Key Dates
Application timelines for the 2027 intern intake, by state and territory. Dates are indicative — always verify with the relevant authority before applying.
* All dates confirmed for the 2027 intake. All states and territories open 5 May 2026, close 4 June 2026, with main-round offers released 15 July 2026. Always verify with the relevant state authority before applying.
Application Requirements
Documents, referees, and selection method for each state and territory. Select a jurisdiction to expand.
Key Universal Requirements
Intern Placement Number (IPN)
A unique 9-digit number issued by your medical school — not your student ID. You cannot submit an application to any state without it. Contact your medical school registrar well before portals open.
Eligibility Categories
Every state uses a priority system. Category 1 is generally domestic graduates from that state's own universities. Category 2+ covers interstate and international graduates. Category determines your allocation odds, not necessarily your eligibility to apply.
National Audit
You can apply to every state simultaneously. However, once you accept an offer in one state you must withdraw from all others. The National Audit process cross-checks applicants holding multiple offers to ensure fairness across jurisdictions.
English Language Skills
If you did not complete secondary education in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, or South Africa, you must provide IELTS or OET results meeting the Medical Board of Australia's standards at the time of AHPRA registration.
Intern Pay
Base salary and estimated take-home by state, ranked highest to lowest. Actual pay varies with overtime, on-call, and roster composition.
Estimates for PGY1 as of March 2026. Take-home calculated after income tax and Medicare levy — does not include overtime, on-call, or penalty rates. Source: aussieclinicians.com.
CV & Cover Letter Tips
What selectors look for in a strong intern application — and the most common mistakes to avoid.
Keep it to 2 pages
Most intern applications expect a concise CV. Two pages maximum — lead with education, graduation year, and medical school. Don't pad it.
List clinical placements
Include all clinical placements by specialty, hospital, and year level. Selectors want to see breadth across disciplines and any rural or regional exposure.
Include prizes & honours
Academic prizes, Dean's List, scholarships, or merit-based awards are worth listing. Even a one-line entry signals academic engagement.
Research & publications
List any research involvement, poster presentations, or publications — even if in progress. Include the title, your role, and the journal or conference.
Teaching & leadership
Peer tutoring, student societies, rural placements, and committee roles demonstrate initiative beyond clinical work. Include dates and your specific role.
Procedural skills
Some states ask for a brief procedural log. List competencies you've observed or performed under supervision — venepuncture, cannulation, ABGs, etc.
One page only
Cover letters for intern applications must be one page. Selectors read dozens — be clear, specific, and don't restate your CV.
Address the selection criteria
Most states publish selection criteria. Address each point directly — don't write a general letter that could apply to any hospital.
Say why that hospital
Reference something specific about the hospital — a teaching program, specialty exposure, rural setting, or community need. Generic letters are obvious.
Use clinical examples
Back every claim with a concrete example from a placement. "I developed strong communication skills" is weak. A brief clinical story is compelling.
Proofread ruthlessly
A typo in a medical application is a red flag. Have at least two people read it — ideally a doctor and someone outside medicine.
Match the tone
Clinical and professional, not casual. Avoid clichés like 'passionate about medicine' — show it through specific examples and choices instead.
Internship Guide
What to expect across PGY1 and PGY2, how EPAs work, and how to position yourself for the specialty of your choice.
General Tips
Apply Broadly
Don't limit applications to your teaching hospital or home state. Smaller hospitals often offer better procedural exposure and supervision ratios.
Start Early
Referee statements, police checks, and immunisation documentation take time. Build your application package well before portals open.
Consider Rural
Rural and regional hospitals typically offer more hands-on clinical experience, stronger mentorship, and may attract incentive payments.
Interstate Options
Applying interstate increases your chances. QLD, SA, TAS, ACT and NT often have positions available for out-of-state applicants.
Log Everything
A detailed procedural logbook is invaluable for college applications. Record every procedure, even routine ones, from your very first term.
Connect with Interns
Speak to current or recent interns at hospitals you're considering. They'll give honest insight into workload, culture, and teaching quality.
PGY1 & PGY2
Core Rotations
Most states require mandatory terms in General Medicine, General Surgery, and Emergency Medicine. Remaining terms are allocated across other specialties — often including Psychiatry, Paediatrics, or O&G.
AHPRA Registration
You begin PGY1 on provisional registration. On successful completion of your intern year and supervisor sign-off, you become eligible to apply for general registration with AHPRA — the key milestone of the year.
