The Specialist Pathway Program (SPP) is now closed. Any person whose application to the SPP was completed before 14 September 2018 may continue on the SPP under this policy. If you wish to have your international specialist qualification recognised by the RACGP after 14 September 2018, please refer to the Specialist Recognition Program Comparability Assessment Policy.
1. Specialist Pathway Category Three - Examination Eligibility Policy
1.1 Policy number: CO-E-0026.0
1.2 Category: Education
1.3 Approval date: November 2016
1.4 Revision due date: November 2017
1.5 Unit responsible: Education Services
2. Policy Declaration
Candidates in category three of the Specialist Pathway must meet the requirements detailed in this policy to be eligible to undertake the examinations.
This policy is authorised by the CEO.
3. Background
3.1 Objective and scope
The objective of this policy is to describe the examination eligibility requirements for Candidates enrolled in category three of the Specialist Pathway.
4. Definitions
For the purposes of this policy:
- Candidate means a medical practitioner who is enrolled in category three of the Specialist Pathway.
- Examinations refers to the Key Feature Problems (KFP) and Clinical Examination, which depending on the time of sitting, is the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE), Remote Clinical Exam (RCE) or Clinical Competency Exam (CCE).
5. Eligibility requirements
To be eligible to undertake the examinations Candidates must:
- Have completed the Specialist Pathway Education Program as amended from time to time, within six months of commencing work in Australian general practice.
- Hold current Australian medical registration from the date of commencing work in Australian general practice, throughout their candidature and to be eligible for the examinations. Candidates must promptly disclose all details of any:
- restrictions on or changes to their medical registration; and
- regulatory authority activity, whether in Australia or otherwise, that:
- has led or may lead to a restriction on practice
- has led to an adverse finding for the medical practitioner, or forms part of an ongoing investigation.
Due to restrictions on their medical registration or any other regulatory authority activity, Candidates may not permitted to continue in the Specialist Pathway. Failure to disclose 5bi or 5bii will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.
- Be a financial RACGP member from the time of joining the Specialist Pathway and throughout their candidature.
6. Change in eligibility status
If at any time a Candidates becomes ineligible for an examination for whatever reasons after enrolment in that examination then they must inform the RACGP and withdraw. Failure to do this will be handled as per the Academic Misconduct Policy.
7. Related policies, documents and legislation
All policies and procedures related to the Specialist Pathway are available on our policy page.
8. Administrative procedures
8.1 Access to published policy
This policy will be available via the RACGP website as detailed in clause 7.
8.2 Promulgation of published policy
Relevant staff members will be provided communications explaining the function and role of this policy.
8.3 Review of this policy
This policy will have a review cycle of three years.