Effective from September 8, 2026, following by the U.S. Treasury Department鈥檚 Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and until further notice, Pearson are unable to schedule or deliver exams for candidates who are residents of Iran unless they can provide proof of primary residency outside of Iran.

If you can provide documented proof of residency outside of Iran, please ensure you update your address in your candidate portal and contact the MCQ team to reschedule your examination. <

IMPORTANT:

Pearson will require you to have your documented proof of residency outside of Iran, at the venue on the day of your examination.

Acceptable forms of such documentation are:

• Passport
• National (or European) identification card
• Permanent resident card or permanent resident visa
• Certificate of naturalization or citizenship
• U.S. green card (alien registration receipt card)
• Driver’s license
• Student visa
• Work visa
• Employment authorization papers

If you are unable to provide any of the above documentation, please contact the MCQ team to arrange a full refund.

Chair Appointment – 糖心传媒 Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee

糖心传媒 (糖心传媒) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Alison Jones as Chair of the Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee, commencing in June 2026 for a four-year term.

The Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee is a standing committee of the 糖心传媒 responsible for accreditation across the prevocational phase of medical education and training. It assesses and monitors the work of prevocational training accreditation authorities, Workplace Based Assessment providers and pre-employment structured clinical interview providers. It also provides expert advice to the Medical Board of Australia on matters relating to the Competent Authority Pathway for international medical graduates who are seeking general registration in Australia.

Professor Jones brings extensive experience in medical education, accreditation, governance and health workforce development. She has held senior leadership roles across government workforce reform programs, university, specialist medical college and prevocational accreditation authority settings in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Kingdom. She also has a strong commitment to embedding cultural safety, equity and shared decision-making in accreditation and education settings.聽 Professor Jones was a member of the Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee from 2017 to 2019, while Director of Medical Education and Research at South Australia Health.

糖心传媒 President Professor Geoff McColl welcomed Professor Jones鈥� appointment. 鈥淧rofessor Jones brings a valuable combination of strategic leadership, practical accreditation experience and deep understanding of the medical training continuum,鈥� Professor McColl said.

鈥淭he Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee has a busy work program focused on the first few years of practice for Australian graduates and many international graduates. Under the leadership of Associate Professor Andrew Singer AM, the Committee has overseen the development and implementation of a new two-year National Prevocational Framework for all Australian graduates and has supported health services across Australia to triple the number of workplace-based assessment programs for international medical graduates.聽 Professor Jones鈥� appointment positions the Committee strongly as it increases focus on evaluation and continues to support evidence-informed accreditation and medical education and assessment that responds to the health needs of our communities.鈥�

In line with current 糖心传媒 governance arrangements, Professor Jones also serves as an ex officio Director of the 糖心传媒.

The 糖心传媒 Directors welcome Professor Jones to the role and thank Associate Professor Singer for his substantial contribution as Chair across his two terms.

Pictured (left to right): Alison Frances-Cracknell and Zahra Aziz (Monash University), Julie Gustavs (糖心传媒) and Alexandra Webb (ANZAHPE)

Pictured (left to right): Alison Frances-Cracknell and Zahra Aziz (Monash University), Julie Gustavs (糖心传媒) and Alexandra Webb (ANZAHPE)

A multidisciplinary team from Monash University has been recognised with the 糖心传媒 (糖心传媒) and Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators (ANZAHPE) Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice Award for their innovative Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program.

The 糖心传媒 and ANZAHPE have a shared commitment to promoting high standards of education and training of the health professions to enable safe, high-quality care. This award recognises the growing importance of interprofessional collaborative practice across the health professions in delivering the best possible care for patients, and the role of interprofessional education in preparing future healthcare practitioners.

The judges felt that all of the submissions were of a very high standard and demonstrated innovative, evidence-informed approaches to interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

The Monash team鈥檚 COIL program was commended for its theoretical grounding, stakeholder co-design (including consumers), robust multi-institutional collaboration and design, combining interprofessional and intercultural learning with AI-enabled simulation to prepare students for the realities of modern healthcare. The judges also highlighted the scale and accessibility of the initiative, supported by evaluation data demonstrating high levels of student satisfaction and learning impact.

The COIL program was developed in partnership with Monash University Malaysia, the University of Padua in Italy and the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Between 2023 and 2025, the initiative engaged more than 400 students and 25 educators across seven countries and ten health professions.

