Purpose & Process
Assessment purpose
The RACS undertakes an assessment to determine if the IMG's education, training, quality, quantity and scope of clinical experience, level of formal assessment including specialist qualifications in surgery, recent relevant practice (i.e. practice within the last 2 years) and relevant professional skills and attributes is comparable to the standards of an Australian or New Zealand trained surgeon in the same field of specialty practice.
Assessment process
IMGs who satisfy to requirements of the document-based assessment will be invited to a face to face semi-structured panel interview. The purpose of the interview is to gather more information to complete the assessment of comparability and to finalise the assessment.
Following the interview, an IMG applicant may be recommended to undertake a period of clinical assessment under supervision.
The RACS specialist assessment process normally takes up to 3 months (from date of activation) to completion.
RACS will formally advise the IMG and the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) of the assessment outcome.