AMD eBulletin – June 2026
A message from your AMD President
Hello and kia ora
I know many of you are suffering from email fatigue, especially in the context of recent events at the RACP Board level. I have been hearing frustration and uncertainty from many of you and I want to take a moment to emphasise that behind the scenes I, and your representatives on AMD Council, have remained focused on the core business of our Division: supporting the professional careers of our Fellows and trainees, working with College staff on matters of member and health advocacy, and championing the voices of our specialties within the College.
AMD Council met face-to-face recently in Sydney, and we were joined by the newly appointed Independent Chair of the Board, Adjunct Professor Susan Pascoe AM, Board member Dr Nicholas Buckmaster, and CEO Mr Steffen Faurby. All three took the time to answer direct questions about the current state of the Board and next steps required. The Council has strongly recommended that the wider membership be invited to a town hall style meeting with the CEO. Operational matters of the College, including exams, accreditation, and government advocacy, continue to progress.
Other recent updates:
- We welcome new AMD Executive (AMDEX) members, Professor Rory Clifton-Bligh and Associate Professor Elizabeth Clingan. A detailed introduction is shared below. AMDEX is made up of eight members in total, representing a cross-section of the experiences and perspectives on AMD Council. We really appreciate them volunteering their time in this additional role.
- At the recent AMD Council meeting, cross-specialty issues were discussed including addressing diphtheria vaccine uptake, promotion of treatment programs for HIV and blood-borne illnesses, and the burden of requirements for FRACP vs non-FRACP training supervisors. The Council also shared strong concerns about the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s draft proposal regarding scheduled medicines prescribing, which will be included in the formal RACP response to this consultation.
- We are pleased to share that the next AMD Leadership Workshop will be held in Brisbane on 27 and 28 February 2027. This is a small group development workshop, and in previous years we have featured eminent speakers such as Professor Brendan Murphy (former Chief Medical Officer of Australia and former Secretary of the Australian Department of Health) and Dr Shirley Bowen (Director-General, WA Department of Health). Please save this date, as places will be strictly limited once registration opens.
- The Sydney Convocation Ceremony held on 30 May 2026 was a memorable occasion recognising the achievements of our new Fellows, celebrated in the presence of family, friends and colleagues. Congratulations to all Fellows on this significant milestone.
- I also recently attended the College Council meeting where discussions included governance concerns as well as updates on operational matters. A summary of that meeting is available on the RACP website.
- I wish to extend my thanks to the outgoing members of AMD Council for their contributions and warmly welcome new members starting their terms.
- I would like to especially thank the outgoing Chair of the Library, Collections and Cultural Heritage Committee, neurologist Honorary Associate Professor Catherine Storey, for her outstanding 30 years of service and contribution to the College’s History of Medicine Library. Her dedication has been instrumental in establishing the RACP Library as it stands today.
If you have any topics that you would like our Council to consider, or any topic you would like to be included in our quarterly eBulletin, I encourage you to contact me via the secretariat at adult.med@racp.edu.au.
AMD Council: Meet the members
Following on from our previous e-Bulletin, we would like to continue introducing you to some of our current members of AMD Council and AMDEX.
Dr Yee Ching Bee, Advanced Trainee representative
Dr Bee recently completed her Fellowship in general and acute care medicine and is currently an Advanced Trainee in palliative medicine at Cairns Hospital in Queensland. She joined the AMD Council and AMDEX in 2025 to understand better how the College functions and how it supports members across the different stages of their careers. As an Advanced Trainee representative, she is keen to lend a trainee perspective to issues and contribute towards a better training and educational experience. In particular, having spent most of her training in regional Queensland, she has a special interest in rural and regional training and workforce issues, and is involved in physician training with the state network.
Associate Professor Elizabeth Clingan, Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists (AANMS) representative
Associate Professor Elizabeth Clingan is a nuclear medicine physician based in Wollongong, NSW, with experience delivering care across metropolitan, regional and private health services, including in Dubbo and Port Macquarie. In addition to her FRACP, nuclear medicine and PET qualifications, she is certified as an Advanced Practitioner in theranostics, a Level B CTCA Specialist, and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA).