鈥淭he COIL program responds to the growing need for future health professionals to develop collaborative practice capabilities across professional, cultural and geographic boundaries, while addressing the financial, logistical and equity challenges associated with traditional student mobility programs,鈥� said Zahra Aziz, Senior Lecturer in Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University and lead academic in the project.

One of the strengths of the program is its scalability and accessibility. Designed to be delivered across institutions and borders, COIL brings students from different health professions 鈥� and from different countries 鈥� into shared virtual learning environments. Through AI-supported simulations and structured collaboration, participants develop the skills required to communicate, problem solve and deliver care as part of diverse teams.

鈥淎t first, I was unsure how to contribute outside my medical training, but I quickly realised how much I could learn from others,鈥� said Elizabeth Bell, BMBS Hons Student and COIL program participant. 鈥淣urses offered insights into patient communication and holistic care, while pharmacists emphasised safe medication practices. Through our conversations, I developed a deeper respect for the complementary roles that different professionals play in achieving patient-centred care.鈥�

A central aim of the award is to support early career academics in health professions education.

Amna Mazeh, Educator and Researcher, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University and early-career academic involved in the project said, 鈥淭his recognition is a wonderful reminder of why this work matters. 鈥淔or me, COIL’s greatest outcome has been bringing together students from different health professions and countries to work together across cultural and language barriers, reflecting the reality that health professionals do not work in silos.鈥�

In this inaugural year of the award, we congratulate recipients Zahra Aziz, Amna Mazeh, Barbara Kemp-Harp, Alison Francis-Cracknell and Debra Kiegaldie.

糖心传媒 has joined Ahpra, National Boards and fellow Accreditation Authorities in a joint statement committing to build the capability of Australia’s health workforce to recognise and respond to family, domestic and sexual violence (FDSV).

Read the full joint statement on .

If this statement has caused you any distress, please reach out to speak with someone:

• : 1800 737 732
• : 13 92 76
• : 1800 55 1800
• : 1800 497 212
• : 1800 811 811
• : 1800 600 636

For Noreen Alqueza, the appeal of working as a generalist doctor in rural communities lies in the unique combination of community connection, clinical diversity and the opportunity to make a di铿�erence.

鈥淚n rural settings, you are closely connected to the community, which makes the work more meaningful despite its challenges,鈥� Noreen said. 鈥淣o two days are the same. I might move from a complex paediatric consultation in the morning to procedural work in the afternoon.鈥�

For the past decade, Noreen has worked across the Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) Sector and private general practice in rural and remote communities across Australia. She is currently a Rural Generalist trainee with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Before moving to Australia, Noreen was working in both Singapore and the Philippines where she completed her medical and paediatric training. It was her work in rural general practice in the Philippines that exposed her to a broad range of clinical presentations 鈥� from delivering babies to managing chronic disease 鈥� experiences that would later prove invaluable in rural and remote Australia.

Finding a home in Australia

Noreen moved to Australia seeking both new professional opportunities and a better long-term environment for her family. While the climate and lifestyle were strong attractions, Noreen was also drawn to the Australian healthcare environment which aligned with the kind of doctor she wanted to be. 鈥淲hat stood out to me was a system that supports broad, versatile practice where I could continue developing clinically while working across both hospital and community settings,鈥� she said.

鈥淎t the time, I didn鈥檛 know what a Rural Generalist was. It wasn鈥檛 until I moved into general practice here, that I realised Australia had developed a unique Rural Generalist framework that perfectly integrated my hospital background with community .鈥�

鈥淎ustralia was the place where I could truly be both a hospital and community clinician.鈥�

Noreen鈥檚 pathway to registration in Australia began in 2013 while she was still in the Philippines preparing for the 糖心传媒 Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) examination.

After passing the MCQ examination, she immediately began applying for roles in Australia.

鈥淭hat evening after receiving my results, I sent o铿� a handful of applications,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he next day I was invited to an interview and started work in January the following year at Mater Health Services in Brisbane.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful to Mater Health Services for supporting my initial move, and to Hervey Bay Hospital where I completed the rotations required for General Registration,鈥� she said.

Although Noreen initially considered specialising in paediatrics, a year working in general practice shifted her perspective. Rather than pursuing a hospital-based paediatric career, Noreen found herself drawn to rural general practice 鈥� a pathway that combines a broad scope of practice with continuity of care and community connection.

