About the PESCI

International Medical Graduates (IMGs) that are applying for limited registration or provisional registration may be required to undergo a Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI). The information obtained from the PESCI is considered by the Board when it decides whether to grant registration.

A PESCI is an objective assessment of your knowledge, skills, clinical experience and attributes to determine whether you are suitable to practice in a specific position. The Institute of Medical Education is accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) to provide official PESCIs for candidates all over Australia.

Application Process

1. Eligibility Check

• Applicants must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria outlined by IME below and have reviewed Ahpra's recommendations on when to schedule PESCI.

2. Purchase and Submit Application

• Once payment has been received, candidates will receive a link to complete their PESCI application online. Please see IME's criteria and necessary application inclusions. 

3. Application Review

• IME will review all applications and contact applicants should they require more information.

4. Book PESCI

• Once the application has been reviewed for completeness by IME, candidates will be advised on how to schedule their PESCI.

5. Sit PESCI

• Candidates will sit their PESCI and be notified of the outcome via email within 14 business days. 

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must check the Medical Board of Australia's eligibility requirements to ensure that they are eligible to work in Australian General Practice prior to purchasing PESCI. Depending on a candidate's intended registration type, candidates are encouraged to arrange PESCI at different times in their registration process. Please refer to Ahpra's requirements before purchasing your PESCI. 

In addition, IME's minimum requirements for a PESCI include:

• A medical qualification that is listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools 
• Evidence of a successful result in the Australian Medical Council Multiple Choice Questionnaire (AMC MCQ) or be eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway and,
• A current general practice job offer in an Australian General Practice

Application Requirements

Once payment for PESCI has been received, candidates will be emailed a link to complete the online PESCI application. The Institute of Medical Education requires candidates to provide:

• Proof of a medical qualification as listed on International Medical Education Directory (IMED)
• Position description (Completed on IME's Template)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV; completed on IME's Template)
• A certified copy of the applicant's passport
• Completed Australian Medical Council Multiple Choice Questionnaire (AMC MCQ) or be eligible for provisional registration through the Competent Authority Pathway
• A Training Plan for applicants applying for Limited Registration – Post Graduate Training and Supervised Practice

Following the submission of the above requirements, IME will review the application to ensure that all necessary information has been included. If the application is approved, the candidate will be notified to book their PESCI in the next available time. 

Delivery

The Institute of Medical Education offers both face-to-face and virtual PESCIs.

Candidates from all states are eligible to apply.

Face-to-face will be conducted at the Institute of Medical Educations' headquarters on the Gold Coast (QLD). Virtual Interviews are available for candidates who are unable to travel for a face-to-face interview, or who prefer a virtual interview. Candidates who apply for a videoconference PESCI must adhere to the remote invigilation policy.

Candidates must submit their delivery preference at the time of purchase.

Interview Structure

A PESCI consists of questions and cases asked by the panel to enable the candidate to demonstrate their knowledge and skills as outlined in their CV and in consideration to the proposed position description. 

Scenarios may simulate a possible patient consultation that may occur within the practitioner's employment. This may include clinical simulation, procedural skills, hypothetical scenarios and/or clinical scenarios from the applicant's experience. 

The time allocated for the interview is approximately 60—90 minutes.

The interview is designed to assess the candidate’s capacity in areas such as:

• medical interviewing skills
• physical examination skills
• clinical judgement
• treatment/advice
• communication skills
• professionalism
• procedural skills
• relevant social and cultural needs

Panel Structure

The Institute of Medical Education will ensure that each interview panel consists of at least three assessors, and a maximum of five assessors. At least two of these assessors will be verified medical practitioners.

Cost

The candidate will be responsible for any personal expenses when attending the face-to-face interview. The interview fee is payable upon application.

Cancellation, Rescheduling & Re-sit Policy

Cancellation

If a candidate wishes to withdraw from the process after having paid the full amount, a request must be received in writing as soon as possible.

Should a candidate wish to withdraw their application prior to scheduling their PESCI, $2,000 will be refunded to the candidate.

If the candidate has scheduled an interview and they wish to cancel with more than 21 business days notice, $1,000 of the application fee will be refunded. If the request is received less than 21 business days prior to the interview date, the candidate will forfeit the application fee. A full refund will only be given if IME is unable to facilitate the interview.

Rescheduling

An administration fee of $500 will apply for any further administration efforts that extend the usual PESCI process. This may include a request to change an already submitted PESCI application, or to reschedule the date & time of PESCI. Candidates are advised that they may only reschedule their PESCI once, and must provide notice in writing no less than 28 days prior to the interview. After this time, the cancellation policy will apply.

Re-sit Policy

A candidate may reapply to re-sit PESCI anytime following an unsuccessful result. Prior to scheduling a subsequent PESCI, it is recommended that candidates engage with the recommendations present within their outcome report. Candidates re-sitting PESCI are required to complete a new application to which the usual application fees will apply. 

Outcome

Upon completion of PESCI, the panel members will send a formal recommendation report to the Medical Board of Australia (the Board) within 14 business days. This report contains detailed information about the content and outcome of the PESCI. To ensure the integrity of the interview content is not compromised, this report will only be provided to the Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).  It will not be provided to the applicant, their employer, sponsor or other third party. An applicant who is not deemed suitable for this position may be suitable for another position. The Board may require a PESCI if the applicant applies to practise in another position.

The Institute of Medical Education will also provide an outcome report to the candidate. The process of sending the outcome report to the candidates mirrors the process outlined above. The outcome report will provide information such as:

• Whether the application is suitable or unsuitable
• Comments on the performance of the applicant within each domain
• Specific recommendations for further training and upskilling

This report will be completed and submitted to the candidate within 14 working days.

For Institute of Medical Education to release the outcome report to an employer, the candidates must submit a written request to IME. 

Review and Appeals Policy

The purpose of the Reviews and Appeals Policy is to define the decisions made by the Institute of Medical Education that can be reviewed or appealed. The policy aims to define the expected timeframe, processes and potential outcomes. The Institute of Medical Education strives to promote reconciliation of disputed decisions at the lowest level prior to escalation. This policy can be found here.

Candidates must submit their request to a review or appeal no more than 14 days after receiving their outcome report. An administration fee of $1,000 will apply and is serviceable by the applicant. 

As per the Medical Board of Australia, a change of employment is not an applicable reason for a review or appeal claim. 

Useful Resources

Position Description Template

Curriculum Vitae (CV) Template

Training Plan Template

PESCI Confidentiality Form

Remote Invigilation Policy

Review and Appeals Policy

Academic Code of Conduct