Located on the western border of the Greater Sydney Region, Blue Mountains is a popular region where many General Physicians and many other medical professionals relocate in search of a quality lifestyle and excellent job opportunities.

Living and working in this area, is most definitely a rewarding experience for any profession, especially so for medical professionals. The region provides excellent job opportunities and good work-life balance for General Practitioners, medical professionals, and many other professionals.

Medfuture gives you a look at GP job opportunities in Blue Mountains, Australia, to elevate your career as a medical professional.

Essential criteria: GP job vacancy criteria in Blue Mountains, Australia

GP job vacancies exist in both bulk billing and missed billing centres. These centres typically require General Practitioners to work from Monday to Friday while some require them to work half a day on Saturday. Part-time vacancies are also available for General Practitioners who can only work about one and a half days a week.

Here are the essential criteria required in typical VR and Non-VR GP job vacancies:

Must have MBBS or equivalent qualification

Must be FRACGP qualified

Must have a current and valid AHPRA GP registration

Must have Medical Indemnity Insurance

Some medical centres pay hourly, especially if it is a part-time role. Full-time roles are typically based on 70% mixed billing or bulk billing.

GP Salary in Blue Mountains, Australia

The average salary of a GP is approximately $123 per hour. Below are the average annual salaries of other medical professionals:

Physician: $193,043

Surgeon: $152,477

Dermatologist: $152,595

Dentist: $136,730

Theatre Nurse: $84,543

Registered Nurse: $43.70 hourly

Assessment for working in Blue Mountains, Australia

Your pathway for medical registration will be based on your qualifications and experience. You must be eligible for one of the registration pathways stated below to work in family medicine.

The specialist pathway is for candidates with postgraduate qualifications in family medicine or general practice, recognised by professional bodies like ACRRM or RACGP.

The competent authority pathway is for medical graduates who come from a recognised approved competent authority.

Applicants applying via the standard pathway must pass the AMC multiple choice questions test.

In addition, to what has been mentioned above, candidates need to display their expertise in English through well-recognised programmes such as the IELTS. For more information, please visit the AHPRA The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency Website. 

The 5-year recruitment pathway for International Medical Graduates

The five-year international medical graduates (IMGs) recruitment scheme provides benefits that help retain current doctors and attract IMGs. These incentives include the following:

It provides foreign medical graduates with general practice experience in a rural setting

It reduces the time IMGs must work in a Distribution Priority Area (DPA) under the 10-year moratorium

What are the scheme objectives?

The following are the objectives of this scheme:

It provides excellent incentives and other benefits to qualified and deserving doctors

It allows for professional development in IMGs working in Australia

It increases the doctor supply in rural and remote Australia

It brings a certain amount of stability to GP service provision in rural and remote Australia

It offers a considerable reduction in the 10-year moratorium according to section 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (the Act).

What are the eligibility criteria for the scheme for Blue Mountains, AU?

The following are the eligibility criteria for IMGs participating in this scheme:

They should be working in a region that has been classified as remote or rural: and

They should be located in DPA regions

What are the eligibility criteria for foreign-trained doctors?

The scheme benefits IMGs who are restricted based on 19AB of the Health Insurance Act 1973, especially in terms of accessing Medicare benefits arrangements. IMGs have to meet the following criteria:

They should have acceptable GP qualifications and training

They should hold correct registration with the Medical Board of Australia

They should show proof of eligibility for Fellowship of ACRRM (FACRMM) or Fellowship of RACGP (FRACGP) within two years of starting the scheme

They should hold or work towards obtaining permanent residency or citizenship in Australia

They should give a minimum of seven sessions weekly as part of their placement process

What do you need to know about Blue Mountains, Australia?

The city is located on the western border of the Greater Sydney Region. It is an iconic city, which belongs to one of the only two cities surrounded by a UNESCO World Heritage National Park area.

Blue Mountains, Australia, is located in a scenic environment and is home to approximately 80,000 people living in 27 different villages and towns located near the mountain terrains.

It consists of a local government area that covers an area of 140,337 hectares, out of which 74% is the National Park region.

The city is connected to railway tracks that link to the main region of the Sydney region. Hence, while living here, you will not be disconnected from the city and can easily access the main region via railway links.

Why work as a GP in Blue Mountains, Australia?

Historic villages, calming organic restaurants, picturesque sceneries, and the cool mountain air are just a few reasons to want to live and work in the town. The region is a calm location where you can enjoy excellent work-life balance as a General Practitioner. It is located a mere 50 minutes drive from Sydney and provides the best atmosphere to live with family.

There are plenty of job opportunities in this calm and relaxing region of Australia, which is another reason for attracting a large number of migrants every year. The region is proud of its rich history and has a quaint look to it in its entirety.

What are the things to do and see in the Blue Mountains, Australia?

Living in the Blue Mountains, Australia provides you with a unique experience altogether. The City is a wonderful place to practice and reside as a GP and you benefit from doing some things as follows: 

Adventure

The place has some deep canyons along with vast rugged escapes, which makes it ideal for those who love adventure. You can have an adventure or experience some incredible adventures by yourself. Some of them include riding horses, bushwalking into glowing worm-lit caves, and biking in the mountains with abseiling.

Bushwalking & camping

The Blue Mountains is the best place to go camping and bushwalking as there are plenty of natural sites meant for these activities. Some of the popular camping sites in the place are Hartley Vale, Mt York Precinct - Lockyers Track, Mount Wilson - Cathedral Ferns Reserve, Megalong Valley - Blackheath Glen Reserve, Megalong Valley - Old Ford Reserve, and Mount York Precinct - Mount Victoria. Katoomba Falls and Blackheath Glen are two popular tourist parks.

Recreation

Blue Mountains is one the best places to relax and enjoy with your family, especially with children. The region consists of 105 parks with 66 sports courts and about 29 sports grounds. Even it has some recreation features such as leisure centres, playgrounds, sports grounds, campsites, walking paths as well as bicycle paths.

Dining & entertainment

The Blue Mountains is ideal to wrap up your day with some fine food, with its numerous cafes and eateries spread across the region. It is a pristine location which is why restaurants use fresh produce sourced from their very own vegetation lands.

Katoomba is full of dining delights where you can relax after a hard day working as a General Practitioner in a hospital or medical centre. It has many eateries nestled in comfort, including Darley’s Restaurant, Miss Lillian Tea House, Lilianfels Resort & Spa, and many more.

You can have a beautiful view when having dinner from one of the exquisite eateries of the City.

Scenery

The Blue Mountains is ideal for nature lovers, after having fulfilled your routine General Practitioner duties, you can spend some time with your family. Here you can experience the region’s different areas they include Govetts Leap Lookout, Hassan Walls Lookout, Wentworth Falls Lookout, Echo Point, Sublime Point, Narrow Neck Lookout and the Pulpit Rock Lookout.

The town has a rich history backed by heritage culture and arts. You must have a taste of every bit of this beautiful location when working as a GP in Australia.

Visit the Medfuture website for a list of the latest GP jobs in the Blue Mountains and other parts of Australia.