Revised provisional registration standard and 4+2 internship guideline published today

03 Mar 2017

The Psychology Board of Australia has today published a revised registration standard for provisional registration and a revised guideline for the 4+2 internship program.

Both the revised standard (approved by the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council) and guideline will commence on 1 June 2017.

The revised documents are published in advance of the commencement date to ensure that individuals intending to apply for provisional registration and current 4+2 pathway provisional psychologists have plenty of time to review them before they come into effect.

The revised standard

All applications for provisional registration will be assessed against the revised standard from 1 June 2017. However, the revised standard does not introduce any new requirements and will continue to offer all the current provisional registration pathways:

• accredited higher degree programs
• 4+2 internships
• 5+1 internships, and
• transitional programs for overseas-qualified applicants.

The revisions to the standard primarily improve the structure making it easier to read and understand, and updated terminology explains existing requirements more clearly.

The revised guideline

Key changes to the guideline include:

• more flexible supervision arrangements
• promotion of simulated learning activities
• increased supervisor responsibilities, and
• greater focus on outcomes with more flexibility to demonstrate achievement of the core competencies in different ways.

From 1 June 2017 all new applications for approval of a 4+2 internship program must include an internship plan that meets the requirements in the revised standard and guideline.

Revised registration standard

Transition arrangements

The Board has approved a transition period for current 4+2 pathway provisional psychologists from 1 June to 1 September 2017. Current provisional psychologists who apply for general registration between these dates will have to option to meet the requirements of either the interim guideline (2013 version) or the revised guideline (2017). From 1 September 2017 applicants for general registration via the 4+2 pathway will need to have met the requirements of the new internship program.

More information on the changes - including transition provisions and resources for transferring current 4+2 internship programs to the revised guidelines - will be published soon. The Board will also be writing to affected registrants before the revised standard and guidelines come into effect.