MIA Observership Program

The program is designed to familiarise the candidate with optimal melanoma clinical care and also to provide exposure to MIA’s research program. Objectives include the enhancement of the candidate’s familiarity with:

• the rationale behind clinical decision-making from world-leading experts
• current best-practice diagnosis and treatment of melanoma
• the importance of interconnective multidisciplinary teams
• the role of research in melanoma diagnosis and treatment.

Applicants must choose a primary clinical discipline to focus on where they will spend at least three days per week. Up to two secondary clinical disciplines may also be nominated for observing for one day per week; however, this is subject to availability and not guaranteed.

Clinical discipline options are:

• Surgery
• Medical Oncology
• Pathology
• Radiation Oncology
• Dermatology

To ensure applicants have a good understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of optimal management of melanoma, applicants are expected to observe our Friday morning multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings.

The applicant will also have an opportunity to observe a research discipline (e.g., clinical trials, biospecimen bank, bioinformatics or translational research).

Applicants may choose a 1-to-4-week placement, starting on a Monday.

The MIA Observership Program is a highly competitive program. A maximum of two observerships for each primary clinical discipline will be awarded per semester.

To apply for the MIA Observership Program, there is a non-refundable application fee of AUD$100. Upon acceptance to the program, there is a AUD$400 fee to undertake this program (regardless of duration).

Clinical Practice responsibilities: Observers are unable to participate in any patient care responsibilities such as patient history taking or examination, undertaking patient management or clinical procedures and they cannot document in the clinical record.

MIA Fellowship Program: The time spent completing the MIA Observership Program is separate to, and does not form any part of, the duration of a Fellowship Program.

Language: As this program is undertaken in English, all applicants must be fluent in English.

Applications open half yearly for placement during the following 6–12-month period. Applicants must nominate the month they would like to attend, noting that December and January are blackout months.

The Observership Program is not available to Medical Students.

When applying you will be asked to provide:

• A cover letter introducing yourself and why you want to participate in the Observership Program 
• Your current resume
• Documents about your performance
• Medical qualifications
• A recommendation letter from a sponsor through an MIA Clinician (Note: The sponsor does not have to be an MIA clinician, but they need to contact an MIA clinician).

The application will be reviewed by the Observer Approval Committee with the top applicants for each primary clinical discipline sent to the relevant MIA Craft Group. The applicant may also be invited to undertake a video conference interview.

Applicants will be notified and if successful, will be asked to provide the following mandatory documents to complete the application:

• Proof of immune/vaccination status for chickenpox, measles/mumps/rubella, polio, pertussis/tetanus and COVID-19 (in English)
• Scanned colour copy of passport photo page
• Copy of relevant public liability insurance or indemnity insurance (if you don’t have this, you may need to purchase this yourself if you are a successful candidate)
• Copy of criminal record check documentation

Apply for MIA’s Observership Program using the button below.

If you have any questions, please email observers@melanoma.org.au.