SPECIALIST PATHWAYS FOR TRAINING DERMATOLOGISTS
Area of Need
Area of Need (AoN) positions are approved by the State Government and are temporary employment opportunities for overseas specialists who have not yet gained specialist recognition and, therefore, specialist registration in Australia. The positions are supervised and restrict the IMG to the job description of the proposed position.
Please note: Area of Need jobs do not lead to Fellowship of the College or specialist registration with AHPRA.
- Area of Need positions in Australia are advertised on state Department of Health websites and the websites of various Australian recruitment companies.
- Applications are made direct to the employer of each individual AoN position
- Applicants must have been formally offered an AoN position before they are eligible to apply for assessment
- Once the AMC has issued the IMG applicant with an AMC number and EICS number, the applicant should complete the pre-application questionnaire available on the College website. College will assess this questionnaire within 5 working days to determine eligibility to apply for Specialist Recognition.
- Applicant’s qualifications and experience are assessed by the ACD against the AoN position requirements
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Applicants must first complete the IMG Questionnaire. You should not complete this questionnaire if you have not applied to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) for primary source verification of your qualifications.
After submitting your questionnaire a college staff member will contact you within 5 working days with further details on how to access the application.
As of 1 January 2024 the assessment fees for Area of Need are:
- Pre- Assessment Fee: AUD $500
- Interim Assessment Fee: AUD $5,000
- Interview Fee: AUD $2,750
The Area of Need assessment interviews are conducted up to 4 times per year. Eligible/Selected applicants will be advised of the interview date and time.
Interview Panel and Structure
The interview is conducted by the IMG Assessment Committee, comprising Fellows of the college and a community representative.
IMG Assessors take into consideration the knowledge, skills and experience of the applicant, as well as the level of supervision and supports that will be required.
The interview Panel uses a set of structured questions and scenarios in an interview setting which are tailored to a specific position.
Interview guidelines: Advice to Applicants AON.pdf
Interview Confirmation
If you have been invited for an interview please click the link below:
Upon completion of the College’s assessment of the IMG and where necessary, an interview is required, the following outcomes are possible:
- Suitable
- Not suitable
Applicants who are found to be suitable are not entitled to specialist registration and are unable to access the higher specialist A1 Medicare rates. In addition, there are restrictions on an Area of Need doctor’s ability to prescribe certain medications. Patients may not receive benefits on certain medications if they are prescribed by an Area of Need doctor.
The length of assessment process and possible subsequent interview is dependent upon the availability of interview spaces.
It is strongly recommended that you review the Australasian College of Dermatologists’ Curriculum prior to applying. This will give you an idea of the broad range of subject areas covered in the College’s 4 year training program.
The table below provides information on the assessment outcomes of applications received over the last 5 years:
| Year | No of Applications | Not Suitable | Suitable |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 31 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
We will endeavour to assess your application within 12 weeks, however, processing times may vary according to the volume of applications received.
You may expect to wait up to 6 months for an interview after your application has been assessed.
