Infectious Diseases

Program
overview
Apply
or re-register
Program
requirements
Additional
resources

Program overview

Cover-infectious-diseases-handbook17-18 In Advanced Training in Infectious Diseases, you will explore a depth of specialty training in the various clinical, laboratory and public health aspects of infectious diseases medicine and microbiology. You will train under supervision and prepare for independent practice as a consultant. The program builds on your skills through work-based assessments and learning tools

Program updates

All our Advanced Training programs are evaluated biennially by overseeing committees to ensure they are in line with educational best practice. Changes in program requirements may occur and could impact your training plan. Please ensure you are following the correct guidelines during your training. You can find the latest updates in the 2017-18 program updates

Entry requirements

Prospective trainees must have:

completed the RACP Basic Physician Training (including written and clinical exams)
hold a current medical registration
been appointed to an appropriate Advanced Training Position

New and current trainees need to apply for Advanced Training each year.

Duration

The Advanced Training in Infectious Diseases program requires three years of full-time equivalent (FTE) training.

Qualification

Successful trainees will be admitted to the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP). Eligibility is dependent on the completion of all requirements of training. Once the overseeing committee has recommended you for admission, the College will invite you to apply for Fellowship.

New Fellows will receive formal notification from the College that they have been admitted to Fellowship and receive a letter confirming the completion of their training. All Fellows in Australia, New Zealand and overseas in active practice must meet the requirements of a Continuing Professional Development program.

Apply or re-Register

Australia

When open, Australian trainees can use the Advanced Training online registration.

Apply Online

Alternatively, email an application form (DOC 0.8MB) to infectiousdiseases@racp.edu.au

New Zealand

New Zealand trainees can email their application form (DOC 0.8MB) to InfectiousDiseases@racp.org.nz

Advanced Training positions

Core training generally needs to be undertaken at accredited training sites.

Approval and certification of training

Once you have secured a training position, you must prospectively apply for approval as per the Progression through Training Policy.

Approval of training periods will be determined by the overseeing committee. To be approved, your individual training program must be consistent with the training requirements and appropriate for the stage in training.

Upon completion of each rotation or calendar year of training, the overseeing committee considers your progress according to the program requirements. If all requirements of training have been satisfactorily completed, the overseeing committee will certify the period of training.

Variations to your training

Variations in training processes cover dual, joint, conjoint and post-fellowship training.
Flexible training option information covers part-time training, interruptions to training or withdrawing from training, exceptional circumstances and time limits.

Changes to rotation or supervision

If there will be a change to your rotation, re-submit a registration form (if the online registration is not open)
Change to supervision must be notified as soon as possible by submitting a Supervisor Detailed Amendment Form (DOC 0.2MB)

Key dates

Closing dates for applications in Australia:

15 February - Applications for prospective approval of rotations in the current year
31 August - Applications for prospective approval of rotations in the second half of the current year

Closing dates for applications in New Zealand:

31 March - Applications for prospective approval of April to August rotations
31 May - Applications for prospective approval of rotations in the second half of the current year
31 October - Applications for prospective approval of rotations in the first half or whole of the following year

You must organise the timely submission of all necessary documentation and keep a copy of the application for future reference. See also important dates for trainees and supervisors.

Late applications

Late applications may be considered up to one month after the deadline. Applications received one month after the deadline will not be considered unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated in line with the special considerations for assessment policy. Late applications incur a late fee.

Fees

The standard annual membership fees apply to the Advanced Training in Infectious Diseases program.

Program requirements

By the end of Advanced Training, you must have completed 36 months of certified training time consisting of several work-based learning and assessment tools. These PREP (Physician Ready for Expert Practice) teaching and learning activities are designed to support you in your reflective practice and self-directed learning. A variety of teaching and learning activities and assessments are used, catering to a range of learning needs, styles and situations that may arise in your workplace training.

Requirements overview

Go to Additional resources for this program's curricula

Core infectious diseases training
(minimum 24 months)

Supervision

Per rotation:

1 supervisor with FRACP
a second supervisor who may or may not have FRACP

Teaching and learning requirements

Per year:

2 Learning Needs Analysis
2 Professional Qualities Reflections.

Assessments

Per rotation:

1 Supervisor’s Report (2 for 12-month rotations)
1 Trainee’s Report (New Zealand Trainees only)

Per year:

4 Case-based Discussions

Core microbiology training
(minimum 6 months)

Supervision

Per rotation:

1 supervisor with FRACP or FRCPA
a second supervisor who may or may not have FRACP or FRCPA

Teaching and learning requirements

Per rotation:

1 Learning Needs Analysis
1 Professional Qualities Reflection

Assessment

Per rotation:

1 Supervisor’s Report (2 for 12-month rotations)
1 Trainee’s Report (New Zealand Trainees only)

Non-core training
(maximum 6 months)

Supervision

Per rotation:

1 supervisor with FRACP
a second supervisor who may or may not have FRACP

Teaching and learning requirements

Per year:

1 Learning Needs Analysis
1 Professional Qualities Reflection

Assessment

Per rotation:

1 Supervisor’s Report (2 for 12-month rotations)
1 Trainee’s Report (New Zealand Trainees only).

By the end of Advanced Training

You will have completed 36 months of certified training time consisting of:

24 months of core infectious diseases training
6 months of core microbiology training (minimum)
6 months of non-core training (maximum)
3 Research Projects
1 Logbook (Australian trainees only)
Developmental and Psychosocial Training (Paediatric & Child Health trainees only)
Advanced Life Support Course (New Zealand Paediatric & Child Health trainees only if not already completed during Basic Training).

Time-based requirements

This program ensures adequate time for you to gain the necessary learning experiences across a range of relevant rotations during the total training time of 3 years (36 months FTE).

Training rotations

The 36 months of certified training time consists of:

24 months of core infectious diseases training
6 months of core microbiology training (minimum)
6 months of non-core training (maximum)

Core Training

Core infectious diseases training rotations

A minimum of 24 months FTE must be spent in accredited clinical infectious diseases training positions under the supervision of a Fellow of the RACP and a second supervisor who may or may not have FRACP.

Core microbiology training rotations

A minimum of six months FTE must be spent in an accredited laboratory training position under the supervision of a Fellow of the RACP or the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and a second supervisor who may or may not have FRACP or FRCPA.

Non-Core Training

A maximum of six months FTE of non-core training may be undertaken in clinical or research activities in infectious diseases or in other related disciplines, including but not limited to:

microbiology
immunology
public health
epidemiology
immunisation
infection control
sexual health
antimicrobial stewardship

Training programs will be considered on an individual basis and approval for six months FTE or a percentage of FTE will depend on the relevance of the proposed training to the requirements of the Advanced Training Curriculum in Infectious Diseases.

Training time

At least 12 months of Advanced Training in Infectious Diseases must be undertaken in Australia and/or New Zealand. This is to ensure that trainees receive adequate exposure to local practices and health services.

Work-based learning and assessment tools

Open All

Advanced Life Support (ALS) (New Zealand only)

This is a requirement for New Zealand Paediatrics & Child Health trainees only.
ALS training provides Paediatrics & Child Health trainees with the necessary skills and guidelines to support patients requiring resuscitation.

Requirement

Trainees must complete one ALS course, or equivalent, prior to the completion of Advanced Training. Trainees must submit a certified copy of their ALS certificate to the Advanced Training Unit as proof of their completion of the course.

Case-based Discussions (CbD)

This formative assessment will guide your learning through structured feedback and help the supervisor evaluate the expertise and judgement exercised in clinical cases.

Requirement

Australia: Four per core infectious diseases training year (one per quarter) due by 31 January of the following year
New Zealand: Four per core infectious diseases training year (one per quarter) due by the end of the training rotation

More information

Enter CbD rating form data into the Advanced Training Portal
See CbD for information sheets, workflow, ratings and other resources

Developmental and Psychosocial Training

This training assists Paediatric & Child Health trainees in developing a sophisticated understanding of child development, encompassing physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural and social areas, which should be gained from the perspective of the child within the family and in the context of the community.

