Everything you need to know in one place, all links for further action included
Are you a UK doctor considering a move Down Under? This guide provides all the information you need to navigate the process, from eligibility to landing a job in Australia!
🤔Why Australia?
- Fantastic Lifestyle: Enjoy better weather, beautiful beaches, and a relaxed work-life balance.
- Strong Remuneration: Australian doctors generally earn more than their UK counterparts.
- Shorter Working Hours: Work a 38-hour week compared to the average 48 hours in the UK.
- Vibrant Medical Community: Many UK doctors work in Australia, fostering a sense of community.
- Experiencing a new healthcare system: This broadens your perspective and enhances your medical competency by exposing you to diverse practices and environments.
💼Am I Eligible to Work There?
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) assesses your qualifications for registration. There are three main pathways:
- Competent Authority Pathway: The fastest option for UK doctors with GMC registration and at least 12 months of post-graduation experience.
- Specialist Pathway: For doctors with completed specialist training in the UK.
- Standard Pathway: Requires passing the AMC exams and undertaking an internship program.
Here is the criteria for the Competent authority pathway:
- Successful completion of a GMC accredited medical course (or PLAB exam completion)
- Successfully completion of the Foundation Year 1 in the UK, or
- 12 months supervised training (internship equivalent) in the UK
For more information on eligibility requirements visit the Australian medical Board.
Understanding the Australian Healthcare System
The Australian healthcare system is broadly similar to the UK’s NHS. Each region of Australia is divided into health districts, which are managed by hospital trusts.
Job Opportunities for UK Doctors
- F3 Resident Medical Officer: After completing your F2 in the UK, you can apply for this role in Australia.
- Principal House Officer: For doctors with at least 3 years of work experience in the UK, this role offers a higher level of responsibility.
For more information on these job descriptions, visit Queensland Health Careers.
Training and Non-Training Posts
Australia offers a variety of training and non-training posts, with many opportunities for UK graduates. You can choose between:
- Rotational jobs: Similar to UK F1 and F2 positions, these jobs offer rotations lasting 10-12 weeks.
- Hospitals are often flexible and allow you to request preferred departments for these rotations.
- Non-rotational jobs: You remain in a single department for the entire duration of your contract.
The Medical Year Structure
- The Australian medical year is divided into four 3-month terms.
- As a house officer, you’ll typically have:
- Three surgical terms.
- One relieving term, where you cover vacancies in various departments.
Annual Leave
- Coordinators generally schedule your annual leave during the relieving term, providing a 4-5 week block of continuous holiday.
- Splitting your leave is uncommon and usually requires extra effort to negotiate.
📌Where in Australia?
Australia offers diverse landscapes, from bustling cities to remote rural areas. Consider your lifestyle preferences:
- City Living: Sydney and Melbourne offer a vibrant lifestyle, similar weather to the UK (but warmer!), and potentially higher salaries.
- Rural Locations: Enjoy a slower pace of life and potentially higher pay to compensate for remoteness. However, healthcare disparities exist between rural and metropolitan areas.
- Melbourne and Sydney have a similar weather to the UK., just a bit more warmer generally. In Queensland, the climate is very sunny and pleasant for the whole year round and is known as the “sunshine state”
💷The Numbers: Pay and Work Schedule
- Expect to Earn More: Australian doctors typically earn more post-tax than their UK counterparts.
- Fewer Working Hours: Enjoy a 38-hour workweek compared to the UK’s average 48 hours.
- Overtime Opportunities: In Australia, doctors often earn 50-100% more for overtime, and logging hours is simpler compared to the NHS. Many doctors accept overtime, sometimes earning more than their regular hours. While it’s a great way to increase income, be mindful of burnout and avoid feeling obligated to work extra hours.
Here is an example of the pay for an F3 working in Australia compared to an F2 in UK. Keep in mind that there will be variation depending on where you work and how much overtime you do. These figures are simply for you to get a general idea of the pay scales.
UK F2 Junior doctors
| Annual income pre tax | £48,000 GDP |
|---|---|
| Avg Hours per week | 48 |
| Post tax monthly average | £2405 |
| Hourly rate (pre-tax) | £17.89 |
| Hourly rate (after tax) | £12.51 |
F3 Doctor in Australia
| Annual income pre tax | £57,260 GDP |
|---|---|
| Avg Hours per week | 38 |
| Post tax monthly average | £3178.9 |
| Hourly rate (pre-tax) | £25.49 |
| Hourly rate (after tax) | £20.91 |
For a more in depth explanation of pay breakdown watch this youtube video.
When to Apply
- F3 duration: Typically ranges from 6 months to 2 years, but a full year is often recommended.