Elizabeth has extensive experience in medical education curriculum development and assessment. She was involved in the Nuclear Medicine Advanced Training Program Committee for six years, most recently as the Chair. She has been a RACP National Examiner for the Divisional Clinical Examinations since 2017 and is active on several national advisory groups and working groups.
As President of the AANMS, she has a strong interest in professional standards, workforce development, clinical governance and ensuring equitable access to specialist services across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Elizabeth joined the AMD Council to contribute to its role as the peak body representing AMD Fellows and trainees, with a particular focus on education, training, policy and advocacy. She is especially interested in initiatives that strengthen the specialist workforce, support high-quality training and assessment, and ensure adult medicine specialties have a strong voice in healthcare planning and reform.
If you would like to join AMD Council, please reach out to the secretariat team about current vacancies, via adult.med@racp.edu.au.
For more information on the AMD Council and its membership, visit the RACP website.
Professor Brian Wood
President, Adult Medicine Division
Hello and kia ora, and welcome to my second update of 2026! This is a shorter format to focus on the key highlights of recent months.
Recent updates:
- I would like to warmly welcome our newly elected Committee members and express my thanks to two outgoing members, Dr Craig Connelly and Dr Nico Clark who have contributed six years on behalf of WA and Victoria, respectively.
- In March, the College Education Committee endorsed our proposal to create a new Divisional training pathway for addiction medicine (leading to FRACP). I will be presenting this proposal to the RACP Board at its next meeting. If approved, we will move to regulatory approvals by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).
- In April 2026, the MCNZ advised that it had revised its standards and policies for recognising new vocational scopes of practice (VSP). With these revised standards now in place, we are being supported by RACP staff in Aotearoa New Zealand to develop our business case for a new VSP application for Addiction Medicine. This has been an ongoing goal of the Chapter for 15 plus years, and it is encouraging to have RACP’s support here.
- In May 2026, I represented the Chapter at the House of Representatives, Canberra in providing a Supplementary Statement to the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing, and Disability Inquiry into the Health Impacts of Alcohol and Other Drugs in Australia. An update to this statement was provided by the College to the House of Representatives on 5 June 2026.
- The Training Program Committee in Addiction Medicine (TPCAM) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from addiction medicine Fellows to join their Committee as an Appointed Member. Please share with your networks.
- I attended the RACP Convocation Ceremony in Sydney at the end of May. There were two newly qualified FAChAMs who received their fellowships in person.
If you have any feedback, questions, or comments for me or the AChAM Committee, please feel free to reach out via our secretariat at AddictionMed@racp.edu.au
Professor John Saunders
President, Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine
AChPM President’s Post
Hello and kia ora. Recent highlights from the AChPM Committee are below.
- I was honoured to celebrate in person with our new Fellows at the recent RACP Convocation Ceremony in Sydney. It was a wonderful day and congratulations to all our new Fellows!
- Chapter member engagement remains a key initiative and focus for 2026. The Chapter Committee will be promoting multiple avenues for connection and networking, with a particular focus on supporting our trainees and new Fellows, including a Welcome to Palliative Medicine virtual session for trainees (date to be announced soon), the annual Fellows Update which will be held in September during the ANZSPM Conference in Launceston Tasmania, and a pilot mentoring program for new Fellows later in 2026.
- We have also been strongly advocating in Queensland on palliative medicine issues. I recently met with the Queensland Clinical Senate, joined by ANZSPM, raising concerns regarding the lack of consideration of palliative care in the release of The Last 1,000 days: When less becomes more summary.
- The last Committee meeting was held in May during National Palliative Care Week. We were joined by Interim CEO Simon Waring of Palliative Care Australia and the Director of Advance Care Planning Australia, Dr Greg Parker. We thank them for providing their time and valuable sector updates to the Committee.
