SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT OF OVERSEAS TRAINED

PHYSICIANS/PAEDIATRICIANS
AREA OF NEED (AoN) APPLICATION FORM

Use this form to apply for assessment of your suitability for employment in an Area of Need
position in addition to your application for specialist assessment by the College.

Upon receipt of your application, the RACP will request that you pay the Area of Need fee
online. You will receive a link from the RACP in order to pay this fee. Your application will
not progress until this fee is paid.

You should submit this form electronically to OTP@racp.edu.au.

Your AON suitability assessment cannot proceed until the College receives confirmation that the
position has been declared an AON position.

If you have been offered more than one position, all locations and positions offered must be
included where relevant on all forms submitted in order to be accepted.

To assist you in submitting a complete application, please use the checklist of supporting
documents on page ii. There will be a significant delay in your application process if you do not
submit all required documents.

Further information regarding the Peer Review process is included in the Information Sheet on
page iii. It is essential that this information is read by both OTPs and peer reviewers.

This document will not be accepted if pages 5 and 6 are not signed and dated by both peer
reviewer and OTP. If more peer reviewers are required, please copy and paste where necessary.

Please read through our OTP Policy (Australia) OTP Policy (Australia). For all additional questions
please contact us at OTP@racp.edu.au.

You should acquaint yourself with the registration requirements in Australia and the documentation
that may be requested. Please refer to the Medical Board of Australia for further details.
http://www.medicalboard.gov.au/.
Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 2

CHECKLIST OF THE DOCUMENTATION TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THIS AON ASSESSMENT:

Declaration of Area of Need issued by the Health Department in the relevant State or
Territory in which the position(s) is located.
Detailed position description.
Letter of offer of employment.
Payment of the Area of Need Fee online - you will receive a link from the RACP in order to
pay this fee. For terms and conditions please click here.

OTP unit contact details:

Email: OTP@racp.edu.au
Postal Address:
OTP Unit
145 Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

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Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 3

PEER REVIEW INFORMATION SHEET

Outcome of Assessment
Once the College has assessed an application for Area of Need, a decision will be forwarded to the applicant
and their employer. If the College agrees that the OTP is suitable to work in the Area of Need position then
the applicant will be required to undertake a period of 12 months practice under peer review, a requirement
of the Medical Board of Australia.

Purpose of practice under peer review

The purpose of this period is two-fold. Firstly, it allows the OTP the opportunity to be orientated to the
Australian health care system and their workplace. It also allows practising specialists to interact with the
OTP in a clinical context to determine if he or she is performing at an appropriate level. Before the applicant
is deemed appropriate to work in the position without supervision, any areas of practice that may require
improvement need to be identified. An OTP being assessed for an AON position may be simultaneously
assessed for specialist recognition. The approval of the peer review position, program and peer reviewers
are all subject to the discretion of the College.

Nomination of peer reviewers

The employer is responsible for the nomination of the peer reviewers, the names of which must be submitted
to the College at the time of application. All peer reviewers must hold Fellowship of the RACP.

The College requires at least two peer reviewers to be on site and must be a Fellow of the College in the
subspecialty in which the OTP is practicing. The College accepts that this can sometimes be difficult to
achieve, especially in smaller centres. In these cases the College requires at least two local peer reviewers
(who can be working in other subspecialties) as well as a third peer reviewer, who works in the OTP’s
subspecialty but at a different location. The College would require this third peer reviewer to speak with the
OTP regularly via telephone (at least weekly) as well as undertake site visits to the centre to sit with the OTP
and attend ward rounds, review cases etc. This should happen at least twice during the OTP's period of
practice under peer review. This third peer reviewer is to be identified by the OTP’s employer who is also
responsible for any associated costs for this arrangement.

Supervision of IMGs
In addition to RACP requirements, OTPs and employers should be aware of the revised Medical Board of
Australia (MBA) Guidelines - Supervised practice for international medical graduates. The guidelines take
effect from 4 January 2016 and are published on the MBA website with information on the changes and
transitional arrangements. http://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-
Graduates/Supervision.aspx

Responsibilities and expectations of peer reviewers

It is expected that designated peer reviewers meet with the OTP on a routine basis through both regular
informal meetings and formal discussions held at least monthly. These meetings are to discuss an OTP’s
progress and to implement remediation programs if the need arises. Peer review reports are to be completed
by each peer reviewer at 3, 6 and 12 months and submitted to the College. Peer reviewers must comment
on all relevant areas of the OTP’s clinical practice. They should also confer with other medical, nursing and
paramedical staff that the OTP interacts with on a regular basis.

