Webinar 1 Intern Information Session

Which hospitals were oversubscribed for the 2024 Internship intake?

Last year there were five oversubscribed hospitals: Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Princess Alexandra, Royal Brisbane, and Mater Hospital.

If a hospital is oversubscribed, does that mean priority groups B-D will not be considered?

No, candidates withdraw and 'free' up other opportunities for applicants in Groups B to D.

Are there any specific hospitals in the Queensland region in which International Medical Graduates (IMGs) have a greater likelihood of obtaining internship positions?

Undersubscribed hospitals are generally Rockhampton, Mackay, and Townsville. All hospitals consider IMGs.

Do Indigenous interstate students fall into group A?

No, interstate Indigenous students fall into group B, the eligibility criteria for the initiative has been expanded to group B Indigenous students.

Are there any midyear positions offered?

If you are unable to commence in Jan 2025, please indicate this on your intern application form and contact the hospitals you wish to work at to enquire about a mid-year start in 2025.

How are positions allocated?

Applications are open from 6 May 2024 to 6 June 2024 (four weeks). Group A candidates are allocated via their first preference or via the ballot process. Group B to D will participate in a suitability assessment process.

Between the open application dates of May 6 and June 6, 2024, is there any benefit in earlier submission versus later?

No, hospitals cannot access the applications until the recruitment round closes.

Is there a format for our resume or cover letter that we must follow?

There is a CV template in the Intern Application Guide that you can access, however it is not mandatory. AHPRA also guides CV formatting.

Do we apply to a health service e.g., Metro South, or to individual hospitals within each health service?

No. You are required to submit one application through the Queensland Health portal and preference all 20 hospitals (not a health service) with your first preference being your most preferred.

Do the consultants for our references need to be from this year or can it be someone we have worked with at any point during medical school?

Choose referees who will articulate all that was outlined in the slide in this presentation.  You can choose references from Medical School; it is good to have references that can comment on all your abilities.

Is the application something that needs to be completed all at once or can it be saved and edited later?

You can save your application and go back and complete it at a later time. However, you will need to finish and submit your application by the closing date of 6 June 2024 to be considered for an intern position.

Will we get marked lower if we have a PHO referee versus a consultant?

Your referees need to be able to comment on all that was outlined in the presentation. (A copy of presentation will be emailed to everyone). You are welcome to contact facilities directly if you are concerned further on this question.)

Does one of the referees have to be from your current placement?

it would be preferable, however not mandatory.

Will Group A applicants be notified if their referees have been notified to provide a reference?

This is a hospital decision. The system will not generate a referee report request for a Group A candidate as they are guaranteed an offer.

What happens if my referee forgets to fill out a request form despite personally sending a reminder to fill in the form? Will I be able to provide information of my third referee in that case?

You can amend your referees at any time via the application portal.

Will our nominated referees receive the request for the report as soon as we submit our application on the portal?

Applicant Group B-D candidate referees will receive the email request as soon as they enter their referee details in their application. Group A applicants will not generate a referee report email.

For the VPD evidence, is it sufficient to provide the form we used to apply for medical school that was signed off by a GP who viewed and verified the originals/serology?

Please complete the Queensland Health form which can be accessed via the Intern Application Guide.

Was the roll-back for group A applicants removed? In previous years Group A were prioritised for a second chance and given offers rejected by other Group A candidates. If this was changed - why?

The rollback was removed last year, candidates who do not receive their first preference can apply for a swap or transfer to their first preference.

Are swaps/transfers for Group A who don’t get first preference organised before or after the other groups are given offers?

All hospitals are different. If you don't receive your first preference at the time you receive your formal offer and you wish to apply for a transfer or swap, follow the process in the intern application guide on how to apply. These requests will be considered after the group A offers are finalised.

Do all interstate medical graduates fall in Group B despite being Queensland high school or undergraduate students?

Yes, that is correct for domestic interstate graduates.

