Key features of the Program
If you opt in from a legacy scheme:
- your Return of Service Obligation (RoSO) will be reduced to 156 weeks (3 years) for 2001–2015 participants
- 2016–2019 participants will retain their 52 weeks (12 months) RoSO
- eligible RoSO completed under your legacy scheme is carried forward into the Program.
- you have a wide range of options as to when, where and how to complete your RoSO within the Program’s timeframe and requirements
- 78 weeks of your RoSO can be completed pre-fellowship and 78 weeks completed post-fellowship
- RoSO includes eligible work through non-continuous, full-time, part-time or per-day employment in eligible locations. Fly in/fly out work in eligible locations may also be counted towards your RoSO
- There are no restrictions on work you do that you do not wish to count towards your RoSO
- all RoSO must be completed within 18 years of the day you complete your medical course at an Australian university.
- you will be able to manage your RoSO through the online Bonded Return of Service System (BRoSS).
- the terms and conditions of your contract or deed of agreement (DoA) are replaced by the requirements under the
Read the Bonded Programs comparison fact sheet for a key features comparison.
Your obligations during transition from a legacy scheme
Until you have been formally notified that you have been opted into the Program, you are still bound by your current contract or deed obligations. However, any Program eligible work you complete while you are waiting to be opted in will be credited to you.
If you choose to opt into the Program, you will be subject to the eligible location mapping data available at the time you are formally opted in.
Your obligations as an opted in participant
We will update your BRoSS record to reflect the details we have available at the time of your transition.
As a Program participant, you must make sure:
- your BRoSS record is up to date
- you comply with the reporting requirements as specified in sections 15 and 16 of the Health Insurance (Bonded Medical Program) Rule 2020.
These requirements include:
- logging in to BRoSS at least every 6 months to ensure your information is up to date and your contact details are current
- recording any notifiable events and uploading evidence in BRoSS within 6 months of the event occurring – if these events happened before you opted into the Program you must update your details and upload evidence in BRoSS within 6 months of the opt in date
- planning, activating and completing RoSO activities – including uploading evidence into BRoSS for any eligible work you wish to count towards your RoSO.
You are not eligible to complete the Program until we assess your BRoSS record and determine you have met all reporting requirements.
If you cannot provide the required evidence for a notifiable event advisory or a RoSO activity, you may provide a statutory declaration. It must include all the required information as specified in the Rule, and explain why the required evidence was not provided.
You must use BRoSS to confirm a location’s eligibility. The system will tell you immediately whether the location is eligible or not, based on your circumstances.
See the BRoSS user guide for more help about using BRoSS, including how to update details and confirm a location’s eligibility.
Legislation
The conditions and requirements of the Program are legally binding. If you agree to participate in the Program, you are bound by:
You should seek legal advice to make sure you understand the terms and conditions before opting into the Program.
How to submit your Program opt in request
To submit your Program opt-in request, please email us stating that you wish to opt-in, that is ‘I wish to opt-in to the Bonded Medical Program’.
When contacting us, please use this subject title convention:
[Scheme type] – [Participants Name] – Opt in to the Bonded Medical Program.
Legacy scheme participants can opt into the Program. The legacy schemes are:
- Medical Rural Bonded Scholarship Scheme (2001–2015)
- Bonded Medical Places Scheme (2004–2019).