Main navigation

History of the PROTD project

The Australian Government, as part of the Strengthening Medicare Package, has implemented a number of measures to improve current arrangements for overseas trained doctors. These measures include:

• Improved training arrangements and additional support programs;
• International recruitment strategies;
• Reduced red tape in approval processes
• Assistance for employers and overseas trained doctors in arranging placements; and opportunities for doctors to stay longer or obtain permanent residency.

In July 2004, the Department of Health and Ageing engaged the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) in a project to identify and assess PROTDs not currently in the Australian medical workforce. There were over 700 applications for this project. The RACGP identified 650 PROTDs from the applicants who were eligible for assessment and career counseling, to potentially facilitate their entry into the Australian medical workforce.

Of the 650, the RACGP identified approximately 200 PROTDs who have already passed the AMC MCQ. This made them ineligible for the original program (as it was developed to assist PROTDs who have not passed the MCQ). Therefore, the program was expanded to include PROTDs who have passed the MCQ and are assessed as needing minimal or moderate assistance to successfully complete the AMC Clinical Examination and enter the Australian medical workforce.

Thus the project has four phases with a proposal for an extension and a fifth phase presently with DoHA:

Phase One

Was the sole component of the original project, which commenced in July 2004 on a stand-alone basis. Given the overwhelming response to the call for applications which that project attracted, including many applications from PROTDs who had already passed the AMC MCQ exam, the Department of Health and Ageing requested the RACGP to deliver three follow-on phases of the project, as follows:

Phase Two

‘Training Subsidies’ project for all PROTDS who complete Phase One and receive their ILP. These subsidies are to be used to facilitate learning and development activities as identified in each ILP.

Phase Three

A project which mirrors the current Phase One project but which assesses participants who have passed the AMC MCQ exam but not the AMC Clinical exam.

Phase Four

‘Training Subsidies’ project for all PROTDs who complete Phase Three and receive Individual Learning Plans.

Publication Date: 17 October 2006