If a hospital is oversubscribed by Group A, but a certain number then decline their offers, are the offers for Group B-D based on merit or preferencing?

Any remaining vacancies after Group A offers are released and any group A offers that are declined will be recruited via the Group B-D applicant pool. Hospitals will perform a suitability assessment process for first preferences. There is an open round after this round of recruitment whereby hospitals can consider all candidates even if they haven't first preferenced them.

Can priority group B-D apply for special consideration too?

The formal special consideration process is only for Group A applicants.

If international students don't get their first preference, will they still be on the general intern campaign?

Yes, you will stay in the applicant pool, there is an open round of recruitment whereby hospitals can consider candidates who have not first preferenced them.

How can Group A applicants, who are balloted, go about getting a placement at their first preference with no roll-back offers? Are we considered for offers that have been declined prior to July 31?

You can apply for a transfer or swap to your first preference hospital. Please refer to the information in the intern application guide on this process.

If applying for two different state hospitals, do we just have to withdraw from one and accept the other within 48 hours?

If you accept multiple offers then you will be identified through the national audit and will have 48 hours to decline one of the offers.

What kind of documentation is needed to support a joint application?

joint ticket is only available to Group A candidates. Please refer to the intern application guide or the intern website for what is required.

https://www.careers.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/188303/application-guide.pdf/_nocache

https://www.careers.health.qld.gov.au/medical-careers/medical-internships/applying/joint-applicants

Can a joint ticket be made for non-Group A couples?

Not through the formal process however, both candidates can contact the hospital they wish to work at to enquire about obtaining a position. However you will have to go through a suitability assessment process as Groups B-D are not guaranteed an offer in Queensland.

Are we locked into our hospital for two years, or can we apply elsewhere?

It's a one year internship. Some facilities offer two-year contracts.

Do all the Category 2 (B) applications have to undergo interviews? If so when? Is it in person or online?

Please contact the hospitals directly to clarify how and when they will conduct interviews. Contact details for the hospitals can be found here: Internship contact details | Careers (health.qld.gov.au)

For Group B-D that are applying to other states, but would prefer to stay in Queensland, will we get removed from the QLD campaign if we receive an interstate offer before receiving our QLD offer?

No, you can accept multiple offers and will be identified through the national audit to withdraw one of the offers. You will not be removed from the QLD process unless you receive an intern offer in QLD.

Is it true that only the hospital ranked as first preference will consider your application for Group B-D?

Round 2 offers for groups B-D (first preferences only) will occur from 22 July 2024. There is an open round of recruitment commencing on 16 August whereby hospitals can consider candidates who have not first preferenced them.

Are group B applicants seen as equal to group C and D? For example, if a facility is undersubscribed, does a group B or C applicant have equal chance of being successful in the ballot process?

Yes, facilities can appoint vacancies in any order (i.e., a Group C or D can be offered over a Group B).

If you accept an offer in round 1, would you still be considered for more offers in the other rounds?

No, you will only receive one offer.

Do you have any hints or guidance for interviews, personal statements and resumes?

There is some helpful information on the Queensland Health Website, NQRTH website under Career Planning as well as the AHRPA website.

https://www.qld.gov.au/jobs/finding/resume

https://www.nqrth.edu.au/career-planning/

https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Process/Standard-Format-for-Curriculum-Vitae.aspx

The next episode in our webinar series next week will also have some valuable career-planning information from Dr Ashe Coxon.

As an IMG, is the English exam (PTE) a requirement to be considered for an internship and if so, do I have to complete it before applying?

English language is not required for your intern application however will be required when you apply for medical registration with Ahpra.

With the new two-year contract, would moving interstate after one year be a viable option?

Yes, you can move after the internship year.

How can we get a certificate for attending this webinar?

If this is for JCU CPD. Please send an email to NQRTH.Townsville@jcu.edu.au with a screenshot of yourself with your full name and face in view. Should it be for other purposes, please send details to the above email address.