Haematology

Royal Australasian College of Physicians (joint haematology training with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia)

Competition

High

Qualification

FRACP (or dual FRACP/FRCPA)

Training duration

Basic Physician Training (3 years) plus Advanced Training: 3 years for the clinical-only pathway (about 6 years total to FRACP) or 4 years for the joint RACP/RCPA pathway (about 7 years to dual FRACP and FRCPA)

Applications

Entry is after Basic Physician Training — there is no single national scored round. You must SECURE an accredited Advanced Training position at a hospital or network first, then register it with RACP by the twice-yearly deadlines (28 February and 31 August). Selection is run locally and varies by state: the Victorian centralised PMCV physician match does not include haematology, and Queensland runs its own dedicated haematology network process. Check your target state and department.

Selection format

There is no single national scored CV matrix for haematology (unlike the surgical specialties). The national gateway is completing Basic Physician Training and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations; Advanced Training positions are then filled at the hospital or network level, and the format varies by state. One well-documented example (Queensland Health) screens applicants against selection criteria, then runs a roughly 25-minute interview before three independent panels (clinical, laboratory, and an RCPA representative) scoring academic achievement, clinical competence, communication, teaching and research, and ethics alongside the CV and referee reports, with offers made in preference-rank order.

When to apply

Entry is after completing Basic Physician Training (about 3 years) and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, typically PGY4–PGY5 or later, and only once you have secured an accredited haematology Advanced Training position (clinical-only or joint).

Competition

National application-to-position ratios are not published by RACP or RCPA. The clearest published figures are state-level — Queensland fills roughly 8 to 10 new positions a year across a 41-position network — and its policy of not re-interviewing twice-unsuccessful applicants signals real, sustained competition.

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Selection criteria

Clinical experience

Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure

Clinical pathway — the clinical-only stream is 3 years (36 months): at least 24 months core clinical plus 6 months core laboratory training
Joint pathway — the dual RACP/RCPA stream is 4 years (48 months): at least 24 months clinical plus 24 months laboratory, leading to dual FRACP and FRCPA
Work-based assessments — case-based discussions, mini-CEX, a learning-needs analysis, and a supervisor report each rotation run throughout Advanced Training

Rural & regional

Rural, regional, and remote experience

Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP / RCPA.

First Nations

Selection points and pathways for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Māori applicants

First Nations — the RACP Fee Reimbursement Initiative waives training and exam fees, and the Indigenous Health Scholarship funds up to 4 years, for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pasifika trainees

Academic

Exams, qualifications, courses, and teaching

Gateway — pass both FRACP Divisional Examinations (Written and Clinical) and complete Basic Physician Training before starting Advanced Training in haematology
Laboratory exams (joint trainees) — pass the RCPA Basic Pathological Sciences, Haematology Part I, and Part II examinations for the dual pathway

Publications & research

Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI

Research — an Advanced Training Research Project is required; joint trainees may instead satisfy it through the RCPA Haematology Part II dissertation

Extracurricular

Leadership and roles beyond clinical work

Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP / RCPA.

Distinction

Prizes, awards, and academic standing

Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP / RCPA.

Eligibility & application

Prerequisites, referees, interviews, and fees

Secure a position first — you must obtain an accredited Advanced Training position at a hospital or network before registering it with RACP; the college does not allocate positions
Eligibility — at least 24 months of training must be in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand; a maximum of 24 to 36 months is allowed at any single accredited setting
Registration deadlines — register or re-register each Advanced Training period with RACP by 28 February or 31 August; late applications are accepted up to a month later, possibly for a fee
Fees — the 2026 RACP Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230 (a 50% reduction is available for approved research); RCPA Part I and Part II exam fees are AUD $3,700 each

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Entry tips

01Sit the FRACP Divisional exams early — they are a hard prerequisite before any Advanced Training position, so clear them as soon as you are eligible.

02Chase haematology rotations during Basic Training — early clinical exposure and a strong supervisor reference feed straight into network interview scoring.

03Decide clinical-only versus joint early — the joint pathway adds a year and the RCPA Part I and Part II exams, so weigh your clinical versus laboratory interest before applying.

04Start a research project before you apply — an Advanced Training Research Project (or the RCPA Part II dissertation) is compulsory, so beginning early avoids progression delays.

05Build laboratory and morphology comfort either way — both the clinical-only (6 months) and joint (24 months) streams have mandatory laboratory rotations.

06Network with your target department — positions are filled hospital by hospital, not through one national match, so local visibility and referees matter.

07Prepare thoroughly for every attempt — at least one network (Queensland) generally will not re-interview candidates after two unsuccessful attempts.

Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACP / RCPA.

Recent updates

2026-07

RACP is renewing its Advanced Training curricula (Wave 3): new competency-based haematology curricula are scheduled for trainees starting in 2027, with new assessment tools, progression criteria, and a training management platform; trainees who started in 2026 or earlier continue on the existing curriculum.

2026-01

RACP applied a 4% fee increase for the 2026 training year; the Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230 including GST.

Indicative only. Check the RACP / RCPA website for current information.

Official resources

RACP Advanced Training in Clinical Haematology

Curriculum and requirements for the clinical-only (3-year) haematology pathway

RACP Advanced Training in Joint Haematology

The dual RACP/RCPA (4-year) pathway leading to FRACP and FRCPA

RACP Application Dates

Registration deadlines — 28 February and 31 August each year

RCPA Haematology Trainee Handbook

Laboratory training detail, Part I/II exam structure, and joint-training rules

Medical Board — Specialist Registration

MBA specialist registration pathways

State workforce data

QLD NSW VIC WA SA TAS ACT NT

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 Tasmania yet — the selection criteria and requirements above apply Australia-wide regardless of state. See the Queensland figures.

Community discussions

Recent discussion about Haematology training from Australian doctors.

Search r/ausdocs and r/doctorsofaustralia

Requirements, windows, and criteria change annually. Verify with Royal Australasian College of Physicians (joint haematology training with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia) (RACP / RCPA) before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.