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Specialist medical colleges

Learn more about the role of specialist medical colleges in the National Scheme

Learn more about our accreditation process review

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) accredits 16 specialist medical colleges and their specialist training programs. The Medical Board of Australia has approved these programs of study as providing a qualification for the purposes of specialist medical registration.

Specialist medical colleges’ role in delivering approved programs of study

Specialist medical colleges play a unique role in the National Scheme because they provide the only approved programs of study for each medical specialty (called ‘training programs’). Colleges’ training programs are competitive, and trainees play an important role in delivering health services when completing the training program. 

We can help with complaints about the delivery of colleges’ training programs. This includes complaints about: 

  • entry to and withdrawal from a training program 

  • processes and decisions related to the accreditation of a training site (where the training program is delivered) 

  • how a college managed a complaint or application for a review of a decision related to its training program, including complaints from trainees and training sites.

Specialist medical colleges’ role in assessing specialist international medical graduates

The Medical Board of Australia has appointed specialist medical colleges to undertake assessments of specialist international medical graduates for each medial specialty.

Currently, colleges’ assessments of specialist international medical graduates are based on their ‘comparability’ to an Australian trained specialist. Colleges’ processes involve an ‘interim’ assessment to determine whether an applicant is not comparable, partially comparable or substantially comparable to an Australian trained specialist. If applicants are assessed to be partially or substantially comparable, they have to undertake extra requirements, including differing periods of supervised practice, before the relevant college makes its final assessment decision.

Specialist medical colleges’ assessment processes vary. Information about the assessment process for each medical specialty can be found on the relevant college’s website.

Find out more about the Medical Board of Australia’s assessment requirements.

  • The National Scheme

    Learn more about how Australia’s health practitioners are regulated.

  • Ahpra and the National Boards

    Find out more about the role the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the 15 National Boards play in how the National Scheme works.

  • Accreditation processes review

    Find out more about our review of existing processes and procedures of accreditation organisations in the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.

  • Ombudsman complaints

    Find out more about the complaints we assist with.

Make a complaint

Find out more about how to make a complaint to the Ombudsman or Commissioner.

Specialist medical colleges

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Give us a call on 1300 795 265