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News from the RACP Education Deanery

Posted: 8 October 2008

The following is an announcement from the RACP Education Deanery, dated 3 Oct 2008.

AMC Accreditation Update

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) has now completed its accreditation review of the education programs offered by the College. The process involved a written submission, as well as an extensive program of discussions with trainees, Fellows, College staff and others involved in physician education, during which every aspect of our education programs was scrutinised. Many of you were involved in this important quality improvement process and I thank you for your valuable contribution.

The AMC Review Team has presented to us its preliminary findings and I am pleased to advise that the College has been commended for the significant achievements that we have made since the previous accreditation review (2004). The AMC Team made a number of commendations and highlighted some priority areas for the College. I have written an article for the October issue of RACP News which provides more detail of these.

The Accreditation Team will now prepare a full report on its assessment including a number of explicit commendations and recommendations relating to aspects of our education programs. The AMC’s determination on accreditation should be known by the end of the year.

The Basic Training Portal - Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

The Basic Training Portal is the College’s online repository of educational resources for self-directed learning and assessment purposes. The online tools in the ePortal (member only area of the Basic Training Portal) will be used for either self-directed learning or as part of the formative assessment process of the PREP program.
These online tools (developed in Moodle) have been designed to support both trainees and their supervisors through the program and enhance the face to face learning, teaching and assessment through this new virtual learning environment. It is anticipated that the first version of the Basic Training Portal will be available for your review and comments by mid to late October.

Expanded Settings for Specialist Training Program 2008 – 2009

The RACP was successful in obtaining funding approval for 114 sites across Australia in 2009. The RACP is strongly supportive of this initiative from the Federal Government and the College has presented a strong case for increased funding from 2010 onwards, so that more applications can be funded. The Australian Ministers’ Advisory Council advocates a step-based approach over the 4 years so that all the required infrastructure, resources, cultural changes and training can be established without putting at risk the high educational standards that have already been achieved by the RACP.

Responses from trainees so far confirm that this program enables them to access a wider range of conditions than are generally seen in the major metropolitan teaching hospitals. The RACP accreditation committees have ensured that trainees have an excellent learning experience and that high standards of supervision are maintained at these new sites. This ensures that the breadth of trainees’ knowledge and experience better matches evolving specialist practice.

Interactions with Specialty Societies

The current model, whereby Advanced Training is overseen by Specialist Advisory Committees, is in the process of development. Many of you will be aware that a number of the Specialty Societies are keen to have a more active role in Advanced Training, and in particular to have training committees operating within their Specialty Society. Given that the trainees are still College trainees even in the new model, being trained within the Specialty Society, it has been necessary for the College to undertake extensive negotiations with the Specialty Societies and the Specialist Advisory Committees (SAC) around this initiative.

To date the SACs in Neurology, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Cardiology have been willing to have Advanced Training undertaken within their Specialty Society. These Specialty Societies have examined the Terms of Reference, developed by the College in consultation, and have agreed to abide within these Terms of Reference. The College is now actively engaging with other Specialty Societies that have expressed an interest in undertaking Advanced Training.

It is our aim that the College will have agreement with the Specialty Societies, who wish to have a role in Advanced Training, by the end of 2008. There are, of course, a number of Advanced Training programs that will continue to be administered and operated within the College.

2009 would then be a developmental year where new initiatives in Advanced Training may be considered. One option is to think about the PREP Program which is to be implemented for Basic Training, and to establish if the nature of Advanced Training should mirror what is being developed for Basic Training. We would need to take into consideration differences given that this is Advanced rather that Basic Training and given that it is within specialty specific areas rather than generic across medicine or paediatrics. There will be extensive consultations occurring regarding this process during the latter part of 2008 and throughout 2009.

University Partnerships Project

Many of you will be aware that over the last twelve months the College, through the Education Deanery, has been having discussions with a number of universities. The discussions have related to the potential for aspects of the College’s education and training to be shared with these universities. This project is still in very early stages of discussion. An information paper has been sent to the universities involved outlining possible areas of collaboration. Those interested in seeing this paper are welcome to contact me.

For more information please email: education@racp.edu.au

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