The President's Message – 29 October 2021
Earlier this week, our College achieved a major milestone – we successfully held a computer-based Divisional Written Exam for over 300 Basic Trainees across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Congratulations! This is a critical step in eventually moving towards to computer-based testing for all our written exams, something our trainees and the medical councils have been requesting.
Computer-based tests are more secure. They’re easier to set, easier to distribute, and mark accurately. As you can stage them more than once a year, more convenient too. But moving to this format isn’t simply a case of flicking a switch. This week’s exam was underpinned by thousands of hours of planning and preparation by College staff and members.
Our Fellow and trainee volunteers on our Working Group advised on implementation. Our Exam Committees ensured the extra exams are prepared and available. The College Education Committee has oversighted this major change. It provided the decision to proceed after much testing and the success of the Australasian Faculty of Rehab Medicine Module one exam in May 2021. The logistics of something like this are impressive.
The exam window was open for twelve hours across two countries. Progress through the exam was electronically monitored in real time by College staff. RACP representatives were on-site at each of the nine venues. Security and integrity of the exam process was closely monitored. In the background, there were extensive plans for all sorts of possible contingencies and events that could affect the smooth running of the exam.
I’m delighted to advise that we have been successful. I want to thank all trainees, Fellows and staff involved in this significant project. It builds on the superb work to rapidly adapt the Divisional Clinical Examinations and other College exams for constraints imposed by COVID-19.
It proves we can execute complex, high stakes computer-based examinations in real time and it sets us up to move confidently to roll out computer-based testing across all our training programs in years to come. You too, as Fellows can test yourselves against the standards we expect of trainees in the near future.
Professor John Wilson AM
RACP President
Physicians of the future, health system of the future
You're invited to an online Town Hall meeting with the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care. This free event for all members will be held on Wednesday, 10 November from 5.30pm to 7pm AEDT, 7.30pm to 9pm NZDT. We'll present a physician-focused vision of an evolving digitally-supported health system and the way the College can support physicians on their journey there.
The program
Towards consumer-centric, equitable, evidence-based digitally-supported models of care
How physicians can harness the enthusiasm for telehealth to support integration of digital health in the healthcare and wellness system
Professor Tim Shaw
Q&A with Professor Tim Shaw
Facilitated by Dr Jacqueline Small
Embedding digital technologies and innovation in the health system
The Hon. Greg Hunt MP
Q&A with the Hon. Greg Hunt MP
Facilitated by Dr Jacqueline Small
How discussed changes and challenges are addressed by the College
Professor Andrew Coats AO
Have your say: Member feedback
Facilitated by Professor John Wilson AM
Register now
We have important and exciting news for RACP Journal readers.
The RACP’s flagship journals, the Internal Medicine Journal and the Journal of Paediatric and Child Health can now be accessed via the Wiley Online Library app. This app is available on the App Store and Google Play. It contains recent issues and can also be used to search for older content. RACP members have access to the full content of the RACP journals, as well as abstracts of all journals that Wiley publishes.
The app provides you with:
- readable, print-like experience enhanced with dynamic figures, tables, and references
- rapid access to breaking research including early-view articles
- adjustable text and table size
- the option to download articles and issues for offline reading
- email and social media sharing tools
- the option to save your favourite articles for quick and easy access
- convenient alerts when new issues are available.
Read the detailed step-by-step instructions on how to access the Journals on the Wiley Online Library App. You will need your RACP Membership number (MIN) and the special RACP access code, which is outlined on page three of the access instructions. You will need both of them to gain full access to the Journals.
If you require any assistance, please contact Wiley by emailing cs-membership@wiley.com
Read the instructions
It's yours, so make it your own
The ROC (RACP Online Community) is a private, secure place for you to network, engage and connect in real time. It's available exclusively to RACP members and Overseas Trained Physicians (OTPs). To help you get started, please watch this brief instructional video.
The ROC is yours to:
- ask questions and start discussions with each other in an easy to access online forum
- find other members and connect with them
- expand your professional networks across the membership, or within your specialty, Division, Faculty or Chapter
- keep up-to-date with College announcements
- find out about the latest events, updates and resources
- be informed via a weekly digest email on Thursdays, or opt out if you prefer.
