Your RACP membership, more than post-nominals
Date published:
14 Oct 2025
In the world of medicine, post-nominals are more than credentials.
They mark years of commitment to training, professional expertise, ongoing learning and ethical standards. They establish credibility to employers and amongst peers, as well as opportunities for career advancement.
All around the world, medical professionals who pursue specialisation are awarded a post-nominals by their medical college (at the RACP, this is Fellowship, FRACP). This is not something the medical fraternity take lightly. It is a great achievement, one for which, practitioners, and medical colleges, are extremely proud.
But, what happens once those demanding years of training are complete, and those hard-won post-nominals are achieved? Does the relationship with your medical college end there? The answer is, no. By and large, Fellows remain connected to their medical college and their community of peers in annual membership.
Beyond post nominals and the recognition they confer, the value of ongoing membership lies in what specialty medical colleges were founded to uphold: education, training and lifelong learning.
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Engaged community of peers: Those heady trainee days may be behind you, but many Fellows recall the collegiality and bonds forged during training. That sense of commonality and shared experience creates deep networks that can stretch nationally and internationally – and that home-base continues with membership.
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Tailored CPD: RACP’s CPD program provides a tailored education framework, activity templates and experience that has been designed by physicians, for physicians. Oversight is provided by a CPD Committee made of physicians from a range of specialties and practice settings (hospitals, private practice, clinical research and education) ensuring relevance, quality and continuity from your training years.
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Shape the future and give back: Membership gives you access to College Committees where you can influence and shape the future of medicine and the education, training and professional development of your peers. These Committees are not only an opportunity for you to contribute your expertise but also connect with your peers.
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Access to a range of specialised and tailored learning resources: All RACP members have equal access to tailored resources and modules via our dedicated online education resources. These resources cover a range of clinical and professional topics.
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A trusted collective voice in healthcare: Our Fellows and trainees care passionately about their profession and the people they treat. As a College, we harness our Members’ powerful collective voice to influence and drive meaningful change to meet workforce needs, make day-to-day practice sustainable and ensure patients and communities get the healthcare they need through our dedicated policy and advocacy program.
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Support when and where you need it: Wellbeing, including a fully confidential and independent, 24/7 free support program.
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Opportunities to further tomorrow's medicine today: Research is at the heart of innovation in modern medicine. RACP members have the opportunity to shape the future of medicine through the work of the RACP Foundation, our philanthropic arm that awards fellowships, scholarships, grants and prizes to those who strive to improve the healthcare we all receive. Grants and scholarships,
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Member exclusive discounts: The RACP has worked with a number of partners to provide RACP members with exclusive savings on a range of products and services through the RACP Benefits program.
As your career evolves – whether you take on leadership, supervisor roles, change employers, change mode of practice, or even move countries – your medical college remains one of the longest professional relationships you will hold. Through Fellowship, membership and CPD, the RACP provides more than compliance, it sustains the credibility of your post-nominals, supports your professional goals and champions your lifelong learning.