Current Data
In 2008, there were 2,257 new fellows in medical colleges. Of these, 925 or 41.0% were female (Table 4.26).The state and territory distribution of new fellows does not capture those new fellows residing overseas.
Table 4.26: New fellows and proportion of females by medical specialty, 2008.
Medical specialty | New fellows | Proportion all new fellows (%) | Females | Proportion females (%) |
Adult medicine(a) | 303 | 13.4 | 126 | 41.6 |
Anaesthesia(b) | 234 | 10.4 | 82 | 35.0 |
Pain medicine(c) | 11 | 0.5 | 1 | 9.1 |
Dermatology | 11 | 0.5 | 10 | 90.9 |
Emergency medicine | 95 | 4.2 | 35 | 36.8 |
General practice | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
RACGP | 819 | 36.3 | 367 | 44.8 |
ACRRM | 22 | 1.0 | 7 | 31.8 |
Intensive care(d) | 62 | 2.7 | 16 | 25.8 |
Medical administration | 10 | 0.4 | 5 | 50.0 |
Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 66 | 2.9 | 41 | 62.1 |
Occupational and Environmental medicine | 11 | 0.5 | 5 | 45.5 |
Ophthalmology(e) | 14 | 0.6 | 5 | 35.7 |
Paediatrics(a) | 114 | 5.1 | 64 | 56.1 |
Pathology | 68 | 3.0 | 35 | 51.5 |
Psychiatry | 147 | 6.5 | 62 | 42.2 |
Public health medicine | 13 | 0.6 | 9 | 69.2 |
Radiation oncology | 11 | 0.5 | 4 | 36.4 |
Radiodiagnosis | 54 | 2.4 | 14 | 25.9 |
Rehabilitation medicine | 21 | 0.9 | 11 | 52.4 |
Surgery | 171 | 7.6 | 26 | 15.2 |
Total | 2,257 | 100.0 | 925 | 41.0 |
(a) Includes overseas trained specialists.
(b) 181 new fellows resided in Australia.
(c) Of 15 fellows admitted by examination and training in 2008, 11 are domiciled in Australia.
(d) Includes 13 fellows (3 females) who have returned overseas.
(e) RANZCO numbers include overseas trained specialists with new fellows for the first time. Also, the number of trainees is significantly reduced in this reporting year due to commencement of a 5-year rather than a 4-year training program.
Source: Medical colleges
Data on where new fellows resided is shown in Table 4.27
Table 4.27: New fellows by medical specialty and state/territory
Medical specialty | NSW | Vic | Qld | SA | WA | Tas | NT | ACT | Aust |
Adult medicine(a) | 108 | 81 | 41 | 19 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 289 |
Anaesthesia | 50 | 40 | 45 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 181 |
Pain medicine | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Dermatology | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Emergency medicine | 20 | 32 | 29 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 95 |
General practice | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
RACGP | (b)229 | 193 | 172 | (c)107 | 94 | 24 | na | na | 819 |
ACRRM | 8 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 22 |
Intensive care | 15 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 49 |
Medical administration | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 17 | 15 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 66 |
Occupational and Environmental medicine | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Opthalmology(d) | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (e)14 |
Paediatrics(a) | 23 | 28 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 102 |
Pathology | 20 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 68 |
Psychiatry | 41 | 36 | 29 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 147 |
Public health medicine | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
Radiation oncology | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Radiodiagnosis | 21 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 54 |
Rehabilitation medicine | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
Surgery | 55 | 53 | 23 | 16 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 171 |
Total | 635 | 543 | 441 | 213 | 246 | 49 | 15 | 23 | 2,165 |
(a) Includes overseas trained specialists now based in Australia.
(b) Includes ACT fellows.
(c) Includes NT fellows.
(d) RANZCO numbers include overseas trained specialists with new fellows for the first time. Also, the number of trainees is significantly reduced in this reporting year due to commencement of a 5-year rather than a 4-year training program.
(e) Includes 10 overseas trained specialists.
Source: Medical colleges
The distribution across states and territories of female new fellows follows a similar pattern to the distribution of all new fellows (Table 4.28).
Table 4.28: Female new fellows by medical specialty and state/territory, 2008.