Lastly, I want to share a copy of the May 2026 letter that I sent to Dr Chandran and the RACP Board as your Chapter President, co-signed by Dr Sophia Lam, Chair of the Training Program Committee in Palliative Medicine. The letter voiced our deep concerns about the public conflict and instability at the Board level, and the serious damage this has done to RACP’s credibility as a professional body.
I am heartened to see that the ACNC has since taken decisive action in suspending Dr Chandran and appointing an independent Board Chair; however, I know there is lots of work to be done yet to rebuild our trust in the College. My priority as your elected representative is to focus on the needs of palliative medicine Fellows and trainees – and to that end, I encourage you to get involved with the mentoring and networking opportunities I mentioned above, or to please reach out to me via PallMed@racp.edu.au with any suggestions or concerns.
If you have any feedback, questions, or concerns for the Committee, please feel free to reach out through the Chapter secretariat at PallMed@racp.edu.au.
Dr Gauri Gogna
President, Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine
AChSHM President’s Post
Hello and kia ora to all!
Sharing some recent highlights for AChSHM members:
- I would like to thank everyone involved in organising and attending the 2026 AChSHM ASM and ATM in March. Work is already underway to plan the 2027 event with more details to be announced in the coming months.
- Wishing all candidates of the 2026 AChSHM Exit Assessment the very best for the upcoming examination on Friday, 10 July – we are all behind you. A reminder that the RACP Support Program is available to all members, including trainees and Fellows. This free hotline is available to you 24/7 for confidential counselling, coaching and support for workplace and personal issues.
- Advocacy by the AChSHM Committee continues about the importance of HIV clinical indicators. Professor Peter McCluskety gave a presentation on my behalf at RANZCO’s Uveitis Special Interest Group (SIG) in May to further promote cross-specialty collaboration and knowledge sharing of this important topic. We will also be launching the RACP’s new HIV Position Statement in July, so I encourage you to share this within your networks.
- I would like to remind members that medical positions can be advertised through the College website here.
For updates on AChSHM submissions, position statements, and media, please visit the Chapter webpage.
Clinical Professor Louise Owen
President, Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine
Awards, scholarships and prizes
Applications for RACP Foundation Research Awards are now open.
Don’t miss your chance to apply for funding for 2027 under the following award categories:
- Career Development Fellowships for established mid-career researchers. Closing date, Tuesday, 30 June 2026.
- Research Establishment Fellowships for those establishing their research careers. Closing date, Tuesday, 30 June 2026.
- Research Entry Scholarships for researchers in their early career. Closing date, Tuesday, 7 July 2026.
- Research Development Grants for smaller short-term or part-time research projects. Closing date, Friday, 24 July 2026.
- Travel Grants for short periods of research overseas. Closing date, Friday, 31 July 2026.
Please refer to the RACP Foundation website for information on specific eligibility requirements for each award.
Call for nominations – College Awards and Prizes
Nominations are now open for the following College and Fellowship Awards. They acknowledge outstanding contributions and achievements made by Fellows and trainees in their respective fields.
- The Eric Susman Prize, presented at the RACP Convocation Ceremony, is a prestigious award for the best contribution to the knowledge of any branch of internal medicine.
- The John Sands Medal recognises a Fellow who makes a significant contribution to the welfare of RACP and its members.
- The College Medal is aligned to the College motto hominum servire saluti. It is awarded to a Fellow who makes a significant contribution to medical specialist practice, healthcare and/or health of community through physician activities.
- RACP International Medal recognises a member who has provided outstanding service in developing countries.
- RACP Medal for Clinical Service in Rural and Remote Areas recognises a Fellow who has provided outstanding clinical service in rural and remote areas of Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
- RACP Mentor of the Year Award recognises a Fellow who has made an outstanding contribution to mentoring or provided a high level of support and guidance throughout training.
- RACP Trainee of the Year Award recognises a trainee who has made an outstanding contribution to College, community and trainee activities.
