1. Commonwealth Medical Internships
Titus Lim

5. Introduction 2013, the Federal Government pledged $40 Million into CMI
Internships of last resort for full-fee paying international students with strong ties to Australia and are willing to serve rural and remote communities
Positions are released after state internship applications close and an audit is conducted to ascertain how many international students are still awaiting offers by August of each year.

6. Introduction
Roughly 80 to 90 international students accept CMI offers each year, mainly in Queensland, but also in New South Wales and Western Australia
Training takes place in public rural, regional or metropolitan private hospital system
All positions carry a 48 week return of service clause in a rural or remote setting which is to be completed within five years of commencing internship
Can be completed during internship year

7. Anyone who breaks contract or is unable to complete their intern year will be subject to fines according to the payback clause of around $ , which covers the cost of the intern’s salary, recruitment, training costs and/or any other hospital costs.

8. Eligibility Applicant must be:
full-fee paying international student completing their medical degree during the current calendar year from an onshore medical school in Australia
met the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) English language proficiency
not be an Australian Citizen
commit to obtaining an appropriate visa to work in Australia during the internship year and
as long as necessary to complete the return of service obligation

9. Eligibility Applicant not eligible if
they have a ROS obligation to a country which has sponsored their university medical studies
they have accepted a state or territory internship place for the next calendar year

10. Hospitals that offer CMI
Greenslopes (Ramsay Private Hospital System).
Contact: Sarah Black -
Bundaberg
Contact: Judy O’Connor -
Mackay
Contact: Ralph Johnson -
Townsville.
Contact:
New South Wales (Mater Private System). Places Projected: 5
Western Australia. Places Projected: 10
Hospitals for CMI 2016 have not been finalized yet

11. Additional information
Participating hospitals: Mater systems in Bundaberg, Townsville, Mackay and Greenslopes Private Hospital (Brisbane) under Ramsay Health.
The majority went to Greenslopes - but all interns at Greenslopes rotated between Greenslopes and other rural/regional hospitals.
Most were UQ international students, while a small number were JCU and NSW grads.
4 of us were from University of Melbourne
Offers may come in as late as December, so try not to panic - and keep in touch with participating hospitals (just not excessively).

12. Additional information
There has been some changes in the English language requirements this year. Please check the AHPRA website to see if you meet the requirements and whether you need to write the IELTS:

13. CMI at Greenslopes Hospital
Is it considered a “metropolitan internship”? NO!
Do have the chance to do one rotation at Greenslopes Private Hospital in Brisbane, your other rotations will be at rural or remote hospitals. This is to fulfill your 48 weeks return of service within the five years of commencing
interns usually have 1-2 rotations at Greenslopes or Wesley, and 3-4 rotations in rural / remote hospitals
But they do accommodate

14. CMI at Greenslopes Hospital
Positives of going rural:
Accommodation and travel expenses covered
You can state a preference for specialty and location
High quality training
Many consultants at Greenslopes teach at large Brisbane public hospitals
Current Dean of Medicine at UQ is at Greenslope
It is possible to renew a contract there as JHO and SHO
Negatives
Moving around every 10 weeks
Less busy than a public hospital if you enjoy being busy

17. When you get an offer
Ramsay Health (Greenslopes) will try to allocate students to hospitals they preferenced
Make sure you respond asap, and if you need to decline - let them know asap.
Occasionally, students get both a state and CMI offer (around October) – speak to CMI organizers if this happens
If you accent an offer, you may be removed from the state internship candidate pools
Be professional and committed if you accept

18. The Payback Clause
When you receive an offer, have to sign an agreement to stay the full year.
If you choose to leave prior to fulfilling the requirement, you will face fines or VISA issues
The federal government can charge around $

19. Reasons for not take CMI
The rural/remote factor
If doing internship at Greenslopes -
potential of moving around a lot
While true, accommodations are covered while you are travelling
lingering return of service commitments
You’re given 5 years to complete return of service of 48 weeks (approximately a year) intern year included
Once you’re a registrar, unless you’re a GP registrar, all hospital based registrars are required to rotate through regional and rural hospitals regardless of whether they are domestic or international, this means you have many opportunities to finish off return of service
It’s only really a problem if you chose to return home immediately after the intern year if you’ve been primarily metropolitan based.
The payback clause of around $

20. Future of CMI
For students in the graduating classes in the years below CMI program is not a guarantee.
It was a promise that the government would set aside $40 million dollars for a period of 4 years, expecting to spend up to $10 million on eligible applicants, up to approximately 80 interns a year.
It requires a concerted effort to ensure the return of the CMI each year and the professionalism of international students and interns involved in the program each year, and this speaks louder than what any advocacy group can say.