President's Message – February 2026
Kia ora everyone
As we begin a new year, I want to warmly welcome every one of you, wherever you are practising, training, teaching or contributing, across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Before anything else, I want to congratulate those members of our College who have been honoured in the Aotearoa New Zealand New Year and Australia Day Honours lists. These honours reflect extraordinary service to patients, to communities, and to education, research and leadership. On behalf of the College, thank you for the work you do and for the example you set for our profession. We are proud of you. You’ll find a full list of members who have received honours on our website.
The start of a new year is a moment to look ahead together. Guided by you, we have reflected on where healthcare is heading, and on what you tell us you need from your College now and into the future. We know this comes at a time of workforce strain, system pressure and growing professional fatigue.
Today, I am pleased to formally mark the launch of our new RACP Strategic Direction for 2026-2030. Over the past year, we have listened carefully to members, College Council, Divisions and Faculties, trainees, RACP team members and partners, through workshops and feedback sessions to help shape our strategic direction. Your Division, Faculty and Chapter representatives have also been briefed and consulted through Board and Council discussions.
As an enduring institution, the RACP continues to evolve, shaped by your insights, and anchored in our commitment to professionalism and patient care. This strategy is not about a single initiative or a short-term response. It is about making clearer choices, focusing our effort, and being disciplined about what will make the greatest difference for members and for patient care. At its heart, the strategy is about three things.
First, supporting physicians across every stage of their professional lives, from training through to Fellowship, with high-quality education, meaningful professional development, and a strong, trusted College that actively backs you.
Second, strengthening our voice, advocating clearly and credibly for better health systems, a sustainable workforce, safer workplaces, and better outcomes for the communities we serve.
And third, building a sustainable, contemporary College, one that is well governed, financially responsible, and able to adapt to a changing healthcare environment.
We are strongest when we move forward collectively, respecting a diversity of views while staying anchored in our shared commitment to professionalism, integrity and patient care. This Strategy gives us a framework to do exactly that. It will guide where we focus our effort, where we invest, and how we make decisions when resources are constrained. If you are interested in reading more, there is both a one-page and long form Strategy document on our website.
In the months ahead, you will see more detail about how this Strategy will be brought to life, including changes in how we prioritise work, how we use data and evidence, and how we connect services across your professional journey.
For now, I want to thank you for your dedication, your professionalism, and the contribution you make every day. I wish you and your families a safe, healthy and fulfilling year ahead.
Kind regards
Professor Jennifer Martin
RACP President
Congratulations to the 15 RACP Fellows who have been recognised in the 2026 Australia Day and Aotearoa New Zealand New Year Honours lists. This reflects the depth of leadership, influence and impact across our membership.
From advancing clinical care and research to strengthening rural, Indigenous and community health, these honours showcase the difference RACP physicians make every day.
We are incredibly proud of all RACP members who were nominated and recognised in the Honour Lists. See who was recognised and why on our webpage.
We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Professor Katie Allen FRACP. She was a highly respected Australian paediatrician, medical researcher and former Federal Member of Parliament. Professor Allen was known as a passionate advocate for children’s health and meaningful, system-wide change.
She generously shared her insights on advocacy and leadership in healthcare on our Pomegranate Health podcast and played a pivotal role in helping pioneer our Kids Catch Up campaign.
Our thoughts are with her family, colleagues and the many communities she impacted.
You are invited to nominate for the 2026 College elections. Nominations for College Body vacancies are open until Friday, 27 February 2026. Nominations for Board vacancies are open until Monday, 9 March 2026.
Candidates will be announced at the 2026 RACP Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, 29 May 2026, which will be held in-person in Sydney and online. The nomination process is managed via CorpVote, the College’s electronic voting platform.
Information on eligibility, vacancies, candidate requirements and more are available on our website.
Find out more
Medical specialist fees in Australia are receiving growing media attention driven by cost-of-living pressures and the Federal Health Minister identifying fees as a priority for the government’s second term.
Using its data from Medicare, the government has already published all specialist fees on its Medical Costs Finder. It is also considering other options to control fees. These discussions have important implications for both patients and physicians, particularly in balancing access, fairness and clinical sustainability.
The College recognises that the vast majority of specialists set their fees fairly and responsibly. While we do not set or recommend fees, we support responsible billing practices grounded in ethical obligations, professional standards and informed financial consent for patients. We also support informed financial consent so patients know what they need to pay.
We are actively engaging with government, specialty societies and the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges, and through the media, to highlight the complexity of this issue. This includes the impact of long-standing Medicare rebate freezes, outdated Medicare items, the real costs of running a practice, workforce shortages and limited access to public clinics.
