Dermatologist recruitment for regional employers

Dermatologists provide diagnostic, treatment and preventative medical services for disorders of the skin.⁵ The qualification is Fellowship of the Australasian College of Dermatologists. Training involves four years of practical work in accredited clinical settings under the supervision of practising dermatologists, with rotations through city, rural, large and small hospital practice. The College notes that a majority of dermatologists work in private practice.⁶

To practise as a specialist, a dermatologist needs specialist registration with the Medical Board of Australia in dermatology, which carries the title "specialist dermatologist".⁷ Fellows of an accredited college, and doctors the college assesses as eligible for fellowship, can apply. Under the registration standard in force since 21 October 2024, a dermatologist newly granted specialist registration needs supervised practice, an orientation to the Australian health system and cultural safety education, though some exemptions apply.⁸ If the dermatologist was awarded an approved qualification in the specialty, they may be exempt from the six months of supervised practice, and supervised practice completed in accredited training can count towards it; a dermatologist who isn't exempt may be registered with a condition to complete it.⁹ You can check the dermatologist's current registration on Ahpra's online register.⁸

Where the Medical Practitioners Award 2020 covers the role, the minimum for a specialist is $2,337.21 a week, or $121,535 a year, from 1 July 2026,¹⁹ or $2,570.93 a week including the 10% on-call allowance the award pays specialists who must be available for reasonable on-call and recall duties.²⁰ Coverage is limited to doctors employed in the settings in clause 4.2, such as hospitals, day procedure centres and community health centres, and excludes employees under a state public sector award.¹⁹

Hospital dermatologists in the public system are paid under state instruments, for example the Staff Specialists (State) Award in New South Wales,²¹ Queensland Health's Medical Officers' Certified Agreement (No.7) 2025²² and Western Australia's 2024 AMA agreement.²³

Other Medical Practitioners, the group that includes dermatologists, radiologists, eye specialists and their registrars, had median full-time earnings of $5,013 a week in May 2025, nationally.⁵ No median is published for dermatologists alone or by region, so we agree the salary or billing split, rooms support and nursing staff with you before we start.

A dermatologist billing Medicare needs specialist recognition and a Medicare provider number.²⁷ Medicare checks the public specialist register before paying a specialist-level rebate,⁸ and the government advises allowing at least 6 weeks for a provider number from November to March.²⁸

Overseas trained specialists and foreign graduates covered by section 19AB generally need to work in a District of Workforce Shortage for 10 years from registration to access Medicare.²⁸ Dermatology isn't one of the eight specialties with their own ratio test, so for dermatologists the classification covers outer regional, remote and very remote areas.²⁹

Tell us the mix of work: medical dermatology, skin cancer diagnosis and surgery, procedural or cosmetic work, paediatric dermatology, teledermatology and outreach clinics, and whether the role is a hospital appointment, a private practice position or both.

Then the practice detail: the rooms, nursing and practice management support, equipment such as phototherapy or superficial X-ray therapy, session numbers, and how billing and any minimum income are structured.

Only 65% of dermatologists worked full-time hours in 2021, against 85% of general surgeons.⁵ Part-time and session-based roles widen the field, and a shared practice can bring a specialist to a regional town several days a week.

We start with dermatologists who already live in or have ties to your region, then widen the search to those open to a move or a regular visiting arrangement. Tell us early about housing, relocation and rooms set-up support, and we raise them in the first conversation.

If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Register with Hire Australia and tell us your fellowship, registration, the work you do and where you would like to practise. We talk with you about permanent roles and practice opportunities that fit.