Full details are available on the RACP Foundation webpage or email the RACP Foundation for more information. Nominations close Monday, 31 August 2026.
RACP Trainee Research Awards:
- The Trainee Research Awards (TRAs) provide a valuable opportunity for trainees to present their research at an Australian state or territory or Aotearoa New Zealand event. The best presenters from each local event are invited to present their work alongside recognised researchers at the RACP Trainee Research Awards Symposium in 2027. Applications open 1 July to 16 August 2026.
Chapter Awards:
- The Jan Edwards Prize is awarded for the best research-based abstract oral presentation by a registered Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine (AChSHM) trainee. Applications open 1 August to 15 September 2026.
- The Penelope Lowe Prize is awarded to the best presentation of a case study by an AChSHM trainee at the AChSHM Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM). Applications open 1 August to 15 September 2026.
- The AChSHM Indigenous Scholarship offers medical students, junior medical officers, registrars and physician trainees who identify as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Māori the opportunity to attend the AChSHM ASM. Applications open 1 August to 15 September 2026.
- The Margot Nott Scholarship in Palliative Medicine has been established to support palliative medicine Advanced Trainees in South Australia to assist with training fees and provide stipend support of $20,000 per annum for up to three years. Applications open 1 August to 30 September 2026.
Expressions of Interest
Rapid-fire Clinical Updates: Join us in Melbourne, Brisbane or virtually
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Upcoming events
RACP events
Other upcoming events
- Sunday, 12 to Friday, 17 July 2026: 20th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 2026 (Melbourne)
- Saturday, 1 to Tuesday, 4 August 2026: HGSA ASM (Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Wednesday, 5 to Friday, 7 August 2026: MOGA ASM (Gold Coast)
- Thursday, 6 to Sunday, 9 August 2026: CSANZ ASM (Sydney)
- Monday, 17 and Tuesday, 18 August 2026: Save the date – Pacific HIV Symposium 2026 (Sheraton Fiji, Denarau Island (Nadi), Fiji)
- Tuesday, 18 to Friday, 21 August 2026: IDF-WPR 2026 & ADC 2026 & Metabolic Diseases 2026 (Melbourne)
- Friday, 28 to Monday, 31 August 2026: Australian Gastroenterology Week (Perth)
- Saturday, 29 August to Wednesday, 2 September 2026: ANZSN Congress (Brisbane)
- Tuesday, 1 to Friday, 4 September 2026: ASCIA 2026 Conference (Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Sunday, 6 to Wednesday, 9 September 2026: ANZBMS ASM (Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Monday, 14 to Thursday, 17 September 2026: Australasian HIV&AIDS Conference joint with Australasian Sexual & Reproductive Health Conference (Melbourne)
- Sunday, 20 to Wednesday, 23 September 2026: International Congress of The Transplantation Society (Sydney)
- Thursday, 24 to Saturday, 26 September 2026: ANZSPM 2026 Conference (Launceston)
- Sunday, 18 to Wednesday, 21 October 2026: Blood Conference 2026 (Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Thursday, 22 October to Thursday, 12 November 2026: Advanced Trainee HIV s100 Prescriber Course
- Friday, 13 to Sunday, 15 November 2026: Be Chill CPD Retreat Caves Beach (Caves Beach)
College updates and other news
- The 2026 AChSHM Exit Assessment will take place on Friday, 10 July 2026. Results for this exam will be released from 3pm AEST on Thursday, 23 July 2026. A reminder that the RACP Support Program is available to all members, including exam candidates, trainees and Fellows.
- ANZSPM and Palliative Care Australia have worked in collaboration with the RACP to develop a new CPD program focusing on palliative care communication, designed for specialists and trainees in adult haematology, medical oncology and radiation oncology.
- Read about the concerns regarding the public health risks associated with unapproved peptide products: Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
- The Department of Health is alerting immunisation providers of reports of RSV vaccine administration errors where Arexvy® has been administered to pregnant women instead of Abrysvo®. Information on vaccine error management is available here.