Mid-Year Entry and Deferrals

What options are available for part-time or mid-year entry? Is a later start possible, or would I be better deferring?
A. Many facilities can accommodate out-of-sync starters. Applicants are encouraged to contact hospitals directly to discuss mid-year or later commencement options. Hospital and Health Services will assess whether they can accommodate individual circumstances. If you are unable to secure a mid-year entry, you remain eligible to apply in the following campaign for a January commencement.

What is the difference between Category A and B regarding mid-year starts or deferrals?
A. Applicants requiring a mid-year or later start should contact hospitals directly. The formal deferral process is only available to Group A candidates. Group B applicants who wish to take a year off may still apply to the following Queensland intern campaign.

As a mid-year entry applicant from Bond University, if I do not receive a position and reapply the following year, will I still be considered Category A?
A. Applicants in Group A who apply for a mid-year commencement in 2027 and do not receive an offer on the national release date may reapply in the following year’s campaign, provided they graduate in 2027, while retaining their Group A status.

International Medical Graduates

I am an IMG from Nepal and recently passed AMC Part 1. Am I eligible to apply?
A. Yes, provided you have not previously completed an internship.

If I am an international medical graduate and Australian permanent resident with postgraduate experience, can I apply for an intern position?
A. No. IMGs who have already completed an internship are not eligible to apply for a Queensland intern position.

Are there opportunities for Australian citizens who completed their medical degree overseas?
A. If you have not completed an internship previously, you may apply through the intern campaign. Otherwise, you may be eligible to apply through the Resident Medical Officer (RMO) campaign.

Group Preferencing and Ballot Process

Is Group B prioritised over Groups C and D?
A. No. Groups B–D all participate in a suitability assessment process.

What is the signi?cance of the groupings and how is merit assessed?
A. Group A applicants are guaranteed an internship. Groups B–D participate in a merit-based suitability assessment conducted by hospitals. Applicants should contact individual hospitals or review hospital pro?les on the Queensland Health Medical Internships website for further information.

Can I indicate that I am currently working at the hospital where I am applying for an internship? If so, is this taken into consideration during the selection process?
A. There is no dedicated section in the application form for this. Applicants are encouraged to contact the hospital’s medical recruitment team directly. Group A applicants remain subject to the ballot process for oversubscribed hospitals.

After Group A allocations are ?nalised, will Groups B–D know which hospitals still have vacancies?
A. Yes. Once Group A offers are ?nalised, the Position Status Report is updated with remaining vacancies. Groups B–D can then amend their ?rst preference if desired.

How does preferencing work if hospitals are oversubscribed?
A. Your ?rst preference should always be your most preferred hospital. If your higher preferences are oversubscribed and vacancies remain at a lower preference, you may be allocated to that hospital.

What role do referee reports play in the ballot process?
A. Referee reports are not considered during the Group A ballot process. However, hospitals may use them during merit-based assessments for Groups B–D.

If your top 7 preferences are all oversubscribed and you don’t get your no 1 preference, then do you get your no 8 which is the ?rst hospital not oversubscribed on your list?
A. Yes, if your ?rst 7 preferences are oversubscribed and there is a vacancy at your 8^th preference (undersubscribed) you will be balloted to that hospital.

Can Group D applicants’ preference more than one hospital?
A. Yes. Applicants should list hospitals in order of preference. If unsuccessful at their ?rst preference, they may still be considered during open recruitment rounds.

How does the ballot process work? Is it drawn multiple times or only once?
A. Oversubscribed hospitals and applicants are entered into a random ballot process. Hospitals and candidates are randomly selected until hospital allocations are balanced across available positions.

Can Group B–D applicants receive offers at oversubscribed hospitals?
A. Yes. This may occur if vacancies become available following withdrawals or declined offers.

If I receive special consideration but am balloted away from my preferred hospital, can I still transfer later?
A. Yes. Applicants may apply for a transfer to their preferred hospital following allocation outcomes.

What happens if a Group A applicant rejects their hospital offer?
A. Only one Queensland offer is made. Declining an offer means no further Queensland offers will be issued during that campaign.

Do I need to stay at the same hospital for two years?
A. No. Applicants may transfer hospitals after their ?rst year.

Do all Group B applicants need to complete an interview?
A. Not necessarily. Selection methods differ between hospitals and may include:

• interviews (virtual or in-person)
• CV review
• referee report
• other local selection methods

Would Group A applicants have to undertake an interview or is this reserved only those that are Group B – D?
A. Group A typically don’t attend interviews; I would encourage you to contact the facilities you are interested in applying to for further clari?cation

How does it work for oversubscribed hospitals that might have people that don’t accept the offer? Will those spots be ?lled by cat A ?rst or does it go to cat B-D as well?
A. Hospitals can fill the position with a transfer request from a Group A applicant or with a Group B-D applicant.

