RANZCP homepage
Short-term training placements
Specialist Specified Training (SST) allows international medical graduates to complete short-term, supervised and workplace-based psychiatry training in Australia.
This training is not a pathway to Fellowship of the RANZCP.
During Specialist Specified Training, you can gain practical skills in an area of psychiatry not available in your home country.
Who can apply?
- International medical graduates (IMGs) completing their final 2 years of specialist training in their home country.
- International psychiatrists who hold a specialist qualification in psychiatry.
Duration
The maximum time granted for an SST post is two (2) years. On completion, it's expected that you will return to your home country to resume work or finish specialist training.
Application process
Before applying to the RANZCP for SST endorsement, you need to:
- apply to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) for primary source verification of your qualifications
- secure a suitable position at an Australian health service.
The position must:
- provide training that isn’t available in your home country
- allow you to achieve your learning goals and competencies
- be equivalent to AHPRA Level 2 supervision.
Application process flowchart [PDF; 32 KB]
How to apply
Please ensure that you apply to the RANZCP for SST endorsement at least three months before the start date of your proposed training.
To apply, please read and complete the below application form and submit via email to simgehelp@ranzcp.org with the required fee and all required supporting documents (as per the checklist on the application form).
Applications prior to February 13, 2026
- Specialist Specified Training Application form [PDF; 483 KB]
Applications after February 13, 2026
- RANZCP SST Application form [PDF; 1.6MB]
Note: Only one copy of each supporting document is required. Unnecessary copies will cause a delay in the review of your application.
Assessment of applications
Applications are assessed by the RANZCP's local Branch Training Committee (BTC), and a recommendation is made to the Committee for Specialist International Medical Graduate Education (CSIMGE). If the application is approved, the CSIMGE will release the endorsed Medical Board of Australia form (AAMC-30) directly to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
Applications generally take 6 weeks to process from the date that a complete application is able to be confirmed by the RANZCP, and may sometimes take longer than this.
Finding a job
RANZCP does not assist applicants with finding a suitable job offer as part of the assessment process. Please refer to the RANZCP job board for opportunities.
Extensions to your Specialist Specified Training
CV template [MS Word; 97 KB] - only required for SST extensions
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements
CPD participation is a requirement for medical registration and annual recertification of medical practitioners in Australia. You should discuss your CPD obligations with Ahpra when you start your placement.
You are invited to join the RANZCP CPD Home if CPD is a requirement for you.
Moving to the RANZCP specialist pathways to Fellowship
If you wish to settle in Australia on a permanent basis, please refer to Applying for Specialist Assessment.
Further information
Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection
