Accredited Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Registrar Positions – Alice Springs Hospital – 2 Positions available Semester 2 2026 and recruiting for 2027
Practice Medicine Where It Matters: The Frontline of the Red Centre
Are you a critical care clinician looking to trade the mundane for the extraordinary? Do you want to hone your skills in a high-acuity environment where you are truly part of the fabric of the community?
Alice Springs Hospital (ASH) isn’t just another regional hospital. We are the critical hub for the vast Central Australian region. Here, you will encounter clinical presentations you won’t see anywhere else, supported by a team that champions curiosity, resilience, and clinical excellence.
This is where your career finds its purpose, and where your life finds a new rhythm.
Who We Are Looking For
- CICM, ACEM, ANZCA, RACP, ACRRM, or Rural Generalist training pathways
- Full Time, Part-time, Fixed Term, Secondments – Semester 2 2026 and 2027 Clinical Year
This role is tailor-made for registrars who want to grow both as a clinician and a person within a genuinely supportive, nurturing, and positive environment. We are looking for doctors fuelled by an innate clinical curiosity and a heartfelt interest in public health, equitable care, and First Nations health.
In our department, your compassion is valued just as much as your clinical skills, and we pride ourselves on creating a safe, encouraging space where you are backed by an attentive team every step of the way. If you are eager to learn, ready to embrace unique medical challenges, and want to practice medicine where your heart and mind can truly thrive, you will find a welcoming home and an incredibly rewarding chapter here.
The desired candidate will be willing to work 6 months in the ICU and 6 months in the ASH ED. There are 2 Registrar positions available for Semester 2 2026.
Central Australia – the region
The Alice Springs Hospital is home to a busy, high-acuity 10-bed intensive care unit (ICU) treating more than 600 patients per year. While the unit's size allows for tight-knit operational dynamics, the pathology density and acuity are unmatched anywhere else in the country.
- The Clinical Spectrum: Ninety per cent of our admissions are emergent with very little post-operative elective work. Seventy per cent of the patients are Aboriginal with complex undifferentiated pathology. You will routinely lead the management of severe sepsis, advanced renal disease, brittle diabetes, rheumatic and ischaemic heart disease, bronchiectasis, and acute trauma presentations. The unit also manages obstetric and paediatric patients.
- The Learning Environment: With this complex emergency undifferentiated medical case load, it provides an unparalleled learning environment for medical trainees in emergency and intensive care.
- The Gateway to the Centre: As the primary critical care facility for an immense catchment area, you will be receiving patients retrieved from remote communities across thousands of square kilometres. You aren't just treating the town; you are treating the entire desert.
The "Red Centre" Clinical Advantage
You will be the frontline for one of the most challenging and rewarding critical care areas in Australia.
- Real Acuity & Autonomy: As there are few specialist services in the hospital, it allows trainees to develop exceptional problem-solving skills. Aided by telephone assistance from tertiary specialists, you will get exposure to a significantly greater number of technical skills than would normally only be covered in larger metropolitan intensive care units.
- Hands-On Mentorship: The size of the unit allows a strong, direct relationship to be developed between the trainee and consultant, ensuring ample bedside and formal teaching opportunities with real-time feedback. Our ICU consultants are dedicated educators who believe in growing the next generation of critical care leaders.
- Comprehensive Training: The unit is approved for 6 months of accredited training by all major colleges. ED Registrars are supported by an environment that champions tailored professional development, including advanced point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), primary and fellowship exam support, and clinical leadership training.
Why You’ll Love Working Here
- Impact: Make a tangible difference in the health outcomes of the Central Australian community.
- Development: Access to protected weekly teaching, advanced simulation training, and significant professional development support.
- Professional Growth: Opportunities to collaborate closely with the Emergency Department, the Central Australian Retrieval Service (CARS), and specialised medical teams to round out your critical care skillset.
- Unmatched Camaraderie: Work alongside a team that understands the intensity of critical care medicine and fosters a culture of psychological safety, mutual respect, and professional support.
Training and positions
- Intensive Care Unit Registrar (Accredited Critical Care / Non-ED / CICM / TS4): Registrar terms are generally 6 months, offering intensive exposure to undifferentiated pathology, advanced mechanical ventilation, and invasive monitoring.
- Transitional Year Fellow: The unit is uniquely accredited to host an intensive care transitional year fellow for those senior trainees who require this specific exposure to complete their core ICU training requirements.
- Retrieval Registrar (Accredited Special Skills Post / PHRM): Opportunities exist for rotation or close collaboration with the flight retrieval team, managing multi-system trauma, critical obstetric emergencies, and severe medical presentations in the sky.
Life Beyond the ICU: The Alice Springs Experience
Forget the commute. Forget the noise of the city. Alice Springs offers a lifestyle that invites you to breathe.
- The Great Outdoors: Your backyard is the MacDonnell Ranges. Spend your days off hiking, mountain biking, or exploring ancient gorges and secret swimming holes.
- A Unique Culture: Immerse yourself in the heart of Australian Aboriginal culture, art, and community.
- Community Connection: Experience a relaxed, friendly town where the local coffee shop knows your order and the "traffic" is non-existent.
- Astronomy & Adventure: Witness the clearest night skies in the country and enjoy the profound stillness of the desert—a perfect antidote to the intensity of the ICU.
What We Offer
- Relocation & Support: Comprehensive relocation assistance for interstate applicants.
- Financial Benefits: Competitive salary packaging, remote area benefits, and rural incentives.
- Work-Life Integration: Flexible rostering to allow you to explore the incredible Northern Territory.
- Contracts: We offer 6-month to 1-year contracts. Trainees find a minimum of 6 months allows you to settle in, build clinical confidence, and truly become part of our medical community.
Details of Appointment
- Position: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Registrar
- Term: Fixed-term full-time (6-month to 1-year contracts available)
- Commencing: Semester 2, 2026 / 2027 Clinical Year
- Salary: $ 125, 565 to $187 081(plus remote allowances)
- Benefits: Salary packaging options, relocation support, and dedicated professional development leave.
Ready for your next great adventure?
Don't just take our word for it. Reach out for an informal chat about what your critical care training path could look like in Alice Springs.
Contact: Dr. Warren Adie, Co-Director of Emergency Medicine Training
Email: [email protected]
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds who are dedicated to providing equitable care to all members of our community.
