NT PMAS
Northern Territory Prevocational Medical Assurance Services

The Intern year (PGY1) marks the transition from student to medical practitioner. It provides the opportunity to develop practical experience of applying the acquired theory to the safe treatment of patients as a responsible professional. The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) issues medical graduates with provisional registration to undertake this period of supervised practice.

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As of 1 January 2024, the newly revised MBA Registration Standards come into affect to align with the Australian Medical Council's (AMC's) National Framework for Prevocational Doctors (PGY1 and PGY2) Medical Training (The AMC Framework).

 

The Medical Internship involves at least 47 weeks of satisfactory, supervised practical clinical experience, completed in accredited terms in hospital, general practice or community based health services. The 47 weeks experience:
 

               a) must be completed in a period of no longer than 3 years

               b) excludes annual leave but may include up to two weeks of professional development leave

               c) must include a minimum of four terms (of at least 10 weeks each term) in different specialities

               d) must include direct clinical care in each term, which will have been predetermined through the accreditation process:

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                     i.       undifferentiated illness patient care

                     ii.     chronic illness patient care

                     iii.    acute and critical illness patient care, and

                     iv.     peri-procedural patient care.

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These clinical settings in the Northern Territory (NT) provide rural generalist opportunities to explore additional areas of medicine and surgery, psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine, palliative care, indigenous health and more.

 

For general information of what to expect in the required core terms go to the National Intern Framework page and see the Australian Medical Council documents - Intern Outcome Statements and Guidelines for terms. The Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors (ACFJD) is another resource that will give you information as to what is expected in your Internship year.

 

At NT Health Service training sites, each rotation that you are allocated in your internship will have a term orientation which will include you receiving a Term Description document  and a term handover usually before you start in your term from another junior doctor to assist you in settling into the allocated clinical environment.

 

At the completion of the internship the training hospital employing the intern is required to certify that the internship has been completed satisfactorily against the MBA general registration standard, including details of completed terms. AHPRA will grant general registration after receiving confirmation from the training hospital that the intern year has been satisfactorily completed.

 

In the NT there are five health service regions where you may be allocated a PGY1 term that will contribute to the completion of your internship. As part of your internship you may request or be required to undertake one or more rotations in any of the accredited locations within the health service regions. This is based on the regions health service workforce needs and availability of rotations at the time of application and employment.

 

Intern Allocation Process

The NT Prevocational Medical Assurance Services (PMAS) conducts a central review of eligible applicants and all intern positions are allocated within the two  NT Health Service regions who employ interns:

 

• Top End Region - Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH)

• Central Australia Region - Alice Springs Hospital (ASH)

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You may be allocated during your internship to other NT Health Service Regions for specific PGY1 Community Based general rural rotations, these may be undertaken at: (Please note that the numbers of these rotations are limited and are usually based on interest and availability)

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• East Arnhem Region - Gove District Hospital

• Big River Region - Katherine Day Hospital

• Barkly Region - Tennant Creek Hospital

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Eligible intern applicants are allocated in line with the Northern Territory intern category groups to the two employing regions (Top End and Central Australia). Within the relevant category groups applicants/applications are forwarded to their highest possible Health Service region preference, and pending availability of a position, selections/offers of employment are made thereafter by either Top End or Central Australia Regions.  Overall the intern allocation process is based on an applicant's category group, employing Health Service region (Top End or Central Australia) preference and the number of PGY1 positions available in each health service within the five NT Health regions.

 

The two employing NT Health Service Regions are responsible for selecting applicants and making their offers of employment, applicants are advised via email.  The Health Service Region responsible for making the offer of employment will after receiving an acceptance from an applicant arrange an employment contract for a Internship position within their health service to be provided prior to commencing internship.