Access the ROC
Download the ROC app from the App Store or Google Play, or log in via MyRACP.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in the New Fellow Survey so far. If you were admitted to Fellowship of a RACP Division, Faculty or Chapter between 1 October 2019 and 1 October 2020, please complete this important survey.
Your feedback helps us to provide tailored support for you and enables us to make evidence-informed improvements to training programs. This includes how your RACP training program prepared you for unsupervised professional practice, and feedback on your experience of the transition from trainee to specialist physician
Don’t miss out on sharing your thoughts. The survey closes Wednesday, 10 November. For more information about the survey, including confidentiality and how the data will be reported, please visit the New Fellow Survey webpage.
Complete survey
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) accreditation standards require RACP to have training in place for all supervisors of trainees (note the standards apply in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand).
The RACP Supervisor Professional Development Program (SPDP) was developed to provide this training and has been rolled out in face-to-face workshops, online and more recently virtually through Zoom workshops.
The College Education Committee (CEC) has recently determined that completion of SPDP workshops can be supported as sites go through their accreditation cycle. So, although the main message is that SPDP should be completed by end 2022, there may be some instances where this date changes in alignment with accreditation.
What has changed?
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Previous requirements
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New requirements
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All supervisors must complete:
- one SPDP workshop by end of 2021
- remaining two workshops by end of 2022
- from 2023 onwards, only approved supervisors are eligible to supervise RACP trainees.
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To be an RACP approved supervisor:
- All DPEs, Advanced Training (AT) Supervisors and Education Supervisors must complete SPDP 3 by end of 2022.
- All DPEs, AT Supervisors and Education Supervisors must complete (or be exempt from) SPDP 1 and 2 by end of 2022 or in-line with their site accreditation cycle (whichever occurs later).
- Rotational Supervisors (RS) are only required to complete SPDP 3 (non-member RS are encouraged to complete SPDP 3 but there is no requirement).
After completing one SPDP workshop and prior to achieving Approved status, supervisors will be referred to as Provisionally Approved.
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These recommendations by CEC provide a clear timeline, pathway to completion and ultimately the CEC will determine a consequence for active supervisors should they fail to complete the program.
SPDP workshops
SPDP workshops are offered face-to-face, virtually, or online and in any order. Available workshops can be found on the SPDP registration page. We encourage you to complete your workshops as soon as possible, particularly if you are one of the 20 per cent of supervisors yet to start.
There are still available spots to participate in the final SPDP 3 online course for the year, running from Monday, 15 November to Sunday, 21 December. Register now to attend.
Exemptions
You may be eligible for an exemption from SPDP 1 and 2. To apply please click ‘Apply’, under the ‘Exemptions’ tab on the SPDP webpage. If you do not meet the exemption criteria, the outcome of your application will be determined by either the Adult Medicine Division Education Committee or the Paediatrics Division Education Committee.
Assistance
If you have any questions about the information above or need assistance, please contact the Supervisor Learning Support Team on supervisor@racp.edu.au.
The RACP Indigenous Health Scholarships 2022
The RACP appreciates the value and experience Indigenous and Māori doctors can provide to the health sector and communities in treating Indigenous and Māori health issues. The RACP Indigenous Health Scholarship Program provides funded pathways through physician training. Applications are now invited for 2022 Indigenous Health Scholarships. The closing date is Tuesday, 30 November 2021.
The RACP President's Indigenous Congress Prize is open to medical students, junior medical officers and RACP trainees who identify as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Māori. The selected applicant will receive support to attend the RACP Congress 2022 to gain educational and networking opportunities and exposure to career pathways within the College. Please encourage anyone you know who is eligible to apply before the deadline on Friday, 31 January 2022.
The Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists (ANZAN) is offering an annual Scholarship that provides support to a RACP Advanced Trainee who identifies as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Māori and is undertaking the Advanced Training Program in Neurology. Applications close Tuesday, 30 November 2021.
For further information on all of these opportunities please see the Indigenous Scholarships & Prizes webpage.
