Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Obstetricians and gynaecologists are specialist doctors who look after pregnancy and birth and treat conditions of the female reproductive system.
- Median salary*
- $187,200
3.8%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 1,900
5.6%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +33%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Moderate
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 53/wk
+13h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Obstetricians and gynaecologists work in public and private hospitals, specialist rooms and fertility clinics, usually as consultants who take turns on the labour ward roster. The title covers two related jobs: obstetrics is pregnancy and birth, gynaecology is the reproductive system outside pregnancy, and most specialists do both. They are the doctors other clinicians call when a pregnancy or a pelvic problem becomes complex.
How much do obstetrician and gynaecologists earn?
The median full-time salary for an obstetrician and gynaecologist is $187,200 per annum, before tax, up $38,700 since 2018.
Public hospital specialists are paid under state and territory medical officer agreements, so your classification, years of service and on-call load all move the figure. In private practice, earnings depend on how much procedural and obstetric work you take on and whether you run your own rooms with the costs that come with them. Subspecialty training in fertility, maternal and fetal medicine or gynaecological oncology can shift earnings again, and it adds years before you get there.
What does an obstetrician and gynaecologist do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Running antenatal clinics and tracking the progress of each pregnancy
- Delivering babies and performing caesarean sections, including emergency cases overnight
- Operating for conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis and ovarian cysts, often by laparoscopy
- Reviewing ultrasounds, CTG traces and test results to decide when induction or surgery is needed
- Counselling patients on contraception, fertility, menopause and treatment options
What skills do obstetrician and gynaecologists need?
Employers look for patient care and support, clinical assessment and treatment, care planning and coordination, backed by Epic fluency and strong written communication.
Specialist skills
- Patient care and support
- Clinical assessment and treatment
- Care planning and coordination
- Medication management
- Infection control and hygiene
Software and tools
- Epic
- Cerner
- Obstetric ultrasound
- Cardiotocography (CTG)
- Laparoscopic surgery systems
General skills
- Written communication
- Problem solving
- People leadership
Is the job growing?
About 1,900 people work as obstetrician and gynaecologists in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 33% over the decade to 2035. That's very strong growth. Few roles in Australia are expanding this fast, and it points to solid demand for years to come.
How do you become an obstetrician and gynaecologist?
Here's the path most obstetrician and gynaecologists take, step by step.
- 1Complete a medical degree
Entry is through an undergraduate or graduate-entry medical program, usually five to six years, with the UCAT and an interview for school leavers or a completed bachelor degree for graduate entry.
- 2Finish your internship and general registration
The first postgraduate year is a supervised hospital internship, after which you apply for general registration with AHPRA through the Medical Board of Australia.
- 3Work as a resident medical officer
Two or three prevocational years in a hospital, rotating through terms that include obstetrics and gynaecology, give you the experience and references the college expects.
- 4Enter the RANZCOG training program
Selection is competitive and the program runs about six years full time across core and advanced years, with written and clinical exams along the way.
- 5Fellowship and specialist registration
Finishing training and exams gives you fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and specialist registration, which is what lets you work as a consultant or in private practice.
Ready to apply as an obstetrician and gynaecologist?
Whether you're working toward becoming an obstetrician and gynaecologist or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can an obstetrician and gynaecologist move to?
We don't list lateral moves for obstetrician and gynaecologists: leaving means a full new qualification rather than a career move, and the realistic routes in are covered under how to become one.
Who works as an obstetrician and gynaecologist?
The typical obstetrician and gynaecologist is 43 years old; 65% are women, 84% work full-time, and full-timers average 53 hours a week.
- 43
- Median age
- 65%
- Female share
- 84%
- Full-time
- +13h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being an obstetrician and gynaecologist?
The work runs on two clocks: a planned week of clinics, theatre lists and ward rounds, and an unpredictable one of labours and emergencies. Much of the pressure comes from being on call when a pregnancy turns, and from holding responsibility for two patients at once. It suits people who like operating, are comfortable making decisions quickly, and want to follow patients through pregnancy and beyond rather than see them once.
What people like
- Delivering babies for families you have looked after. You follow a pregnancy from the first scan to the delivery suite, and often look after the same woman through later pregnancies.