Medical specialty | NSW | Vic | Qld | SA | WA | Tas | NT | ACT | Aust |
Adult medicine(a) | 44 | 34 | 20 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 119 |
Anaesthesia | 13 | 12 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 56 |
Pain medicine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Dermatology | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Emergency medicine | 9 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
General practice | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
RACGP | (d)114 | 91 | 74 | (e)43 | 35 | 10 | na | na | 367 |
ACRRM | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
Intensive care | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
Medical administration | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 7 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 41 |
Occupational and Environmental medicine | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Ophthalmology(b) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (c)5 |
Paediatrics(a) | 12 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60 |
Pathology | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 35 |
Psychiatry | 20 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 62 |
Public health medicine | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 1 | 9 |
Radiation oncology | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Radiodiagnosis | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | 14 |
Rehabilitation medicine | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Surgery | 9 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| 261 | 225 | 182 | 78 | 102 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 885 |
(a) Includes overseas trained specialists now based in Australia.
(b) RANZCO numbers include overseas trained specialists with new fellows for the first time. Also, the number of trainees is significantly reduced in this reporting year due to commencement of a 5-year rather than a 4-year training program.
(c) Total includes 4 overseas trained specialists.
(d) Includes ACT fellows.
(e) Includes NT fellows.
Source: Medical colleges
Trends
Between 2004 and 2008, the number of new fellows has almost doubled, increasing by 704 (45.3%) (Table 4.29). Adult medicine had the largest increase in terms of sheer numbers, with 303 new fellows in 2008 compared to 190 in 2004, while new fellow numbers tripled in intensive care (210% increase) and paediatrics doubled.Dermatology, medical administration and ophthalmology were the only areas with lesser number of new fellows in 2008 than in 2004. It should be noted that the numbers in each were relatively small and varied considerably across years.
Appendix D provides further data back to 2000 on new fellows.
Table 4.29: New fellows by medical specialty, 2004-2008
Medical specialty | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | Increase 2004-2008 (%) |
Adult medicine(a) | 190 | 181 | 247 | 209 | 303 | 59.5 |
Anaesthesia | 128 | 198 | 135 | 150 | 234 | 82.8 |
Pain medicine | .. | 5 | 5 | 7 | 11 | .. |
Dermatology | 12 | 13 | 14 | 23 | 11 | -8.3 |
Emergency medicine | 80 | 58 | 78 | 69 | 95 | 18.8 |
General practice | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
RACGP | 661 | 671 | 628 | 592 | 819 | 23.9 |
ACRRM | .. | .. | .. | 21 | 22 | .. |
Intensive care | 20 | 29 | 23 | 36 | 62 | 210.0 |
Medical administration | 15 | 4 | 13 | 11 | 10 | -33.3 |
Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 29 | 28 | 49 | 46 | 66 | 127.6 |
Occupational and Environmental medicine | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 83.3 |
Ophthalmology | 20 | 26 | 16 | 30 | 14 | -30.0 |
Paediatrics(a) | 57 | 74 | 73 | 47 | 114 | 100.0 |
Pathology | 41 | 48 | 46 | 77 | 68 | 65.9 |
Public health medicine | 8 | 4 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 62.5 |
Psychiatry | 109 | 85 | 90 | 72 | 147 | 34.9 |
Radiation oncology | 10 | 19 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10.0 |
Radiodiagnosis | 37 | 39 | 74 | 54 | 54 | 45.9 |
Rehabilitation medicine | 15 | 13 | 19 | 24 | 21 | 40.0 |
Surgery | 115 | 155 | 155 | 176 | 171 | 48.7 |
| 1,553 | 1,656 | 1,693 | 1,677 | 2,257 | 45.3 |
(a) Includes overseas trained specialists.
Source: Medical colleges
Table 4.30: New fellows by state/territory, 2004-2008
![]() | NSW | Vic | Qld | SA | WA | Tas | NT | ACT | (a)Aust |
2004 | 476 | 414 | 262 | 161 | 173 | 23 | 4 | 10 | 1,553 |
2005 | 501 | 434 | 310 | 157 | 179 | 35 | 10 | 14 | 1,640 |
2006 | 530 | 468 | 308 | 165 | 163 | 30 | 11 | 18 | 1,693 |
2007 | 538 | 470 | 327 | 151 | 135 | 30 | 11 | 15 | 1,677 |
2008 | 635 | 543 | 441 | 213 | 246 | 49 | 15 | 23 | 2,165 |
Increase 2004-2008 (%) | 33.4 | 31.2 | 68.3 | 32.3 | 42.2 | 113.0 | 275.0 | 130.0 | 39.4 |
(a) 2005 and 2008 Australian totals differ from the sum of state/territory numbers due to the inclusion of new fellows who completed their training overseas.
