FAQ - ANZCA & FPM SIMG pathways

You must have your primary and specialist qualifications verified by the Educational Committee for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) via the Australian Medical Council   (AMC)/Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials (EPIC) portal. All primary medical qualifications (MBBS or equivalent) and specialist medical qualifications must be submitted. Qualifications that are not related to anaesthesia or pain medicine do not need to be submitted for verification.

Please ensure you nominate ANZCA or FPM on your AMC profile so the college can view your qualifications via the portal.  

You will need to request the original certificate to be sent directly to the college from the issuing authority (both email and mail are acceptable). If the original document is not in English then an original or certified original translation from a licensed translator must be provided.

If you have participated in a CPD program, you must provide a CPD statement of participation for the past three years. The CPD statement of participation should show your participation in a CPD program. We do not require the individual activities certificates from each conference/meeting/event/training course etc. you have attended.
Where possible, you should provide us with de-identified documents whenever patient details are involved.
We are aware that the CPD evidence is varied between countries. It is best for you to provide whatever you feel best represents CPD in your country. If you have not been participating in a CPD program in the past three years, please advise the SIMG team [email protected] during the application process.  

Unfortunately, only SIMGs assessed under a previous version of Regulation 23 (before 3 April 2017) or those who voluntarily withdrew from the process may be eligible to reapply.  For more information, please check Regulation  23 section 23.16 reapplication.

The SPR confirms what documents and information you submitted and what deficiencies or gaps there are. If you think there are any errors, perceived gaps or omissions in the information assessed, please tick the relevant box in your SPR agreement and provide us with further information/evidence relevant to your application.

The SIMG interview is used to assess in detail an applicant’s comparability to an Australian/New Zealand trained specialist anaesthetist/specialist pain medicine physician. The interview will expand on the information provided in the application and focus on your training, qualification, specialist practice, continue professional development and cultural safety and community awareness.  

The interview panel will normally include three fellows and a community representative. Interviewers in training, jurisdictional representatives or administrative staff may also be present as observers. 

Depending on your location, the interview may be conducted in person or via Zoom. Instructions will be provided to you closer to the date.

You will be given your interview outcome and subsequent requirements at the end of your interview. More information about the outcome of interview, please check SIMG Handbook, section 5.3. Following the interview, a report 1 will be uploaded to the AMC portal.

Here’s a copy of the CPA report (anaesthesia), and  CPA report (pain medicine). Your approved supervisor needs to fill out every three-month and submit to the SIMG team [email protected] for assessment. CPA report period less than three months will not be accepted.

Unfortunately, any CPA report that is submitted prospectively will not be considered unless prior written consent to submit a prospective CPA report has been granted.

You will need to complete a PD variation application and sign supervisor agreement to either change or add a co-supervisor, and submit to the SIMG team for approval. Once your new supervisor is approved, they can then sign off your CPA report.

The SIMG team will confirm with you once your final CPA report is approved.

The SIMG team will then conduct a final review of your file to ensure all documentation is in order. Your file will then be directed onto the fellowship officer who will contact you to take you through your application for fellowship.  During this process your file will be reviewed by the DPA, Assessor to ensure that you have satisfied all requirements of the SIMG assessment process.  Once the DPA Assessor is satisfied that you have successfully completed the SIMG assessment process, we will email you a Report 2 which can be used for specialist registration with AHPRA.  A copy of the Report 2 will also be forwarded to AHPRA.
 

Please notify the SIMG team if there will be any delay in your start date. If you already have an approved position, you simply need to submit a PD variation application to change your start or end date. We will confirm with you and notify AMC/APHRA once it has been approved.

You can either change or add a co-supervisor to supervise you. To do this, you need to submit the PD variation application and ask your new supervisor to sign supervisor agreement  and submit to the SIMG team for approval.

The SIMG team will contact you when arrangements for your PA can commence. This usually happen after receiving your first three months satisfactory CPA report. We will liaise with you and assessors to determine a suitable date for the PA once we’ve received the PA fee payment.  The SIMG PA usually occurs in the final three calendar months of the CPA period.

