The Medical Board of Australia:
- registers medical practitioners and medical students;
- develops standards, codes and guidelines for the medical profession;
- investigates notifications and complaints about medical practitioners;
- where necessary, conducts panel hearings and refers serious matters to Tribunal hearings;
- assesses international medical graduates who wish to practise in Australia; and
- approves accreditation standards and accredited courses of study.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Registration Standard
All registered medical practitioners (excludes practitioners with non-practising registration) are required to participate regularly in continuing professional development (CPD) that is relevant to their scope of practice. This involves maintaining, developing, updating and enhancing their knowledge, skills and performance to ensure they deliver appropriate and safe care. Registration Standard: Continuing Professional Development
All medical practitioners will be required to make a declaration that they have met the standard and have completed the necessary CPD when they apply for renewal of registration. The Board requires medical practitioners to keep records that may be subject to audit.
English Language Skills Registration Standard
This registration standard applies to all applicants for initial registration.
All internationally qualified applicants for medical registration, or applicants who qualified for medical registration in Australia but did not complete their secondary education in English, must demonstrate that they have the necessary English language skills for registration purposes.
For details see the Board’s English Language Skills Registration Standard.
Proof of Identity
All applicants are required to comply with the Board’s ‘Proof of Identity’ requirements.
So the Board can meet its primary responsibility to protect the community, the Board must have confidence in the processes used to validate the authenticity of applicants for medical registration. For details see the AHPRA proof of identity policy approved by the Board.
Recency of practice registration standard
To ensure that they are able to practice competently and safely, medical practitioners must have recent practice in the fields in which they intend to work during the period of registration for which they are applying.
To meet the standard, they must have practised within their scope of practice for a minimum total of:
- four weeks full-time equivalent in one year, which is a total of 152 hours, or
- 12 weeks full-time equivalent over three consecutive years, which is a total of 456 hours.
For details see the Board’s Registration Standard: Recency of Practice (218 KB,PDF)
Professional indemnity insurance registration standard
All registered medical practitioners who provide health care or medical opinion in respect of the physical or mental health of any person, must ensure all aspects of their medical practice are covered by professional indemnity insurance (PII), or some alternative form of indemnity cover that complies with the Board’s registration standard for professional indemnity insurance.
For details see the Board’s Professional Indemnity Insurance Registration Standard.
Criminal History Registration Standard
The Board has the power to check the criminal history of registered medical practitioners.
Medical practitioners will be required, at annual renewal (section 109 of the National Law), and at any time during the registration period (section 130 of the National Law) to advise the Board of any charges for offences punishable by 12 months imprisonment or more, and any convictions or findings of guilt for offences punishable by imprisonment.
For details see the Board’s Criminal History Registration Standard.
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