Source: Medical colleges
The proportion of female new fellows has remained relatively constant over recent years, with just over two-fifths (41.0%) of new fellows each year being female (Table 4.31). Considerable variation is seen across specialities each year with only 9.1% of all new intensive care fellows
being female in 2008 compared to 44.8% of general practice new fellows and 90.9% of those in dermatology. Considerable variation is also seen from year to year within specialities.
Table 4.31: Proportion of female new fellows by medical specialty, 2004-2008
Medical specialty | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
Proportion females (%) | |||||
Adult medicine | 38.4 | 36.8 | 36.8 | 38.3 | 41.6 |
Anaesthesia | 28.9 | 43.0 | 43.0 | 31.3 | 35.0 |
Pain medicine | .. | 40.0 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 9.1 |
Dermatology | 66.7 | 42.9 | 42.9 | 34.8 | 90.9 |
Emergency medicine | 42.5 | 31.3 | 30.8 | 33.3 | 36.8 |
General practice | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
RACGP | 46.8 | 46.8 | 46.8 | 50.0 | 44.8 |
ACRRM | .. | .. | .. | 14.3 | 31.8 |
Intensive care | 20.0 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 13.9 | 25.8 |
Medical administration | 53.3 | 30.8 | 30.8 | 27.3 | 50.0 |
Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 51.7 | 46.9 | 46.9 | 58.7 | 62.1 |
Occupational and Environmental medicine | 0.0 | 33.3 | 33.3 | 16.7 | 45.5 |
Ophthalmology | 50.0 | 31.3 | 31.3 | 50.0 | 35.7 |
Paediatrics | 64.9 | 45.2 | 45.2 | 57.4 | 56.1 |
Pathology | 45.0 | 65.2 | 65.2 | 53.2 | 51.5 |
Psychiatry | 45.9 | 48.1 | 54.4 | 43.1 | 42.2 |
Public health medicine | 62.5 | 85.7 | 84.6 | 80.0 | 69.2 |
Radiation oncology | 50.0 | 55.6 | 55.6 | 50.0 | 36.4 |
Radiodiagnosis | 37.8 | 33.8 | 33.8 | 24.1 | 25.9 |
Rehabilitation medicine | 40.0 | 63.2 | 63.2 | 62.5 | 25.9 |
Surgery | 6.1 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 16.5 | 15.2 |
Total | 44.0 | 40.7 | 41.2 | 40.7 | 41.0 |
Female new fellows | 683 | 667 | 697 | 682 | 925 |
Source: Medical colleges
The proportion of female new fellows ranged significantly across states and territories from 36.6% in South Australia to 52.2% in the ACT (Table 4.32). Over the period 2004–2008, the proportion of female new fellows decreased in all jurisdictions marginally, with the exception of Victoria,
which had a small increase. Changes in smaller jurisdictions should be treated with caution due to the relatively very low numbers of new fellows each year.
