Radiation Oncology training: entry requirements and selection

Program structure

How Radiation Oncology training is structured.

Before you start

The 24 months of prevocational training is measured to the planned commencement of the advertised position rather than to the date of application. A College Registration Verification Number can be obtained while PGY2 is still being completed, with evidence of completing it given before training starts, and no jurisdiction considers an application without one.

Training duration

5 years is the timeframe a training network is accredited to deliver the program in. The published floor is 48 months of accredited training, a minimum of 12 months in Phase 1 and 36 months in Phase 2, and an accredited training position has to be held for the whole of it. A position below 0.4 full time equivalent accrues no accredited training time at all. (maximum 10 years from commencement, extended only by interrupted training for parental, carers or sick leave)

Training pathway

1
Phase 1
Minimum 12 months of accredited training (maximum 30 accredited months)
Competencies
- Foundation knowledge in radiation oncology physics, radiation and cancer biology, and anatomy
- Assessing a patient, taking a history, examining, interpreting or ordering investigations, and synthesising all of it into a management plan
- Preparing a radiation therapy plan, with demonstrated improvement in contouring and plan evaluation by the end of the phase
- Communicating across four settings, an initial consultation, a follow up or treatment review, explaining a management plan and obtaining informed consent, and breaking bad news
To complete
- Ten Patient Encounter Assessments, five of them with the clinical supervisor observing the consultation, and ten Contouring and Plan Evaluation assessments
- At least one work based assessment a month, with more than two supervisors signing off across each type
- Ten Practical Oncology Experience sessions, two in pathology, four in radiation planning and four in radiation delivery, each a single block of at least three hours rather than two shorter ones
- One multi source feedback inside the first 12 months, rated by clinicians, peers and co-workers
- A clinical supervisor appraisal every 3 to 4 months and a Director of Training review every 6 months, with a full portfolio review no later than 24 months in
- Portfolio review by the Network Portfolio Review Committee, which needs Level 2 or better on the entrustability scale for at least half of the patient encounter and contouring assessments and Level 3 on each communication scenario
2
Phase 2
Minimum 36 months of accredited training
Competencies
- Care of the oncology patient applied to specific tumour sites, and the place of surgery, systemic therapy and interventional radiology in the overall plan
- Prescribing and supervising a course of radiation therapy, and supervising the treatment planning process
- Symptom control and palliative care, including prognostication and holistic management of a terminally ill patient
- Tailoring care for paediatric, adolescent and young adult, pregnant or lactating, and elderly patients
- The intrinsic roles, which are the seven CanMEDS roles with cultural competency added as an eighth
To complete
- Fifteen Patient Encounter Assessments with five observed, fifteen Contouring and Plan Evaluation assessments, and twenty Case Report and Discussion assessments, of which at least five on lesser focus topics, two on inpatient care and five on specific techniques
- Ten Practical Oncology Experience sessions, two with a specialist palliative care team, two with patients undergoing surgery, two with patients receiving systemic therapy, and four on any treatment modality

Required courses

Oncology Sciences Workshops

Two of three, each 4 to 5 hours, run annually inside the training network. Questions are allocated about a month ahead and are presented at the workshop. The two-workshop rule is lifted for the 2026 sittings only and still governs progression from Phase 1 to Phase 2.

Phase 1, before the Phase 1 Examination

Phase 1 Examination

Three subject papers, anatomy, radiation oncology physics, and radiation and cancer biology, each 2 hours and 120 marks. All three have to be passed within three examination attempts. Two series a year, applications closing in January and July.

Phase 1

SMART Workshop

One of two workshops that alternate each year, evidence appraisal skills and study design concepts, held with the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group annual meeting.

Phase 2, and before applying for completion of training

Australian Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety Course

Phase 2, before the Phase 2 Examination can be applied for

Phase 2 Examination

Four written papers of 2 hours, then a planning viva of 6 questions and a clinical cases viva of 10, each question 6 minutes. Written and viva have to be passed in the same series, the components cannot be split, and there are three attempts.

Selection criteria

One set of categories across every specialty, so two can be compared. Only those with criteria recorded for this specialty are shown.

Score your portfolioagainst RANZCR criteria

Clinical experience

Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure

Oncology rotations (medical or radiation)

Rural & regional

Rural, regional, and remote experience

Rural — RANZCR's MMM 2 to 7 rural origin/experience CV-scoring definitions and the Regional and Rural Training Pathway apply college-wide

First Nations

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

First Nations — Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori applicants who self-identify are guaranteed an interview place and are exempt from the College registration and enrolment fee

Academic

Exams, qualifications, courses, and teaching

Understanding of radiobiology and radiation physics
New Zealand applicants — Certificate of Professional Status (COPS) from the Medical Council of New Zealand required

Publications & research

Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI

Research or audit in oncology

Referees

Who is asked to report on you, and what they are asked

Referees — at least one referee must be a supervisor from within the last 12 months; a minimum of 2 Fellows score each application with cross-checking

Fees

Application, interview, and registration costs

College registration — a College Registration Verification Number (CRVN) is required before applying to jurisdictions, valid for the calendar year obtained, AUD $800 fee, no limit on how many jurisdictions or sites you apply to within it

Application process

Registration mechanics and logistics not covered above

Minimum 24 months prevocational training (PGY1 to 2) completed
Eligibility — general medical registration
Selection format: Selection is run by each jurisdiction in Australia and centrally by the College in New Zealand. The score that decides an appointment combines three components, the curriculum vitae, referee reports and the interview, and no split between them is published. Applicants should not meet one on one with a Director of Training or anyone else involved in the interview before it is held. After the interviews a ranking list is made and positions are offered down it in order. Applications to enter the program are capped at 4 non-consecutive attempts, and an attempt counts once you register with the College and apply to at least one trainee position in a calendar year.