In our response to the Grattan report earlier this year, we called for greater government investment in specialist care. We called on the need for investment in training across public and private settings, collaborative care with GPs, rural workforce incentives and preventive healthcare. We will continue our advocacy work to make sure the voice of physicians is a key part of this important debate.
Interested in shaping the College’s work on regional, rural, and remote healthcare? The Regional, Rural, and Remote Physician Special Interest Group is now open for expressions of interest from all RACP members.
This is not a committee and there are no fixed meetings or ongoing commitments. It’s a flexible, interest-based way to contribute your experience, insights, or ideas. Whether you work in a regional, rural, or remote setting, or simply care about improving health equity beyond metropolitan centres, you are encouraged to join.
There is no fixed closing date. Expressions of interest are open year-round. To apply, complete the short application form on the EOI webpage and return it to the Manager, Peak Bodies by emailing council@racp.edu.au.
Find out more
Professor Jennifer Martin recently took part in a Channel 7 News television segment discussing the growing challenge of medical misinformation and how doctors can support communities to make informed health decisions. She was joined by Dr Linny Kimly Phuong, Dr Danielle McMullen and Dr Michael Wright.
“Discerning fact from marketing is increasingly difficult for all of us, especially as sophisticated AI tools are increasingly used to simulate or create believable images and documents,” says Professor Martin.
Drawing on her experience as a clinical pharmacologist and general physician in regional Australia, Professor Martin highlighted the real-world harms of misinformation. This includes everything from declining vaccination rates for preventable diseases such as measles, to missed cancer screening, and avoidable hospital admissions.
Professor Martin also emphasised the need for better access to trusted, verified health information – and encouraged RACP Fellows and trainees to be part of the solution. More opportunities to engage in this work will be shared soon, as the College explores how we can collectively strengthen community health and wellbeing.
Watch now
"Vaccine hesitancy is a growing issue in Australia and globally" says Dr Niroshini Kennedy, President of RACP's Paediatrics and Child Health Division. Contributing to a Sydney Morning Herald article, Dr Niroshini insists this critical public health issue deserves far more attention.
"Accurate, responsible journalism plays a real role in shaping public understanding – and ultimately, policy and action. I’m glad this piece centres evidence and impact. We can’t address challenges like this without informed dialogue and accountability. I hope this coverage helps push the conversation and solutions forward".
The Sydney Morning Herald article is behind a paywall. You can click on the article image to see it in full size. We encourage members to remain updated about our advocacy work by following us on LinkedIn and bookmarking our media releases and media coverage webpages.
We are pleased to share the results of the Medical Board of Australia’s 2025 Medical Training Survey (MTS), which is now in its seventh year.
You can explore the findings through the 2025 Medical Training Survey for RACP report. You can also create your own report through the interactive dashboard.
The results are more than just numbers – they’re a reflection of trainee voices and a roadmap for continuous improvement. We encourage all members to explore the findings and consider how they can inform local education and advocacy efforts.
The MTS ran between August and October 2025 and provides anonymous, data-driven insights that will help us continue to strengthen the quality and consistency of our medical training programs.
We sincerely thank all RACP trainees and eligible Overseas Trained Physicians who participated in the MTS this year. Your feedback is vital in shaping how we improve physician education, support trainee wellbeing and partner for meaningful change across the sector.
For more information, please visit the Medical Training Survey website and read the report.
The results of the Torohia Medical Training Survey for Aotearoa New Zealand are now available. Explore the findings through the 2025 Torohia Survey for RACP report. An interactive dashboard will also be launched in early 2026.
The Torohia captured the voices of 1,210 doctors in training across Aotearoa New Zealand, including 205 RACP trainees, representing 19 per cent of the current trainee cohort. This survey offers fresh insights into the training journey of RACP trainees in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Results indicate that high workloads are placing considerable pressure on trainees, and despite efforts to ensure education remains strong, trainee wellbeing and educational access are being challenged.
The results a reflection of trainee voices and a roadmap for continuous improvement. Insights will help us continue to strengthen the quality and consistency of our training programs. We encourage all members to explore the findings and consider how they can inform local education and advocacy efforts in Aotearoa New Zealand.
We would like to thank all RACP trainees who participated in the Torohia in its first year. Your feedback is vital to shaping improvements that will strengthen the quality of medical education.
For more information, visit the Torohia survey website and read the report.
How AI tools predict and prevent harm webinar
The next session in the RACP Evolve AI in medicine webinar series will be held on Wednesday, 18 February from 6pm AEDT. We'll examine the development of risk prediction tools and the trade-offs between effectiveness, efficiency and clinical utility in patient care.