Table 4.32: Proportion of female new fellows by state/territory, 2004-2008
![]() | NSW | Vic | Qld | SA | WA | Tas | NT | ACT | Aust |
Proportion females (%) | |||||||||
2004 | 46.6 | 40.1 | 45.8 | 38.5 | 44.5 | 52.2 | 50.0 | 80.0 | 44.0 |
2005 | 42.5 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 41.4 | 41.3 | 57.1 | 30.0 | 50.0 | 40.7 |
2006 | 44.0 | 41.0 | 38.6 | 44.8 | 33.7 | 40.0 | 27.3 | 50.0 | 41.2 |
2007 | 40.5 | 41.3 | 40.1 | 41.7 | 40.0 | 43.3 | 45.5 | 26.7 | 40.7 |
2008 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 41.3 | 36.6 | 41.5 | 38.8 | 40.0 | 52.2 | 40.9 |
Source: Medical colleges
Selected Colleges - New Fellows by Subspeciality
Data is available from a number of the larger colleges, broken down by subspecialty. This is presented in Tables 4.33 to 4.36.Pathology subspecialities
Table 4.33: Pathology subspecialties: New fellows and females by subspeciality, 2008
Subspecialty | New fellows | Females | Proportion females (%) |
Anatomical pathology | 27 | 12 | 44.4 |
Chemical pathology | 3 | 2 | 66.7 |
Forensic pathology | 2 | 1 | 50.0 |
Haematology | 22 | 13 | 59.1 |
Immunology | 5 | 1 | 20.0 |
Microbiology | 9 | 6 | 66.7 |
Total | 68 | 35 | 51.5 |
Source: RCPA
Physician subspecialties
Table 4.34: Adult medicine subspecialties: New fellows and females by subspecialty, 2008(a)
Subspecialty | New fellows | Females | Proportion females (%) |
Cardiology | 43 | 14 | 32.6 |
Clinical genetics | 0 | 0 | - |
Clinical Pharmacology | 2 | 0 | - |
Endocrinology | 20 | 14 | 70.0 |
Gastroenterology and Hepatology | 32 | 10 | 31.3 |
General medicine | 6 | 4 | 66.7 |
Geriatric medicine | 19 | 11 | 57.9 |
Haematology | 21 | 8 | 38.1 |
Immunology and Allergy | 6 | 1 | 16.7 |
Infectious diseases | 13 | 5 | 38.5 |
Intensive care | 5 | 0 | 0.0 |
Medical oncology | 30 | 20 | 66.7 |
Nephrology | 17 | 10 | 58.8 |
Neurology | 18 | 7 | 38.9 |
Nuclear medicine | 2 | 0 | - |
Palliative medicine | 1 | 1 | 100.0 |
Respiratory and Sleep medicine | 21 | 8 | 38.1 |
Rheumatology | 12 | 6 | 50.0 |
Total | 268 | 119 | 44.4 |
(a) Table does not include overseas trained specialists.
Source: RACP
Table 4.35: Paediatric and child health subspecialties: New fellows and females by subspecialty, 2008(a)
Subspecialty | New fellows | Females | Proportion females (%) |
Cardiology | 2 | 0 | - |
Clinical genetics | 1 | 1 | 100.0 |
Clinical Pharmacology | 0 | 0 | - |
Community child health | 4 | 4 | 100.0 |
Endocrinology | 2 | 1 | 50.0 |
Gastroenterology | 2 | 0 | 0.0 |
General Medicine | 0 | 0 | - |
General paediatrics | 53 | 34 | 64.2 |
Haematology | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
Immunology and Allergy | 3 | 2 | 66.7 |
Infectious Diseases | 0 | 0 | - |
Intensive care | 0 | 0 | - |
Medical oncology | 2 | 0 | - |
Neonatal/Perinatal medicine | 10 | 4 | 40.0 |
Nephrology | 1 | 1 | 100.0 |
Neurology | 0 | 2 | - |
Nuclear Medicine | 0 | 0 | - |
Paediatric emergency medicine | 9 | 6 | 66.7 |
Palliative medicine | 0 | 0 | - |
Respiratory and Sleep Medicine | 3 | 1 | 33.3 |
Rheumatology | 0 | 0 | - |
Total | 96 | 58 | 60.4 |
(a) This table does not include overseas trained specialists
Source: RACP
Surgical subspecialties
Table 4.36: Surgical subspecialties: New fellows and females by subspecialty, 2008
Subspecialty | New fellows | Females | Proportion females (%) |
Cardiothoracic surgery | 7 | 0 | - |
General surgery | 58 | 11 | 19.0 |
Neurosurgery | 16 | 4 | 25.0 |
Orthapedic surgery | 37 | 1 | 2.7 |
Otolaryngology, head and neck surgery | 12 | 4 | 33.3 |
Paediatric surgery | 2 | 0 | - |
Plastic and reconstructive surgery | 18 | 3 | 16.7 |
Urology | 16 | 2 | 12.5 |
Vascular surgery | 5 | 1 | 20.0 |
Total | 171 | 26 | 15.2 |
Source: RACS