Requirement

This is a requirement for Paediatrics & Child Health trainees only.
Australia: Once over entire training period (Basic Training and Advanced Training) for six months due by the end of Advanced Training.
New Zealand: Once over entire training period (Basic Training and Advanced Training) for three months due by the end of Advanced Training.

More information

Developmental & Psychosocial Training

Learning Needs Analysis (LNA)

Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) assists you in identifying your learning needs, plan your learning objectives, and evaluate your progress in your practice.

Requirement

Australia: Two per year (one per six months, early in the rotation) due by 31 January of the following year (core and non-core)
New Zealand: Two per year (one per six months, early in the rotation) due by the end of the training rotation (core and non-core)

More information

Complete and submit the LNA via the Advanced Training Portal
See Learning Needs Analysis for information sheets and other resources

Logbook

Australian trainees need to compile a logbook of cases to ensures that they have an adequate breadth of exposure to Infectious Diseases cases throughout the duration of their training. The purpose is not to capture all cases seen but rather to help identify the areas you may need more exposure to.

Requirement

Australia: One logbook is to be kept throughout Advanced Training
New Zealand: Not required

Australian trainees must maintain a logbook of all clinical consultations (both inpatients and outpatients) performed, including whether the consultations were supervised or not. The accuracy and currency of the logbook are of the utmost importance. Any consultation numbers logged should be precise, not estimated. Trainees are expected to document all consultations performed.

The logbook must be maintained and made available at all times for review by supervisors. The logbook will assist supervisors in completing the Supervisor’s Report. The overseeing committee will only request to view a trainee’s logbook in exceptional circumstances.

Professional Qualities Reflection (PQR)

This reflective exercise helps you articulate and formalise ideas and insights about your professional development.

Requirement

More information

Complete and submit the PQR via the Advanced Training Portal
Professional Qualities Reflection information sheet and workflow

Research requirements

Research requirements enable you to gain experience:

in research methods
in interpretation of research literature
in participation in research at some stage of your career
to develop quality improvement skills

Submission of a research project provides:

evidence of the skills of considering and defining research problems
the systematic acquisition, analysis, synthesis and interpretation of data
effective written communication

Requirement

Three Research Projects in Infectious diseases are to be completed over the three years of Advanced Training (one per year), due by:

Australia: 15 September
New Zealand: 31 May or 31 October

Certification of Infectious Diseases training is dependent upon your submission of a satisfactory project. If a project is not submitted before the completion of the second year of training, periods of training will not be certified.
Trainees are required to submit projects by the above deadlines for the results to be received before 25 December of that same year. If a project is not received by the deadline, there is no guarantee that the trainee will be notified of an outcome before the end of the year.

Exceptions for trainees in dual-, joint- or Top-Up programs

Trainees undertaking dual RACP training (i.e. trainees completing more than one Divisional Advanced Training Program at a time) are required to submit only two satisfactory Infectious Diseases projects for their Infectious Diseases training.
Trainees undertaking joint RACP/RCPA training are only required to submit two satisfactory projects.
Post-FRACP or OTP undertaking Top Up training are required to submit one project for every 12 months of training.

Additional requirements

The same work must not have been used for any other purpose, such as a project for another Advanced Training Program. The projects are a major requirement for physician training and should be of an appropriate standard.
Each project will be assessed by at least two independent reviewers. Projects are assessed upon their scientific merit, relevance to the field of infectious diseases, and on their unique and honest intellectual content.

Guidelines for submission of project

The project must be submitted in an acceptable format. Trainees must submit their projects using the Infectious Diseases project cover sheet, and refer to the project guidelines and grading table. One original copy of the project must be posted to the College (which is to have original trainee and supervisor signatures) and a second copy must be submitted electronically to InfectiousDiseases@racp.edu.au.

