Sponsor breakfast (complimentary and optional)

Beyond acute infection: respiratory disease, multimorbidity and preventive care in the future specialist landscape

Hosted by Pfizer, this breakfast session will look at how respiratory disease, multimorbidity and prevention are reshaping the work of future specialists. Start the day with a look at where long-term patient care is heading, before the main program opens.

Opening moderated conversation

Leadership through uncertainty: balancing humanity and duty

The Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern joins RACP College Dean, Associate Professor Kudzai Kanhutu, to open the conference, drawing on her experience leading Aotearoa New Zealand through periods of extraordinary challenge. The conversation explores making high-stakes decisions under pressure and holding on to empathy while carrying responsibility, which sits close to the reality of clinical leadership.

Members were invited to submit questions ahead of this session, with this conversation shaped by what is most important and relevant to you.

Having difficult conversations: top tips for the physician

Oncologist and author Dr Ranjana Srivastava OAM and palliative medicine specialist Dr Gauri Gogna spend their working lives in the conversations most doctors find hardest: delivering difficult news, discussing prognosis and guiding patients and families through end-of-life decisions. In this open dialogue, they share what they've learnt from those moments, and from the equally challenging conversations with colleagues, from conflict and disagreement to workplace stress.

This is an opportunity to raise issues and questions most relevant to your practice and seek insights to help bring clarity and direction. We welcome anonymous questions through the conference app, so you can comfortably raise workplace issues you might not want to put your hand up for.

Designing a portfolio career: clinician, educator, researcher, leader

Not every career in medicine follows a straight line. Dr Lloyd Nash, Dr Sarah Arachchi and Dr Ella Smalley share how they have combined clinical work, education, research, writing, advocacy and leadership, including the decisions, setbacks and unexpected turns along the way. There will be ample time for open discussion, giving you time to test your own ideas about building a career that fits your values.

Drug-taking behaviour in your patients

What are your patients taking, what new substances are gaining in prevalence, and which are causing the most harm right now? Associate Professor Amy Peacock from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) covers the latest trends, from new synthetic opioids and rising methamphetamine use to grey market substances and an ageing cohort of people who use drugs.

You'll leave knowing the relevant resources to reach for when you see an emerging problem, including drug checking services, take-home naloxone and national surveillance systems, with relevance across emergency, general and acute medicine, endocrinology and geriatric medicine.

Research in physician training: requirements and pathways

Professor James McMahon and Professor Tamara Mackean explain the RACP Advanced Training Research Project requirements and how to approach it with confidence. The session also looks beyond the red tape to the pathways available in research, from a first project to a sustaining career.

CPD Category 2 is awarded for attending this session.

Médecins Sans Frontières: pathways to practice

What is it really like to work with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and how do you get there? Dr Justine Cain shares her experiences on assignment with MSF and the practical pathways into humanitarian medicine, in a session chaired by RACP President-elect Dr Julian Kelly.

The MSF team will also be at their stand all weekend to answer your questions about joining.

Gaps, traps and paycheques: a trainee's crash-course in private work

Do you know what to look for before you sign your first private practice agreement? Dr Owen Bradfield, Chief Medical Officer from MIPS, will guide you through real-world scenarios to help you spot red-flag clauses, avoid medico-legal and compliance pitfalls, and talk clearly with patients about fees and gap schemes. You'll take away a practical "before I sign" checklist and simple scripts you can use straight away.

Policy hackathon: fix one rule that drives you mad

Medical professionals don’t go into medicine for the rules, the red tape or the systems under pressure. For many physicians, there comes a crossroads when the realities of day-to-day practice start to wear down the ideals that initially inspired their medical career. In this hands-on design-thinking workshop, small cross-disciplinary teams take one real policy problem, redesign it, and create real solutions for changing what irks you.

Facilitated by Dr Lloyd Nash, Associate Professor Nicole Hancock and Associate Professor Kudzai Kanhutu, it's a rare chance to practise influencing policy with physician leaders in the room. Places are limited to 30 participants.

CPD Category 2 is for attending this session.

Neurodivergence and a public approach to supporting the disability

This plenary session brings together three leaders whose work spans Indigenous health policy, medical education and public mental health. Professor Ian Anderson AO is a palawa Elder, physician, anthropologist and senior public servant whose expertise has shaped Indigenous health policy at the highest levels of government. He is joined by Associate Professor Caroline Dowling, a proud palawa woman, urologist and medical education leader, and Professor Brett McDermott AM, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has spent 25 years leading public child and adolescent mental health services.

Together they discuss how the health system can better support neurodivergent people, how to practically accommodate neurodivergent physicians and the intersections of cultural identity and disability.

Cultural Safety CPD is awarded for this session.

Pumping, pregnancy and postpartum on the wards

An insightful session stemming from personal experiences on what pregnancy and early parenthood really look like while working in the public hospital system. Chaired by Dr Simone Ardern-Holmes, with Dr Gauri Gogna, Dr Sarah Arachchi and Dr Lee-Anne Gray, the panel covers risk assessments, modified duties, fatigue, maternity leave during training, and the gap between breastfeeding policy and finding somewhere private to pump on a busy shift.

You'll hear perspectives from both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, along with advice on knowing your entitlements and advocating for better support. Questions are welcome throughout.