Indigenous Applicants

How does the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Intern Allocation Initiative affect available positions?
A. Group A and Group B Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants participating in the initiative are guaranteed their ?rst preference hospital allocation.

If I am an Indigenous interstate applicant from New South Wales, am I guaranteed an offer in Queensland?
A. Yes. Eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants in Group B are guaranteed an offer and their ?rst preference allocation.

My partner is an Indigenous applicant and I am Group B. Can we submit linked applications?
A. If both applicants are participating in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiative and select the same ?rst preference, both applicants can be allocated together.

Joint Applications

Can couples submit a joint application?
A. Yes. Group A applicants may submit joint applications. Other applicants should contact hospitals directly to discuss options.

Are there disadvantages to applying as a joint ticket?
A. Joint applicants are attached during the ballot process. If one applicant is balloted, both applicants move together to a hospital with two available positions. Applicants should carefully consider whether staying together or prioritising a speci?c hospital is more important.

Special Consideration Applications

Is there a special consideration process for applicants with children or other signi?cant circumstances?
A. Yes. Applicants may apply for special consideration and provide supporting documentation. Applications are reviewed by a committee.

If approved for an individual hospital, the applicant may be allocated directly to that hospital.

If approved for the South East Corner Group, the applicant may still participate in the ballot process.

For further information about this process please refer to the Intern Application Guide on the intern website.

As an Australian Defence Force member in the graduate medical program, do I need to provide additional information?
A. Applicants should indicate their Defence status within the application process and liaise with both their Defence team and the receiving hospital.

What special considerations apply to Bond University mid-year intake students with children or schooling commitments?
A. Applicants with signi?cant family or schooling commitments are encouraged to apply for special consideration and provide supporting documentation for review.

Interstate Applications

Can I apply to multiple states at the same time?
A. Yes. Applicants may apply to multiple states and territories provided they meet eligibility criteria.

Can I accept an interstate offer while waiting for a Queensland offer?
A. Yes. Applicants may hold multiple offers temporarily.

What happens during the national audit?
A. During the national audit process, applicants identi?ed as holding multiple internship offers will be required to withdraw from one position within the speci?ed timeframe.

If I accept a Queensland offer, can I still receive interstate offers?
A. Yes. Queensland Health does not have visibility of interstate offers prior to the national audit.

When should I withdraw from another state if I accept a Queensland offer?
A. Applicants are encouraged to withdraw from unwanted offers as soon as possible so vacancies can be ?lled promptly.

Where do interstate international medical students sit within the Queensland priority groups?
A. Applicant grouping depends on citizenship, university location and eligibility criteria. Applicants should refer to official Queensland Health eligibility guidelines.

Referees and CV Requirements

Will Group A applicants have their CV and referees reviewed?
A. Yes. CVs and referee reports are reviewed as part of standard Queensland Health pre-employment checks.

Who can act as a referee?
A. Applicants must nominate two referees who are not personal friends and who can comment on:

• professional relationships
• clinical skills and knowledge
• professional and ethical behaviour
• communication and interpersonal skills
• teaching and learning
• leadership and teamwork
• employability

How are referee reports used?
A. Hospitals may use referee reports as part of suitability assessments for Groups B–D. Group A applicants remain guaranteed an offer provided all pre-employment requirements are met.

Do referees need to write a letter of recommendation?
A. No. Referees are sent a standard template to complete.

Why are referees required if Group A applicants are guaranteed an offer?
A. Referee reports are a standard Queensland Health recruitment requirement and form part of the overall employment process.

Incentives and Relocation Assistance

Does Cairns offer any incentives or accommodation support?
A. Yes! We de?nitely offer relocation reimbursement and initial accommodation assistance. For further details: CHHHS_RMO_Recruitment@health.qld.gov.au

Which hospitals offer relocation assistance or bonuses for successful intern applicants and how does that support typically work?
A. Please refer to the internship contact details page on the intern website or alternatively contact the hospitals directly. 

Research Opportunities and Rural Pathways

Are there research opportunities at regional hospitals?
A. Each health service would be different, however I am aware that Townsville have a fantastic research team and link with JCU in research projects and activities, as do the other Nth QLD Regional health services. There is de?nitely support for research in Cairns. Please email our unit directly and we can follow up with any questions you may have: CairnsMedicalEducationUnit@health.qld.gov.au. Mackay has Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation with multiple options for prevocational doctor and research withing each specialty unit MHHS-Medical-Workforce-Intern@health.qld.gov.au.

If I have already accepted a Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway internship, do I still need to apply through the general intern campaign?
A. No. Applicants who have already accepted a Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway position do not need to submit an additional intern application.