SIMGs who hold qualifications that allow practice and recognition as a specialist psychiatrist in another country may apply to have their specialist training and experience assessed by the RANZCP with a view to gaining approval to work in a designated AON position in Australia.

AON positions are declared by the States and Territories in Australia.  Applicants must first have identified an AON position for which an employer considers them suitable and has offered them employment. An application must then be made to the Australian Medical Council (AMC).  Area of Need applicants are concurrently assessed for Specialist Assessment.  This combined process is referred to by the College as the Dual Pathway.

Please note that assessment of an SIMG’s skills by the RANZCP for an AON position will be against the position description rather than against comparability to an Australasian trained psychiatrist, for the AON component of the dual pathway assessment.

The process is one in which the formal training and assessment, clinical experience and standard of practice of the applicant are assessed. In addition, significant weight is placed on the suitability of the applicant to the AON position applied for. More information on the process is available in the SIMG Handbook.

A SIMG who is approved for an AON position is only permitted to work in that position.  If the position description changes or the SIMG changes jobs, a new AON application must be submitted via the AMC.

For more information on specialist assessment, please visit the specialist assessment page. Once Fellowship of the College is achieved, the SIMG can be recommended for specialist registration.

Extensions to AON support

Until the introduction of the nationally consistent assessment pathways, SIMGs could sit in AON positions without being on the pathway to Fellowship (FRANZCP).  It is now a requirement they be working towards FRANZCP.

SIMGs who have been sitting in AON positions but not working towards FRANZCP are required to apply via the dual pathway when their registration or AON support requires renewal.

Current exemption candidates employed in AON positions requiring an extension to their AON support can apply directly to the College for AON extension approval.

Relevant Documentation

• AON Flowchart
• Dual Pathway Application Form
• Current Exemption Candidate AON Application/AON Extension Form
• Overseas Specialist Fee Schedule
• Advisory Statement on AON Extensions

For further details, please email the Specialist IMG Education staff via the Contacts page.