IMG Clinical Readiness Program (ICRP)

The IMG Clinical Readiness Program (ICRP) is a program designed to provide program participants with an orientation to the NSW Health system and experience in a clinical setting under supervision in a NSW public hospital. Participants will be part of a medical team and will participate in ward rounds, have opportunity to practice history taking and clinical examination, and perform simple procedures under supervision.

Applications are now closed.

Key features of the ICRP program

Structured 12-week program.
Participation in the program is unpaid and voluntary.
The program is made up of three parts:

Part 1 – five days of intensive orientation training in Sydney. This will include learning about the Australian healthcare system, communication techniques, and simulated clinical learning. Commencing 24 March 2025.
Part 2 – five days on location orientation training introducing site-specific information including electronic Medical Records (eMR) and other system management. Commencing 31 March 2025.
Part 3 – ten weeks of supervised clinical practice on a ward/unit (supported by a dedicated supervisor). Commencing 7 April 2025 and concluding 13 June 2025.

Participants must be available for 12 weeks from 24 March to 13 June 2025.
At completion of the program participants will receive a certification of completion and a Professional Development Plan that will assist with future job applications.
Participants may need to relocate to a rural or regional NSW hospital for the length of the program
Employment is not guaranteed at the end of the program; however it is expected that participants will have gained sufficient exposure and experience in a hospital setting to enable applications into suitable medical officer vacancies.

For more information about the program, see the Frequently asked questions.

About the role

Once selected into the program participants will be referred to as Medical Support Officers (MSO).

An MSO is not a registered medical practitioner in Australia and therefore cannot be called a doctor.

The MSO will work under the supervision of a senior medical officer and assist in clinical tasks, including but not limited to:

participation in ward rounds
performing basic procedures under supervision
taking clinical histories and basic clinical examinations
reviewing/entering notes in the electronic Medical Record (eMR) with a medical practitioner countersignature.

Please see the Role description for more information.

Who is eligible for the program?

To be eligible you must:

be an Australian Citizenship, Permanent Resident or holds a valid visa (a visa that allows for unrestricted working rights). NOTE: Student Visas will not be accepted
have completed a recognised medical degree (Must be provided as part of the application with certified translation)
have passed the Australian Medical Council Part 1 exam
not have previously worked in Australia as a medical practitioner or have a current job offer as a medical practitioner in NSW Health
meet the requirements for the Medical Board of Australia English Language Skills registration standard Proof of English language Proficiency
meet the requirement for the Medical Board of Australia Recency of Practice Registration standard
comply with the NSW Health Policy Directive Recruitment and Selection of Staff to the NSW Health service. This includes the National Police Check and Working with Children Check. For more information refer to Working with Children Checks and Other Police Checks.
comply with vaccination and health check requirements for category A workers as per the Policy Directive Occupational Assessment Screening and Vaccination Against Specific Infectious Disease. Refer to Occupational assessment screening and vaccination - FAQ for more information.

What locations are available for placements commencing 24 March 2025?

The 2025 locations include:

Northern NSW LHD - Tweed Valley Hospital & Lismore Base Hospital
No accommodation on site but the team at the LHD may be able to help in sourcing accommodation. Some financial assistance maybe available but participants should be prepared to source and fund their accommodation.
Hunter New England LHD - Tamworth Hospital, Maitland Hospital, Belmont Hospital and Manning Rural Referral Hospital
No accommodation on site but the team at the LHD may be able to help in sourcing accommodation. Some financial assistance maybe available but participants should be prepared to source and fund their accommodation.
Northern Sydney LHD - Hornsby Hospital
This is a Sydney Metropolitan location, no assistance for accommodation is available.
South Western Sydney LHD - Liverpool Hospital
This is a Sydney Metropolitan location, no assistance for accommodation is available.
Western NSW – Parkes Hospital, Bathurst Base Hospital and Forbes Hospital
No accommodation on site but the team at the LHD may be able to help in sourcing accommodation. Some financial assistance maybe available but participants should be prepared to source and fund their accommodation.
Illawarra Shoalhaven – Wollongong Hospital, Shoalhaven District Hospital, Bulli District Hospital & Shellharbour Hospital, Wollongong Hospital and Bulli District Hospital are considered a metropolitan location, no assistance for accommodation is available.
There is no accommodation on site at Shoalhaven District Hospital & Shellharbour but the team at the LHD may be able to help in sourcing accommodation. Some financial assistance maybe available but participants should be prepared to source and fund their accommodation.