AFOEM eBulletin - 25 August 2023
I had the pleasure of attending the annual training meeting in Brisbane at the end of July. About 40 enthusiastic trainees attended from across our two countries. The site visits to a brickworks and a brewery were highly regarded. Sadly, the organisers had to revise the schedule at short notice because one site had just been closed by regulators to investigate a worker fatality.
Trainees received high-quality presentations on a range of subjects including professional qualities, mining operations, workplace design, respiratory diseases and radiology. A team of occupational hygienists provided advice on the measurement of workplace hazards. This was followed by hands-on experience with a range of personal protective equipment and devices for measuring dusts, vapours and noise. Professor Karen Walker-Bone gave a clear, concise explanation of research methods and their advantages and disadvantages.
Dr June Sim provided the trainees with an overview of how the stage B written and practical exams are designed, validated and assessed. Trainees were advised that the standard they needed to meet was that of a minimally competent specialist.
The four Ramazzini presentations from Drs Jessica Maistry, Russell Fayers, Sovan Dey and Grant Townsend were again of a high standard and reflected the breadth of our specialty. Their presentations addressed issues in mining, transport, injury management as well as the effect of noise exposure on the foetus in pregnant workers. I had the pleasure of presenting the Ramazzini Prize for 2023 to Dr Grant Townsend for his analysis of the workforce impacts of changes in cardiovascular risk in mine workers.
Full credit for this very successful training meeting is extended to the chair of the organising committee, Dr Clare Wood. She was ably supported by Dr Simon White, Dr Andrew Lingwood and our dedicated and hard-working EO, LynFay Shapiro. Judith, a second-year medical student, was employed by the RACP Brisbane office to provide additional administrative support. She indicated her first exposure to our specialty was both fascinating and at times overwhelming.
We would also like to extend our best wishes to those trainees who will be sitting their exams shortly. This is your opportunity to demonstrate that you have reached the required standard.
As mentioned in my last message, AFOEM has been selected to participate in Wave 2 of the Training Curriculum Renewal. An AFOEM Curriculum Review Group has now been formed to consider recommendations from Dr Kalesh Seevnarain, who has been contracted to conduct the initial draft. The 12 members of the Curriculum Review Group were selected from EOIs submitted by members with differing areas of experience and expertise. The Group will be chaired by Dr Tony Brown, the Chair of the Faculty Education Committee.
Concerning the legislation on Occupational Respiratory Diseases, on 3 August 2023 the Senate referred the two proposed Bills to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 30 August 2023. The RACP has requested the Committee make changes to the legislation so that the occupational respiratory disease registry will be more effective and beneficial for workers.
AFOEM Council has endorsed Dr David Crocker as the NSW Representative to Council and Dr Kah Heng Lee as the Victorian (VIC) Representative to Council.
Finally, a reminder that registrations are open for the ANZSOM Annual Scientific Meeting in Canberra from 22 to 25 October.
Dr Warren Harrex
AFOEM President
This series provides insight into the careers of retired and actively serving occupational physicians. The interview series supports a collaboration amongst our peers to develop projects for compiling the history of occupational medicine. On this occasion, Dr Farhan Shahzad had the pleasure of meeting Dr Alan Home. Read the interview on the ROC.
Join us for the Kevin Sleigh Memorial Lecture on Monday, 28 August 2023.
The Kevin Sleigh Memorial Lecture was established in 2019 as a tribute to Kevin and his contribution to occupational medicine. The lecture and the Kevin Sleigh Medal provide an opportunity to reflect on his legacy and recognise these attributes in others.
Hosted by the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM), in conjunction with ANZSOM and WorkSafe Victoria, the Kevin Sleigh Memorial Lecture will be presented by Professor Karen Walker-Bone (BM, FRCP, PhD, Hon FFOM).
Karen trained as a specialist in rheumatology. Her PhD about neck/upper limb disorders in working-aged adults sparked a lifetime passion for health and work research. She migrated to Australia in December 2021 to become Professor of Occupational Rheumatology and Director of the Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM) at Monash University.