- Medical year timelines:
- Australia: February to February.
- UK: August to August.
If you want to start after F2 ends in August, you can apply for Australia’s mid-year intake (starting in August), where hospitals may have rota gaps.
- Application timeline: Start searching and applying in January for August roles, although job release dates vary by hospital.
- Alternatively, take a break and start in February to align with the start of Australia’s medical year.
How to Apply
To find job vacancies:
- Check the websites of individual hospital trusts for listings.
- Direct contact: It’s more effective to directly contact hospitals via phone or email to inquire about opportunities.
- Apply via State Recruitment: Each state has one where you can rank your top 5 jobs starting in February. This gives you the ability to seek for specific specialities.
- International talent pool: Some states like Queensland have this where you can apply with your CV and they’ll find a job that suits your description. Click here for more information!
When emailing hospitals:
- Introduce yourself and state the roles you’re interested in.
- Provide a brief summary of your career and specify your intended work dates.
- Attach your CV and cover letter to streamline the process.
Useful Websites for Finding Job Listings or Emails:
- Queensland: Careers Queensland
- NSW: NSW Health
- Victoria:
- Western Australia: Med Careers WA
- More hospital contact details: Spreadsheet
- Find other doctors going to Australia: Facebook Group
Interview Paperwork Needed
When applying for jobs in Australia, you’ll need the following documents:
- CV
- Cover letter
- Passport (notarised)
- Degree certificates (notarised)
- Certificate of good standing (GMC)
- Vaccine history
- DBS checks
- Referees
The Interview
Interviews are conducted online and typically consist of one or two interviews with a recruitment officer and a clinician.
- Duration: Around 10 minutes.
- Common first question: “Why do you want to work in our hospital, and why Australia?”
- You may also be asked ethical and clinical questions, as well as your intended length of stay.
- Tip: If you only mention a 6-month stay, this may work against you. A good approach is to say, “I plan to stay for 6 months but am open to extending up to 18 months, depending on the hospital’s needs.”
- Time zones: Feel free to request an interview time that suits both parties.
After You Secure a Job
Once you’ve secured a position, you’ll need to start the process of gaining provisional registration to practice in Australia, which takes about 2 months. The total cost, excluding flights, is around £2,000 GBP, but can vary.
To gain registration, apply in the following order:
- AMC (Australian Medical Council):
- Apply for an AMC number, which notifies AHPRA and allows you to proceed with the AHPRA application.
- Cost: Approximately £460.
- AMC Pathways
- AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency):
- The medical board of Australia, equivalent to the GMC.
- Complete the form after receiving your AMC number and EPIC verification.
- Your employer will complete part of the form before you submit it to AHPRA.
- Cost: Approximately £310.
- AHPRA Registration
- EPIC (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials):
- EPIC verifies your identity and credentials.
- You’ll need an EPIC portfolio to obtain your AMC number.
- Cost: Approximately £98.
- EPIC Instructions
- Visa:
- You’ll be sponsored by your employer for a temporary work visa (usually a short skilled worker visa or training visa, depending on your employer).
- Requirements: Full medical check, chest X-ray, blood tests, immunisation report, and police check.
- Cost: Approximately £300-£700.
- Visa Information
Additional Tips
- Ask your hospital about travel and accommodation sponsorships, as some hospitals may cover part of your expenses.
- For a detailed explanation of the process and costs, watch this helpful YouTube video.
Summary: Advantages and Disadvantages of Moving to Australia
Advantages
✅ Better Work-Life Balance: Less responsibility, shorter working hours from 48 in the UK to 38, and higher pay.
✅ Medical Community: Network with other UK doctors in Australia.
✅ Pleasant Climate: Experience hot weather, beautiful beaches, and diverse ecosystems, including marine life, deserts, and snow in the Australian Alps.
✅ Professional Growth: Gain exposure to different healthcare practices and develop new skills.
✅ One step closer to gaining Citizenship: To become a resident of Australia you must have lived there for at least four years, including at least one year as a permanent resident, before applying for citizenship.
Disadvantages
❌ Distance from Family and Friends: The time difference and travel time can make staying connected difficult.
❌ Paperwork and Costs: The registration process can be expensive and time-consuming.
❌ Rural vs. Urban Disparities: Healthcare and lifestyle options differ significantly between cities and rural areas.
❌ Annual Leave: Expect one large block of annual leave during the “relieving term.” Splitting leave can be challenging.
Embrace the Adventure!
Moving to Australia can be a life-changing experience. By carefully considering your priorities and following this guide, you’ll be well on your way to a successful medical career Down Under.
We really hope this guide helps! Please comment your thoughts and let us know if there’s any more useful information we can add.
