Medical Training Review Panel: Seventeenth Report

Postgraduate Year 2

Page last updated: 09 April 2014

Current Data

There were 3,194 doctors in PGY2 training positions in 2013. Over half of these (54.9%) were females. Data on the doctors commencing PGY2 training is provided in Table 3.3.

Nearly three quarters (70.4%) of doctors had commenced their second year of prevocational medical training in the state or territory in which they were trained previously, compared with 11.1% from interstate.

International students who completed their medical degree in Australia occupied 279 or 8.7% of all PGY2 positions and a further 216 or 6.8% of positions were occupied by Australian Medical Council graduates.

Table 3.3: Commencing doctors in postgraduate year 2 training positions: Total, females and proportion of females by doctor category and state/territory, 2013
NSW
Vic
Qld
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Aust
All commencing PGY2 doctors

(a) Includes 3 graduates of an Australian Medical Council Accredited Overseas University (Malaysia).
(b) Includes 1 graduate of an Australian Medical Council Accredited Overseas University (Malaysia).

Source: State and territory government health departments
Australian trained local (own state)
646
512
532
235
230
56
0
38
2,249
Australian trained local (interstate)
76
97
47
53
39
13
25
4
354
New Zealand medical graduates
7
7
2
10
1
0
1
0
28
International students who graduated from an Australian medical school
52
107
60
11
(a)35
1
2
11
279
Australian Medical Council graduates
65
11
42
47
3
9
28
11
216
Other/unspecified
35
8
0
0
0
25
0
0
68
Total
881
742
683
356
308
104
56
64
3,194
Females
Australian trained local (own state)
366
283
285
131
137
30
0
19
1,251
Australian trained local (interstate)
44
49
25
22
19
6
16
2
183
New Zealand medical graduates
1
5
2
5
0
0
0
0
13
International students who graduated from an Australian medical school
26
54
33
6
(b)15
0
2
2
138
Australian Medical Council graduate
45
8
27
23
2
5
20
6
136
Other/unspecified
17
na
0
0
0
14
0
0
31
Total
499
399
372
187
173
55
38
29
1,752
Proportion females (%)
Australian trained local (own state)
56.7
55.3
53.6
55.7
59.6
53.6
0.0
50.0
55.6
Australian trained local (interstate)
57.9
50.5
53.2
41.5
48.7
46.2
64.0
50.0
51.7
New Zealand medical graduates
14.3
71.4
100.0
50.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
46.4
International students who graduated from an Australian medical school
50.0
50.5
55.0
54.5
42.9
0.0
100.0
18.2
49.5
Australian Medical Council graduates
69.2
72.7
64.3
48.9
66.7
55.6
71.4
54.5
63.0
Other/unspecified
48.6
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
56.0
0.0
0.0
45.6
Total
56.6
53.8
54.5
52.5
56.2
52.9
67.9
45.3
54.9

Comparison cannot be reliably made across the states and territories due to unique inclusions and limitations on the data that can be extracted from the various systems.

Trends

The reported number of PGY2 commencements has increased by 842 or 35.8% since 2009 (Table 3.4), rising from 2,352 trainees in 2009 to 3,194 in 2013. Comparisons across years and between state and territories should be undertaken with caution due to data quality issues.

Commencements appear to have increased in all states and territories from 2009 to 2013, except for Tasmania, with a decrease of 2.8% during this period. The biggest increases in commencements over the period 2009 to 2013 were in Australian Capital Territory (60.0%), Victoria (52.4%) and Queensland (49.1%). There are a number of problems with the quality of the data provided by states and territories and the ability to extract the data accurately from the various administrative systems.

Table 3.4: Postgraduate year 2 commencements by state/territory, 2009–2013
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Change
2009-2013 (%)

(a) Includes 83 international medical graduates working in PGY2 positions registered under the Competent Authority or Standard pathways.
(b) Total includes one unknown.
(c) Commencement data are based upon the total number of declined job offers registered in the eRecruitment system.
(d) Approximate number only. The South Australian Institute of Medical Education and Training (SA IMET) was in its first year of managing Trainee Medical Officer recruitment and accurate numbers were not available.
(e) Includes 85 international medical graduates working in PGY2 positions registered under the Competent Authority or Standard Pathways.
(f) Although there were 543 hospital medical officer 2 positions included in the Computer Matching Process (the Match), only 503 were matched. There were 13 unmatched candidates who accepted vacant positions. Total number of doctors who started their PGY2 training via the Match was 516. The remaining 27 positions could be filled outside the Match (e.g. by international medical graduates).
(g) Commencement data are approximate and is based upon the total number of acceptances registered in the eRecruitment system.
(h) Actual allocation is not available. Figures based on number of offers made.
(i) A total of 632 hospital medical officer 2 positions were included in the Computer Matching Process and only 581 positions were matched. From these 15 matched candidates declined their offer and 19 unmatched candidates accepted a position. Total number of doctors who started their PGY2 training via the Match was 585. A further 47 PGY2 posts were directly recruited by health services.
(j) Includes only the number of PGY2 commencing who completed internship in SA.
(k) A total of 667 hospital medical officer 2 positions were included in the computer matching process and 644 positions were matched. Of the 644 matched positions, 18 candidates declined their Victorian offer. All hospital medical officer positions (i.e. 667) were filled either from candidates who participated in the Match (and were unmatched) or via direct recruitment of a health service. This figure is based on incomplete data and only reflects the number of PGY2 positions advised by health services to include in the Victorian hospital medical officer match. Health services are able to exempt positions from the matching process so the number is an underestimate.
(l) Data based on number of job offers made to PGY2 doctors via SA IMET centralised process. Additional employment occurs outside of this process. Data are not available.
(m) A total of 708 hospital medical officer 2 positions were included in the hospital medical officer Computer Match and of these, 689 positions were matched. 17 of the 689 matched candidates subsequently declined their offer. A further 36 candidates were offered and accepted a hospital medical officer 2 position. A further 34 positions were directly recruited by health services.
(n) New data checking processing has enabled cleaner data and ensures the capture of PGY2 doctors only.

Source: State and territory government health departments
New South Wales
(a)640
(e)686
617
803
881
37.7
Victoria
(b)487
(f)543
(i)585
(k)644
(m)742
52.4
Queensland
(c)458
(g)474
(g)575
(g)734
683
49.1
South Australia
(d)300
183
(j)189
(l)244
(l)356
18.7
Western Australia
276
241
330
469
(n)308
11.6
Tasmania
107
(h)79
103
87
104
-2.8
Northern Territory
44
45
64
47
56
27.3
Australian Capital Territory
40
62
58
73
64
60.0
Australia
2,352
2,313
2,521
3,101
3,194
35.8
Change from previous year (%)
-1.7
9.0
23.0
3.0