Glossary of terms

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Advanced trainee

An advanced trainee (AT) has completed the basic training component of a specialist medical college vocational training program, and is working toward obtaining specialist qualifications to practise as a specialist.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY4 and above (dependent on specialty).

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Basic trainee

A basic trainee is in the beginning stage of specialist medical college vocational training, which must be completed before progressing to advanced training.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY3 and above.

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Basic physician trainee

A basic physician trainee (BPT) is undertaking the basic training component of the vocational training program for physicians. This must be completed before progressing to advanced training.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY3 and above.

Letter of employment type: Network.

Notes: BPTs who have accepted a position in the main round of the JMO recruitment campaign are not able to apply for another position during the second round.

Career medical officer

A career medical officer (CMO) is a non-specialist appointed to a permanent, non-training position. Their qualifications and experiences will vary. They will work across a range of specialties, and may supervise interns and residents.

This position is not a JMO position, but traditionally may have been recruited to as part of the JMO recruitment campaign.

Award classification: Career Medical Officer

Award: Public Hospital Career Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY4 and above.

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Clinical superintendent

A clinical superintendent may be in their final year of training or hold part of the required qualifications from their relevant specialist medical college. They have responsibility for administrative functions of a clinical service alongside clinical work.

Award classification: Officer

Award: Public Hospital Medical Superintendents (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY6 and above (dependent on specialty).

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Intern

Interns, or post graduate year 1 (PGY1), are entry level doctors who are provisionally registered by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) to undertake the required 12 months of supervised training before being eligible for general medical registration.

To be eligible for internship, the doctor must be a graduate of an Australian or New Zealand medical school that has been accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC). The NSW Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) allocate interns to prevocational training networks made up of a number of hospitals with terms that HETI accredit. Interns rotate through five supervised terms across the training network. Interns are attached to a clinical team with day-to-day supervision by more senior JMOs in the team. The specialist consultants have overall responsibility for supervision of the medical staff in their clinical team, including interns.

The MBA's new national framework outlines the requirements for an intern Guide for PGY1 and PGY2 Doctors.

*International medical graduates are not eligible to apply for a position through the HETI-managed intern allocation process.

Award classification: Intern

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY1

Letter of employment type: Intern

JMO supervised practice

After the close of intern allocation process in November of each year, any vacancies that arise between this time and the end of March of the following year are managed in accordance with the nationally agreed late vacancy management (LVM) process. Intern vacancies that occur after March are managed at a local level by the public health organisation using a range of appropriate strategies and in accordance with local needs and recruitment processes.

Options may include:

  • seeking assistance from HETI to identify any unplaced applicants from the completed intern allocation process who are able to take up the position
  • advertising the position as a JMO supervised practice position suitable for applicants eligible for provisional or limited registration seeking entry level experience
  • filling the position with alternate workforce e.g. PGY2.

In advertising the supervised position the selection criteria must include "do not currently hold an intern position". A JMO supervised practice position would be suitable for an international medical graduate who has not completed an overseas internship.

Award classification: Intern to Resident Medical Officer

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): Any

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Provisional fellow

A provisional fellow is usually in their later years of a specialist training program, may have completed some or all of the respective specialist exam/s, and/or is waiting to be accepted as a Fellow to their specialist medical college.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY7 and above (dependent on specialty).

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Resident medical officer

A resident medical officer (RMO) who has completed internship and registration with the Medical Board of Australia. They work in a clinical team and are supervised by the senior JMOs in the team and consultants.

Award classification: Resident

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY2

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Rural generalist trainee

A rural generalist trainee undertakes vocational training as part of the NSW Rural Generalist Training Program. Upon completion, rural generalists will hold fellowship of either the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) or the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) with at least one advanced skill. To be eligible, the applicant must already be a GP trainee or applying for GP training at the time of application, and be enrolled as a GP in training when starting the program.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY3

Letter of employment type: Network.

Senior registrar

A senior registrar is employed in an established position as approved by the employer in the specialty in which they have obtained fellowship of an Australian specialist medical college.

Award classification: Senior Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY7 and aobve (dependent on specialty).

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Senior resident medical officer

A senior resident medical officer (SRMO) is not in a specialty training program and works supervised in one specific area or rotates across a range of different medical specialities to gain, often working a a level above RMO.

Award classification: Resident

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY3

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Trainee

A trainee undertakes vocational training with a specialist medical college or General Practice Education and Training (GPET). This position title should be used where a vocational training program does not have separate basic and advanced training components.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY3 and above (dependent on specialty).

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.

Trainee - stage 1

A trainee - stage 1 is in their first year of vocational training in emergency medicine with the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM). This position title should not be used for medical officers in any other specialty training program.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY3 and above (dependent on specialty).

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: Used by emergency medicine only.

Trainee - unaccredited position

A medical officer in the trainee - unaccredited position is not in an accredited specialist training program and is PGY4+. In most cases, the position is not accredited; however, if vacancies remain following recruitment to an accredited position, a facility may seek to fill the position with a trainee who is not enrolled in a medical college training program (unaccredited). Even though the trainee is working in an accredited position they are not in the college training program and therefore not an accredited trainee. If the trainee is subsequently selected into the college training program it is up to each college to determine how much, if any of the time spent in the 'accredited' position is counted towards college training program requirements.

Award classification: Registrar

Award: Public Hospital Medical Officers (State) Award

Postgraduate year/s (PGY): PGY4 and above.

Letter of employment type: Non-network or network.

Notes: If training network/training rotation selected then network letter of employment; if not, non-network letter of employment.


Current as at: Thursday 9 January 2025