Specialist Assessment

1. Apply to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) for primary source verification of your medical and specialist qualifications.
2. Complete the Application form attaching documents:
   • Curriculum vitae using the Curriculum Vitae template. (Please download the Curriculum Vitae to your computer and complete it using Adobe PDF software, such as Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Pro)
   • List of rotations completed during your specialist training for each academic year.
   • Information regarding your most recent consultant posts i.e., in the last two years, using the Consultant Post Form.
   • Required supporting documents as detailed on the SIMG Application form. 
3. Submit your application to [email protected]. You will be invoiced an initial assessment fee (View all relevant fees).
4. Applications will not be processed until the following has been received:
   • The completed application form
   • All required documentation, as specified by the College
   • Payment of the assessment fee, and
   • Proof of application for Primary Source Verification (PSV), utilising the AMC process.
5. An application for assessment will lapse if payment and/or any required documentation or required information remains outstanding after six months from the date of receipt of the application for assessment, with a new application required and associated fee payable.

Following receipt of your application and evidence of application for PSV, a Summary of Preliminary Review (SPR) showing the relevant information received from you will be provided for your feedback and confirmation. Your application will then be forwarded to the Chair/Deputy Chairs of the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee for an initial paper-based assessment.

The initial assessment will determine if you are:

1. eligible for an interview for assessment of comparability to an Australian trained specialist in emergency medicine, or
2. Not Comparable to an Australian trained specialist in emergency medicine.

If you are eligible, you will be invited to attend a structured panel interview.

If you are assessed as Not Comparable and are interested in obtaining specialist registration in emergency medicine to practice in Australia, you will need to apply to enter the FACEM Training Program.

The Not Comparable outcome will be reported to the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) as assessment outcome.

To be considered for an interview, you are expected to have completed a specialist training program in emergency medicine that:

• was a structured, postgraduate course of at least three years duration, with published standards comparable to that of the FACEM Training Program.
• contained a documented and systematic in-training assessment system, with assessments comparable to those undertaken by FACEM trainees
• was accredited against published standards by an external body and was assessed for reaccreditation at regular intervals.

Eligible applicants will be invited to attend an interview to further determine their suitability to join the pathway towards obtaining Fellowship of ACEM and subsequently specialist recognition in Australia.

If you are unable to accept an invitation to attend an interview within six months of your initial assessment outcome, your application for assessment will expire. If you subsequently wish to be re-assessed, you will need to submit a new application, with all associated fees payable.

The interview panel includes three FACEMs, appointed by the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee and a Community Member.

Areas assessed
The specialist assessment process determines the comparability of your qualifications, training and experience to a newly elected FACEM. The interview will involve a detailed discussion of your:

• primary medical training
• specialist training
• subsequent specialist experience
• participation in ongoing continuing professional development.

You will be asked about your training and experience based on the eight domains of the ACEM Curriculum Framework.

• Medical expertise
• Prioritisation and decision making
• Professionalism
• Scholarship and teaching
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Leadership and management
• Health advocacy
• Communication

Report
Following the interview, the interview panel will make recommendations for your assessment outcome, for endorsement by the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee.

In accordance with the requirements of the MBA, and with respect to the ACEM Regulation C1.4.1, the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee will determine whether your qualifications, training and experience, in comparison to an Australian trained specialist in emergency medicine, is:

• Substantially Comparable
• Partially Comparable, or
• Not Comparable.

If you are assessed as Substantially Comparable or Partially Comparable, you will be advised of the specific requirements you will need to satisfactorily complete, to become eligible to apply for election to Fellowship and therefore attain specialist registration. The College will notify you and the MBA of this assessment outcome.

If you are assessed as Not Comparable, and are interested in obtaining specialist registration in emergency medicine with the MBA, you will need to apply for the FACEM Training Program at Training Stage 1, having met the necessary entry requirements. The College will notify you and the MBA, of this assessment outcome.

SIMG Pathway to ACEM Fellowship


View all the relevant fees.

1. Refer to the information about making an application for vocational registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).
2. Submit your application for assessment directly to the MCNZ.
3. Eligible applications will be forwarded to ACEM (the College) seeking advice, preliminary advice, on suitability for provisional and vocational registration in emergency medicine.
4. Eligible applicants will be invited to attend an interview with ACEM.
5. View all the relevant fees regarding the application for assessment via the MCNZ. All applicable fees are payable directly to the MCNZ.

