Nuclear Medicine
Royal Australasian College of Physicians (with the Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists; a separate joint pathway exists with RANZCR for radiology trainees)
Competition
Moderate
Qualification
FRACP
Training duration
Basic Physician Training (3 years) plus 3 years of Advanced Training in nuclear medicine (36 months FTE: at least 24 months core plus up to 12 months non-core) — about 6 years total to FRACP. A separate joint pathway lets RANZCR radiology trainees add a shorter nuclear medicine program (leading to FRANZCR plus a completion letter, not FRACP).
Applications
Entry is after Basic Physician Training — there is no single national scored round, and no state runs a centralised match for nuclear medicine (unlike several other RACP subspecialties in the Victoria/Tasmania PMCV process). You first secure an accredited Advanced Training position at a hospital, network, or private practice, then register it with RACP by the twice-yearly deadlines (28 February and 31 August). RACP is not involved in recruitment or selection. Check accredited sites and their departments directly.
Selection format
There is no single national scored CV matrix for nuclear medicine, and no centralised state match. The gateway is completing Basic Physician Training and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, then being appointed directly to an accredited position through department-level recruitment. During training the AANMS runs a Basic Sciences Course (an open-book written exam of two 2-hour papers) and a formative Continuous Assessment Program each core year — these are training assessments, not a selection matrix. A separate joint pathway lets RANZCR radiology trainees add nuclear medicine, but it leads to FRANZCR plus a completion letter rather than FRACP.
When to apply
Entry is typically PGY4–PGY5 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 position. The joint radiology route is entered later, after RANZCR clinical radiology Phase 2.
Competition
Nuclear medicine is one of the smallest RACP Advanced Training programs — the AANMS 2026 accredited-sites list totals roughly 50 training positions across Australia and New Zealand, most sites hosting only 1 to 2 trainees, and Australia produced only a couple of new fellows in a recent year. With no centralised match, competition plays out locally rather than as a national ranking; no national applicant-to-position ratio is published.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- Training settings — at least 12 months of core training in Australia or New Zealand across a minimum of 2 accredited sites, with no more than 12 months at any one site (trainees from 2022)
- Modality logbooks — PET (300 oncology scans, 20+ days at an accredited PET site), radionuclide therapy (5+ days), paediatric (15+ days), and a cardiac logbook (300 cases, from the 2023 intake)
- Anatomy training — cross-sectional and CT anatomy training over 3 to 12 months (revised under the 2026 curriculum)
- Work-based assessments — a supervisor report each 6-month rotation and 2 learning-needs analyses per training year
- Joint radiology route — RANZCR clinical radiology trainees can complete a shorter nuclear medicine program, but it leads to FRANZCR plus a completion letter, not FRACP
Rural & regional
Rural, regional, and remote experience
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP / AANMS.
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; a cultural safety course is mandatory from the 2023 intake
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 nuclear medicine
- AANMS assessments — the Basic Sciences Course (an open-book written exam of two 2-hour papers, about AUD $1,537) plus the formative Continuous Assessment Program each core year
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
- Research — an Advanced Training Research Project is required (trainees before 2018 completed a Nuclear Medicine Research Project)
Extracurricular
Leadership and roles beyond clinical work
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP / AANMS.
Distinction
Prizes, awards, and academic standing
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACP / AANMS.
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, leading to FRACP
- Registration and fees — register with RACP by 28 February or 31 August; the RACP Advanced Training annual fee is AUD $4,230 (the AANMS Basic Sciences Course fee is separate)
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACP / AANMS.
Recent updates
A new competency-based (EPA) Advanced Training curriculum for nuclear medicine takes effect for trainees starting from 2026 — including a revised CT anatomy course and theranostics content; earlier starters continue on the previous program.
For trainees commencing from 2023, RACP added a new-format cardiac cases logbook, a mandatory cultural safety course, and formal nomination of eligible supervisors.
Indicative only. Check the RACP / AANMS website for current information.
Official resources
RACP Advanced Training in Nuclear Medicine
Program page — entry requirements, duration, deadlines, logbooks, and assessments
AANMS Training
Basic Sciences Course, Continuous Assessment Program, and cross-sectional anatomy training
RACP Application Dates
Registration deadlines — 28 February and 31 August each year
RANZCR Clinical Radiology Training Handbook
The joint radiology-to-nuclear-medicine pathway (see the nuclear medicine section)
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 Tasmania yet — the selection criteria and requirements above apply Australia-wide regardless of state. See the Queensland figures.
Community discussions
Recent discussion about Nuclear Medicine training from Australian doctors.
Search r/ausdocs and r/doctorsofaustraliaRequirements, windows, and criteria change annually. Verify with Royal Australasian College of Physicians (with the Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists; a separate joint pathway exists with RANZCR for radiology trainees) (RACP / AANMS) before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.