Entry tips

Sourced from Australian medical community discussion.

Before applying

Obtain the College Registration Verification Number in the calendar year you intend to apply in, and it can be obtained while PGY2 is still running, because evidence of completing PGY2 is given before training starts rather than before registering. It expires on 31 December whatever month it was issued in.
Work to each jurisdiction rather than to one national date. Applications open at different times of the year in New Zealand and in each Australian state, and every jurisdiction advertises its own positions and runs its own selection against the same College eligibility.

Within 12 months of starting training

Apply for recognition of prior learning if you arrive with any. Research you led as first author, published in a qualifying oncology journal less than three years before training commenced, can be recognised in place of the research project, and courses, workshops and structured learning experiences can be recognised too. The window closes 12 months after training commences, and examinations and work based assessments are never recognised.

Phase 1

Sit more than one subject paper in a series. All three have to be passed within three examination attempts, and the cap counts attempts rather than papers, so one paper at a time leaves no room to re-sit.
Begin the research project. It may be commenced in Phase 1 and has to be complete before completion of training is applied for, and a research supervisor named from the start has to be an author on the manuscript.

Phase 2

Plan the 12 months away from the home training site early. Rotations between networked departments run a minimum of 6 months, a relocation wants 6 to 12 months of notice, and the 12 months away is an eligibility condition for the Phase 2 Examination.
Time any work outside radiation oncology. Up to 6 months full time is allowed in medical oncology, palliative care, clinical haematology, oncological surgical training, nuclear medicine, paediatrics, pathology or pain management, in Phase 2 only, and approval has to be sought about four months ahead.

Radiation oncology offers a unique blend of technical and clinical medicine — demonstrating interest in both is important. Interviews assess 9 standardised competency domains (communication, professional integrity/ethics, cultural safety, patient focus, critical thinking, leadership, commitment to improving self/profession, self-awareness and resilience, organisation) — every candidate for a jurisdiction is asked the same questions, though not every domain is necessarily covered.

You get a maximum of 4 non-consecutive attempts at entry — make each application count, and seek feedback if unsuccessful.

Regional and rural applicants receive additional points in the initial CV-scoring component specifically to offset geographical opportunity bias — document your rural background or experience clearly.

Published figures

Selection and workforce history, transcribed as published.

Total, 2026

Published as "to date"

Total, 2025

Highest in the period shown

472

Fellows in Australia

At 31 December 2025

A small national intake, running between 13 and 35 a year over the last decade, with New South Wales and New Zealand supplying the largest single blocks in most years. The 2026 figure of 23 is marked "to date" and may not be final.

Historical data by year and region

The college publishes this table under the heading "Historical Data" without stating whether the figures are applications, offers or commencements. It is reproduced as published.

Historical data by year and region
Year	ACT	NSW	QLD	SA/NT	TAS	VIC	WA	NZ	Total

2025	1	11	5	1	1	3	Not published	13	35

2024	1	7	8	2	2	3	Not published	7	30

2023	Not published	11	3	2	2	5	3	4	30

2022	Not published	10	5	1	2	9	1	7	35

2021	Not published	10	5	2	Not published	2	Not published	6	25

2020	1	8	7	2	Not published	2	Not published	Not published	20

2019	2	10	5	2	Not published	5	Not published	5	29

2018	Not published	9	5	1	Not published	6	1	6	28

2017	2	6	3	1	Not published	1	1	3	17

2016	Not published	3	2	1	Not published	3	Not published	4	13

Fellows by state, 2025

How many Fellows of this specialty were on the register in each state at 31 December 2025. This is workforce size, not intake — a large number here does not mean a large number of training places.

Fellows by state, 2025
Jurisdiction	Fellows
Australian Capital Territory (your selected state)	17
New South Wales	173
Northern Territory	2
Queensland	98
South Australia	26
Tasmania	7
Victoria	115
Western Australia	34
Australia, total	472

Radiation Oncology

Applications

Timeline

When to apply

Selection format

Competition

Program structure

Before you start

Training duration

Training pathway

Phase 1

Phase 2

Required courses

Selection criteria

Clinical experience

Rural & regional

First Nations

Academic

Publications & research

Referees

Fees

Application process

Entry tips

Published figures

Historical data by year and region

State workforce data

Available Radiation Oncology training positions

Official resources

Official links

Fellows by state, 2025

Applications

Timeline

When to apply

Selection format

Competition

Program structure

Before you start

Training duration

Training pathway

Phase 1

Phase 2

Required courses

Selection criteria

Clinical experience

Rural & regional

First Nations

Academic

Publications & research

Referees

Fees

Application process

Entry tips

Published figures

Historical data by year and region

State workforce data

Available Radiation Oncology training positions

Official resources

Official links

Related specialties

Fellows by state, 2025