Anesthesia is a highly competitive specialty in Australia for several interconnected

Aradhana Behare
MD, FANZCA
Senior Consultant, Anaesthesia
Macquarie University Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Nepean Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Email : aradhanabehare@gmail.com
Mobile 0061-469956822

Anesthesia is a highly competitive specialty in Australia for several interconnected reason such as intellectual and technical appeal, better work- life balance, higher

renumerations, a great autonomy as a clinician and stronger career prospects. High competition equates to stronger efforts to get into anaesthesia training, both for local trainees and Specialist International Medical Graduates ( SIMGs). As this topic is focused to assist SIMGs to get into anaesthesia training in Australia and New Zealand, I would restrict myself to SIMG pathway which is designed to encourage specialists from various countries to come and achieve ANZCA fellowship and work as an anaesthetist in Australia and New Zealand.

SIMG PATHWAY

Overview of the SIMG Pathway

The SIMG assessment evaluates whether an overseas-trained anaesthetist possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to practice independently at a standard comparable to that of a fellow of ANZCA (FANZCA). Successful completion of this process allows for specialist registration with the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and eligibility to apply for ANZCA Fellowship .

Key Components of the SIMG Assessment:

Primary source verification: When applying for the AoN and/or SIMG pathway, the applicant must have their primary and specialist qualifications verified by

the Educational Committee for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) via the

Australian Medical Council (AMC)/Electronic Portfolio of International

Credentials (EPIC) portal. All primary medical qualifications (MBBS or

equivalent) and specialist medical qualifications must be submitted.

Application for SIMG Pathway: It is an online application where following

documents need to be submitted

– A curriculum Vitae submitted in ANZCA format

– Evidence of participation in a continuing professional development (CPD)

program for the last three full calendar years.

– Evidence of English language proficiency. Evidence of English language

proficiency must be submitted unless the applicant qualifies for an

exemption from this requirement.

– Certificate(s) of registration status (CORS) showing the date the applicant

was first registered as a medical practitioner and their specialist

registration status. This must be the original certificate sent directly to the

college from the issuing authority. If the original document is not in

English, then an original or certified original translation from a licensed

translator must be provided.

During assessment, the College determines the following:

#At least 72 months FTE (full time equivalent) training which includes

# At least 12 months FTE rotating internship; and

A specialist anaesthesia training program of at least:

36 months FTE duration if training was undertaken in a comparable health system (UK, Ireland, USA) ; or § 48 months FTE duration if training was undertaken in a non- comparable health system.

The remaining 36 months to 48 months may be considered in §
prevocational medical education and training.

Additional time as part of the specialist training program.
Additional training in anaesthesia e.g., a fellowship year.
Employment as a specialist anaesthetist.

Once you submit your application, you get one of the outcomes by the college

Non comparable – Particularly when you are specialist with less than 3-4 years of experience as work experience as a specialist. This means that you

have to complete Primary and final ANZCA exam and do at least 3 years of

training.

Partially Comparable: Worked as a specialist in India for more than 5-6 years

with additional fellowship year completed in subspeciality. Following the grant

of partially comparable status, you have to complete 1-2 years of training as a

provisional fellow and need to do Final anaesthesia viva and you are

exempted from primary exam.

Fully comparable – Only for UK and Ireland graduates those who have

completed CCT.

Getting an Anaesthesia training jobs: This is a separate process where a SIMGs

needs to apply to various hospitals through annual job campaign to find suitable anaesthesia training position to complete SIMG assessment requirement. Each job applications requires submission of CV and structured interviews.