During the period of peer review, the applicant’s performance will be assessed at the standard of a
consultant physician/paediatrician and evaluation for each period will be discussed with the OTP. In addition
the OTP will sign the report and include any additional comments prior to it being submitted to the College.
Once the period of review has been completed, the College will decide whether it has been undertaken
satisfactorily or if further requirements are necessary before the OTP is deemed suitable to work in the
position unsupervised.

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Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 4

OVERSEAS TRAINED PHYSICIANS/PAEDIATRICIANS AREA OF NEED (AON)

APPLICATION FORM

This form must be typed and submitted as part of the application documents for an Area of Need
position

OTP DETAILS:

Family Name      

Given names      

Email      

AoN EMPLOYER DETAILS:

Name of employer      

Employer’s address
     

                 

City State Post Code

Contact person
(e.g. HR Manager)      

Position title      

Email      

Telephone      

Fax      

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 Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 5

AoN POSITION DETAILS:

If you have been offered more than one position, all locations and positions offered must be
included where relevant on all forms submitted in order to be accepted.

Position title      

Subspecialty(s)      

Location(s) of the position      

Commencing:       /       /      

Duration of appointment
Ending:       /       /      

Nature of appointment Full time Part time:       FTE

Other, please specify      

Roles and responsibilities of the position

(Please provide as much detail as possible, provide attachments if necessary)

     

Procedures that the physician/paediatrician will be required to perform

     

Details of inpatient/outpatient responsibilities (if appropriate)

     

Clinical activities and responsibilities

ROTATION PERIOD HEAD OF UNIT
                 
                 
                 
                 

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 Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 6

WEEKLY TIMETABLE:

Please include clinical rotations and CPD activities such as journal club, clinical meetings, grand
rounds and research projects.

For example: 8.00am Handover

8.30am – 11.00am Outpatient Clinic
12.30pm – 2.30pm Ward Rounds
2.30pm – 3.30pm Multi-disciplinary meeting
3.30pm – 4.30pm Registrar Teaching or Journal Club

Monday
Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

Tuesday
Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

Wednesday
Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

Thursday
Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
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 Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 7

Friday
Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

Saturday (if applicable)

Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

Sunday (if applicable)

Time Activities Other Information
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 

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Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 8

PEER REVIEWER DETAILS

Information relating to the roles and responsibilities of peer reviewers are outlined in Attachment A.
Peer reviewers will be required to have a close working relationship with the OTP. If this cannot be
achieved, an additional peer reviewer may be required.

SUPERVISION OF IMGS
In addition to RACP requirements, you should be aware of the revised Medical Board of Australia
(MBA) Guidelines - Supervised practice for international medical graduates. The guidelines take
effect from 4 January 2016 and are published on the MBA website with information on the changes
and transitional arrangements. www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/International-Medical-
Graduates/Supervision.aspx’

Peer Reviewer 1:

Name of Peer Reviewer            

First name Surname

Email      

Telephone      

Are you a Fellow of the College

Yes No
(FRACP)?

Will you be an onsite Peer Reviewer? Yes No

If yes, what site(s) will you be at?      

If no, what will the supervision

arrangement and/or schedule be with
     
the applicant? (attach more information
if necessary)

During which term will you be working with the OTP?

Commencing       Ending      

The above named has agreed to act as my peer reviewer (subject to confirmation of my
appointment), is aware of the roles and responsibilities as explained in Peer Review Information
Sheet and is prepared to report to the College as required.

                       

Signature of Reviewer Date Signature of OTP Date

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Royal Australasian College of Physicians – Area of Need Application Form 9

Peer Reviewer 2:

Name of Peer Reviewer            

First name Surname

Email      

Telephone      

Are you a Fellow of the College

Yes No
(FRACP)?

Will you be an onsite Peer Reviewer? Yes No

If yes, what site(s) will you be at?      

If no, what will the supervision

arrangement and/or schedule be with
     
the applicant? (attach more information
if necessary)

During which term will you be working with the OTP?

Commencing       Ending      

The above named has agreed to act as my peer reviewer (subject to confirmation of my
appointment), is aware of the roles and responsibilities as explained in Peer Review Information
Sheet and is prepared to report to the College as required.

                       

Signature of Reviewer Date Signature of OTP Date

Your privacy is respected by the College. Information collected by the College may be used for
administering the assessment of overseas trained specialists and provided to officers of the
College involved in specialist assessment, the peer reviewers, supervisors, AHPRA the Australian
Medical Council and the Medical Board of Australia. Please refer to the RACP Privacy policy at
Privacy policy.

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