FAQs

I am an intern applying at Austin Health; what are the selection criteria?

The selection of interns at Austin Health is taken very seriously by all involved in the process.  This year, we have decided to move to an online recruitment process to assist in the smooth running of our selection process.

Each applicant must apply on line in order to be considered for short listing for interview.  In order to be considered, you must answer a number of short listing questions which will be read and scored by the Austin Health short listing panel.  Once the short listed candidates have been determined, they will be contacted via email for interview.

In making our final decision for ranking of candidates for submission to the PMCV, a number of aspects will be scored.  The major selection criterion will be academic performance, with references and interview performance also being taken into account. 

Who should I address the cover letter to?

The cover letter should be addressed to both the Deputy Director of the Medical Workforce Unit at Austin Health (Ms. Sarah McConchie).

In the pre-vocational positions that are jointly recruited with Northern Health (PGY2, some PGY3 and some Registrrar positions) the letters should be addressed to both the Deputy Director of the Medical Workforce Unit at Austin Health, (Ms. Sarah McConchie), and the Operations Manager, Junior Medical Workforce Unit, Northern Health (Mr. Mark Dare).

For positions that are not jointly recruited, the letter should be addressed to either the HMO Manager  at Austin Health for HMO level jobs and the Unit Head for Advanced Training positions.

Should I answer the selection criteria within the body of my cover letter?

No, you need to answer the selection criteria electronically as a part of your application.  Your answers will assist us in the short listing process, and need to be easily identifiable within the body of your application paperwork. 

Each answer is also awarded a score; we cannot score fairly if formatting differs, so please answer the selection criteria as requested in the electronic application.

Should I submit the contact details of my non clinical referee or do you need a letter from them?

A letter from the non-clinical referee is required as part of the uploaded document suite for intern applicants.  We are not in a position to call each non-clinical referee personally for their feedback on you.

I'm an interstate medical graduate; how can I get a job with Austin Health?

All intern positions in Victoria are matched through the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria (PMCV).  Victorian and interstate medical school graduates, and graduates of New Zealand medical schools (including full fee paying students of New Zealand medical schools) all need to register an application through the PMCV to be eligible for a position in the intern computer match.

Once the interview process has been completed and the selections entered into the match by Austin Health and the individual candidates, the PMCV will determine the proportion of Australian Trained (Permanent Resident) Graduates of Victorian Medical facilities, and "other" graduates allocated to Austin Health; in 2011, this split was approximately 67% Australian Trained (Permanent Resident) graduates of a Victorian Medical Facility and 33% from the remaining candidates.  The proportion in 2011 will differ significantly from this, as the Group 1 candidate pool has expanded significantly to almost equal the intern positions available across Victoria. 

Who can I use as a referee when I apply to Austin Health?

Referee requirements differ depending on the position type you are applying for.  For interns, Austin Health require referees to be nominated through the PMCV online computer matching process.  We also require a non-clinical reference to be uploaded as a part of your online application.

We would prefer a "balance" of referees rather than all referees coming from the one specialty.  This will enable us to review your performance more broadly across the various medical specialties available.  We do not mind if referees are Consultants or Registrars.

If the Clinical Dean is one of your referees, please ensure your other reference is completed by a clinician who has worked with you in a clinical setting recently.

Am I eligible to apply for an HMO 2/3 position?

All HMO2 positions at Austin Health are  recruited through the computer match, coordinated through the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria (PMCV).  Eligibility criteria are available on the PMCV website.

HMO3 positions for the medical stream are also filled through the Computer matching service off the PMCV.  Once again, eligibility criteria are available on their website.  HMO3 General and HMO3 Surgical streams are recruited directly through the Austin Health/Northern Health joint recruitment program.  Please see the Medical Careers page for more information.

HMO2 and HMO3 positions are jointly recruited with Northern Health.

What streams and rotations are available to HMO’s at Austin Health and how are they allocated?

Streams available for HMO's include surgery, medicine, general practice and psychiatry.

We have well developed training programs in Physician Training coordinated through the Central NorthWest Consortium.  Each year, candidates are supported with study and exam leave to attend preparation courses (BPT2 year) in preparation for the Physician exams in their BPT3+ year.  Study and exam leave is also well supported for both the final basic physician exams.

Our general surgical training program is one of the largest and best supported across Victoria, with rotations to rural and interstate hospitals included in the program.  The General Surgery Education Program is aimed at providing a comprehensive series of tutorials, seminars and journal club sessions to Surgical Trainees at all levels.  The program is successful due to the commitment and dedication of members of the Division of Surgery who share their time and expertise willingly with all trainees.

As well as General Surgery, Austin Health offers training in Specialty Surgery areas such as Orthopaedics, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Spinal surgery, Urological Surgery, Plastics and ENT, and other specialty areas.  Please see the Austin Health website for further specific information.

How much leave are HMO’s given and how is it allocated?

Interns are allocated leave in the rotation planner for the year. Two weeks are allocated throughout the year, usually in the Emergency Medicine term, and three weeks is paid out at the end of the appointment year.

Leave is built into the rosters upon appointment.  HMO's are entitle to 5 weeks annual leave and may be entitled to one week of approved conference leave if the course of study relates to enrolment in a recognised training program and is a training requirement for a College you are enrolled with.  Evidence of membership may be requested to accompany your application.  All requests for conference leave  need to be submitted to the Medical Workforce Unit by the end of March each year.

All junior medical staff are asked to allocate leave preferences with their rotation preferences.  Whilst we endeavour to provide the leave you have requested, the priority at all times is to ensure that adequate patient care is provided across the organisation and across our rotation partner hospitals.