Emergency Physician
As an Emergency Physician, you’ll use your existing qualifications and skills to provide a high level of emergency care for acutely ill or injured soldiers in a range of emergency situations.
If you’re looking to experience adventure and excitement outside the everyday, earn tax-free pay and work as part of a close-knit team, this is an exciting opportunity that can work around your lifestyle.
What you'll do
Emergency Physicians have an increasingly important role in all aspects of care, from point of injury through to definitive care facilities and casualty evacuation. Many of your duties will be similar to those you’re already accustomed to, yet the work environments will be unique. Due to the ever-changing global situation, you could be called on to provide specialist care on land, in aviation or sea environments.
Your role might include supporting humanitarian situations, major international activities and military operations. Your patients could be adults, refugees (including children and the elderly) and potentially battle casualties.
You’ll experience the benefits of working with advanced technology, equipment, materials and motivated teams, and you can take the skills and experiences you gain back to your full-time career.
Your duties may include:
- providing Garrison support as agreed under the provisions of the strategic agreement between Defence and the approved institution
- providing treatment to ADF members
- providing training and mentoring activities for other ADF members engaged in Strategic Alliance or professional development programs
- providing specialist clinical advice to the chain of command and the health technical chain
- participating in military activities
- participating in recruitment activities, especially in own specialisation.
In addition to this, if you’re a Specialist Registrar remaining in a designated ADF Specialist Medical Program position while completing training as a Registrar at an approved institution, you’ll need to:
- remain embedded in an approved institute as a staff specialist
- maintain accreditation with relevant specialist Colleges/Faculties
- maintain relevant specialist Professional Membership
- provide the ADF with an enduring medical specialist capability.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Army will provide you with leadership, management, and specialist skills training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your role-related expertise. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Army.
The Army Reserve has units located all across Australia and offers you the flexibility to serve where you live. There are training locations in cities, small towns and regional areas. Even if there isn’t a unit close to you there may be other ways to serve. Some limited opportunities exist for postings within Joint Health Command health units or HQ providing technical and specialist advice. You may also be deployed alongside Navy and Air Force medical personnel. Depending on your rank and experience, support may be available for you to travel from regional centres to capital cities. You’ll have a Careers Coach who you can ask about your options.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. For Reserve service, the maximum age to apply is 60 years, with a Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) of 65. Candidates who wish to enlist into the Reserves beyond the age of 61 years will need further assessment to ensure they can complete all pre-requisite training in their chosen field prior to reaching CRA.
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
The minimum requirement for entry into this role is to be fully qualified and unconditionally registered as a specialist Emergency Physician with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) in a state or territory of Australia, in your specialisation.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
There is no minimum number of years required in the ADF Reserve as service is voluntary. You can volunteer until the Defence Reserve retirement age of 65, subject to the requirements and your suitability for further service.
Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work responsibilities. In your first year, you can choose to serve between a minimum of 20 and up to 150 days, which includes Initial Employment and Military Training. After that, you can choose to serve 20 to 150 days each year, with the potential to extend to 200 days. On training completion, you can serve from as little as one night a week, one weekend a month, or in consecutive weeks - in a way that suits your lifestyle.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.