Medical Practitioner
(often referred to as a ‘Doctor’) plays a critical role in providing high-quality health care for Australians and are responsible for:
• diagnosing and treating physical and mental illnesses, disorders and injuries
• recommending preventative action
• referring patients to specialists, other health care workers, and social, welfare and support workers.
Doctors in Australia complete at least 4 years in a university or accredited medical school followed by a compulsory 12-month internship. Most doctors then spend several years training in a medical specialty, such as general practice, surgery or psychiatry.
International Doctors or Specialists
International medical graduates from outside of Australia or New Zealand must meet the requirements for either the:
• competent authority pathway – usually for non-specialists, but also specialists with qualifications from the UK, Ireland, USA, New Zealand and Canada
• specialist pathway – for specialists seeking specialist recognition or applying for an area-of-need specialist position
• standard pathway – for doctors not eligible for the other 2 pathways.
Nurses and Midwives
Nurses care for people (individuals, families, groups and communities) in all health and aged care settings. Nurses are the facilitators of the health and care systems and possess the qualifications, knowledge and skills to provide high quality care.
Nurses and midwives work with many other health professionals in the public and private health sectors such as;
• public hospitals
• private hospitals
• aged care (both residential and home)
• primary care practices including general practice
• community health services
• schools
• correctional facilities
• rural and remote communities
• Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services
Together, nurses and midwives make up more than half of Australia’s health workforce – and almost 90 per cent are women and they can use any of the following protected titles to describe themselves:
• enrolled nurse
• registered nurse
• nurse practitioner.
Enrolled nurse
Enrolled nurses (ENs) complete a 2-year Diploma of Nursing and then work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Typical duties include:
• regularly recording patients’ temperature, pulse, blood pressure and respiration
• providing interventions, treatments and therapies from patient care plans (including administering medicines)
• assisting registered nurses and other team members with health education activities
• working in multidisciplinary teams; and
• helping patients with their activities of daily living.
An enrolled nurse can become a registered nurse by completing further education.
Registered nurse
Registered nurses (RNs) complete a 3-year Bachelor of Nursing or 2-year Master of Nursing through a university. Their scope of practice can include:
• assessing patients
• developing a nursing care plan
• administering medicines
• providing specialised nursing care
• working in multidisciplinary teams
• supervising ENs and junior RNs
• undertaking regular professional development
• performing leadership and management roles such as being a nursing unit manager or team leader
• working in advanced nursing practice roles.
Nurse practitioner
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are RNs who have been endorsed. NPs practise independently in an advanced and extended clinical role, and can prescribe some medicines and must:
• be a registered nurse with no restrictions on practice.
• have 5,000 hours of experience at the advanced clinical nursing practice level in the past 6 years.
• have completed an approved program of study at a master degree level.
• State and territory governments employ most NPs in acute care settings.
Midwife
Midwives work collaboratively with many other health professionals. A midwife may practise and give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, birth and the first few weeks after birth in any setting including the home, community, public and private hospitals, birth centres, clinics or health units including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations.
In Australia, midwives must have completed an approved course in midwifery through a university and their scope of practice includes:
• providing health support, care and advice to women before conception, and during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period
• promoting natural childbirth and identifying complications for the woman and her baby
• consulting with other health professionals and referring to medical care or other health professions when required
• implementing emergency measures.
Endorsed Midwife
An endorsed midwife has done extra training and can prescribe certain medications and must:
• successfully complete an approved program of study that leads to an endorsement for scheduled medicines.
• register as a midwife in Australia without conditions.
• complete the equivalent of 3 years full-time clinical practice (5,000 hours) in the past 6 years.
Completed hours can be across the full continuity of midwifery care or in a specified context of practice. Recognised contexts of practice include antenatal, postnatal and antenatal and postnatal combined.
Aged Care
Aged care is the support provided to older people in their own home or in an aged care (nursing) home. It can include help with everyday living, health care, accommodation and equipment such as walking frames or ramps.
Different types of organisations provide aged care services in Australia, including:
a. not-for-profit organisations
b. government organisations
c. for-profit private companies.
Dentists
Dentists must complete a minimum 4-year undergraduate degree, or 4-year postgraduate master course and they must complete further training to specialise.
Dentists provide:
• assessment, diagnosis, treatment, management and preventive services
• diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injuries and abnormalities of teeth and gums
• restorative and preventive procedures
• surgery or other specialist services.
Medical and Health training in Australia
Health professions are either:
• regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) through national boards that represent each profession.
• self-regulated and represented by health profession associations.
You can study or train in one of the regulated professions to complete an approved program of study. ASC Migration are very familiar with the requirements of each profession (which are very strict) so contact us now.
If you are a Doctor, Nurse or Medical Professional OR you are interested in studying to become one, please complete a General Enquiry and we will asses your eligibiity to be granted an Australian visa for Free.