Register now
How to use AI scribes and assistants effectively
Find out how AI scribes and assistants can support clinical documentation and be used safely and effectively in your practice. This on-demand webinar and case study explore practical considerations, responsible use and ways of improving efficiency.
The Digital Health Festival 2026 brings together clinicians, health leaders and digital health experts to explore how technology is being used across the health system.
As an Industry Member of the festival, we are offering RACP members the opportunity to apply for a complimentary Health Sector VIP pass to attend on 20 and 21 May 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The program includes over 400 speakers across 11 theatres, with sessions focused on practical applications of digital health, including AI-supported diagnostics and precision medicine, and their role in clinical practice.
Apply now
Stay across topical medical issues with the College’s podcasts including Pomegranate Health, [IMJ On-Air] and [Case Report]. You can subscribe, access transcripts and supporting references of our podcasts directly on our website. Episodes are now on YouTube, and you’ll also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox, or any podcasting app.
Tip: listening and reading can be recorded as a prefilled learning activity by logging in to MyCPD.
Bookmark this webpage
Listen to podcast
In 2027, NASA is planning to land astronauts on the moon for the first time in 53 years with the expectation that there will be a permanent base there by the early 2030s. Elon Musk claims he’ll be sending people to Mars by then too.
This has prompted a renewed interest in the prolonged effects of space travel on the human body, and a lot of fascinating research has been conducted aboard the International Space Station over the last two decades.
The main objective risk to astronauts is exposure to galactic cosmic radiation. This can be reduced to some degree by shielding of space habitats, however, the impacts of microgravity are much harder to engineer away. In part one of our latest podcast series, we’ll discuss spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome and other sensorimotor impacts. In part two, we’ll focus on the effects of microgravity on bone density and the circulatory system.
We’ll also talk through the management of cases of suspected thrombosis on the international space station from a few years ago. Medical care on-orbit has many parallels with the remote medicine you’re already familiar with. Find out more
Listen to podcast
The record for the longest spaceflight is held by physician-cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov. Back in 1994-95, he spent 437 days on the Mir space station and grew four centimetres taller through elongation of his spine in micro-gravity. Polyakov had an uncomfortable ride back to Earth in the very precisely customised descent module.
Microgravity also causes demineralisation of weight-bearing bones that is faster than age-related decline. But the cosmonaut had worked out religiously for the entire mission and after his capsule parachuted to the ground he made a point of walking from it relatively unassisted. One of the main objectives of the marathon flight had been to prove that walking proudly onto the martian surface after a nine-month journey might be possible, given it only has 37 per cent the gravitational force that Earth does.
Dr Justin Coleman speaks with sexual health physician, Clinical Professor Louise Owen FRACP about her paper on HIV testing. The conversation covers who and when to test, including higher risk populations and indicator conditions, and the types of HIV tests available, such as rapid point-of-care testing. Read the full article.
Listen to podcast
Looking to contribute to the work of the College and help shape the future of your profession? A range of College committees, working groups and other roles are now open for expressions of interest.
Getting involved is not only a great way to give back – it’s also a chance to expand your knowledge, stay connected to developments in your specialty, and enjoy the personal and professional rewards of meaningful contribution.
Some current opportunities you may be interested in:
Tip: You can filter opportunities on our website based on location, specialty and closing date
More opportunities
We invite you to share information about your background, including Indigenous identity and/or ethnicity, via MyRACP. This voluntary step supports our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion principles reinforced through the Paediatric Clinical Examination review.
Your input helps us identify and address barriers faced by under-represented members and ensure our programs, assessments, and support structures reflect the communities we serve. We will capture, aggregate, deidentify and report this data to the membership to promote transparency and progress. To update your details, visit MyRACP and select 'update ethnicity'. For more information, please refer to our Diversity Data Statement.
As healthcare workers who dedicate our lives to helping others, it’s important to take the time to care for ourselves. We would like to remind everyone that it's okay to not be okay. If you need someone to talk to, you can reach out to the RACP Support Program. It's a free, 24/7 and completely confidential support service that is delivered externally through Converge International.
Whether you have something worrying on your mind, are finding getting out of bed to be a struggle, or just feel like talking to someone for helpful, judgement-free advice, this free support service may be just what you need.
Find out more
Did you know that RACP Benefits gives you exclusive access to a range of discounts and offers from leading brands and retailers in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand? Simply log in to the portal to start shopping and saving today. These special deals are exclusive to the College and made possible by our benefits partner, Member Benefits Australia.