Following receipt of your application, the MCNZ will forward your application, preliminary assessment or interview assessment, to the College seeking advice on your suitability for vocational registration in emergency medicine. Your application will be reviewed by the Chair/Deputy Chairs of the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee for an initial paper-based assessment.

After the preliminary assessment, preliminary advice on your suitability for provisional vocational registration will be provided to the MCNZ. The preliminary assessment includes a determination if you are:

1. eligible for an interview for assessment of equivalency to a New Zealand vocationally trained specialist in emergency medicine/ a newly elected FACEM, or
2. neither equivalent to, nor as satisfactory as a New Zealand vocationally trained specialist in emergency medicine/ a newly elected FACEM.

If you are eligible for an interview, you will be invited to submit an application, via the MCNZ, for interview assessment.
If you are assessed as neither equivalent to, nor as satisfactory as and are interested in obtaining vocational registration in emergency medicine to practice in Aotearoa New Zealand, you will need to apply to enter the FACEM Training Program.
The above advice will be sent to MCNZ as preliminary advice.

To be considered for an interview, you are expected to have completed a specialist training program in emergency medicine that:

• was a structured, postgraduate course of at least three years duration, with published standards comparable to that of the FACEM Training Program
• contained a documented and systematic in-training assessment system, with assessments comparable to those undertaken by FACEM trainees
• was accredited against published standards by an external body and was assessed for reaccreditation at regular intervals.

Eligible applicants will be invited to attend an interview to further determine the equivalency of their qualifications, training and experience to a New Zealand vocationally trained specialist in emergency medicine/a newly elected FACEM for the purposes of obtaining vocational registration and/or Fellowship of ACEM.

The interview panel will include three FACEMs, appointed by the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee and a Community Member.

The specialist assessment process determines the equivalency of your qualifications, training and experience to a New Zealand vocationally trained specialist in emergency medicine/ a newly elected FACEM. The interview will involve a detailed discussion of your:

• primary medical training
• specialist training
• subsequent specialist experience
• participation in ongoing continuing professional development.

You will be asked about your training and experience based on the eight domains of the ACEM Curriculum Framework.

• Medical expertise
• Prioritisation and decision making
• Professionalism
• Scholarship and teaching
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Leadership and management
• Health advocacy
• Communication

Following the interview, the interview panel will prepare recommendations for endorsement by the ACEM SIMG Assessment Committee.

In accordance with the requirements of the MCNZ, the SIMG Assessment Committee will provide advice to the MCNZ whether your qualifications, training and experience, in comparison to a FACEM registered in the vocational scope of emergency medicine, is:

• Equivalent to
• As satisfactory as, or
• Neither equivalent to, nor as satisfactory as.

The MCNZ will in turn determine whether you are suitable for provisional vocational scope of practice in emergency medicine via the 'Supervision' or the 'Assessment' pathway. You will be advised by the MCNZ of the outcome of their assessment.
If the MCNZ determined that you are neither equivalent to, nor as satisfactory as and you are interested in obtaining vocational registration in the scope of emergency medicine, you will need to apply for the FACEM Training Program at Training Stage 1, having met the necessary entry requirements.

In addition, if you are assessed as ‘equivalent to’ or ‘as satisfactory as’ to a specialist in emergency medicine vocationally trained in New Zealand, and, for the purposes of the MBA, are assessed as ‘substantially comparable’ or ‘partially comparable’ to an Australasian-trained specialist in emergency medicine, the SIMG Assessment Committee will determine the specific requirements you need to satisfactorily complete, to become eligible to apply for election to Fellowship of ACEM. These requirements can be undertaken concurrently with those required for obtaining vocational registration with the MCNZ.
 
View all the relevant fees regarding the application for assessment via the MCNZ and the annual SIMG registration fee for SIMG Pathway to Fellowship.

Australia
Upon receipt of your complete application which includes all required documentation and payment of fees, a Summary of Preliminary Review (SPR) mapping the relevant information from you will be provided within 21 days for your feedback and confirmation. The initial assessment (paper-based)  and the interview, based on the first offered date if deemed eligible, will normally be completed within four months from the date of the receipt of a complete application.
 
Following assessment at an interview, you will be notified of the outcome via email normally within 14 days.
 
Aotearoa New Zealand
Please refer to the MCNZ website for the outcome advice timeframes.

