RACMA Medical Administration Training in Australia

Prerequisites

Registration: general or specialist registration with the Medical Board of Australia or the Medical Council of New Zealand when you apply
- Conditions: no suspension, condition, restriction or undertaking that limits your registration, unless the College approves it
- Specialist registration only: ask the Medical Board of Australia to extend your scope of practice to include the program, and have it granted before you start
- Aotearoa New Zealand: once selected, tell the Medical Council of New Zealand that you are training with RACMA
Clinical experience: at least 3 years full-time equivalent in direct patient care. Medical administration does not count. The 3 years must be complete when you apply
Training post: a RACMA-accredited training post, or one with provisional accreditation, with a Training Supervisor who is a Fellow of RACMA and may also be your line manager
- How to get one: apply to a health service for a medical administration registrar post. If it is not accredited, the health service applies for accreditation within 21 days of your application
Documents: your primary medical qualification, current registration, letter of appointment to the training post, and evidence of the 3 years with start and end dates

Applications

Timeline

Next year

Applications

Period 1, the standard period, opens late July

Outcomes are notified in writing, with the start date in the letter of offer.

When to apply

Apply in postgraduate year 4 at the earliest, to start training in postgraduate year 5.

Selection format

CV
Personal statement
Referee report

Competition

Moderate

Places are limited by the accredited training posts, since you need one to enter. The college does not publish an applicant to place ratio.

Program structure

Time to complete
3 years
Supervised practice, full time
Each phase
69 weeks
Full time, Foundation then Advanced
Time limit
10 years
To finish every requirement, from the start of training

Throughout training

A year of training: 46 weeks; Of supervised practice, full time
Credit in a year: 47 weeks; Most a training year can earn
Professional development leave: 10 days; Business days a year that still count as training
Terms: 2; Each training year, about 6 months each, from the first Monday in February

Rules and conditions

Every week of training is in a RACMA-accredited training post, supervised by a Training Supervisor who is a Fellow of RACMA, counted from your start date. You stay in an accredited post for the whole program unless on an approved interruption
Time in your role before you start the program is not counted. Leave, time outside an accredited post, and professional development leave beyond 10 business days a year do not count either
A phase lasts until its requirements are met. Weeks beyond the 69 in the Foundation Phase do not carry into the Advanced Phase
A post can be in a health service giving patient care, a health department or public health organisation, or a national health agency
Your post is accredited for you. If the post or your circumstances change, ask the College to modify your training post or move you to another

Stage by stage

Stage 1 of 2

Foundation Phase

Minimum 69 weeks full-time equivalent of supervised practice (maximum 6 years from the start of training, part time or not)

The first phase, until its requirements are met and its Training Portfolio Review is passed.

Courses

Masters core subjects
At least 2 of the 5, from an approved Masters program
RACMA education
The induction session, the RACMA Indigenous Health Program, online modules, at least 4 online interactive sessions, and a three-day face-to-face workshop in Melbourne
Cultural safety modules
The Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association cultural awareness module and the Mauri Ora foundations in cultural competency course

Assessments

15 workplace-based assessments
A 360-degree feedback survey, after at least 6 months in the post
A Training Portfolio Review, rated at least Apprentice or Intermediate in seven of the eight domains of professional practice

Selection criteria

Score your portfolio

Clinical experience

Employment history: each post you have held, with its title, employer, place, dates and responsibilities

Academic

Qualifications: your primary medical qualification, any specialist qualification and other qualifications, each with the institution, country and year
Teaching: medical education you have delivered, including formal appointments with academic institutions
Courses: continuing professional development in the last 12 months

Publications & research

Quality improvement: audits and quality improvement work you have taken part in
Research: research you have taken part in, and your published papers

Curriculum vitae

On RACMA's template, with every medical registration you have held. Score yours

Personal statement

Your qualifications, experience, and reasons for training in medical leadership and management

Referees

Three referees who best support your application, such as a current or previous line manager, and a fourth to contact if one is unavailable. Each is asked for a report

Scoring

Reconsideration: if you think the decision on your application was wrong, ask the College to reconsider it within 28 days of being told. You can then ask for a review within 14 days of its answer, and appeal within 9 weeks of the review's answer

Application process

1. Complete the application form from the RACMA applying page, and email it with your supporting documents by the closing date
2. The College checks your application against the eligibility requirements
3. The Education and Training Committee considers your curriculum vitae, personal statement and referee reports, and approves entry
4. The RACMA Board admits you as a Candidate member, and the College writes to you with an offer, your start date and the enrolment steps

Practise this interview with each station timed. Interview practice

Entry tips

Courses

Start the core subjects of an approved Masters program before you apply, since subjects finished before you start count toward the five with no prior learning application.

Application

Apply in Period 1, since it carries no surcharge and training starts on the first Monday in February.

Prior learning

Send the Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience form within 14 days of your application, since comparable Masters study can earn credit for core subjects, and 24 months in a senior medical leadership role in the last 5 years can earn up to 46 weeks of Foundation Phase time.

Training posts

Look for medical administration registrar posts on RACMA's vacancies page, since a registrar post can be accredited for any registrar. If yours is not yet accredited, ask the health service to send the Training Post Accreditation Application (Parts A and B) 6 months before you want to start.

What the college has changed

2026-07
Training posts are accredited against new RACMA Accreditation Standards, built on the Australian Medical Council model standards for training settings.
2025-02
Candidates starting from 2025 train in a Foundation and an Advanced Phase, with workplace-based assessments, and need five Masters core subjects in place of a full Masters degree and a research project.

Workforce

Fellows in Australia

389

At 31 December 2025

Fellows by state, 2025

Fellows by state, 2025
Jurisdiction	Fellows
Australian Capital Territory (your selected state)	18

Source: Australian Government Department of Health. Medical Education and Training (2025), Chapter 4: Fellows, College Fellows by state, as at 31 December 2025.

Workforce data by state

QLD: Queensland Health medi-nav. NSW: NSW Health Map My Career. VIC, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, NT: Australian Government Health Workforce Data.

Training posts

None available.

Medical Administration

Prerequisites

Applications

Timeline

When to apply

Selection format

Competition

Program structure

Foundation Phase

Courses

Assessments

Advanced Phase

Examinations

Courses

Assessments

Selection criteria

Clinical experience

Academic

Publications & research

Curriculum vitae

Personal statement

Referees

Scoring

Application process

Entry tips

What the college has changed

Workforce

Fellows by state, 2025

Workforce data by state

Training posts

Available Medical Administration training positions

Official resources

Official links