Centralised Intern Application and Allocation Policy

Applicable to: This Policy is applicable to all Health Service Providers who are accredited as a PEHS.

Description: The purpose of this Policy is to ensure a consistent approach when offering medical intern positions to Commonwealth-funded medical students graduating from Western Australia (WA) medical schools and other eligible medical graduates as outlined in the WA Intern Priority Categories.

Under the 2006 Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreement, the States and Territories guarantee to provide high-quality clinical placements and intern training for Commonwealth-funded medical students.

The Postgraduate Medical Council of Western Australia (PMCWA), a Ministerial Council established under Section 11 of the Health Legislation Administration Act 1984, is responsible for ensuring this guarantee is met. This outcome is undertaken in co-operation with the System Manager of the WA health system.

To ensure a consistent approach and timely processing of applications and appointments to intern positions, the PMCWA coordinates the centralised intern application process in WA, in collaboration with the Primary Employing Health Services (PEHS) who are accredited to employ and train interns; and with other Australian Postgraduate Medical Councils.

Additionally, PMCWA participates with all other Australian jurisdictions in the National Medical Intern Data Management Working Group. This Working Group oversees audits, the Late Vacancy Management Process (LVMP) and identifies agreed dates for the process nationally. The National Audit of Applications and the National Audit of Internship Acceptances are both managed by the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI), on behalf of the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC) and Health Workforce Principal Committee (HWPC). Central monitoring and coordination ensure all eligible interns are placed, multiple acceptances are resolved, and all national intern places are filled.

This Policy is a mandatory requirement under the Employment Policy Framework pursuant to section 26(2)(f) of the Health Services Act 2016.

Date of effect: 07 February 2022

Policy Framework

Related documents

Supporting information