Frequently Asked Questions

Postgraduate Training in Australia

The AMA is a medico political organisation representing the interests of its members and is not involved with the selection process for entry into the specialty training programs in Australia. The Learned Colleges are responsible for training and assessment of overseas qualifications and experience for entry into their training program. Please refer to related links for contact details of the Colleges.

Consumer Health Information

The AMA is a medico political organisation representing the interests of its members and does not offer clinical advice on an individual basis. For information on a range of health topics, you may wish to look at the Commonwealth Government's health information website at: www.healthinsite.gov.au

If you have a query in relation to medicines, you can contact the Medicines Line on 1300 633 424. This national telephone service has been established by the National Prescribing Service (NPS) to help the public make sense of their medicines through:

Access;
Quality;
Evidence; and
Independent information.

Health / Medical Workforce / Disease / Statistical Data

The AMA a medico political organisation representing the interests of its members and does not retain a full listing of all current health/medical data. Statistical information is available from the following websites:

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - http://www.aihw.gov.au
Australian Bureau of Statistics - http://www.abs.gov.au
Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care - http://www.safetyandquality.org/
The Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee - http://amwac.health.nsw.gov.au/
National Health Medical Research Council - www.nhmrc.gov.au/

Referrals to GPs/Specialists

The AMA does not refer to any individual medical practitioner or group of practitioners. Your GP would be best placed to refer you to a relevant specialist to treat your particular medical condition. If, for some reason, your GP does not have a list of specialists, he/she should contact the Specialist Medical College for a list of practitioners in your area. In discussion with your GP, you could then decide to whom you wish to be referred. For contact details for the Medical Colleges, please refer to related links.

The AMA is not able to provide you with a list of GPs in your area who bulk bill. You should direct your query to the Division of General Practice which covers the area in which you are seeking a general practitioner. You can find a full listing of the Divisions at: http://www.gp.org.au/

Complaints Against Medical Practitioners or the Health System

The AMA does not deal directly with complaints around individual doctors and their care. These matters are best referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), via the AHPRA website or phone 1300 419 495.

AMA Code of Ethics

The AMA Code of Ethics covers the relationship between:

the doctor and patient;
the doctor and the profession; and
the doctor and society.

As described by the World Medical Association, ethics is the study of morality - careful and systematic reflection on and analysis of moral decisions and behaviour, whether past, present, or future. Morality is the value dimension of human decision-making and behaviour. Medical ethics is the branch of ethics that deals with moral issues in medical practice (from World Medical Association Medical Ethics Manual 2005).

The AMA Code of Ethics articulates and promotes a body of ethical principles to guide doctors' conduct in their relationships with patients, colleagues, and society. The Code has grown out of other similar ethical codes stretching back into history including the Hippocratic Oath. The AMA Code of Ethics sets a standard of ethical behaviour expected of doctors. The Code is a voluntary guide to its members. There is no legal enforceability of the Code; however, members of the AMA agree to abide by it.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), is responsible for the registration of medical practitioners and medical students, and for investigating complaints against doctors, has drawn on the AMA Code of Ethics, along with other ethical codes, when developing their code of conduct for the medical profession.

Changes in society, science and the law constantly raise new ethical issues and may challenge existing ethical perspectives. The AMA Code of Ethics is periodically updated to reflect the current views of the medical profession and society.

AMA Objectives and Successes

To obtain information regarding the AMA's objectives and successes as a lobby group, please refer to the lastest AMA Annual Report. Other suggested sources of information are the AMA's fortnightly magazine, "Australian Medicine", media releases and speeches which are available from this website.

Prescription/Complementary Medicines

In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) provides a national framework for the regulation of therapeutic goods ensure their quality, safety and efficacy prior to release into Australia. Further information regarding the TGA is available from their website at: http://www.tga.gov.au

You may also wish to contact the Australian Customs Office as there is a prohibited imports list. More information can be obtained from the Australian Customs Service website at: http://www.customs.gov.au/osgoods.htm. This site also gives you a telephone and e-mail contact for Customs.