Typical Career Progression
|
|
Position
|
Salary
|
Experience
|
Education
|
|
Start position
|
Intern
|
$50,000
|
0 to 1years
|
Pre-registration: PGY1
|
|
1st Promotion
|
Resident
|
$70,000
|
2 to 3 years
|
Postgraduate Year 2-3
|
|
2nd Promotion
|
Junior Registrar
|
$90,000
|
3 to 5 years
|
Specialty Basic training
|
|
3rd Promotion
|
Senior Registrar
|
$110,000
|
5 to 8 years
|
Specialty Advanced training
|
|
4th Promotion
|
Fellow of College
|
$200,000+
|
8 to 20 years
|
Post Graduate
|
*The above table is to be used as aguide only
Typical Accountabilities & Responsibilities
|
Interns
|
Work in a teaching hospital under guidance and instruction of more senior medical staff gathering clinical information, ordering investigations and helping to put the agreed management plan into practice
|
|
Residents
|
Work under the direction of registrars and consultants formulating diagnoses and management plans; Rotate through 3 month placements in many sub-specialty fields to build general medical expertise
|
|
Junior Registrars
|
Choose a field of specialisation and enter a specialty training programme (General Practice, Physician, Surgery etc) taking responsibility for the assessment and management of patients under consultant supervision through periodic ward rounds
|
|
Senior Registrars
|
Pass the initial hurdles of examinations by their College and start to manage their clinical tasks independently while developing advanced skills relevant to their specialty
|
|
General Practitioners
(College of GPs)
|
Develop the competence to practice independently, bringing a wide range of clinical and practical skills to competently consulting on all community-based health problems, liaising with specialists and coordinating primary care.
|
|
Specialist Consultants
(Specialty College)
|
Develop expert status in a narrow field with recognition through having attained Fellowship of the relevant College of Specialists, Consultants take ultimate responsibility for patients under team-based care in a hospital and provide outpatient consulting services through their own consulting rooms.
|
*The above table is to be used as a guide only
Career Path Options
Are endless! You can become a GP, branch out to specialise in an assortment of fields acting as a sole practitioner or in partnership with others. You may be happily employed in a hospital or establish a practice in a country area with all the work variety and responsibility that this entails. You might follow a career as a medical researcher, medical teacher, lecturer or academic. If you start out in medicine and don’t like it consider other health related courses such as dentistry, vet science, or optometry.
About the Author
Wes Jame
Dr Wes Jame has over 30 years experience in general practice including the provision of GP obstetrics , GP anaesthetics , inpatient hospital care , palliative care , aged care, after hours care and home visits in rural and urban settings. His interests include long term involvement in undergraduate teaching , peer education and communication , IT development and senior management roles in several community agencies. He is principal of Berwick Medical Centre a 100 year old family group medical practice.
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