Clinical Pharmacology
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Competition
Moderate
Qualification
FRACP
Training duration
Basic Physician Training (3 years) plus 3 years of Advanced Training in clinical pharmacology (36 months FTE: at least 24 months core plus up to 12 months non-core) — about 6 years to FRACP. It is usually dual-trained with another program (commonly General and Acute Care Medicine), which requires at least 4 years of combined Advanced Training (about 7 years total).
Applications
Entry is after Basic Physician Training — there is no single national scored round, and no state runs a centralised match for clinical pharmacology (it is not among the ten RACP subspecialties in the Victoria/Tasmania PMCV process). RACP registration by the twice-yearly deadlines (28 February and 31 August) is administrative; you secure an accredited Advanced Training position through ordinary hospital or health-service recruitment. Check the accredited sites and their departments directly.
Selection format
There is no single national scored CV matrix for clinical pharmacology, and no centralised state match. The gateway is completing Basic Physician Training and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, after which you are appointed to an accredited position through standard hospital recruitment. Because standalone consultant posts are scarce, most trainees dual-train — usually with General and Acute Care Medicine — which extends the combined Advanced Training to at least 4 years.
When to apply
Entry is typically PGY5–PGY6 or later: after the 3-year Basic Physician Training program, having passed both FRACP Divisional Examinations, holding general (unconditional) AHPRA registration, and having secured an accredited Advanced Training position (often alongside a second program).
Competition
Clinical pharmacology is one of the smallest RACP Adult Medicine subspecialties by position count — the June 2026 accredited-sites list shows only about 13 settings nationally, none in Tasmania, the ACT, or the NT, and some posts sit provisionally accredited pending recruitment. With no centralised match and some places unfilled, entry is better framed as finding and securing one of a handful of positions than beating a large field; no applicant numbers are published.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- Clinical core — core years must include drug information, drug and therapeutics (or ethics) committee work, and therapeutic drug monitoring
- Accredited settings — core training counts only at RACP-accredited sites; there are about 13 nationally (across NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, WA, and NZ) and none in Tasmania, the ACT, or the NT
- In-country rule — at least 12 months of core training must be completed in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
- Dual training — clinical pharmacology is almost always paired with another program (commonly General and Acute Care Medicine); combined dual Advanced Training needs at least 4 years FTE
- Work-based assessments — each year: 4 case-based discussions, 2 learning-needs analyses, 2 professional-qualities reflections, and a supervisor report each rotation
Rural & regional
Rural, regional, and remote experience
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP.
First Nations
Selection points and pathways for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Māori applicants
- First Nations — the RACP Fee Reimbursement Initiative waives training and first-attempt exam fees for eligible Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pasifika trainees
Academic
Exams, qualifications, courses, and teaching
- Gateway — complete RACP Basic Physician Training and pass both FRACP Divisional Examinations (Written and Clinical) before starting Advanced Training in clinical pharmacology
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
- Research — trainees from 2019 complete an Advanced Training Research Project plus a Clinical Pharmacology Research Project; research is central to the specialty
Extracurricular
Leadership and roles beyond clinical work
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP.
Distinction
Prizes, awards, and academic standing
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP.
Eligibility & application
Prerequisites, referees, interviews, and fees
- Advanced Training length — 3 years (36 months FTE): at least 24 months core plus up to 12 months non-core
- Registration deadlines — register or re-register each Advanced Training period with RACP by 28 February or 31 August; late applications may incur a fee
- Fees — the 2026 RACP Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACP.
Recent updates
The RACP clinical-pharmacology accredited-sites list (June 2026) shows two Victorian sites still only provisionally accredited pending recruitment of an advanced trainee — a sign that some accredited posts sit unfilled.
A new Wave 3 competency-based (EPA) Advanced Training curriculum applies to clinical-pharmacology trainees starting from 2026; earlier starters continue on the previous program.
RACP applied a 4% fee increase for the 2026 training year; the Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230.
Indicative only. Check the RACP website for current information.
Official resources
RACP Advanced Training in Clinical Pharmacology
Program page — entry requirements, duration, curriculum, and quick links
RACP Application Dates
Registration deadlines — 28 February and 31 August each year
RACP Wave 3 Clinical Pharmacology Curriculum
The new competency-based curriculum for trainees starting from 2026
ASCEPT
Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists — trainee events
Medical Board — Specialist Registration
MBA specialist registration pathways
State workforce data
Queensland Health’s medi-nav is the only state health department currently publishing the workforce and selection figures this section shows. We have not verified equivalent data for New South Wales yet — the selection criteria and requirements above apply Australia-wide regardless of state. See the Queensland figures.
Community discussions
Recent discussion about Clinical Pharmacology training from Australian doctors.
Search r/ausdocs and r/doctorsofaustraliaRequirements, windows, and criteria change annually. Verify with Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.