Expedited Specialist pathway now open to two new specialties

29 Jan 2026

General medicine and general paediatrics are the latest priority specialties to be added to the pathway.

Well‑credentialled internationally trained general physicians and general paediatricians from similar health systems can now access the Expedited Specialist registration pathway.

The Expedited Specialist pathway – a fast track to specialist medical registration in Australia – opened to eligible internationally qualified general medicine physicians and general paediatricians on 19 January 2026.

Specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs) with the following qualifications in general paediatrics or general medicine can now apply for registration directly to Ahpra and the Medical Board of Australia:

General Paediatrics (Paediatrics and Child Health – General Paediatrics)

• Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI – Paediatrics) together with a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST) in Paediatrics awarded from July 2010 onwards.

• Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH) together with a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Paediatrics from August 2007 onwards.

All general paediatric applicants will be required to demonstrate recent and relevant clinical experience in general paediatrics. Completion of an Australian child protection course and Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS), or equivalent, is a requirement for registration.

General Medicine (Physician – General Medicine)

• Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP(UK)) together with a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in General Internal Medicine or an approved dual‑training CCT pathway. Specifically, this includes applicants with:
• General Internal Medicine (stand-alone training) from August 2007 onwards
• Dual General Internal Medicine and Acute Internal Medicine from August 2009 onwards
• General Internal Medicine training in an approved dual CCT pairing from August 2019 onwards.

Applicants will be required to demonstrate recent and relevant clinical experience in general medicine.

Background

The gateway to the Expedited Specialist pathway is a list of pre‑approved qualifications (the Expedited Specialist pathway accepted qualifications list).

All qualifications on the list have been assessed by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and approved by the Medical Board of Australia as substantially equivalent or based on similar competencies to the relevant Australian specialist qualifications.

Accepted qualifications in general practice, anaesthetics, obstetrics and gynaecology and psychiatry were added to the list in 2024 and early 2025. Diagnostic radiology qualifications are currently being assessed.

General medicine and general paediatrics are the latest priority specialties to be added to the pathway.

Contact us

• Ahpra media: 03 8708 9200 or [email protected].