You're invited to an Update in cardiac genetics, oncology and obesity management webinar, which will be held on Saturday, 30 October from 9am to 11.30am AEDT.
The program
- Update in cardiac genetics: Associate Professor Domenica Zentner, Melbourne Health
- Update in oncology: Associate Professor Shane White, Austin and Northern Health
- Update in obesity management: Dr Gowri Somarajah, Northern Health
This webinar will be recorded and will be available to view on the RACP website one week after the event.
Register now
Western Australian trainees, you're invited to the RACP Western Australian Trainees' Day. Held on Saturday, 6 November at the University Club of Western Australia, this is the perfect opportunity for Basic and Advanced Trainees to network and focus on their professional development.
This is a free event with sessions on:
- leadership
- advocacy
- wellbeing
- exams 101
- beyond Advanced Training
- the RACP WA Trainee Research Awards: Adult medicine.
Register now
The Hui-ā-Ataata mō te Waiora o ngā Tauira Mahi |Trainees’ Wellbeing Webinar is an annual event brought to you by the Aotearoa New Zealand Trainees’ Committee (AoNZTC).
Held on Rātū,19 Whiringa-ā-nuku | Tuesday, 19 October, this year’s Wellbeing Webinar was facilitated by Co-Chairs of the AoNZTC, Dr Tom Wilkinson and Dr Amelia Wong. In her keynote session, 'Wellbeing tools for life', Dr Susannah Ward shared insightful skills including gratitude, mantra, and visualisation, with breath and body work to improve functionality.
The 'What’s in your toolbox? Strategies for preventing burnout' Q&A panel was then held by Dr Ward, Dr Fritha Hanning, Ms Michelle Waring, Dr Louise Webster and Dr Glenn Williams. In case you missed the event, you can watch the video recording.
We would like to better understand and improve trainee experiences of selection processes. Two years ago, we ran an anonymous survey on trainees’ selection and interview experiences and were pleased to find the majority of trainees had a positive experience. However, some trainees shared experiences that concerned us, and we have circulated further resources to help selection panels promote good practice in selecting trainees.
This year, we're running the survey again. All registered trainees are invited to share their recent experiences with selection into RACP training through a short pulse survey to be released on Monday, 1 November to Friday, 12 November. The survey responses will help us to explore whether the challenges for trainees remain the same as in 2019 and whether there are any additional areas to address.
A summary of the results will be shared on the RACP website and with key committees across the College. Together with our trainees, Fellows and education committees, we will continue work to improve selection practices. If you have any questions, please contact the Education Policy Research and Evaluation (EPRE) team.
Expressions of interest are being sought from RACP members and subject matter experts to join a working group to develop a new online learning resource on providing healthcare to patients with cognitive disability. The resource is being developed in response to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. It will address recommendations to improve the education and training of health professionals in relation to people with cognitive disability.
Find out more and apply by Monday, 22 November 2021.
Doctors' health refers to the overall mental, physical and social wellbeing which enables you to practise effectively, as well as to enjoy your personal life outside of work. Check out the recently updated Doctors' health and wellbeing curated collection for the most relevant resources, readings, courses, videos and tools on this important topic. The Collection is thematically structured, so you can search and filter for the resources that suit your needs.
Curated Collections are developed based on the contributions and peer review of RACP Fellows and other experts. Don’t forget to claim CPD credits for time spent on online learning resources.
Access now
Episode 74: Saying Sorry – Medical injury part one
Medical injury occurs at a rate of about 12 per cent of admissions, and errors without consequence at a higher rate still. According to Australian and New Zealand guidance documents, disclosure of error 'is a patient right, anchored in professional ethics, considered good clinical practice, and is part of the care continuum'. But many practitioners are fearful of the medicolegal consequences of disclosure, or unsure about how to present the details of a challenging episode in care. In this podcast we hear how they can provide victims of adverse healthcare incidents with the comfort they seek.
Guests: Professor Rick Iedema, Director Centre for Team-Based Practice and Learning in Healthcare, King’s College London and Professor Simon Willcock FRACGP, Program Head of Primary Care and Wellbeing at Macquarie University, Clinical Program Head of Primary and Generalist Care, Wellbeing and Diagnostics at MQ Health.