Logbook & Assessment
Maintain a clinical logbook from day one. Each term requires a supervisor end-of-term assessment (SETA). Most states use CLA (Clinical Learning Australia), ePort, or MedHub. Missing assessments is a common avoidable pitfall.
Supervision & Support
You will be supervised by registrars and consultants. Don't hesitate to escalate clinical concerns — you're not expected to know everything. Regular check-ins with your prevocational supervisor are a formal requirement in most states.
Choose Rotations Strategically
PGY2 offers more rotation flexibility. Prioritise terms in your target specialty — college programs value relevant experience. Seek out rotations where you'll interact with your intended training program.
Build Your Portfolio
Start collecting evidence for your college application: audits, quality improvement, presentations, publications, and teaching. Many college applications open in PGY2 or PGY3 — planning ahead is critical.
Identify Referees Early
College applications require strong clinical referees — ideally consultants in your target specialty who have supervised you. Cultivate these relationships in PGY1 and PGY2 before applications open.
Research College Requirements
Fellowship requirements vary significantly. RACP, RACGP, RACS, ANZCA, RANZCP and others all have distinct entry criteria, exams, and timelines. Map out your 3–5 year plan now.
Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs)
National Framework · PGY1 & PGY2 · From 2026 fully mandatory
EPAs shift assessment from abstract competencies to observation of real clinical tasks. A supervisor judges how much supervision you need to perform a task safely — not whether you passed or failed. Complete 10 EPAs per year across the 4 mandated activity types.
Clinical Assessment
Conducting a history and examination, formulating a differential diagnosis, and creating a management plan.
Once in each of the four terms
Recognition of the Acutely Unwell
Identifying, assessing, and escalating management for deteriorating patients.
Minimum — spread across terms
Prescribing
Appropriately prescribing drugs, fluids, blood products, and oxygen tailored to patient needs.
Can be assessed by Clinical Pharmacists
Team Communication
High-quality documentation, handovers, and referrals to facilitate transitions in care.
Minimum — spread across terms
Who Can Assess
- Term Supervisor (Specialist) — mandatory for at least 1 EPA per term
- Registrars (PGY3+) or Specialists for remaining EPAs
- Clinical Pharmacists for EPA 3 (Prescribing)
- All assessors must complete EPA Assessor Training via their health service LMS
CLA Platform
All EPA assessments are recorded in CLA (Clinical Learning Australia) — the national ePortfolio platform. The doctor performs the task, the assessor enters feedback, and a longitudinal record builds over the year.
EPAs are not pass/fail. The Assessment Review Panel (ARP) uses the full record to make a global judgement on progression at year end.
💡 Tip:Don't leave EPA sign-offs until the end of a term. Approach your supervisor mid-rotation with a specific case in mind — this makes the conversation easier and the assessment more meaningful. You can request sign-off directly in CLA.
AHPRA Costs
Fees reflect the 2025–26 AHPRA fee schedule. Verify current amounts at ahpra.gov.au before applying.
Rotations Guide
Rotation-by-Rotation Guide
A practical breakdown of what to expect in each common intern rotation — General Medicine, Emergency, Surgery, Psychiatry, and more. What you'll do, what to prioritise, and how to get the most out of each term for your future specialty application.
State Resources
Direct links to each state and territory's official intern application system. Always verify URLs are current before applying.
Prevocational Medical Education & Training — centralised NSW allocation.
Visit official siteTwo pathways: Victorian Intern Allocation (VIA) and Victorian Rural Preferential Allocation (VRPA). Applications open 5 May 2026.
Visit official siteApplications open 5 May 2026, close 4 June 2026. General and Rural Generalist intern positions available across Queensland Health hospital and health services.
Visit official siteCentralised SA intern allocation. Opens 5 May 2026, closes 4 June 2026. Offers 15 July 2026. Term 1 starts 13 January 2027.
Visit official sitePostgraduate Medical Council of WA coordinates all intern recruitment. Applications open 5 May 2026 — no late applications accepted.
Visit official siteOpens 5 May 2026, closes 4 June 2026. Offers 15 July 2026. Strong supervision ratios across THS sites with rural access.
Visit official siteIntern recruitment via the ACT Health Taleo system. Opens 5 May 2026. Guaranteed positions for ANU CSP graduates.
Visit official siteApply via the NT Jobs portal (search 'Intern'). Positions at CARHS Darwin and TERHS Top End. Broad rural/remote clinical exposure.
Visit official site