Other health professions

Information for other doctors and medical professionals (such as dentists, chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists and so on) is NOT available through DoctorConnect. However, the information provided below may be of assistance to you.

Please note: that we are unable to respond to any enquiries by medical professionals in these fields of practise through DoctorConnect.

Medical professionals

The Department of Education, Science and Training has a Guide to Professional Recognition for the major medical and health professions. Outlines of the requirements and procedures for obtaining professional recognition in Australia are available for download from this government website. Included in the Guide are the following professions:

Dentistry
Dietetics
Medical Radiation Science
Medical Science (Medical Laboratory Science)
Medicine
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Optometry
Pharmacy
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Psychology
Social Work and Welfare Work
Speech Pathology

Alternative and complementary medicine

In Australia, the term 'complementary therapies' is usually given to those therapies which complement conventional medical treatment, while 'alternative therapies' are those which offer alternatives to conventional diagnosis and therapies. Complementary medicine used together with conventional medicine is known as integrative medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicines can include herbal, vitamin, mineral, homoeopathic, nutritional and other supplements. Therapies include herbal medicine, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, naturopathy, osteopathy, acupuncture, homoeopathy, reflexology, aromatherapy, Alexander technique, Bach and other flower remedies, massage, hypnotherapy, shiatsu, ayurvedic medicine, nutritional medicine, yoga, anthroposophical medicine, spiritual healing, iridology, kinesiology, meditation and others.

The Office of Complementary Medicines, which is part of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, regulates and provides information on complementary medicines for Australians.

The Victorian Government is currently implementing statutory registration of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. There is currently no direct regulation of the traditional Chinese medicine industry by other states.

Other websites which may have relevant information include:

Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd
Australian College of Ayurvedic Medicine
Australian Homoeopathic Association
Australian Naturopathic Practitioners Association

If you need information about other alternative or complementary medicine practices in Australia, you could look at HealthInsite, a Department of Health and Ageing website or the Better Health Channel, a Victorian state government website. Both of these websites have information on many health therapies and links to other relevant sites.