Listen now
Do you want to be among the first to find out about more Pomegranate Health podcasts? Subscribe to email alerts or search for ‘Pomegranate Health’ in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, or any podcasting app. RACP Fellows can claim CPD credits for listening and learning via MyCPD. For a transcript and further references please visit our webpage.
The October 2021 issue of the Internal Medicine Journal is now live on the RACP website (log in using RACP login credentials). It's also live on the Wiley Online Library and the new Wiley Online Library app. This month’s Editor's Choice is How do hospitals help patients prepare for and participate in outpatient clinics? by Michael Chieng, Thomas Southwell, George Shand, Aimee Humphries, Naomi Heap and Laura Chapman.
Other highlights from the issue are:
- Health impacts of air pollution
- Gut microbiota and gut disease
- Aspirin and preeclampsia prevention in women with pre-existing diabetes
- Dialysis and driving: end-stage kidney disease
- PET/CT in pregnant patients with cancer.
Read now
The early view of the November edition of the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health is now live on the Wiley Online Library website and the new Wiley Online Library app.
Highlights from the issue include:
- Pharyngotonsillitis in adolescents: Remember herpes simplex virus
- Influenza vaccination among caregivers and household contacts of children with congenital heart disease before and during COVID‐19 pandemic
- Microcephaly in Australian infants: A retrospective audit
- Medication chart review at end of life of paediatric palliative patients
- Multi‐incident analysis of reviews of serious adverse clinical events in children with serious bacterial infection and/or sepsis in Queensland, Australia between 2012 and 2017
- Potentially unrecognised pain in children: Population‐based birth cohort study at 7 years of age.
Read now
Two short animations have been prepared to help you understand the prerequisites of registering for My Health Record, as well as how to register and connect. You can also access a range of resources on the RACP digital health webpage.
Watch now
Prescribers, authorised delegates and approved suppliers can order stationery on the PBS Stationary Online Ordering System through Health Professional Online Services (HPOS). Ordering your PBS stationery online is convenient and easy to do. The online ordering system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Another advantage is that you get your stationery quicker than ordering via a form.
To support you to manage your PBS stationery online, Services Australia has developed nine new education resources on the Health Professional Education Resources Gateway. The tailored simulations provide clear, easy to follow instructions on performing various ordering functions through HPOS.
Simulation topics include:
- how to order PBS stationery online in HPOS as an approved prescriber
- how to search and re-order your PBS stationery order in HPOS as an approved prescriber
- how to edit the re-order of a PBS stationery order in HPOS as an approved prescriber
- how to order PBS stationery online in HPOS as an authorised delegate
- how to search and re-order your PBS stationery order in HPOS as an authorised delegate
- how to edit the re-order of a PBS stationery order in HPOS as an authorised delegate
- how to order PBS stationery online in HPOS as an approved supplier
- how to search and re-order your PBS stationery order in HPOS as an approved supplier
- how to edit the re-order of a PBS stationery order in HPOS as an approved supplier.
To read more about ordering PBS stationery, visit the Services Australia website.
How to order stationery through HPOS
You need a Provider Digital Access (PRODA) account to access HPOS. If you don’t have one, register for a PRODA account and link to HPOS.
Where you can find education resources about HPOS
The Health Professional Education Resources Gateway has a vast range of informative resources available to health professionals. To access these educational products simply go the website and then select HPOS or PRODA from the menu.
Contact Services Australia
If you have any feedback on Services Australia's education resources, please let them know. You can contact Services Australia by emailing Medicare.Education@servicesaustralia.gov.au.
RACP members are treated to even more benefits this month. Not only can you access thousands of offers across dining, travel, retail, home, insurance and financial services but from October, Member Advantage is adding online shopping coupons for Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand College members.
Keep an eye on your benefits platform for exciting new offers coming soon like hampers for all occasions and special Christmas offers.
Learn more about all your benefits through your Member Advantage Australian or Aotearoa New Zealand website. If you need assistance activating your benefits account, contact the customer care team on 1300 853 352.
Stay informed
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