Psychiatrist
As a Psychiatrist in the Army Reserve, you’ll use your medical expertise and knowledge to ensure appropriate clinical and mental health care is administered to members of the ADF.
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, it's an exciting opportunity that can work around your lifestyle.
What you'll do
You’ll be the clinical leader in the mental health care system, responsible for direct patient assessment and treatment in barracks and field environments that may include providing emergency care to a trauma casualty. You’ll be a member of a multi-disciplinary team comprising general practitioners, other medical and surgical specialists, nurses, medics, psychologists, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals.
The advice and guidance you’ll provide will have direct, tangible effects on the management of individuals suffering from, or at risk of, mental illness. You’ll contribute to the activation of a vast network of resources to support individuals and families from within the ADF and from the broader veteran and non-veteran community.
Your duties may include:
- developing and reviewing policies, procedures, training and education resources to support the prevention, detection, management and treatment of mental health disorders at population, system, facility and individual levels
- supporting the training and development of other medical, nursing and allied health professionals in the prevention, detection, assessment and management of mental illness in Army and the ADF
- coordinating and participating in collaborative case meetings involving non-clinical commanders of ADF personnel who have a legal responsibility for the welfare of their subordinates
- overseeing the delivery of mental health support to critical incidents involving real, perceived or potential trauma to ADF members, other country armed forces members and civilians e.g. in isolated events, natural disasters, conflict and violence in Australia and overseas
- contributing to the continuous improvement of the ADF mental health system – including individual research or in collaboration with the ADF Centre for Mental Health, other government agencies and civilian research centres
- translating research findings into action within Army to enhance and maintain capability.
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. You’ll have a Careers Coach who you can ask about your options.
Generally, most Specialist Medical Officers are posted to a Health Battalion located in all Australian capital cities. For periods, you may be attached to a key specialist advisory appointment in a headquarters environment. Depending on rank and experience, there is opportunity for some travel. There are also limited opportunities for postings within Joint Health Command units or headquarters providing technical and specialist advice.
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.
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.
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.
You’ll need to function, maintain concentration and make sound decisions for extended periods. The scope of mental demands for Specialist Medical Officers are:
- complexity and judgement – you’ll need to grasp complex and obscure clinical information, determine a clinical diagnosis and deliver an appropriate treatment.
- physical skills – you’ll need the relevant physical skills required by the various services and operate technical medical equipment, on trauma casualties.
- physical demands – there may be additional physical demands required of you in the performance of your role as a psychiatrist, such as:
- lifting, extracting, restraining and carrying casualties in body armour
- performing your duties in confined spaces
- sleep deprivation.
When being considered for operational service, there are pre-deployment requirements (medical and dental) that must be achieved.
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.