Up to 215 IMG surgeons may have been unfairly judged substandard by Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
The IMGs were assessed against Australian-trained surgeons who already had five years' specialist experience post-fellowship.
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons says it incorrectly rejected applications by 215 IMG surgeons to be registered as specialists in Australia and is now offering them a second chance to apply.
Historically, the college has assessed IMGs against Australian-trained surgeons with five years’ specialist experience post-fellowship.
However, following new standards introduced by the Medical Board of Australia, since January 2021, all medical colleges, including the surgeons’ college, are required to assess IMGs against the level of a newly fellowed doctor.
There is also a requirement to assess the IMG against their intended scope of practice, something the college says it has not routinely done.
