Upcoming examinations postponed

The RACP Board has carefully considered the impact of the current COVID-19 situation and has made the decision to postpone the following examinations until at least October 2020:

• Divisional Clinical Examination for Paediatrics & Child Health and Adult Medicine in Australia and New Zealand
• AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (General) – Modified Essay Question and MCQ Papers
• AFRM Fellowship Written Examination (Paediatrics) – Short Answer Question and MCQ Papers
• AFRM Module 1 Written Assessment
• AFRM Module 2 Clinical Assessment

Central to this decision has been trainee concerns, the pressure on our health services as a result of COVID-19, increasingly tighter restrictions on travel, and the fact that the current environment will have a significant impact on trainees’ preparation for their examinations.

We know that all hospitals that host clinical exams undertake a significant amount of preparation in the months leading up to the exam and are aware of the additional workload this would place on staff who are already under pressure.

Additionally, we know that health services are currently setting up dedicated fever clinics which must take priority over space for examinations.

We are working with health services to look at options for holding the examinations later in 2020 and the implications this will have on job applications, training time and progression through training.

We understand that many trainees will have made plans for leave and other events throughout the year and acknowledge that the postponement of examinations as well as the workplace demands associated with COVID-19 may impact these.

We encourage you to consider your own health and wellbeing during this stressful time and please access the RACP support available.

We will continue to keep all members, including exam candidates and examiners, updated as more information becomes available.

Associate Professor Mark Lane
RACP President