Doctor in Training (JMO)
 

By your side today, and into the future

As a doctor-owned organisation, we understand the challenges you may face during your studies and career ahead. No matter how big or small your concern, we can support you with outstanding expertise, compassion and understanding.

Why do you need your own cover? 

As a doctor working in a public hospital, you will usually have access to indemnity cover through your employer or the state government, however this indemnity may not provide the broad cover you need.  
Without your own indemnity cover, you could be liable to personally fund some medico-legal matters. It is important you have access to independent legal advice or a second opinion to protect your best interests.  

Some of the issues we commonly assist with include: 

  • medical college training disputes; 
  • medico-legal advice, including ethical dilemmas, police statements, confidentiality and privacy queries;
  • Ahpra health complaints or investigations; 
  • employment disputes;
  • bullying and harassment; and 
  • coronial inquests. 
 

Join or renew your policy now

Visa eGift Card

Join or renew your Policy with MDA National and receive a $50 Visa eGift card* (within 48 hours).

   The offer is open to ‘Eligible Offerees’.  An Eligible Offeree is an individual who:  

  • is a member of MDA National (‘Member’); and
  • is a doctor in training in post graduate year four or five; and
  • has renewed their 2021/22 Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy with MDA National Insurance (‘Policy’) or taken out a 2021/22 Policy for the first time. 

*T&Cs apply, visit mdanational.com.au/Gift

 

How to renew?

Renew by paying your policy premium of $100 at pay.mdanational.com.au using reference number included in your renewal communication email or SMS.

Not a Member?

Apply now for our professional indemnity policy, providing you with peace of mind and extensive cover.

Have a question or need assistance? Contact your local Business Development representative or our Member Services team on 1800 011 255 from 8:30am to 8pm AEST Monday to Friday.

Already a member with another MDO?

That's ok, you can hold a policy with as many MDOs as you like. Renew with us and take the opportunity to experience our expert advice, personalised service, and unwavering support.

Why doctors in training choose MDA National?

You are our first priority. Unexpected professional challenges can arise – and that’s when you need to know your best interests are protected and supported by an experienced team of medico-legal experts. Providing protection to our Members for over 95 years, we remain committed to supporting you in the moments that matter, so you can keep on striving with confidence and providing outstanding patient care.

Make sure you’re protected by a team that’s part of the medical profession, and that understands your world, your medico-legal risks, your time pressures and responsibilities. 

With MDA National you are a click or phone call away from industry-leading doctors, lawyers and medical defence experts – always responsive, always confidential, always on your side. Some of our member benefits include:

  • 24-hour medico-legal advice – expertise and support when you need it most and no matter how small your query, with one case manager until your matter is resolved
  • MDA National app – an easier way to keep your membership and policy up-to-date, download your certificate of currency, access our latest articles, case studies, podcasts, webinars and connect directly with our medico-legal experts via LiveChat 
  • Complementary accredited education – gain CPD (continuing professional development) points from our extensive suite of education, which we believe is unrivalled in Australian medical
  • Industry events – in addition to hosting our own events such as medico-legal round tables and CPD accredited education, we participate in supporting the profession across the country via sponsorship, and by providing education to the broader medical profession.
  • Member benefits – Access member benefits including discounts on medical publications and textbooks 

Read what our Members say about us!

 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

MDA National is committed to providing junior doctors with the support they need, starting with low membership and insurance premiums made possible by the broader MDA National membership. Our policy runs on a financial year basis from 1 July to 30 June. Please refer to the table below for our premium relating to your career stage:

Professional Indemnity Premiums tailored to your career stage 
Post Graduate Years 2 and 3                Complimentary
Post Graduate Year 4/5 (including those on an accredited training program) $100
Post Graduate Year 6+ and on an accredited training program or employed in an unaccredited registrar position $150
Starting in Private Practice  Reduced Premiums for your first four years
in private practice - starting with a premium
reduction of 80% in your first year.

If you are a member of the AMA in Queensland or Western Australia you may be eligible for further reductions'. Find out more

For more information on our junior doctor categories and eligibility criteria, please refer to our Risk Category Guide available from our Download Centre.

These rates are effective 1 July 2019 includes Membership Subscription, Insurance Premiums, ROCS Support Payment and relevant taxes.

Once you have a general AHPRA registration after completion of your internship, MDA National provides automatic cover for unlimited private locum work and surgical assisting, as long as you are undertaking the majority of your work in an employer indemnified position, or you are enrolled in and the majority of your practice is within your fellowship training program.

If you join an accredited training program, you will remain eligible for our Post Graduate categories and can undertake unlimited practice within your training program. Let us know which training program you are on by updating your policy information via Member Online Services, the MDA National app, or calling Member Services on 1800 011 255 (Monday to Friday 8:30am to 8:00pm AEST). MDA National’s policy coverage also includes medico-legal advice and assistance for medical college training disputes.

For more information on our junior doctor categories and eligibility criteria, please refer to our Risk Category Guide available from our Download Centre.