She remains co-Director of the MRC Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work. Her interests include promoting musculoskeletal health, older workers, enabling work for people with long-term health conditions and reducing work disability.
The Kevin Sleigh Memorial Lecture is available in-person at the RACP Melbourne office (light meal provided at 5.30pm AEST) or online (6.30pm AEST start).
Register here.
The AFOEM Annual Training Meeting (ATM) was held in Brisbane on 28 to 30 July, with a full program and seven worksite visits. Congratulations and sincere thanks to Dr Clare Wood, Queensland Training Program Director, for her hard work in organising and chairing the ATM. Where possible, slides from presentations are being uploaded to the AFOEM resources webpage and recordings will be uploaded to Medflix in coming weeks.
AFOEM trainees and AFOEM President-elect Dr Armand Casolin at a worksite visit in Brisbane.
Faculty Awards
Faculty Awards currently offered are:
- AFOEM Research Development Grant 2024 ($30,000)
- AFOEM Registrar Travel Fellowship 2024 ($10,000)
- AFOEM Education Development Grant 2023 ($10,000)
Closing date: Monday, 28 August 2023.
Faculty Fellows and trainees across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand are eligible to apply.
For more information, visit the Foundation webpage.
2023 RACP Trainee Research Awards
The RACP Trainee Research Awards provide a valuable opportunity for trainees to present their research at an Australian regional or Aotearoa New Zealand event. The best presenters from each local event are invited to present their work alongside recognised researchers at an RACP event in 2024.
Trainees and New Fellows undertaking post-Fellowship training with the RACP are encouraged to apply.
Applications close 31 August 2023. Visit the RACP Trainee Research Awards webpage for more information and to apply.
Research projects and research supervision: online courses for trainees and supervisors
Each trainee is responsible for completing their own research project. Trainees can learn about conducting a research project by enrolling in our Research Projects online course. It’s designed to support trainees with a detailed walk-through of the research process.
A trainee’s experience can be greatly enhanced by a supportive and informed supervisor.
The Research Supervision online course helps supervisors who want an update on research project requirements and the research process in general.
RACP Online Learning Resources are free for members and count towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.
If you know someone deserving of recognition for their outstanding contributions and achievements, now is the time to nominate them for these prestigious College Awards:
- The John Sands Medal recognises a Fellow who makes a significant contribution to the welfare of the 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.
- International Medal recognises a member who has provided outstanding service in developing countries.
- 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.
- 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.
- Trainee of the Year Award recognises a trainee who has made an outstanding contribution to the College, community and trainee activities.
Nominations must be received in full by Saturday, 30 September 2023.
Full details are available on the RACP Foundation webpage.
The AFOEM Essay Prize is open to medical students or interns in their first year after graduation. The prize is awarded for demonstrated excellence through essay, research project or assignment on occupational or environmental health.
Visit the webpage for further details. Applications close: Tuesday, 31 October 2023.
Registrations for the ANZSOM Annual Scientific Meeting are now open and we invite you to join us in Canberra this coming October.
With educational opportunities including a line-up of presentations from industry experts, CPR training and worksite tours of some of Canberra’s key facilities, the 2023 ANZSOM ASM is an event you don’t want to miss.
For more information and to register, visit the ANZSOM website.
Coming to you this month are some great learning opportunities:
Joint VIC/TAS ANZSOM AFOEM Educational Meeting & Award
Kevin Sleigh Memorial Lecture: ‘Where are we now with musculoskeletal pain and work?’Presented by Professor Karen Walker-Bone
Date: Monday, 28 August 2023
Time and place: 5.30pm AEST (in-person at the RACP Melbourne office), or 6.30pm AEST (online)
Visit the ANZSOM website for more information and to register.
Not an ANZSOM member?
Join ANZSOM.
Subscribe to ANZSOM news.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has been updated with new listings implemented on Tuesday, 1 August 2023. Relevant information and authority application forms have also been updated and can be accessed through the Services Australia website. For further information on broader PBS changes, please visit the PBS website.
