Share the successes and challenges you experienced during the transition from trainee to specialist physician. Your feedback helps us understand how we can best support you during this transition period and improve training across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Eligibility

All members who completed a RACP Advanced, Faculty or Chapter training program between 1 April 2022 and 31 May 2023 are eligible to participate.

Evidence-based improvements

Your insights help us to:

• understand the challenges encountered during the transition to unsupervised professional practice  
• identify areas for training improvements 
• provide tailored support and/or resources  
• better understand our members' positions and the barriers associated with acquiring specialist roles

Your responses are strictly confidential and used for quality improvement purposes. Identifying details will be removed and only aggregated results will be published. 

About the New Fellow Survey 

First introduced in 2021 and again conducted in 2023, the survey has led to significant improvements and ongoing initiatives including:

Educational resources

• new RACP online courses and resources, such as a Health Policy Systems and Advocacy course (released 2024) and a physician self-care and wellbeing resource online course
• exploring the transition to professional practice program to help address commonly encountered challenges
• improving the accessibility of existing resources to assist new Fellows with their transition to unsupervised practice

Changes to training and supervision requirements

• mandating the Supervisor Professional Development Program (SPDP) for all supervisors of trainees
• revising the RACP Flexible Training Policy (PDF) to support improved gender equity, wellbeing and inclusion during training
• revising of the Advanced Training Research Project requirements to provide greater flexibility (including a new exemption process, extension of deadlines to submit recognition of prior learning applications and the broadening of accepted project types)

2023 key survey insights

The majority of new Fellows reported feeling prepared for unsupervised practice, especially in terms of competencies relating to communication, judgement and decision making and medical expertise. However, the survey identified gaps in competencies relating to health policy systems and advocacy, and research.

New Fellows experienced challenges with:

• balancing new workload expectations
• transitioning to a less supported environment
• navigating private practice
• feeling confident making unsupervised decisions
• finding consistent employment

Approximately 1/5 of new Fellows reported that the transition to unsupervised professional practice was challenging, with 2/3 of respondents suggesting that further College support on managing the transition would be helpful.

Maintaining work/life balance during training was identified as increasingly problematic. The key contributors identified were: 

• increased workload (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic) 
• inflexibility during training (availability of part-time and leave opportunities) 
• completing training requirements (such as rural placements and research projects) 

Completing the research project requirements was seen as a particularly challenging component.

Read more in the 2023 New Fellow Summary Report. (PDF)

Contact us if you have any questions about the survey.