How to Find Resident Medical Officer (RMO) and Hospital Medical Officer (HMO) Jobs in Australia

Starting your medical career in Australia as an international doctor can feel confusing at first. Unlike countries with a single national system, Australia recruits Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) and Hospital Medical Officers (HMOs) through state-based campaigns, and in some cases directly through individual hospitals. Each state has its own rules, timelines, and application processes, and understanding how they differ is the key to applying successfully. This guide breaks down the system I used myself, with all the websites, emails, and campaign details you need, so you can approach your job search in an organised and confident way.

Understanding the Terminology

Before looking at state-by-state recruitment, it’s important to understand the job titles.

• House Officer: a general term used across many Commonwealth countries to describe junior doctors in their first years of practice after internship.
• Resident Medical Officer (RMO): the most common term used in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania.
• Hospital Medical Officer (HMO): the Victorian equivalent of an RMO.
• Registrar: the next level of training, usually after completing at least two years as an RMO/HMO. Many of the same campaigns also advertise registrar positions, so this system applies beyond just RMOs.

State-by-State Guide to RMO/HMO Recruitment

Western Australia (WA)

• System: Centralised through WA Medical Jobs.
• Process: Annual campaign mid-year for the following year.
• Websites & Contact:
  • WA Medical Jobs: wamedicaljobs.com
  • St John of God Midland Public Hospital: Medical Careers
  • Email: JMOCareers@health.wa.gov.au

Australian Capital Territory (ACT – Canberra)

• System: All recruitment is through Canberra Health Services.
• Timeline: Mid-year campaigns for the following year, with some roles advertised year-round.
• Websites & Contact:
  • Canberra Health Services JMO Careers
  • ACT Health Job Portal
  • Email: CHSTCHMosu@act.gov.au

South Australia (SA)

• System: Centralised through SAMET (South Australian Medical Education and Training).
• Timeline: PGY2+ campaign opens June–July each year for jobs starting in January.
• Websites:
  • SAMET PGY2+ Recruitment
  • SA Health Careers

Queensland (QLD)

• System: Statewide annual RMO and Registrar Campaign.
• Process:
  • You must apply through the central campaign portal.
  • Applicants rank hospitals in order of preference.
  • It is strongly advised to contact hospitals beforehand to understand their requirements.
  • Some hospitals are more competitive, and some may require specific registration levels.
• Important Note:
  • Princess Alexandra Hospital only accepts candidates with AHPRA General Registration at time of offer.
  • Cairns and Hinterland requires both AMC 1 & 2 completed for Provisional Registration eligibility.

Timeline (2026 intake example):

• Applications open: 1 June 2025
• Applications close: early July 2025
• Offers released: September–October 2025

Websites & Contacts:

• Campaign hub: Queensland RMO Campaign
• Campaign dates: Timeline
• Extra vacancies: SmartJobs QLD

Selected hospital contacts:

New South Wales (NSW)

• System: NSW sets a common date when all hospitals open RMO positions.
• Process:
  • Applications are submitted individually to each hospital through the “I Work for NSW” portal.
  • The portal requires you to answer a set of selection criteria questions. These questions are almost always similar, so it’s a good idea to prepare your answers in a Word file and reuse them with adjustments.

Websites:

• I Work for NSW – Medical Officer Jobs
• Seek – Medical Officer Jobs

Victoria (VIC)

• System: No statewide campaign. Each hospital recruits independently.
• Timeline: Most hospitals open applications between June–August for positions starting in February. A smaller number of hospitals may also recruit later in the year.
• Advice: Check hospital career pages regularly during this period.

Metropolitan hospitals:

• Eastern Health – Careers
• Alfred Health – Careers
• Austin Health – Careers
• Monash Health – Careers | MonashDoctors_generalstreamsupport@monashhealth.org
• Royal Melbourne Hospital – Careers
• Western Health – Careers
• St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne – Careers | SVHMrecruitment@svha.org.au
• Peninsula Health – Careers
• Mercy Health – Careers
• Northern Health – Vacancies

Regional hospitals:

• Bendigo Health – HMO Careers | Careers portal
• Grampians Health Ballarat – Careers
• Bairnsdale Regional Health – Careers | people.culture@brhs.com.au
• Barwon Health – Careers
• Bass Coast Health – Seek
• Goulburn Valley Health – Careers | dlmedadmin@gvhealth.org.au
• Latrobe Regional Health – Careers | medicalworkforceunit@lrh.com.au
• South West Healthcare – swhmedicalworkforce@swh.net.au
• St Vincent’s Health (Group, regional branches included) – Workday portal

Tasmania (TAS)

• System: Statewide campaign through Tasmanian Health Service.
• Timeline: Annual recruitment, usually July–August for the following year.
• Website: Tasmania Health – Medical Officer Jobs

Final Notes

• The term house officer is broad, but in practice RMO and HMO are the titles you’ll apply for.
• The same campaigns cover registrar positions as well, so this guide is valid whether you’re applying at RMO/HMO level or moving into registrar training.
• Queensland: choose your hospital ranking carefully. Contact workforce teams early to understand their criteria.
• New South Wales: prepare your application answers in advance and keep them in a file to save time.
• Victoria: no central campaign, so monitor individual hospital websites closely between June–August.