Expanding the medical workforce: Alternative pathway for overseas doctors
The first overseas doctors to take part in our alternative pathway to practising in Australia completed a Workplace Based Assessment Program (WBA) at Armadale Health Service (AHS) in March, an important milestone for the program and the future of medical education in Western Australia.
Under the program, eligible overseas doctors spend a year under the guidance of senior AHS clinicians in adult medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry and obstetrics and gynaecology.
When the doctors have successfully completed the program they are awarded an Australian Medical Council certificate, providing a path to apply for general registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
The program is part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages and offers a structured, supervised training pathway for qualified international medical graduates while ensuring high clinical standards.
Three overseas doctors from India and Pakistan completed the course in 2024-25 and have successfully joined the EMHS workforce. A new intake of 7 overseas doctors began the program in January.
Dr Shumail Nauman, from Pakistan, says the program provided hands-on experience in a fast-paced and supportive environment.
“The hospital’s strong focus on education and professional growth makes it an ideal setting for junior doctors starting their careers in Australia,” she says.
Armadale Kalamunda Group’s Medical Director of Medical and Speciality Services, Dr Adrija Basu, says the program is more than an assessment pathway.
“It’s a bridge that allows skilled internationally trained doctors to transition safely and confidently into the Australian healthcare system,” she says.
“By providing real-time feedback and continuous support, we’re not only ensuring patient safety but also investing in the professional growth of our future medical workforce.”
The WBA program is a critical component of the WA Health International Medical Graduates Pathway to Registration Project.
