At the end of a busy and tiring day at work, you log in to check your emails and finally spot that long-awaited message from your College: You’ve been accepted as a Fellow – congratulations! This is a huge milestone in your career and a moment to truly celebrate all your hard work, dedication, and achievements. So, what happens next?
This checklist is designed to help you:
- Put yourself in the best position to get your dream Consultant role
- Ensure that your paperwork is up to date with the relevant authorities
- Know the websites to access and in what order to access them!
Why is MIPS telling me this?
Along with the expert advice and support MIPS provide, our medical indemnity insurance will always be the primary benefit of membership.
Understanding our practitioners' unique needs, MIPS also assists with your ongoing professional development and plays a role in ensuring your long-term success. This is why we provide education sessions on subjects such as Interview Skills, CV Writing, and navigating your career.
Another key benefit to MIPS membership is continuing education. MIPS members have 24/7 access to a wide range of CPD accredited (RACGP, RACS, Dental and ACRRM) and non-CPD professional development resources, including webinars, online modules, checklists and articles to help you mitigate the medico-legal risks associated with your healthcare practice.
10 Steps for New Fellows
1. Update your Ahpra Registration
TIP: This will take 6-8 weeks to process, so the sooner you get the ball rolling, the better.
Go to the Ahpra website and apply for specialist registration:
- You will need to login to your account and upload your email acceptance and/or certified fellowship from the College, or arrange for the College to directly liaise with Ahpra to confirm your fellowship
- The cost is approximately $1058 (2025 cost – and may differ in NSW due to co-regulation)
2. Update your Medicare billing status
TIP: This can only be completed once your Ahpra registration has been updated.
Go to the Services Australia website and complete the ‘Application for recognition as a specialist or consultant physician’ form (HW077). This ensures you can bill patients at the specialist Medicare Benefits rates.
3. Update your CV
TIP: MIPS members can access our articles and a webinar to assist with updating your CV. This information has proven to be useful for doctors at all stages of their careers. Contact your MIPS Relationship and Development Specialist if you’d like a link to access these resources.
Remember that you should ideally tailor the CV for every job application:
- Bring it up-to-date and include leadership/management committee roles for instance
- Delete or reduce the space given to details that are less relevant at this stage of your career
- Keep a general version ready to go but tailor your CV for each application when possible
4. Update your references
TIP: Ask potential referees whether they will give you a GOOD reference. If the answer is no, ask for feedback!
A ‘bank’ of multiple referees allows you to select the ones most suited to your application.
5. Update your insurances
TIP: This is a great time to get a quote from MIPS!
With increased responsibility comes increased risk. Now is the time to update your medical indemnity insurance as well as other insurances. Your career is your greatest financial asset, yet most practitioners put less thought into their indemnity insurance than their car insurance.
Indemnity Cover Considerations:
- Are there any hidden inclusions or exclusions – including sub-limits
- Do you understand how they will protect you when you need advice and support
- When things go wrong, your indemnity partner can make all the difference
- Contact your MIPS Relationship and Development Specialist for an obligation free quote for MIPS membership. Or, request a quote on the MIPS website.
6. Get Certified Copies of Documents
TIP: Get more copies than you think you need; it can be a great timesaver to have some on file.
Most jobs that you apply for will require certified copies of the following:
- Your primary medical degree
- Driver’s licence
- Birth Certificate or Australian Citizenship
- Medicare Card
- Passport
- Fellowship Certificate from your College
- Current Ahpra registration
7. Inform your employer
Your employer may need to adjust your rate of pay. Email your College Acceptance letter to your payroll department.
8. Collect CPD
TIP: If you’re a MIPS member, check out the MIPS website for webinars where you can earn CPD points for free and record them in your chosen CPD Home.
The Medical Board of Australia sets minimum requirements for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). To meet the requirements, you must join an AMC accredited CPD Home to track your CPD requirements and report your compliance to the Medical Board of Australia. You may have already joined a CPD Home if you commenced your Registrar training in PGY4 or later, but you can choose a new Home as a New Fellow, if you wish to do so.
The pricing between CPD Homes varies – you can review the full list of accredited sites on the AMC website; just search for CPD homes.
9. Consider new mentors
New goals may require new mentors – it’s important to feel inspired in this new phase of your career:
- You can have multiple mentors
- Resource for tips: Google ‘Dr Melanie Rule How to find a mentor’
10. Consider your legacy
You’ve proven you have the medical skills required to be a great doctor. Now, it’s important to consider your legacy:
- How do you want to be remembered as a doctor?
- Consider the ways you can nurture these aspects of your career and consciously include time and energy for this work in your schedule.
- Remember the 3 A’s of Excellence - Availability, Affability and Ability. Each can impact your interactions with colleagues, patients, friends and family!
Disclaimer: All information on this page is of a general nature only and is not intended to be relied upon as, nor to be a substitute for, specific legal or other professional advice. No responsibility for the loss occasioned to any person acting on or refraining from action as a result of any material published can or will be accepted by MIPS. You should seek legal or other professional advice before relying on any content, and practise proper clinical decision making with regard to the individual circumstances. Information is only current at the date initially published.
