faqs
The following links are provided to assist prospective candidates and employers with answers related to frequently asked questions.
company
What does Skilled Medical do?
Skilled Medical Pty Ltd. ("Skilled Medical") is an established, national medical recruitment company specialising in Australia-wide urgent, short and long-term locum and permanent placement medical staffing solutions.
Does your company have quality accreditation or standards?
Skilled Medical is a quality certified company with the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association (RCSA) and an Accredited Provider of Locum Medical Officers with NSW Health.
Who operates Skilled Medical?
Skilled Medical is led by Director, Dr. David Campbell, a registered medical practitioner and qualified senior medical administrator with over 30 years of experience in medicine, public health and health care administration.
Where is your office located?
Skilled Medical's national office is located in Carlton, Victoria and we work with clients Australia-wide.
What are your office hours?
How many staff do you have?
One of Skilled Medical's core strengths is our knowledge and experience in health care and medical services. Skilled Medical is a full service company that maintains a full-time staff of 13 highly skilled Managers, Consultants, Administration Officers, Marketing and IT professionals.
Can you tell me more about your staff's backgrounds?
Please see our staff for professional staff bios.
urgent, short & long-term locum jobs
Why do Australian hospitals and health service organisations need urgent, short and long-term doctors?
Medical doctor shortages are a global problem and Australia has a shortage of qualified doctors in hospitals and health service organisations, especially in rural, regional and remote areas. According to The Rural Doctors Association of Australia, there is a shortfall of 1,800 doctors across regional Australia. In addition, Australia's public hospitals are also under-funded and struggling to meet the community and population demands.
What is a locum job placement?
A locum job placement is a temporary job placement in a hospital or health service organisation where your services are either being substituted for a doctor on leave or used to fill a much needed vacant role within the organisation.
Working as a locum provides you with flexibility, change, lifestyle and rewards. You have the ability to locum part-time, full-time or even while in a permanent part-time or full-time staff position by performing locum jobs during weekends, holidays, rostered days off or during annual leave.
How long do urgent, short and long-term locums last?
As a Skilled Medical doctor, you have the flexibility to request and accept job opportunities that match your individual professional, personal and lifestyle needs. As a Skilled Medical doctor, you have the flexibility to work when you want and where you want.
- A short-term locum position can range from a few days and/or a weekend, several days, one to two weeks or even a one month period.
- A long-term locum position can range from two, to six or even a 12 month period.
What kind of rates can I expect on an urgent, short or long-term locum job placement?
Locum contract rates vary depending on the role and the hospital or health service organisation location. When possible, your Skilled Medical Consultant always tries to negotiate the best rate for you.
- Rates for Senior Medical Staff range from $1,800 to $2,200 per day
- Rates for Junior Medical Staff range from $80 - $140 hour
If I am accepted as a Skilled Medical doctor and interested in pursuing locum work, do I have to quit my current job?
No, it is possible to keep your permanent part-time or full-time staff position and locum during weekends, holidays, rostered days off and annual leave.
medical doctors
There are a lot of medical recruiting companies out there, why should I choose Skilled Medical?
Does Skilled Medical charge recruitment fees for your medical doctor services?
Skilled Medical's service is free to all medical doctors.
Does Skilled Medical take a percentage or fee out of each doctor's paycheck?
No, Skilled Medical never takes a percentage or fee out of each medical doctor contract rate or paychecks. You are paid the full contract rate as outlined in your job contract.
Do I need to have my own medical indemnity insurance to work with Skilled Medical?
Medical doctors placed by Skilled Medical in public sector positions will generally be indemnified by the hospital or health service organisation they are working with. However, we require our medical doctors also maintain their own private medical indemnity insurance as an additional safeguard.
Does my personalised Skilled Medical Consultant decide when and where I work?
When you work with Skilled Medical, you can work when you want and where you want. During your initial interview (as part of our comprehensive registration process), a Skilled Medical Consultant will go over your professional and personal preferences to match you with the best job opportunities to meet your needs. If your preferences or interests change in the future, please just let us know and we will update your personal records.
When I am contacted about a Skilled Medical job opportunity, am I under an obligation to accept
it?
When your Skilled Medical Consultant calls or emails you with a potential urgent, short or long-term locum job opportunity, you are under no obligation to accept the job placement. As a Skilled Medical doctor, you have the flexibility to work when you want and where you want.
Who negotiates my daily rate and the terms of my job contract?
Some hospital or health service organisations in certain Australian locations have a predetermined amount they will pay for an urgent, short or long-term locum contract doctors. When possible, we always try to negotiate the best rate for you and industry-wide offer some of the most attractive contract rates for our positions.
Do I pay for my own flights, rental car and accommodation?
In addition to your daily contract rate, you are provided with travel/car/accommodation at no cost to you. For specific information about your job placement, please speak to your Skilled Medical Consultant on 1300 900 100 or review your job contract.
I would like to bring my partner and/or family with me on my job placement, will their travel and accommodation be covered?
Unfortunately, these additional expenses will not be covered under your job contract.
Is there an age limit to working in Australia and with Skilled Medical?
As long as you have general medical registration in Australia, you can join Skilled Medical at almost every stage of your junior, senior or even retirement stage of your professional medical career.
I am a junior doctor and was wondering when I can apply to join Skilled Medical?
Prior to being accepted to work with Skilled Medical, do I have to provide a CV and referees?
Yes, as part of our comprehensive medical doctor registration process, we require a copy of your current CV and three current referee contacts. Your referees should include a current or most recent Supervisor and/or Department Head.
australian & new zealand trained medical doctors
If I am an Australian or New Zealand trained doctor, am I automatically eligible to work with Skilled Medical?
To be eligible, you must have Australian national medical registration, Australian WA registration or New Zealand medical registration and be an active participant in a continuing professional development program.
To apply to work with Skilled Medical, you will need to complete our online doctor enquiry form or call us on 1300 900 100. After we review your initial enquiry, a Skilled Medical Consultant will conduct an initial phone interview to discuss your qualifications and professional/personal preferences. If you are fully registered, you will be asked to complete a brief medical doctor registration and supply copies of supportive documentation. Once we receive this information and perform a comprehensive background check, a Skilled Medical Consultant will let you know whether you are eligible or not to work with us.
Can you describe the Australian medical registration process?
international (overseas trained) doctors
What are the types of medical registration available in Australia?
Full medical registration and conditional medical registration are the two types of medical registration available in Australia. The majority of overseas trained medical doctors enter and work in Australia with conditional medical registration. See the Australian Medical Council website www.amc.org.au/index.php/img/res/registration for more information.
If I have a current Australian working visa, can I do urgent, short or long-term locum work?
This will depend on the type of Visa you hold. If you hold a full unconditional visa then you can locum within Australia. If you are uncertain about the type of Visa you hold and/or any visa work restrictions you may have, please contact the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship www.immi.gov.au directly.
Can you tell me the Visa type I need to work as a medical doctor in Australia?
Please contact the Australian Department of Immigration www.immi.gov.au directly.
I wish to migrate to Australia permanently to work as a medical doctor, can you tell me what I need to do?
I am a UK trained doctor, can I locum in Australia?
You are eligible to locum if you have completed one year of work as a medical doctor in Australia or New Zealand and have gained Australian general registration. See the Australian Medical Council website www.amc.org.au/index.php/img/res/registration for general registration information.
Where can I find resources or additional information about working as a medical doctor in
Australia?