Noreen had originally planned to complete the 糖心传媒 Clinical Examination as part of the standard pathway but then discovered the Workplace-Based Assessment (WBA) program.

鈥淭here were only five hospitals o铿�ering the WBA program in Australia at that time,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel very lucky to have been given a place in the program at Hervey Bay Hospital. It also allowed me to complete my rotations while doing the WBA.鈥�

The WBA program assesses doctors in real clinical environments over six to twelve months, evaluating a range of clinical skills and professional behaviours.

鈥淚t allowed me to demonstrate my clinical ability in a real-world regional setting over time, which aligned closely with my prior experience,鈥� she said.

Because she was already working within the Australian healthcare system, Noreen said she could focus on adapting to the clinical environment rather than searching for employment.

鈥淔or the WBA, the preparation was simply the work itself,鈥� she said.

鈥淏eing immersed in a clinical environment at Hervey Bay and Maryborough Hospitals meant every patient interaction, ward round and multidisciplinary discussion contributed to assessment, making it a practical and continuous way to demonstrate competence.鈥�

Like many international medical graduates, Noreen found adapting to Australia鈥檚 health system one of the biggest challenges.

鈥淭he primary challenge was adapting to the specific regulatory and administrative frameworks of the Australian health system while simultaneously navigating a new medico-legal and cultural landscape,鈥� she said.

What helped most, she says, was immersion.

Over the years, Noreen has worked across metropolitan, regional and remote settings, including Queensland Children鈥檚 Hospital, Mater Health, Monash Health, private practices on the Sunshine Coast, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in Dalby and Gympie, and remote communities such as Bamaga.

The importance of trust

Some of Noreen鈥檚 most significant professional experiences in Australia came through her work in the Aboriginal Medical Services sector.

Early in her Australian training, she spent almost two years working in rural and regional communities where she developed a deeper understanding of integrated team care, cultural safety and the importance of trust in healthcare.

鈥淐linical care is important,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut what is equally important is building rapport with patients and the community.鈥�

鈥淲orking in the Aboriginal Medical Service sector reminded me of that instinct 鈥� clinical excellence is ine铿�ective without trust. It reinforced that the clinical part is only the beginning; treatment happens when a patient feels culturally safe.鈥�

Noreen says the experience reminded her of the values that first shaped her approach to medicine in the Philippines.

鈥淚n the Philippines, the connection between culture, family and medicine is innate; you treat a patient within the context of their beliefs, values and community connection,鈥� she said.

International medical graduates now make up more than half of Australia鈥檚 general practice workforce and play a critical role in rural and remote communities. Noreen believes international medical graduates bring valuable skills, experience and perspectives that are sometimes underestimated.

鈥淚nternational Medical Graduates are not simply filling workforce gaps,鈥� she said.

鈥淲e are skilled professionals who bring a global perspective to the Australian healthcare system.鈥�

鈥淢any of us have already worked in high-responsibility roles before arriving, and a significant number choose to work and remain in rural areas long-term, contributing to both service delivery and continuity.鈥�

For Noreen, the journey from the Philippines to rural Australia has been one of discovery 鈥� adapting to a new country and healthcare system while finding a professional pathway where she can truly make a di铿�erence.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been rewarding to find that the experiences I鈥檝e gained throughout my career can be applied meaningfully in rural communities,鈥� she said.

“Having clinicians who can bridge the gap between private general practice and the local emergency clinic is vital for the sustainability of smaller communities. I can provide family-centred continuity of care鈥攆rom supporting newborns to managing chronic disease鈥攔ight where it is needed most.”

Noreen hopes to transition into Advanced Skills Training with Queensland Health, building on her background in paediatrics and neonatology to provide more complete, family-centred care in rural settings.

Alongside her clinical work, Noreen is also a member of the 糖心传媒鈥檚 Assessment Committee and is completing a Master of Public Health focused on international medical graduates working in rural and remote Australia.

Her research explores what helps international medical graduates integrate, remain and thrive in rural communities with the goal of identifying practical solutions for long-term workforce sustainability.

Due to the closure, there may be a backlog of emails. Please be patient as we address all inquiries, which will be handled in the order they are received.

Due to the closure, there may be a backlog of emails. Please be patient as we address all inquiries, which will be handled in the order they are received.

Due to the closure, there may be a backlog of emails. Please be patient as we address all inquiries, which will be handled in the order they are received.