Occasionally, you may find that you are not able to access State or employer indemnity for the treatment of public patients in public hospitals. Under such circumstances you may apply for an extension of cover under your Policy by completing the Treatment of Public Patients Form, available from our Download Centre or by contacting Member Services to discuss your individual circumstances.

Our discounts commence at 80% in your first year. If you commence private practice as a specialist between January and 30 June, you’ll receive the 80% discount for that period, and again for the following full financial year. Subsequent discounts are 60% in your second full year, 40% in your third and finally 20% in your fourth year, before reaching a mature premium.

 

Our Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy is designed to provide you with peace of mind and extensive cover: 


Up to $20 million cover for civil liability claims made against you arising from your provision of healthcare services. You are also covered for the  legal costs incurred in defending you for those claims. This includes claims against you: 

  • made by a patient or a third party arising from your provision of healthcare services 
  • arising from Good Samaritan acts worldwide
  • resulting from unintended breaches of privacy legislation
  • arising from you reporting another healthcare professional in good faith and in the public interest
  • involving a practice entity in which you have an ownership interest
  • arising out of your provision of healthcare services in a clinical trial
  • arising from overseas practice in certain specific circumstances
  • arising out of allegations of defamation made against you

 


Sublimit of $2,000,000 arising from legal costs* for: 

  • investigations by a Registration Board or Professional Services Review Committee
  • inquiries including proceedings by
    • a professional body,
    • health services authority,
    • medical tribunal,
    • Royal Commission,
    • Coroner's Court,
    • criminal court,
    • health or medical benefits fund,
    • Medicare,
    • the Australian Information Commissioner or Anti-Discrimination Board (or equivalent)
  • a professional or administrative body that you are required to pay
  • allegations of criminal conduct or sexual misconduct*
  • assistance with self-referral to a health program under the National Law in relation to an impairment that affects your provision of healthcare services or your clinical training  

 


Sublimits of $100,000 * for legal costs arising out of each one of the following:

  • cover for certain employment and credentialing disputes* 
  • disputes in relation to your involvement in training with a medical college
  • pursuing defamation allegations by you in relation to your provision of healthcare services.*
  • seeking an Apprehended Violence Order
  • defending alleged breaches of Competition and Consumer Act and fair trading legislation 

 


Sublimit of $100,000  for the replacement or restoration of lost or damaged documents or data related to your provision of healthcare services*. 


Sublimit of $100,000 cover for a range of communicable diseases payable as a lump sum one-time payment.* 


Sublimit of $250,000 for fines, penalties and mandatory notification costs arising out of an unintended breach of privacy legislation.* 


Sublimit of $20,000 for loss of income up to $2,000 per day, for a maximum of ten days, for loss of your personal income because of your attendance at court for the defense of a civil liability claim against you. 
 

*Subject to the terms and conditions of the current Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy 

^Subject to certain eligibility criteria. Specific covers may be excluded for overseas practice. 

#No cover for Cosmetic (other than procedures covered under the Non Procedural General Practitioner Category) or Obstetric work unless directly supervised by a medical practitioner qualified to perform such procedures.

For more information please read our Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy Combined Financial Services Guide (FSG), Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Policy Wording and Supplementary FSG and PDS including Amendments to the Policy Wording from our Download Centre.


If you intend on undertaking a fellowship, additional training, or volunteer practise overseas, MDA National can provide an extension of cover in certain situations for additional peace of mind and protection overseas.

For more information refer to page 9 of our Risk Category Guide in our download centre for our automatic inclusions and extensions to your cover. 

As you progress through your specialist training working towards fellowship, you may be considering your options upon completion of your specialist training, such commencing in private specialist practice or opening your own consulting rooms or medical practice. 

As a Member or Practice Indemnity Policy holder, our Support in Practice team is here to guide you through this process, so you can keep on focusing on providing outstanding patient care. 

Our Support in Practice service is designed to support and assist practices in identifying and assessing risks within their practice environment and implementing simple strategies to mitigate those risks.

 


More resources icon

Resources 

MDA National provides timely education to help our Members minimise their medico-legal risk and continually improve their communication and non-clinical skills.

We’ve put together a handful of our resources particularly relevant to you below. You will also find a series of Podcasts on Apple Music and Spotify.  


Articles and case studies 

Videos / webinar recordings

e-Learning activities

Other resources

  • Head over to the MDA National library to see our full suite of articles, blog posts, webinars and podcasts.

 

Have you downloaded MDA National mobile app yet?

Downloading the app is easy. Go to the App Store or Google Play and search for MDA National. Log into the app using your email address or Member Number and the password you use to access your MDA National Online Services account.

  

Please also see FAQs for your reference here

MDA National has helped over 42,000 Members with medico-legal advice in the last 5 years.

Remember to subscribe to our medico-legal blog at the bottom of this page so you can stay up to date with short sharp blog posts relevant to the medical profession.
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