- Surgery that solves a problem in an afternoon. A laparoscopy for endometriosis or an ovarian cyst can relieve years of pain, and patients usually notice the difference quickly.
- A week that mixes clinic, theatre and ward. Few specialties cover this much ground: antenatal clinic on Monday, an operating list on Tuesday, gynaecology outpatients later in the week.
- The option to subspecialise. Fertility, maternal and fetal medicine and gynaecological oncology are recognised subspecialties, so you can narrow your focus once you have fellowship.
What people find hard
- On-call is built into the job. Labours do not keep office hours, so nights, weekends and public holidays stay on the roster for most of your career.
- Some cases end badly. Miscarriage, stillbirth and a new cancer diagnosis all land in this specialty, and you are the person who delivers the news.
- The training takes well over a decade. From the first year of university through prevocational years to fellowship, there are exams, rotations and relocations before the job settles.
- The public system keeps moving your list. Emergency caesareans and urgent gynaecological cases push elective operating around, so planned work regularly shifts to another day.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ obstetrician and gynaecologists?
Health Care and Social Assistance employs the largest share of obstetrician and gynaecologists.
Top employing industries
- 1Health Care and Social Assistance
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Postgraduate | 52.2% | |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor degree | 44.5% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 0.4% | |
| Year 12 or below | 0.2% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 0% |
Will AI replace obstetrician and gynaecologists?
Exposure is moderate: AI already reads CTG traces, measures ultrasound images and drafts clinic letters, which takes time out of the review and paperwork side of the job. It does not operate, deliver a baby or hold the conversation when something goes wrong, so the core of the work stays with the specialist.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Operating, including caesarean sections, laparoscopies and hysterectomiesImaging and assistive robotics help with planning and precision, but the hands on the instruments and the decisions during a bleed or a difficult delivery are still human.40%low
- Reading ultrasounds, CTG traces and test resultsSoftware already interprets cardiotocography traces and flags anomalies on scans, so much of the first pass is done before a doctor opens the file.25%high
- Antenatal and postnatal clinicsGrowth scans and blood results arrive with automated measurements and risk scores, but the examination and the overall clinical picture still come from the specialist.20%moderate
- Talking with patients about risks, birth plans and treatment optionsConversations about a miscarriage, an induction or a cancer diagnosis need someone who knows the patient's history and carries the responsibility for the recommendation.15%low
Common questions about becoming an obstetrician and gynaecologist
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much does an obstetrician and gynaecologist earn?
Full-time obstetricians and gynaecologists earn a median of $187,200 per year before tax. Public hospital pay is set by state and territory medical officer agreements, while private practice earnings depend on how much procedural and obstetric work you take on and whether you carry the costs of your own rooms.
How do you become an obstetrician and gynaecologist?
You complete a medical degree, then an internship and two or three years as a resident medical officer before applying to the RANZCOG training program. Training takes about six more years full time and finishes with fellowship and specialist registration through AHPRA. From the start of university, it is usually well over a decade.
Are obstetricians and gynaecologists in demand in Australia?
Obstetricians and gynaecologists are currently in shortage nationally, and employment in the role is projected to grow 33% over the decade to 2035. For someone considering the specialty, the practical hurdle is getting into and through the training program rather than finding work at the end of it.
Will AI replace obstetricians and gynaecologists?
The exposure is moderate and sits in the reading and paperwork rather than the operating. AI interprets CTG traces, measures ultrasound images and drafts clinic letters, which changes how quickly results are reviewed. Caesarean sections, deliveries and the conversations about risk and loss stay with the specialist.
What careers lead into obstetrics and gynaecology?
General practitioners and resident medical officers are the two groups that move into this specialty, and both already hold medical registration and hospital or clinic experience. A general practitioner has to requalify through the RANZCOG training program, while a resident medical officer applies during or after prevocational years. Once you are a fellow, many specialists join or set up a private practice, and that is often where earnings grow.
Do obstetricians and gynaecologists work long hours?
Full-time specialists average 53 hours a week, and the on-call roster is what stretches the week. Babies arrive overnight and at weekends, so the job mixes scheduled clinics and theatre lists with unpredictable call.
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