More information on the PA process, please check our SIMG handbook

You can arrange for them to attend the interview via videoconference or phone, as long as the total number of interviewees joining virtually does not exceed three. We expect the majority of the interviewees to meet with assessors in person on your assessment date.

There are a few options to consider, please contact the SIMG team. You can arrange for them to participate via videoconference or phone interview. If the DMS is not available on the day, they can nominate someone else (e.g., the Deputy DMS) to fill the role. If neither option is feasible, please contact the SIMG team to explore alternative solutions.

Yes. The main reason for meeting with them is for assessors to discover whether there any non-clinical issues of which other members of the department may not be aware. Matters such as disciplinary issues, conflict within the hospital, or activities on committees/working groups etc.

PA outcome will not be available on the day. Following the PA, both assessors prepare a report and recommendations for consideration by the college. Please note copies of the report will not be provided to the SIMG, instead the SIMG is provided with the outcome.  

Depending on how many months of CPA time you need to complete based on your interview outcome, you must continue to submit three-monthly CPA reports until ALL requirements of your individual program are complete.

We will progress you to fellowship once you submit your final CPA report and it’s satisfactory along with all other requirements as outlined in your Report 1.

SIMGs that are required to sit the examination as a part of their individual
SIMG pathway, will be required undertake the SIMG examination which consists of medical and anaesthetic vivas. 

A medical viva is an oral exam where candidates are assessed on their clinical knowledge, decision-making, and communication skills. It involves presenting and managing clinical anaesthesia cases, justifying choices, and demonstrating knowledge in areas like pharmacology, physiology, and patient safety. Examiners ask follow-up questions to test the depth of understanding. The viva typically lasts 15 minutes and you will undertake two medical vivas.

An anaesthetic viva is an oral exam where candidates are assessed on their ability to manage anaesthesia cases. During the viva, they present clinical scenarios, demonstrate their knowledge of anaesthesia principles, make decisions on patient management, and justify their choices. The exam tests clinical reasoning, communication, and depth of understanding. The viva typically lasts 15 minutes and you will undertake eight anaesthetic vivas.

SIMGs are permitted five attempts at the SIMG examination. After the fifth attempt an SIMG becomes ineligible to re-sit the examination and will be removed from the SIMG pathway. 

Please check out our library guides for SIMG resources: SIMG examination. The college’s new online exam preparation resource, titled Planning for success: A resource for anaesthesia exam preparation and consists of nine modules which can be completed at any time and in any order. The approximate time required to complete each module is indicated on the module’s title page and it will require approximately 6 hours to complete all modules and activities.

Those starting in their SIMG pathway (only those in anaesthesia) from Monday 03 February and will be required to undertake the examination are also required to complete one PCIA as a part of their SIMG pathway. More details regarding the PCIA and what it involves can be found here.

To be eligible to sit examinations SIMGs must have:

• Paid all annual fees.
• Completed at least three calendar months CPA.
• The most recent CPA report be satisfactory. 
• A satisfactory CPA report within 12 calendar months of the date of sitting the examination. 

For anaesthesia, these requirements must be met prior to the date of the written component of the final examination. Dates and venues for the examinations are available on the college website.

For pain medicine, these requirements must be met prior to the closing date for applications. Dates and venues for the examinations are available on the college website.

Depending on how many months of CPA time you need to complete based on your interview outcome, you must continue to submit three-monthly CPA reports until ALL requirements of your individual program are complete.

We will progress you to fellowship once you submit your final CPA report and it’s satisfactory along with all other requirements as outlined in your Report 1.

The expedited specialist pathway for anaesthesia specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs) for eligible qualifications (United Kingdom and Irish specialists), is due to be implemented by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) by the end of December 2024.

For information, including eligibility, application process and registration about the upcoming Expedited Specialist Pathway can be found on Medical Board of Australia (MBA) website. You can also find the FAQ here.

Further information relating to the standard existing ANZCA SIMG process is located here, including information relating to the assessment process.

Only those applicants from the United Kingdom and Ireland are eligible to apply for the expedited pathway. Therefore, if your specialist qualification is from any other country you must apply directly to the college via the SIMG pathway.