Refer GP

Do you know an Australian qualified General Practitioner living overseas who might like to return to Australia or a suitably qualified overseas trained General Practitioner who would like to come to Australia to work?

The AMA in Western Australia is seeking suitably qualified GPs for permanent and contract positions in various locations throughout Australia. You can help by simply referring the GP to us and we'll do the rest. If the GP commences in an approved position we'll send you $3,000 with our thanks.

What It's All About

Australia Needs Doctors, in Particular General Practitioners

The Australian Medical Association (WA) through AMA Recruit and AMA Recruit International (AMA), recruits both locally trained and overseas trained doctors and places them in positions throughout Australia. The AMA is looking for up to 500 General Practitioners to join the medical workforce in Australia. We need your help to find them.

If you know an Australian qualified General Practitioner living overseas who might like to return to Australia or a suitably qualified overseas trained General Practitioner who would like to work in Australia for a minimum of 12 months we would like to hear from you.

As a thank you, for every General Practitioner referred to the AMA who is contracted and/or sponsored by the AMA to work in Australia for at least 12 months and who commences work by 30 June 2011, we will pay the referring person up to $3,000.

What Overseas Qualifications Are Recognized?

Overseas based doctors who trained overseas, will generally need to have a General Practice qualification that is recognized as either Fully or Partially Comparable by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Currently this applies to doctors who hold a recognized general practice qualification from the following countries:

View full details of the recognized qualifications. Doctors who do not fully meet these requirements may still be able to make application for positions where some or part of the qualification has been achieved.

How to Refer

If you know a suitably qualified General Practitioner who is currently overseas, who might like to return or come to Australia to work, contact the doctor and send us the details in an email (cc into the email the doctor you are referring) to refergp@amawa.com.au.

What We Will Do with the Referral

We will respond to the doctor and the referring person outlining:

• Information required to determine eligibility to progress the application
• The registration, sponsorship, visa process
• Support provided by the AMA
• Approved positions / placement options and arrangements
• Contract and employment arrangements through AMA Recruit

Approved Positions/Placement Arrangements

Based on the background, experience and interests of the doctor being referred, specific details and approved placement options will be discussed directly with the doctor being referred.

As an overview key points to note are:

• Australian trained doctors returning to Australia, who have completed the General Practice Training Program in Australia may select to work in vacant approved positions in various locations throughout Australia. The AMA will work closely with each doctor to best match the medical background and interest of the doctor. The doctor may nominate regions/locations of interest and the AMA will undertake best endeavour to meet these requirements.
  
  
• Overseas trained doctors are required to work in a position that has been classified by State or the Australian Government as an area of workforce need and classified as an Area of Need and / or District of Workforce Shortage. Depending on the background and qualification of the doctor, positions are available in both rural or outer metropolitan areas. The AMA will provide the doctor with placement options that include locations across Australia.
  
  
• Should the doctor seek to work in an area that may qualify for an overseas trained doctor (most rural and some outer metro locations) where area of workforce need approval has not been obtained, the AMA will work with practices to assist with the determination process.
  
  
• Placements through this initiative need to be full time positions with a duration of 12 months or more. The position needs to have been lodged with the AMA.

Terms and Conditions

Doctor Eligibility

In order to progress an application to work in Australia through AMA Recruit, doctors will need to have suitable qualifications, background and experience. Doctors will need to meet the requirements of the Medical Board, Immigration - sponsorship and visa and AMA practice position requirements - and be able to arrive in Australia, ready to commence work by June 2011 for a period of at least 12 months.

For General Practitioners who meet all requirements, the AMA will work closely with the doctors, supporting and guiding them through the registration and immigration process, as well as providing sponsorship and employment contracts for placement in Australia.

Referral Eligibility

Referrals through this initiative can be made during the period 1 December 2009 until 31 December 2010. The referred General Practitioner will need to commence work in Australia, through AMA Recruit by 30 June 2011.

To qualify to receive up to $3,000, the doctor being referred will need to be a General Practitioner, eligible to work in Australia and be contracted by the AMA to undertake employment. Payment for the doctor being referred will be made at the satisfactorily completion of a three month probationary period of employment in Australia through the AMA.

Where partnership arrangements already exist with AMA Recruit, this offer does not apply.

Should a recently arrived overseas trained doctor be referred to AMA Recruit, the application to progress will only be possible if the doctor is not contracted to commence employment in Australia.

Where a doctor is already registered with AMA Recruit this offer does not apply.

Payments

It is possible that more than one person may refer the same doctor and the $3,000 reward may need to be shared. Payment decisions will be made in consultation with the doctor being referred.

Individuals should seek their own professional taxation advice regarding the treatment of the income they receive.

No claim for any payment can be made for doctors who are referred and commence work in Australia after 30 June 2011.

More Information

For additional information or to refer a doctor please contact the AMA (WA):

Email: refergp@amawa.com.au
Phone: (08) 9273 3033
Fax: (08) 9273 3043
Post: Australian Medical Association (WA) PO Box 133, NEDLANDS WA 6909