The forum met on 26 August 2026 under the leadership of AMA Council of Doctors in Training Chair Dr Sanjay Hettige. A major focus was the growing number of doctors working in unaccredited registrar and career medical officer positions and how medical training can better respond to workforce needs.

More recognition for experience

The forum supported changes that would make it easier for doctors to have relevant experience recognised when they later apply for specialist training.

In some specialties, unaccredited registrars can perform similar work to accredited trainees for several years. However, this experience may receive little or no formal recognition when they enter a training program.

The forum noted that these roles are not the same across every specialty. The work, level of supervision and connection with the formal training curriculum can vary.

Time spent in a position alone does not show that a doctor has achieved the required skills. However, relevant experience that closely matches training requirements should not simply be ignored.

Medical colleges still need to confirm competency and maintain training and patient safety standards.

The forum also raised concerns about current recognition processes. These can involve significant paperwork, different requirements between colleges and reliance on records or supervisor support from previous years.

A competency-based approach, supported by records collected throughout a doctor's career, could make this process easier. The forum suggested that a portable record of competencies and workplace assessments could begin from PGY1.

Better conditions for unaccredited doctors

The forum also examined the working conditions of doctors who have not secured an accredited training position.

These doctors may perform similar duties but have less access to teaching, supervision, protected education and administration time, pastoral support and career advice.

They may also be used heavily to cover night shifts and roster gaps created by protections for accredited trainees. This can reduce opportunities for supervised learning and leave doctors focused mainly on service delivery.

The forum supported minimum standards for supervision, education, career support, safe working conditions and pastoral care for all registrar-level doctors, regardless of whether they hold an accredited position.

It also supported dedicated positions, such as directors of clinical training and training program coordinators, to assist doctors working outside college training structures. The forum noted that these roles can work well when properly funded.

Career medical officer roles need a clear place

Career medical officer positions were also discussed as a possible long-term option for doctors who want flexibility, part-time work or a hospital career without entering specialist training.

The forum said these roles should remain a genuine choice and should not replace accredited training positions or push doctors towards careers they have not chosen.

CMO positions should provide appropriate pay, secure employment, supervision, education, career development and recognition of the doctor's contribution.

Rosters should also be fair. CMOs should not be regularly given undesirable shifts or service-heavy work without opportunities for professional development.

The forum highlighted concerns about repeated short-term contracts, particularly for doctors seeking parental leave, flexible working arrangements or greater employment stability. Longer and more secure contracts should be considered where appropriate, alongside workforce planning to maintain safe staffing.

Rural doctors need stronger pathways

Doctors working in rural and regional areas can face additional difficulties when applying for specialist training.

Limited access to professional networks, referees, accredited positions and metropolitan opportunities can leave some doctors working in unaccredited roles for longer without a clear pathway forward.

The forum supported expanding training from beginning to end in rural and regional areas, including more specialist training opportunities outside metropolitan centres.

More workforce information needed

The forum also called for better information about Australia's medical training and workforce needs.

It said medical colleges and governments should provide clearer data on:

• The number of applicants and available accredited training positions
• Competition and acceptance rates
• The number and location of unaccredited registrars
• Future workforce requirements
• The availability and location of consultant positions
• Movement of trainees between metropolitan, regional and rural areas
• Doctors' career intentions when they enter training
• Where doctors eventually work and the scope of their practice

Better information could help doctors make more informed career decisions while helping align training places with community workforce needs.

The forum also said workforce projections should clearly explain the assumptions and limitations behind the figures.

New qualifications should not add another barrier

The forum considered whether certificates or modular qualifications could be used to formally recognise specific skills gained outside accredited training.

It said such qualifications could be useful if they were portable, nationally recognised and connected to a clear career pathway or defined scope of practice.

However, there were concerns that additional certificates could become another costly requirement for entering specialist training.

Doctors already face expenses and administrative demands from courses, examinations, research and other activities undertaken to improve their chances of securing training positions.

Any new certification should therefore only be introduced where it provides a clear and lasting professional benefit. It should not create additional fees or unnecessary barriers and should be developed with governments and employers so that it has meaningful workplace value.

The AMA Trainee Forum brings together trainee representatives from specialist medical colleges to strengthen communication across specialties and represent medical trainees across Australia.

AMA forum calls for better support for doctors outside specialist training

Source: AMA Trainee Forum Communique, August 2026