Conduits of care: advocacy from the bedside to the boardroom

Paediatric and adult neurosurgeon Dr Ruth Mitchell has built a career across surgery, medical education, global health and international peace advocacy, including leadership roles with two Nobel Peace Prize-winning organisations.

In this closing keynote for Day 1, she challenges you to think about the kind of physician you want to be and the impact you can have beyond clinical practice. Her keynote is followed by a fireside conversation with RACP Independent Interim Board Chair, Adjunct Professor Susan Pascoe AM.

Saturday evening social at Botanic Bar

Unwind after Day 1 and keep the conversations going over complimentary light nibbles and a drink on arrival, with the option to stay on for dinner at your own expense. This event is open to all in-person delegates.

Registration is required.

Slow flow yoga and stretch lab for shift workers (optional)

A gentle, accessible session designed to undo "registrar posture" after long shifts and long days on your feet. No experience needed. You'll leave with simple five-minute sequences you can use at home or between shifts.

Sponsor breakfast (complimentary & optional)

Hosted by William Buck. Your income is about to change, and so are the decisions that come with it. Over breakfast, William Buck, specialist advisors to more than 1,800 medical clients, cover the financial moves that matter most as you step up from training: getting more from salary packaging and tax, protecting your ability to earn, and building wealth.

Keynote: The power of no: One man, one idea, a national movement

How do you turn rejection into determination, and a simple idea into a national movement? Cardiology Advanced Trainee, Dr Daniel Nour, shares how witnessing health inequity in his own community led him to found Street Side Medics, which now delivers free healthcare to people experiencing homelessness across Australia. This is a story about what one person can build, and the impact physicians can have beyond their clinical practice.

What happened when I stopped worrying and started a family

Making sense of work-life balance in the modern world

"When is the right time to start a family?" is a question many trainees ask, and one that quietly shapes career decisions. Dr Ranjana Srivastava, Dr Lee-Anne Gray and Dr Matt Wheeler give honest accounts of balancing family and medicine, including the trade-offs, the shared load between partners and what they would tell their younger selves. Expect candour rather than a formula, with plenty of time for your questions.

Medico-legal and complaint handling

Most doctors will face a complaint at some point, and how you respond matters. Melanie Robson from Avant explains the different complaint pathways, from direct patient complaints to Ahpra notifications and coronial investigations, and what each one involves. You'll also hear what doctors who cope best with complaints tend to do, with practical strategies to manage the personal and professional impact.

Reflection, connection and lifelong learning to strengthen patient care

What does medicine as an institution teach us, and what does it leave out? Professor Jaquelyne Hughes and Professor Tamara Mackean lead an interactive workshop on how deeper assumptions in medicine can influence diagnosis, treatment and outcomes, drawing on their own Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. Grounded in Professor Mackean's "culture first, then care" approach, the session gives you practical ways to provide culturally safe care with integrity. It will be especially valuable for overseas trained physicians new to practice in Australia.

Program note: Photography and recording are not permitted during this session, in the room or online.

Rapid-Fire Clinical Updates – AMD

Two hours, five specialties, and the evidence you need to know now. Professor James McMahon, Associate Professor Andrew Black, Associate Professor Roland McCallum, Associate Professor David Sullivan and Professor Vincent Thijs, deliver fast, focused updates in infectious diseases, cardiology, endocrinology, chemical pathology and neurology, covering conditions you will see every day in general medicine.

Each update includes multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge and time for discussion, available to both in-person and online delegates.

Rapid-Fire Clinical Updates – PCHD

Two hours of focused updates for paediatrics and child health. Dr Heinrich Weber covers childhood respiratory conditions, Dr Theresa Naidoo shares a systems program working to cut wait times for public ADHD assessments, and Dr Ruth Mitchell examines the global epidemiology of paediatric traumatic brain injury. Dr Joshua Agnew rounds out the session with what you need to know about working in the Pacific, from finding opportunities and funding to the realities of practising in resource-constrained settings.

This session is not livestreamed but will be available on demand after the event.

Culture first, then care

Clinical encounters through Indigenous lenses – Part 2: Māori and Pacific

Dr Matt Wheeler and Dr Joshua Agnew bring Māori and Pacific perspectives to the clinical encounter, exploring what culturally safe care looks like in practice for patients, families and communities. Drawing on their work as physicians and equity leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand, they offer insights you can bring into your next consultation, wherever you practise.

This session counts towards your Cultural Safety CPD, in-person and online

Leadership in medicine: what it means for you

Leadership is not reserved for directors and department heads. Dr Simone Ardern-Holmes explores what leadership looks like at every stage of a medical career, from shaping workplace culture to supporting your own and your colleagues' wellbeing.

Bring your questions about leadership and your career path, as this session will be shaped around what you want to discuss.

The ins and outs of medical billing

Billing is rarely taught in training, yet it affects every physician who moves into private practice. Loryn Einstein, from MedBill, walks through how medical billing works and the common questions and pitfalls physicians face, followed by Q&A with the MedBill team.

Sponsored by MedBill.

Panel: The training contract

How can we set up the physician workforce for success?

Training has not always been easy, so what are we learning, and what can we do better? Chaired by College Dean Associate Professor Kudzai Kanhutu, Dr Matt Wheeler, Dr Simone Ardern-Holmes and Associate Professor Nicole Hancock share what is working, what they are trialling and what gives them optimism about a training system that is sustainable, equitable and fit for purpose.

The conference closes with a forward-looking conversation that puts solutions, and your ideas, at the centre.