Geriatric Medicine
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Competition
Moderate
Qualification
FRACP
Training duration
Basic Physician Training (3 years) plus 3 years of Advanced Training in geriatric medicine (36 months FTE) — about 6 years total to FRACP
Applications
Entry is after Basic Physician Training — there is no single national scored round, and RACP states it is not involved in recruiting or selecting trainees. RACP registration by the twice-yearly deadlines (28 February and 31 August) is administrative; Advanced Training positions are secured at hospital or network level. Victoria runs a centralised PMCV geriatric-medicine match and Queensland runs a state-wide advisory-panel process; other states appoint per hospital. Check your target state and department.
Selection format
There is no single national scored CV matrix for geriatric medicine; RACP is not involved in selection. The gateway is completing Basic Physician Training and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, after which positions are filled locally. Two documented state examples: the Victorian PMCV match takes a CV, 3 to 4 referees, and a recorded interview, then a binding computer match pairs candidates to health services against published criteria (teamwork, communication, clinical judgement, resilience, and commitment to training); Queensland runs a state-wide advisory panel that shortlists and interviews, with site directors making the final appointment.
When to apply
Entry is typically PGY4–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.
Competition
No national applicant-to-position ratio is published by RACP or ANZSGM, but geriatric medicine is widely regarded as one of the less oversubscribed physician subspecialties: positions are spread across dozens of accredited sites, and state workforce data (NSW, Queensland) show high acceptance and stable, non-expanding trainee numbers.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- Core training — geriatrician-supervised rotations across acute aged care, ambulatory and community care, orthogeriatrics, geriatric and stroke rehabilitation, and perioperative medicine
- Non-core training — up to 12 months in areas such as general medicine, rehabilitation, palliative care, psychogeriatrics, or education
- In-country training — at least 24 months in accredited Australian or New Zealand settings across 2 or more sites (the previous program required 12 months)
- Work-based assessments — each year: 4 case-based discussions, 4 mini-CEX, 2 professional-qualities reflections, and a supervisor report per 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
- Cultural safety — from the 2023 intake, an Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori cultural safety course is mandatory for all RACP advanced trainees
- First Nations — the RACP Fee Reimbursement Initiative covers training and exam fees, and the Indigenous Health Scholarship supports 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 geriatric medicine
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
- Research — an Advanced Training Research Project is required (trainees before 2017 completed two Geriatric Medicine Research Projects)
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); trainees who started from 2024 follow the new competency-based curriculum, earlier starters continue on the previous program
- Registration deadlines — register or re-register each Advanced Training period with RACP by 28 February or 31 August; late applications may incur a fee (the geriatric-medicine handbook has also cited 15 February)
- Fees — the 2026 RACP Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230, plus a late-application fee of AUD $278
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACP.
Recent updates
PMCV published its 2026–2027 match rules, confirming the centralised Victorian geriatric-medicine match (CV, referees, and a recorded interview) continues for Advanced Training positions commencing 2027.
RACP applied a 4% fee increase for the 2026 training year; the Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230 including GST.
A new competency-based Advanced Training curriculum for geriatric medicine began rolling out for trainees starting from 2024 (a 26 learning-goal framework with a three-phase structure); earlier starters continue on the previous program.
Indicative only. Check the RACP website for current information.
Official resources
RACP Advanced Training in Geriatric Medicine
Program page — entry criteria, duration, curriculum, and fees
RACP Application Dates
Registration deadlines — 28 February and 31 August each year
RACP Advanced Training Accredited Settings
Hub for accredited-site lists by specialty, including geriatric medicine
Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine (ANZSGM)
Peak professional body — trainee resources and position statements
Medical Board — Specialist Registration
MBA specialist registration pathways
State workforce data
2026 first-year selection
46 of 47
eligible applicants selected
- Specialists in QLD
- 154 / 1,074 AU
- Trainees in QLD
- 63
- New fellows in QLD
- 15 / 97 AU
- Average week
- 39.5 hrs
How you reach a post
- A centrally coordinated Queensland Health pathway or network
Queensland Geriatric Medicine Advanced Training Pathway
A centralised state-wide recruitment process for advanced training positions in geriatric medicine at accredited Queensland hospitals.
- 46 of 47 eligible applicants were selected in the published 2026 round — all but one
- Note a discrepancy in the Queensland Health source: its college field for geriatric medicine reads "Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA)", while the surrounding program text refers to the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) throughout. RACP is the correct college; the source appears to contain an error
- Eligibility — completed RACP Basic Training including the Written and Clinical Examinations, and appointment to an advanced training position
- Flexibility — minimum 0.2 full-time equivalent; the training program must be completed within eight years
- Interrupted training — allowed, but interruptions of more than 12 continuous months may require a Return to Training Plan agreed with a supervisor and approved by the relevant training committee
Queensland figures published by Queensland Health (medi-nav). Selection numbers are for first-year entry and vary year to year — confirm the current round with the college and with Queensland Health before relying on them.
Community discussions
Recent discussion about Geriatric Medicine 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.