RESPIRATORY & SLEEP MEDICINE RESPIRATORY MEDICINE sub-menu: DEFINITION OF SPECIALTY GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING COMPONENTS OF TRAINING Core Training Desirable Options Procedural Skills Complementary (Non Core) Training Projects or Case Reports Other Specific Requirements Research Training Sites SPECIAL SOCIETIES

Vocational Training Respiratory and Sleep Medicine (cont...) RESPIRATORY MEDICINE Definition of Specialty Respiratory medicine is a subspecialty of paediatrics encompassing diseases of the respiratory system which include the upper airway, the lung, the chest wall and the ventilatory control system. Respiratory medicine is a cohesive blend of: development of the respiratory system; clinical knowledge of respiratory diseases; the respiratory sciences of normal and disordered respiratory function; and experience with specialised diagnostic techniques, tests and procedures employed in clinical assessment. General Principles of Training Career training in respiratory medicine consists of a structured 3-year program. Advanced training commences with approval of a submitted program. At least 2 years training in clinical respiratory medicine is necessary and is designated core training. The third year of training may be spent in research or in an approved complementary (non core) year in a related discipline. Complementary training may be undertaken concurrently with core training. Trainees are encouraged to become conversant with all diagnostic procedures available, with the current literature and with research activities in the respiratory field, but are not expected to become expert in all branches of respiratory medicine and in all techniques. It is expected that training be undertaken at more than one institution to enable trainees to acquire a sufficient breadth of experience. Advanced trainees transferring to the SAC may be advised to undertake some post FRACP supervised training in respiratory medicine to complete their 3-year training program. Normally, at least one year of advanced training should be undertaken in Australia or New Zealand. For a trainee enrolled in a higher degree (research) with a clinical component, a proportion of this may count towards core training. In general for trainees enrolled in a PhD with a clinical component, a maximum of 50% may count towards core training and 75% for those enrolled in an MD. Trainees should expect the combination of advanced training and completion of a higher degree to extend their program to 4 or 5 years. All subspecialty paediatric trainees must complete the community and child health requirements for paediatric training. Note that the guidelines differ between Australia and New Zealand. Components of Training Core Training Clinical Respiratory Medicine Core training comprises a total of at least 24 months respiratory medicine, of which no more than the equivalent of 3 months can be spent in sleep medicine. Training should include a wide exposure to all common respiratory diseases. It is highly desirable for trainees to gain experience in respiratory intensive care medicine. All advanced trainees in clinical respiratory medicine should also gain sufficient first-hand experience in a respiratory function laboratory to be familiar with the performance, application and interpretation of commonly used respiratory function tests in the management of patients with common respiratory diseases. Clinical Respiratory Medicine It is strongly recommended that all respiratory medicine trainees undertake the equivalent of at least 3 months training in sleep medicine. This training should occur in an institution with a sleep laboratory and its associated clinic/s where the trainee should obtain: knowledge of basic sleep physiology; experience in the diagnosis and management of cardiorespiratory sleep disorders; knowledge of the symptomatology and management of non respiratory sleep disorders. Trainees should obtain experience in the clinical application of polysomnography and should receive basic training in the polysomnographic techniques and the use of respiratory support therapies. Desirable Options It is recommended that some experience with subspecialty and related disciplines be obtained and these include thoracic surgery, infectious diseases including pulmonary infection in the immunocompromised, adult cystic fibrosis, lung transplantation, ENT surgery, clinical allergy and immunology, occupational lung disease, palliative medicine and indigenous health. Procedural Skills It is strongly recommended that you receive adequate experience in the performance of bronchoscopy in children. Training to a standard of performing independent bronchoscopies is optional and separate guidelines are available. Complementary (Non Core) Training Within a 36 month advanced training program, the SAC may approve a maximum of one year of complementary (non core) training which may be spent in related clinical medicine, respiratory research or laboratory work. Clinical complementary training will normally be restricted to related disciplines such as intensive care, infectious diseases, clinical allergy/immunology, cardiology, indigenous health and palliative medicine. Any departure from this principle would require exceptional circumstances and documentation for consideration by the SAC. Complementary training should normally be prospectively approved by the SAC before commencement. Retrospective approval of the complementary training will not normally be granted. Training in research will be strongly encouraged. During the period of complementary training ongoing contact with a respiratory supervisor is required.   Respiratory Medicine next >> [ Table of Contents ]

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