Medical Oncology
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Competition
High
Qualification
FRACP
Training duration
Basic Physician Training (3 years) plus 3 years of Advanced Training in medical oncology (36 months FTE: at least 24 months core, up to 12 months non-core) — about 6 years total to FRACP
Applications
Entry is after Basic Physician Training — there is no single national scored round. RACP registration by the twice-yearly deadlines (28 February and 31 August) is administrative; actual Advanced Training positions are secured at hospital or network level, and most states appoint per site. Victoria and Tasmania are the exception — they run a centralised, merit-based PMCV Medical Oncology Advanced Training Match. Check your target state and department.
Selection format
There is no single national scored CV matrix for medical oncology (unlike the surgical specialties). The gateway is completing Basic Physician Training and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, after which accredited Advanced Training positions are filled at the hospital or network level. One documented example is the PMCV Victoria/Tasmania match: it is competitive and merit-based, candidates and health services each rank preferences, a shortlist is interviewed (continuing trainees are exempt), and applicants nominate 3 referees (2 medical oncologist consultants plus 1 nurse unit manager).
When to apply
Entry follows the 3-year Basic Physician Training program (typically PGY4–PGY5 or later) and requires passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, general (unconditional) AHPRA registration, and securing an accredited Advanced Training position before the training time can be certified.
Competition
Medical oncology is one of the more sought-after RACP subspecialties and core positions are capped per accredited site, but neither RACP nor MOGA publishes national applicant or position counts — so competitiveness is inferred from the documented merit-based selection rather than a hard ratio.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- Accredited settings — core training must be at RACP-accredited medical oncology sites; from the 2022 intake, at least 2 different settings with a maximum 24 months at any one site
- Supervision — core rotations need 2 RACP Fellow supervisors (at least one a practising medical oncologist); adult sites run 3+ outpatient clinics and 3+ new patients weekly
- Non-core options — the 12-month non-core period can include cancer genetics, palliative medicine, radiation oncology, or malignant haematology exposure (elective, not mandatory)
- Work-based assessments — each year: 4 mini-CEX (at least one on chemotherapy prescribing), 2 case-based discussions, 2 learning-needs analyses, a professional-qualities reflection, 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
- First Nations — Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pasifika trainees can access the RACP Fee Reimbursement Initiative or the RACP Indigenous Health Scholarship Program
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 medical oncology
- Courses — a communication-skills workshop (for example breaking bad news) is required for all adult-medicine advanced trainees
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
- Research — an Advanced Training Research Project (or an approved research year) is required for trainees who commenced from 2017
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 medical oncology plus a maximum of 12 months non-core
- 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; the FRACP Divisional Written and Clinical examination fees are paid separately during Basic Training
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACP.
Recent updates
The RACP accredited-settings list for medical oncology (per-site trainee caps and accreditation-expiry dates) was current as of the June 2026 edition.
RACP is rolling out new competency-based Advanced Training curricula (Curricula Renewal; medical oncology is in Wave 2) on a new training management platform, with new curricula continuing through 2026; earlier cohorts continue on the existing curriculum.
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 website for current information.
Official resources
RACP Advanced Training in Medical Oncology
Program overview, entry requirements, curriculum, and forms
RACP Application Dates
Registration deadlines — 28 February and 31 August each year
RACP Accredited Settings — Medical Oncology
List of accredited Australian training sites with per-site trainee caps
Medical Oncology Group of Australia (MOGA) — Trainees
Professional-body trainee support, the Advanced Trainee Guide, and state representatives
Medical Board — Specialist Registration
MBA specialist registration pathways
State workforce data
2026 first-year selection
13 of 14
eligible applicants selected
- Specialists in QLD
- 129 / 832 AU
- Trainees in QLD
- 30
- New fellows in QLD
- 8 / 52 AU
- Average week
- 41.7 hrs
How you reach a post
- A centrally coordinated Queensland Health pathway or network
Queensland Medical Oncology Advanced Training Network
Oversees the recruitment, allocation and selection of medical oncology trainees in Queensland, with an emphasis on state-wide consistency and quality alongside trainee equity, flexibility and choice.
- 13 of 14 eligible applicants were selected in the published 2026 round
- 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 Medical Oncology 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.