Forensic Pathologist
As a part-time Forensic Pathologist in the Army Reserve, you’ll get to use your existing qualifications in exciting new ways, applying your specialist skills to dynamic military environments.
You’ll work in a range of unique locations, from health centres and clinics to remote field environments. You may also be required to deploy regionally or overseas. If you’re looking to experience adventure and excitement outside the everyday, earn tax-free pay and work as part of a close-knit team, this is an exciting opportunity that can work around your lifestyle.
What you'll do
Working within the Australian Army Health Services, you’ll gain exposure to modern and mobile operating environments, advanced technology and equipment. You’ll work within a multi-disciplinary team in support of exercises and operations. This is a great opportunity to further your knowledge in new areas, and gain skills and experiences you can take back to your full-time role.
Due to the ever-changing global situation, you could be called on to provide specialist skills on land, in the air or in maritime environments. Your work could also extend to responding to humanitarian situations, major international activities and military operations.
Your duties may include:
- providing expert advice at crime scenes and accidents
- aiding in the identification, preservation and transportation of deceased persons and human remains
- actively participating as part of the coronial death investigation team comprising the State Coroner, the police and other specialist agencies
- assisting with disaster victim identification.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career as an officer. As you progress, the Army will provide you with leadership, management, and specialist skills training to develop your ability to effectively manage your teams. You’ll also be provided with training opportunities to further develop your role-related expertise. You may also have the opportunity to complete full-time postgraduate registrar training. This world-class training will strengthen your skillset and enable you to become an influential leader in the Army.
The Army Reserve has units located all across Australia and offers you the flexibility to serve where you live. There are training locations in cities, small towns and regional areas. Even if there isn’t a unit close to you there may be other ways to serve. You’ll have a Careers Coach who you can ask about your options.
Your primary place of work will see you serve in one of the Army's deployable health units, primarily located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, and Townsville with some limited appointments in Sydney. You may be attached for periods of operational service or exercise commitments to key specialist advisory appointments in a headquarters environment. Some limited opportunities exist for postings within Joint Health Command health units or headquarters providing technical and specialist advice.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. For Reserve service, the maximum age to apply is 60 years, with a Compulsory Retirement Age (CRA) of 65. Candidates who wish to enlist into the Reserves beyond the age of 61 years will need further assessment to ensure they can complete all pre-requisite training in their chosen field prior to reaching CRA.
You don’t need a driver’s licence for this role but if you have one, it can’t be suspended or cancelled.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
The standard requirement for entry into this role is as follows:
- Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FRCPA)
- registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
- minimum 5 years’ experience in a registrar position accredited by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA)
- interpretation of genetic, other laboratory and ballistic evidence obtained during forensic investigations
- currently working in a forensic pathology position accredited by the RCPA
- RCPA Continuous Professional Development Programme currency.
You must not have any restrictions to practice that would prevent work in a Defence environment.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Male
- Push-ups: 8
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
Female
- Push-ups: 4
- Sit-ups: 20
- Beep Test: 6.1.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
There is no minimum number of years required in the ADF Reserve as service is voluntary. You can volunteer until the Defence Reserve retirement age of 65, subject to the requirements and your suitability for further service.
Reserve service is flexible and can fit around your family, life and work responsibilities. In your first year, you can choose to serve between a minimum of 20 and up to 150 days, which includes Initial Employment and Military Training. After that, you can choose to serve 20 to 150 days each year, with the potential to extend to 200 days. On training completion, you can serve from as little as one night a week, one weekend a month, or in consecutive weeks - in a way that suits your lifestyle.
In addition, you must be able to demonstrate the following:
- operate with integrity
- demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills
- ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team
- provide timely and appropriate clinical advice to other medical practitioners commensurate with specialist qualifications, skillset and experience
- demonstrated ability to lead and mentor in a team environment
- display and promote practice reflective of the Defence values through demonstrated behaviours and interactions with patients and staff.
Course: Specialist Service Officer First Appointment Course (SSO FAC)
Duration: 25 days
Location: Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra, ACT
You’ll learn fundamental knowledge of:
- leadership and military justice
- weapons handling
- command and control
- unit and personnel administration
- basic military skills
- the ideals of officer behaviour
- attitudes necessary for future employment.
This course is delivered in 2 parts for both full-time and part-time (Reserve) Officers.
- Part 1 – 10 days
- Part 2 – 15 days.