Intern positions

Interns in postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) are provisionally registered by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and administered through the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority (AHPRA).

General registration is granted after successful completion of the internship (PGY1) program.
The 47 weeks experience:

1. Must be completed in a period no longer than 3 years
2. Excludes annual leave but may include up to 2 weeks of professional development leave
3. Must include a minimum of four terms (at least 10 weeks each term) in different specialities
4. Must include direct clinical care in each term, which will have been predetermined through the accreditation process:
5. Undifferentiated illness patient care
6. Chronic illness patient care
7. Acute and critical illness patient care; and
8. Peri-procedural patient care.

The Central Australia Regional Health Service (CARHS), accredited by the Prevocational Medical Assurance Services (PMAS) on behalf of the Northern Territory Medical Board, offers a dynamic clinical training program for prevocational medical officers. There are currently 24 intern positions available.

Four term rotations are offered at CARHS. Interns have the opportunity to undertake the following rotations;

• Medicine
• Renal
• Surgery
• Orthopaedics
• Emergency Medical Care
• Paediatrics
• Rural Generalist at Tennant Creek Hospital (TCH)

Term positions are allocated randomly, however those who are keen to rotate to TCH may indicate this in their application.

Teaching

CARHS provides an outstanding prevocational doctor training program with an award-winning team of educators and clinicians deeply committed to providing a rich and diverse education and training program, reflecting the challenges that come with working in Aboriginal health in rural and remote locations. Strong intern and RMO representation on the Medical Training Committee offers support to the prevocational doctor experience.

Prevocational doctors attend regular education and up-skilling sessions covering broad areas of professional development, including simulation, with all teaching and training in the purpose-built, state-of-the-art Research, Education and Training (RED) Centre. This is supplemented by robust and current prevocational doctor departmental teaching.

Formal and informal teaching sessions are delivered weekly by consultants and registrars, and most departments have regular formal grand rounds, journal clubs and specific sessions that prevocational doctors, particularly interns, are encouraged to attend.

The education and training program for prevocational doctors is mapped to the Australian Curriculum Framework and term descriptions provided at orientation outline how these requirements are met.

There is a strong focus on generalism in the training programs, where prevocational doctors have the opportunity to consolidate, maintain and widen their knowledge, skills and experience, and access opportunities to explore potential careers in rural and remote settings.

Hospital orientation

Interns undertake a mandatory hands-on and interactive orientation program of up to 10 days prior to commencing ward duties. Key elements include simulation laboratory skills sessions, cultural competencies, use of electronic health systems, and an introduction to the management of unique and complex patient presentations.

Interns are advised when orientation specific to each department is scheduled prior to the commencement of each term.

Supervision

Supervision is provided as part of the education and training program, and contributes to developing the transition to safe, independent practice. Each department or division has a term supervisor responsible for coordinating and ensuring intern training and supervision occurs. Each intern will also have a clinical supervisor within their team who provides education and on-the-job training, career advice and guidance to achieve learning goals.

Interns meet with their supervisors at the start of each term to define learning objectives by discussing the expectations of both the intern and their supervisors’, and the role and responsibility of the intern within that team. Interns meet with each supervisor mid-term for a formative assessment, to ensure that they are performing to set goals and discuss any concerns. The end-of-term assessment is a formal, summative process which contributes to gaining full registration at the end of the intern year. These assessments are discussed at term orientation and comprise of, but are not limited to, direct observation, participation in case studies and other department or division education and training sessions.

CARHS Intern Term Dates 2025

Career development at CARHS

Please visit the Resident Medical Officer positions page.

Applications

Applicants are grouped into categories and short-listed according to the following categories and criteria. Please be aware that these applicant eligibility categories are in order of selection (A to G).

To be eligible as an intern applicant in the Northern Territory you must not have completed a medical internship previously.

If you have completed an internship previously (overseas) please go to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website for more information.

The Top End Regional Health Service (TEHRS), accredited by the Prevocational Medical Assurance Services (PMAS) on behalf of the Northern Territory Medical Board, offers a dynamic clinical training program for prevocational medical officers. There are currently 65 intern positions available.

