Rheumatology
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Competition
Moderate
Qualification
FRACP
Training duration
Basic Physician Training (3 years) plus 3 years of Advanced Training in rheumatology (36 months FTE: at least 24 months core plus up to 12 months non-core; at least 12 months of core in Australia or New Zealand) — 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; Advanced Training positions are secured at state or hospital level. Several states run centralised processes: Victoria and Tasmania share a PMCV computer match, and New South Wales and the ACT run a centralised panel with a matching algorithm; Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia run their own. Check your target state and the ARA site list.
Selection format
There is no single national scored CV matrix for rheumatology. The gateway is completing Basic Physician Training and passing both FRACP Divisional Examinations, after which positions are filled by state or hospital panels. Two documented examples: the Victoria/Tasmania PMCV match scores a CV across defined domains (education, rheumatology experience, publications and presentations, quality improvement, teaching), takes 3 structured referee reports, and runs a 15 to 20 minute semi-structured interview, with no published weightings; New South Wales and the ACT score a structured CV and referees, shortlist to a video interview, then match candidates to sites with a ranking algorithm.
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 Advanced Training position through a state or hospital process.
Competition
There are only about 70 accredited core Advanced Training positions nationally (adult and paediatric combined), a handful per state each year (New South Wales around 20, Victoria and Tasmania around 11). No national applicant-to-position ratio is published, but the small, state-siloed pool means positions are genuinely limited.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- In-country rule — at least 12 months of core rheumatology training must be completed in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
- Accredited settings — core training must be completed at accredited settings across at least 2 separate sites
- Clinical exposure — the curriculum requires inpatient consultation and outpatient rheumatology clinics, plus paediatric-to-adult transition-of-care content
- Procedural and laboratory skills — joint aspiration and intra-articular injection, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and interpreting immunology and bone-density (DXA) results; no published procedure minimums
- Work-based assessments — each core year: 4 mini-CEX, 4 DOPS (one per quarter), 2 case-based discussions, plus case and procedure logbooks
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
- First Nations — the RACP Fee Reimbursement Initiative waives training and exam fees, and the Indigenous Health Scholarship supports a Basic-to-Advanced pathway, for eligible Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pasifika trainees
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 rheumatology
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
- Research — an Advanced Training Research Project 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 clinical training plus up to 12 months non-core (a related discipline or research)
- Registration deadlines — register or re-register each Advanced Training period with RACP by 28 February or 31 August; late applications may incur a fee
- Fees — the 2026 RACP Advanced Training annual fee is about AUD $4,230; the FRACP Divisional Written (about $2,329) and Clinical (about $3,484) examination fees are separate
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACP.
Recent updates
A new (Wave 3) competency-based Advanced Training curriculum for rheumatology takes effect for trainees starting from 2026 — competence-based phase progression, expanded logbooks, and new mandatory courses; earlier cohorts continue on the previous program.
RACP applied a 4% fee increase for the 2026 training year; the Advanced Training annual fee is about AUD $4,230.
Indicative only. Check the RACP website for current information.
Official resources
RACP Advanced Training in Rheumatology
Program page — duration, entry requirements, curriculum, and assessments
RACP Application Dates
Registration deadlines — 28 February and 31 August each year
RACP Accredited Training Sites for Rheumatology
Official list of accredited Australian training settings
Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) — Advanced Training
State-by-state site lists and application links
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 New South Wales yet — the selection criteria and requirements above apply Australia-wide regardless of state. See the Queensland figures.
Community discussions
Recent discussion about Rheumatology 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.