FAQ: Students and graduates

Going forward, all students enrolled in a Paramedicine Board of Australia (Board)-approved program of study that leads to a qualification in paramedicine must be registered.

Student registration also applies to students who are not enrolled in an approved program of study but who are undertaking clinical training in a registered health profession for which they do not hold health practitioner registration.

Students who are in the process of gaining a qualification that will enable them to practise as a registered health professional usually do periods of clinical practice (involving direct patient contact) as a part of their course of study. In the interests of public safety, Health Ministers agreed that monitoring of students undertaking clinical practice is reasonable, and in line with the monitoring of fully qualified health professionals.

The Board has determined that students in approved programs should be registered from the start of their programs of study.

Individual students in a Board-approved program of study do not need to do anything to register with the Board. Once you are enrolled in your course, your tertiary education provider will liaise with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and organise your student registration for the appropriate stage of your training on your behalf.

Note: This also includes the NSW Ambulance Service Diploma of Paramedical Science which is an accepted qualification under the National Law. The NSW Ambulance Service will liaise with AHPRA and organise your student registration on your behalf.

There are no student registration fees.

AHPRA asks education providers to supply students’ email addresses to enable ongoing communication. AHPRA may use email to communicate with students about administrative matters. National Boards may use email to communicate about matters relating to their profession, including newsletters.

No. Students will not receive a certificate of registration or any form of confirmation of student registration from AHPRA. The student register is not a public register. Health services seeking proof of a student’s registration will need to contact the education provider with whom the student is enrolled to verify that students are registered.

No. Student details are not published or publicly available.

No. There is a separate process with specific registration standards that must be met when you apply for registration as a health practitioner. More information about the registration standards for each National Board is published on the AHPRA website and on individual Board websites. For more information about the graduate registration process please visit the Graduate Applications section of the AHPRA website.

Graduates of approved programs of study in paramedicine have two years to apply for registration after they complete their studies without having to satisfy the recency of practice registration standard.

Note: This also includes the NSW Ambulance Service Diploma of Paramedical Science which is an accepted qualification under the National Law.

Please see the Approved programs of study section of the AHPRA website for a list of approved courses.

Under the National Law , if you are a student enrolled in an approved program of study or undertaking clinical training, you must notify AHPRA through the local office within seven days of becoming aware that:

• you have been charged with an offence punishable by 12 months’ imprisonment or more, or 
• you have been convicted of, or are the subject of, a finding of guilt for an offence punishable by imprisonment, or 
• your registration under the law of another country that provides for the registration of students has been suspended or cancelled.

Visit the Contact us section of the AHPRA website for the contact details of your local AHPRA office.

A health practitioner or education provider who forms a reasonable belief that a student has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm must make a mandatory notification in relation to that student.

Any entity (person or organisation) may make a voluntary notification to AHPRA about a student if they believe that the student:

• has been charged with an offence, or has been convicted or found guilty of an offence, that is punishable by 12 months’ imprisonment or more, or 
• has, or may have, an impairment that they believe may harm the public, or 
• has, or may have, contravened a condition of the student’s registration or an undertaking given by the student to the Board.

The National Law provides protection from civil, criminal and administrative liability for those persons, who in good faith make a notification under the National Law.

AHPRA will assess all notifications to determine whether a Board must consider taking immediate action to protect public health or safety. More information about this process is published on the AHPRA website.

The purpose of the public register is to publish only those qualifications that have led to eligibility for registration. Therefore there is no intention of publishing other qualifications that a practitioner might hold.

A recent graduate according to the Board's registration standard is a person who qualified from an approved program of study within two years of lodging a complete application for registration. This includes accepted qualifications.

Recent graduates with an approved or accepted qualification must upload a copy of their certificate or transcript if they have received it. AHPRA will request evidence of course completion directly from education providers to confirm the successful completion of the course by the student.

Recency of practice means that a health practitioner has maintained an adequate connection with, and recent practice in the profession since qualifying for, or obtaining registration. As a recent graduate you do not need to meet recency of practice standard for two years after you completed your approved or accepted qualification. You will not be asked recency of practice questions on the application form.

If you have graduated in the past two years with an adequate qualification, you do not need to enter your practice history in the application from if you don't have any. You can also select "YES" to the disclosure question on the application form regarding meeting the Board's recency of practice requirements.

You can phone AHPRA and talk to one of the Customer Service Team members. From within Australia call 1300 419 495 between 9:00am – 5:00pm local time and from overseas phone +61 3 8708 9001 between 9:00am – 5:00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time. Enquiries may also be online.

There is no formal requirement but it’s a good idea as receiving supervision is an important development tool.

Once you hold general registration the CPD requirements are the same for everyone - 30 hours of CPD per year.