Five term rotations are offered at TERHS. Interns have the opportunity to undertake the following rotations;

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Emergency Medical Care
• Renal Medicine
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Geriatrics
• Palliative Care
• Cardiology
• Head and Neck (Maxilofacial)
• Orthopaedics
• Vascular and Plastic Surgery
• Paediatrics
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Rural terms in Emergency Medical Care and Medicine

On and off site accommodation is available at Royal Darwin, Katherine and Gove hospitals for up to 12 weeks for interns relocating from interstate.

RDPH supports relocation costs for interns relocating from interstate.

Hospital orientation

Interns undertake an orientation program prior to commencing ward duties.

The time allocated for this mandatory orientation is up to 10 days depending on the health service you are employed at. The orientation is predominantly hands-on and interactive. Key elements include skills sessions utilising the simulation laboratory, cultural competencies, use of the electronic health systems used throughout the hospital and health service, and an introduction to management of unique and complex patient presentations.

You will be advised by youremploying hospital when the hospital orientation is scheduled. Both hospitals usually run their orientations in early January which can commence in the first or second week of January.

Please note that orientation specific to each department takes place at the commencement of each term throughout internship.

Supervision

Supervision is provided to all interns as part of their intern education and training program. It also contributes to developing their transition to safe independent practice. Each department/division has a term supervisor who is responsible for coordinating and ensuring intern training and supervision occurs for that term. Each intern will also have a clinical supervisor within their team who provides education and training on the job, may give career advice and guide the intern to achieve their learning goals.

Interns will meet with their supervisors at the start of each term to define learning objectives through discussing the intern's expectations, understand the supervisor's expectations and the role and responsibility of the intern within that team.

Interns meet with their supervisors mid-term for a formative assessment, to ensure that they are performing to their set goals and to discuss any concerns. The end of term assessment is a formal, summative assessment which contributes to gaining full registration at the end of the intern year. These assessments will be discussed at your term orientation and usually comprise of, but are not limited to direct observation, participation in case studies and other department/division education and training sessions.

Education and training

The hospital's Medical Education Unit (MEU) provides a comprehensive training program for prevocational medical officers. Interns have the opportunity to attend weekly protected training sessions which delivers topics that are relevant and applicable to a medical officer at the intern level of training. The hospital requests feedback from prevocational doctors to inform and improve the program delivered.

Formal and informal teaching sessions related to the specific terms are delivered weekly by consultants and registrars. Most departments will have regular formal grand rounds, journal clubs and specific sessions where all prevocational doctors, particularly interns, are encouraged to attend.

The education and training program for interns is mapped to the Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors. Term descriptions provided at the term orientation will show how an intern may meet the framework in that term.

The Northern Territory has a strong focus on Rural Generalist in their training programs. You will, at the intern and resident medical officer levels have the opportunity to consolidate, maintain and widen your knowledge, skills and experience, as well as have access to opportunities to explore potential careers in rural and remote settings.

TERHS Term Dates 2025

• To be eligible as an intern applicant in the Northern Territory you must not have completed a medical internship previously.
• If you have completed an internship previously (overseas), please go to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website for more information.

The applicant eligibility categories in order of selection for internship in the Northern Territory are:

*Definition of NT Resident

An NT Resident is an Australian citizen/permanent resident who has reside with a permanent address in the NT for either:

1. At least 3 years out of the last 6; or
2. A total of at least 5 years since commencing primary school

Applications are made through a centralised online job application portal:

1. Go to the NT Jobs portal and search for available jobs with the keyword 'Intern'.
   1. You may apply for either or both CARHS or TERHS positions.
2. Submit your application online through the portal, ensuring you:

• upload all supporting documents, and
• provide three referees who are registered medical specialists.

The CARHS and TERHS health services will make employment offers to those applicants who have met the Northern Territory intern recruitment requirements.

The health services will only contact the referees of short-listed applicants.