RACP
Palliative medicine specialists care for people with cancer or another life-limiting illness, and support their families and carers. They manage pain and other symptoms, lead the team caring for people at the end of life, and help other health teams give palliative care.
Each state, or each training setting, selects palliative medicine trainees on its own dates.
Moderate
Total training
6 years
Through Basic Training, full time
After Basic Training
3 years
36 months of Advanced Training, at least 12 in each phase, or after another Fellowship
Fellowship
Year 6
FRACP and FAChPM, at the end of Advanced Training, or FAChPM alone after another Fellowship
Throughout training
Within the 18 months
What every accredited palliative medicine setting must give you
Stage by stage
Stage 1 of 4
Before Advanced Training
Entry follows RACP Basic Training or a Fellowship of an eligible college.
Divisional examinations
The Divisional Written Examination and the Divisional Clinical Examination, both passed before Advanced Training, on the Basic Training route
Stage 2 of 4
At least one year, full time
You learn how the program works and show you are ready to progress.
Training application
At the start of this phase, due 28 February for a start at the beginning of the year or 31 August for mid-year
By the end, with indirect supervision
Quality improvement, transitions between care settings, acute changes in condition, communication with patients, and end-of-life care
By the end, with direct supervision
Team leadership, supervision and teaching, clinical assessment and management, prescribing, procedures, investigations, and clinic and community management
RACP Advanced Training Orientation resource
In the first 6 months
Cultural safety
The RACP Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety resource, before specialty consolidation, recommended, unless done in Basic Training
Progress decision
At the end of the phase, on evidence of competence
Stage 3 of 4
At least one year, full time
You keep developing in palliative medicine as you work toward the learning goals.
By the end, most learning goals with supervision at a distance
RACP Health Policy, Systems and Advocacy resource
Before transition to Fellowship, recommended, and by the end of training
Progress decision
At the end of the phase, on evidence of competence
Research project
Submitted by the end of this phase, so there is time to resubmit
Stage 4 of 4
At least one year, full time
You show you meet the standards and prepare for unsupervised practice.
Learning goals
20, professional behaviours, team leadership, supervision and teaching, quality improvement, clinical assessment and management, transitions in care settings, acute changes in clinical condition, communication with patients, prescribing, procedures, investigations, clinic and community management, end-of-life care, and knowledge of pain, other symptoms and complications of cancer, cancer and its treatment, non-malignant life-limiting conditions, acute conditions and palliative care emergencies, comorbidities, and comprehensive end-of-life care
By the end, every learning goal well enough to supervise others, except procedures, done with supervision at a distance
Completion decision
Then Fellowship of the RACP and of the Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine after Basic Training, or of the Chapter alone after another Fellowship
Practise this interview with each station timed. Interview practice
Postgraduate years 1 and 2
Basic Training
Research
Trainees starting from 2026 follow the new palliative medicine curriculum. Earlier starters stay on PREP.
The Clinical Diploma in Palliative Medicine was renamed the Clinical Foundation in Palliative Medicine. Its content is unchanged.
Fellows in Australia
525
At 31 December 2025
| Jurisdiction | Fellows |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 8 |
| New South Wales | 177 |
| Northern Territory | 4 |
| Queensland | 106 |
| South Australia | 44 |
| Tasmania | 17 |
| Victoria | 118 |
| Western Australia | 51 |
| Australia, total | 525 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Health. Medical Education and Training (2025), Chapter 4: Fellows, College Fellows by state, as at 31 December 2025.
None available.
Australia
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Select a region to see the hospitals inside it.
Hospital locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. State boundaries from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Requirements, application windows and criteria change every year. Verify with RACP before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.
