Retiring from practice

If you are ready to fully retire from practice, there are two primary steps you need to take: 

• cease your practising registration with the medical regulator 
• notify the College of your retirement.

Cease your practising registration with the medical regulator 

You must apply to the medical regulator and notify them of your intention to cease practice.

Refer to your national medical regulator to understand what it means to cancel your registration and any other options available to you. 

• Australia - Medical Board of Australia (MBA) 
• Aotearoa New Zealand – Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) 

Note: Australian medical practitioners have the option of transitioning their registration with the Medical Board of Australia to ‘non practising’. Non-practising registration removes the requirement to meet CPD obligations.

Notify the College of your retirement 

After you’ve ceased your practicing registration, you need to formally notify the College. Once your retirement has been officially recognised by the RANZCP Board, you will become a Retired Fellow. 

To notify the College of your retirement: 

1. Read the RANZCP’s Policy: Application for Retired Fellow Status [PDF; 137 kb] 

2. Complete the FRANZCP Declaration of Retirement Form 

Retired Fellow status 

As a Retired Fellow, some of your obligations will change.

The College encourages you to stay involved and engaged in College life after retirement. 

CPD requirements 

As a Retired Fellow, you are no longer required to meet Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. 

Please note that if you have not notified the regulator and continue to hold a practising registration, you must continue to meet your CPD obligations, even if you are working reduced hours. 

Contact cpdhelp@ranzcp.org if you are unsure of your CPD obligations. 

College fees  

As a Retired Fellow, you are no longer required to pay annual subscription fees.

A pro-rata rate may apply if you retire partway through a subscription year. 

The date of retirement on your Declaration of Retirement Form determines when your retired status takes effect.

Retired Fellows remain liable for any accrued fees that remain unpaid from previous years.

What you can and can’t do once retired 

Once your practising registration has ceased, you’re not allowed to engage in medical practice. 

For the purposes of retirement, RANZCP defines ‘practice as a specialist psychiatrist’ to include all forms of: 

• medicine
• psychiatry 
• medico-legal work 
• medical administration 
• academia 
• involvement in panels, tribunals and boards 
• other specialist non-clinical work. 

You must be a practising Fellow and meet CPD requirements to participate in any of the activities above, whether you’re paid or not. 

For specific guidance on what you can and can’t do refer to the resources below: 

• Policy: Application for Retired Fellow Status [PDF; 137 KB] 
• the Medical Board of Australia’s statement ‘Medical Registration – What does it mean? Who should be registered'
• Medical Council of New Zealand’s Definition of Practice of Medicine

Contact cpdhelp@ranzcp.org if you require more guidance on activities you can undertake as a Retired Fellow.