Recruitment Resources

Key Terms

Area of Need

The Area of Need program is a short-term strategy to address the need for general practice services. An Area of Need is a designation by NSW Health for a specific position in a practice. International Medical Graduates may apply for an Area of Need position; if successful, the doctor receives Conditional Area of Need medical registration, which allows him/her to practice in the specific position only. Note that the Area of Need is practice specific and only allows the doctor to receive medical registration; to obtain a Provider Number from Medicare, the doctor will likely need to work in a District of Workforce Shortage as well. A practice will need to establish an Area of Need position before an International Medical Graduate is appointed.

District of Workforce Shortage (DWS)

A District of Workforce Shortage is a Commonwealth designation of a geographic area in which the general population need for health care is not met. This designation is important for International Medical Gradautes who are required to work in a District of Workforce Shortage in order to obtain a Provider Number from Medicare.

Vocational Registration

Vocational Registration applies to a doctor that is recognised as a GP by Medicare Australia, and allows the practitioner to bill Medicare at the higher (A1) level. Doctors can achieve vocational registration by meeting the requirements of one or both of the GP colleges to be granted Fellowship (either FRACGP or FACRRM). Note that once Fellowship is attained, there is some additional paperwork to be completed before the doctor obtains vocational registration.