In general, upon formal request from MCNZ for you to attend interview, the initial assessment to determine your eligibility for an interview will be completed by ACEM within two weeks. You will be contacted by ACEM to arrange for an interview date.
 
Following assessment at an interview, your outcome advice will initially be reported to the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).
 
Once the formal advice has been sent from MCNZ regarding your Vocational Registration pathway requirements, the College will follow with your outcome advice regarding your pathway requirements to be eligible for election to Fellowship.

The costs include:

• Initial assessment/ Preliminary advice fee
• Structured interview fee
• SIMG annual registration fee, which is inclusive of subscription as an Educational Affiliate, for SIMGs who are on pathway to Fellowship of ACEM
• ACEM Fellowship Examinations (Written/ Clinical) fees, if required
• Research costs, if required – the costs involved depends on the mode of completion of the requirement.

View all the relevant fees regarding assessment for specialist recognition in Australia and the assessment application fees via the MCNZ.

If you are assessed as ‘Substantially Comparable’ (Equivalent To) or ‘Partially Comparable’ (As Satisfactory As) to an Australasian-trained specialist in emergency medicine, you are eligible to commence on the SIMG pathway to ACEM Fellowship and are required to:

• return the MoU, indicating your acceptance of the pathway requirements for achieving eligibility for ACEM Fellowship, within six (6) months of the assessment outcome notification date
• apply and commence a supervised practice position prospectively approved by the College within 12 months of the assessment outcome notification date  

Failure to comply with the above requirements may lead to removal of your eligibility to be on ACEM SIMG pathway, by the SIMG Committee. Should you subsequently wish to be on the pathway, you will need to apply for reassessment with all associated fees payable.

Note: A SIMG pathway supervised practice position must be prospectively approved. Circumstances around a position secured prior to SIMG Specialist Assessment will not be considered when deciding assessment outcome and pathway requirements.

Depending on your assessment outcome, SIMGs who are assessed as Substantially Comparable or Partially Comparable and are seeking eligibility for election to Fellowship may be required to satisfactorily complete:

• a defined period of emergency department (ED) supervised practice with the associated In-Training and Work-based assessments
• Structured References and Multi-Source Feedback
• The ACEM Cultural Competency modules
• a specified duration of non-ED supervised practice placements
• the paediatric requirements as specified in Regulation C
• the research requirement of the FACEM Training Program
• the ACEM Fellowship Examinations (written and/or Clinical)

To achieve eligibility for election to ACEM Fellowship, you are required to satisfactorily complete a minimum period of supervised practice at an ACEM-accredited ED with a specific site accreditation requirement (24 months or 36 months) as specified in your outcome advice. 

Please refer to the ACEM website for the list of accredited ED sites.

Yes. However, pathway requirements for ACEM Fellowship must be undertaken in an appropriate ACEM-accredited ED as specified in your outcome advice.

Yes. SIMGs have the following maximum durations from the date on which they commence prospectively approved supervised practice position to satisfactorily complete the prescribed pathway requirements:
 

As with all College decisions, you have the right to seek reconsideration, review or appeal of your assessment decision under the Reconsideration, Review and Appeals Policy (COR355). These processes are handled confidentially and are conducted in accordance with the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness, and serve to provide a mechanism by which any individual who is dissatisfied with a College decision can seek redress without fear of reprisal.

The assessment decision is valid for a period of 12 months from the date of notification of the decision and an applicant cannot apply for reassessment during this period.

You may apply for reassessment at the end of this period if you can demonstrate the completion of further training and/or experience in emergency medicine.

AHPRA Website

MBA Website

ACEM Regulations Part B (FACEM Training Program) 

ACEM Regulations Part C (Assessment of Specialist International Medical Graduates) 

Guidelines for Assessing SIMG Research Experience

Guidelines for the Supervision and Management of Specialist International Medical Graduates in Australia

Guidelines for the Supervision and Management of SIMGs in Aotearoa New Zealand

SIMG Assessment Guidelines for Determining Comparability

SIMG Assessment Guidelines for Determining Duration of Supervised Practice

Assessment Information for the FACEM Training Program and Examinations 

ACEM My Wellbeing 

Indigenous Health & Cultural Competency 

Best of Web EM

FACEM Curriculum

Working as Medical Practitioner in Australia

AMC Website 

How to apply for Primary Source Verification (PSV)

MCNZ Website

The International Federation for Emergency Medicine 

World Directory of Medical Schools