The MTS is a national survey for doctors-in-training in Australia, including RACP trainees. The aim of the survey is to help us identify strengths in medical training, as well as potential issues that need to be addressed. The survey is independently administered by research company EY Sweeney, ensuring only de-identified survey data will be provided to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the Medical Board of Australia. Results will be made publicly available via online summary reports and an interactive reporting dashboard early next year.
A survey link is provided to trainees once they renew their medical registration with Ahpra. For more information, visit the Medical Survey Training website or email MTS@ahpra.gov.au
RACP Online Learning offers a wide array of dynamic online resources to support you in maintaining the highest professional standards in your field. Our comprehensive resources will enable you to upskill and develop across all of the professional practice domains, including in areas such as quality and safety, ethics, cultural safety, advocacy, communication and beyond. Unleash your full potential with our diverse range of educational resources.
Don’t forget to claim CPD for time spent on RACP Online Learning.
Ep 100: Conversations with ChatGPT
Fellows of the College can record CPD hours for time spent listening to the podcast and reading supporting resources. Login to MyCPD, review the prefilled activity details and click ‘save’.
This is the final episode in a five-part series about artificial intelligence in medicine. We start by weighing up the costs and benefits of automation in a health system that’s increasingly pushed beyond capacity. One of the biggest time sinks for health practitioners is filling out and searching through medical records. Some of this could be performed by natural language processors which are becoming more accurate thanks to deep learning.
The power of large language models has been demonstrated by the meteoritic uptake of ChatGPT and doctors are among those who have used it to summarise literature or draft letters. But professional organisations have raised concerns around the accuracy and privacy of the model and there have also been spooky demonstrations of its capacity for common sense and theory of mind.
Guests
- Affiliate Associate Professor Paul Cooper PhD FAIDH CHIA AFHEA GAICD (Deakin University)
- Associate Professor Sandeep Reddy MBBS PhD IPFPH ECFMG CHIA FAcadTM FAIDH FCHSM SFHEA (Deakin University; Founder, MedAI)
- Professor Brent Richards MBBS FRACP JJFICM (Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service; Director, IntelliHQ)
Please visit the Pomegranate Health web page for a transcript and supporting references. Login to MyCPD to record listening reading as a prefilled learning activity. Subscribe to new episode email alerts or search for ‘Pomegranate Health’ in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, or any podcasting app.
By completing your ‘my work profile’ you will provide us with valuable insights which we can use to make evidence-based and informed advocacy decisions for improving workforce planning. All you need to do is log in to My RACP, click ‘update my work profile’ and answer a few questions about your work activities.
Complete ‘my work profile’.
The RACP Online Community (ROC) is your space – a secure online forum where you can connect with your colleagues, share useful resources, and discuss topics of interest in a healthy and respectful manner.
Some of the other features of the ROC include:
Mentor Match – an innovative tool to help you connect with other members, based on your mentoring preferences and professional goals.
All Member Directory – an online directory that enables you to find your colleagues, connect with them, and chat directly.
Special Interest Directory – a searchable database of members' special interests, speaker presentations, published papers, and books.
Plus, so much more.
Make sure you log in to the ROC every day to see what’s happening in your community and be part of the conversation.
This August, we bring you a range of offers to help you beat the price rise. With compelling offers on utilities, groceries and travel, you are sure to save. Log in to your member benefits platform today to check out these offers and more. Available online, 24/7. That's your Member Advantage!
Member Advantage Australia
Member Advantage Aotearoa New Zealand
AFOEM contact details
AFOEM Faculty enquiries (including Council and committees):
LynFay Shapiro
AFOEM Executive Officer
Email: afoem@racp.edu.au
AFOEM Education and Training enquiries:
Education Officer
Phone: +61 2 8247 6268
Email: occenvmed@racp.edu.au
AFOEM Examination enquiries:
Examination Coordinator, Assessment Services
Email: faculty.examinations@racp.edu.au
AFOEM training site accreditation inquiries:
Site Accreditation Unit
Email: accreditation@racp.edu.au
AFOEM CPD enquiries:
Email: mycpd@racp.edu.au