RHEUMATOLOGY
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SUPERVISING COMMITTEE

DEFINITION OF SPECIALTY

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

COMPONENTS OF TRAINING

Core Training

Non Core Training

Procedural Skills

Logbook

Project or Case Reports

Research

Training Sites

Rural/Regional Training

SPECIAL SOCIETY

Vocational Training
Rheumatology (cont.)
Components of Training (cont.)
Procedural Skills
All rheumatologists will be competent in the technique of joint aspiration and joint and soft-tissue injection and in techniques of synovial fluid examination. Some rheumatologists may develop skills in arthroscopy and synovial tissue biopsy, epidural and other more sophisticated injections sometimes used in pain management, and manipulation, but these are not prerequisites.

Logbook
In Australia trainees are required to maintain a log of all patient contacts for 2 months in each of their core training years. Such a logbook will include patient unit record number; diagnosis; site of encounter (inpatient, outpatient or consult); whether the patient was new or a previous patient of the unit; and whether a consultant formally saw the patient. This is designed to be used as formative rather than summative assessment. The contents of the logbook play no role in accreditation of the year. However, production of the logbook is a requirement and should be submitted to the SAC by 1 October.

Project or Case Reports
Advanced trainees must prepare at least one of the following during their period of advanced training:

  • a paper to be submitted for publication to an appropriate refereed medical journal;
  • a paper for presentation at a peer-reviewed national or international scientific meeting.

In addition, New Zealand trainees must undertake one quality assurance or clinical audit project during their advanced training.

The supervisor's report should indicate whether this requirement has been fulfilled.

In cases where the trainee is writing up a paper or has an abstract due to be considered, but no answer yet as to whether it has been accepted, the trainee is required to submit a copy of the abstract and/or manuscript to the SAC to assess whether it has achieved a satisfactory standard.

Evidence of this will be required before progression to the third year of training can be approved by the SAC.

Research
Research is encouraged during all stages of advanced training. Knowledge of research methodology, statistical methods and critical appraisal is considered necessary. However, it is not considered desirable that advanced trainees spend their whole period of advanced training doing research.

Training Sites
The SAC will prospectively approve training positions and programs rather than accredit particular institutions.

Trainees should familiarise themselves with the requirements for accreditation and whether proposed training posts have been accredited.

Trainees are strongly encouraged to limit their training in one centre to 12 months. Accreditation of longer periods of training in a single unit will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Rural/Regional Training
The SAC strongly supports rheumatology trainees under supervision who seek to undertake part of their advanced training in regional centres. Regional hospitals may be suitable for New Zealand trainees who wish to undertake non core training, preferably if there is some component of rheumatology.

Regional and larger rural hospitals would be suitable for trainees who wish to undertake non core training, preferably if there is some component of rheumatology.

Special Society
Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA).

For information regarding the requirements for registration with the association, please contact:

The Secretariat
Australian Rheumatology Association
145 Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: 61 2 9256 5458
Fax: 61 2 9251 8174
E-mail:robynm@racp.edu.au
Website: www.rheumatology.org.au

New Zealand Rheumatology Society
C/- Dr Andrew Harrison
Honorary Secretary
Department of Rheumatology Hutt Hospital
P O Box 31 907
Lower Hutt
Tel: 04 566 6999
Fax: 04 570 4429
E-mail: aharrison@wnmeds.ac.nz


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This page was last edited: 16 September 2003