hours/year | Accrues from enough on-call hours or ordinary Sunday and public holiday shifts. |
Allowances and entitlement checks for early-career doctors
These are practical payslip checks when the relevant roster, appointment or travel condition applies.
| Item | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| On-call allowance | $13.28/hour | Doctors in training, from 3 September 2025. Pays for availability, not for the work. |
| Recall / call-back | 3-hour minimum | The work event after you are called back, paid separately from on-call availability. |
- Meal allowance applies in eligible breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper circumstances.
- Higher duties applies where you fully act in a higher role for more than 10 consecutive working days.
- Travel allowance can apply for eligible call-backs, site-to-site travel or secondment travel, but not the ordinary commute.
Worked examples (WA)
* Estimated after tax and HECS/HELP. Your actual payslip will depend on roster mix, allowances, and deductions.
Frequently asked questions
Which WA grades are included on this page?
Why can two WA residents take home different amounts?
Where should I check the full WA pay guide?
What WA professional development item matters early?
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