Program overview
The Fellowship Training Program is a postgraduate medical course for doctors. On successful completion of the program, you are eligible to become a Fellow of the RANZCP (FRANZCP). This qualifies you to practice independently as a consultant psychiatrist in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Fellowship Program takes a minimum of 60 months full-time equivalent (FTE) to complete. During the training period, you will work as a registrar in hospitals and clinics, where you will be supervised by experienced psychiatrists.
Entry into the program
Prerequisites for applying to enter the Fellowship Program are:
- successful completion of a medical degree
- two years (FTE) of general medical training for applicants commencing in 2025*
- current general registration as a medical practitioner in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
More about entry requirements
*In contrast to past requirements, applicants who wish to apply to the Fellowship Training Program must now complete a minimum of 24 months (2 years FTE) of prevocational medical training to be eligible. This requirement is applicable for all applicants who wish to commence training rotation from 2025 onwards.
Applicants are selected for psychiatry training based on their suitability, skills and experience.
Program structure
Training is undertaken in three stages:
Certificates of Advanced Training
In Stage 3, trainees can choose to complete a Certificate of Advanced Training by developing advanced competencies in a particular area of practice.
More about Certificates of Advanced Training
Exams and assessments
You will be assessed during training through a range of exams and assessments.
Formal education
All trainees must be enrolled in a College-approved formal education course.
Fellowship Competencies
By the end of the training program, you will have gained competence in the major roles expected of a psychiatrist, based on the CanMEDS roles.
More about Fellowship Competencies
Help and support
Use the help centre to find answers to common questions and contacts during training.
A Training Program Basics webinar is available on Learnit [member sign-in required] to provide an overview of the training basics and is useful for trainees to navigate and get started.
Governance
The Fellowship Program is overseen by the College's Education Committee and operates in accordance with regulations, policies and procedures approved by the Board.