Although projects should be generally submitted contemporaneously with the time of training, the overseeing committee may give consideration on a case-by-case basis to a significant prior piece of published research, including work carried out in pursuit of a higher degree, e.g. Master’s or Doctorate (MD, PhD), as long as this work otherwise fits project criteria. The research must have been conducted within a reasonable time period (generally within three years prior to commencing Advanced Training).

Role of the supervisor

Projects are to be overseen by a nominated supervisor of the training period. The role of the supervisor is to assist the trainee in selection of the project and project design, and to guide the trainee in completion of the project. The supervisor is asked to certify that the project is ready for submission by signing the project cover sheet.

Acceptable project formats

Projects should be presented in a format suitable for publication and should adhere to the usual norms for scientific writing. Projects should be written in sound English and be free of grammatical and typographical errors. A standard, consistent method of citing the literature should be used.
For acceptable project types and formats, trainees must refer to the most recent version of the Infectious Diseases’ project guidelines and grading table.

More Information

See Additional resources for Research Project Guidelines, Cover Sheet and more

Supervisor’s Reports

These summative assessments provide you with structured feedback on your performance and inform the certification of training decision.

Requirement

One Supervisor’s Report is due per rotation, two per rotation for 12 month rotations (core and non-core).

What report to use:

For RACP trainees studying Infectious Diseases only:

For core infectious diseases rotations:

Trainees must complete the Core Infectious Diseases Rotation Supervisor’s Report.

For core microbiology rotations

Trainees must complete the Microbiology Rotation (RACP-only trainees) Supervisor’s Report.

For Infectious Diseases dual RACP trainees:

(i.e. trainees completing more than one Divisional Advanced Training Program at a time):

For core infectious diseases/non-core rotations:

Trainees must complete the Core Infectious Diseases Rotation Supervisor’s Report.

For non-core rotations

Trainees can use the Supervisor’s Report from their other supervising training committee.

For core microbiology rotations

Trainees must complete the Microbiology Rotations (RACP only trainees) Supervisor’s Report.

When to submit the report:

Australia

For Advanced Trainees in 12-month positions: One Supervisor’s Report is to be submitted by 15 July for the first six months of the calendar year and one Supervisor’s Report is to be submitted by 31 January of the following year covering the final six months of the calendar year.
For Advanced Trainees in positions of six months or less with separate supervisors, or at separate sites: One Supervisor’s Report should be completed for each rotation and submitted to the College by 15 July (for first half of the year) and 31 January the following year (for the second half of the calendar year).
Advanced Trainees approaching the end of their training should submit a report that covers the whole second half of the year by 15 October.

New Zealand

For Advanced Trainees in 12-month positions: One Supervisor’s Report is to be submitted by 31 May for the first six months of the rotation and one Supervisor’s Report is to be submitted by 31 October covering the full 12 months.
For Advanced Trainees in three, four, or six-month positions: One Supervisor’s Report must be completed for each rotation and submitted by 31 May (for rotations in the first half of the year) and 31 October (for rotations in the second half of the year).

Supervisor’s responsibilities:

The Supervisor’s Report must be completed by supervisors who have directly supervised the trainee.
If the supervisor has not directly supervised the trainee throughout the whole rotation, the supervisor should obtain individual reports from those who have directly supervised the trainee and provide a composite report.
Discuss the report with the trainee prior to both parties signing the report, and provide the trainee with a copy of each report.

Trainee’s responsibilities:

ensure that all supervisors receive a copy of the Supervisor’s Report (failure to do this may result in delays or non-certification of a period of training)
provide copies of previous Supervisor's Report(s) to the next year's/rotation’s supervisor.

The College may provide subsequent supervisors with copies of past reports (and any other documents deemed relevant to the trainee’s training).

Progression to the next year of training is dependent upon the College receiving satisfactory Supervisor’s Report(s) covering the full year/period of training completed.

More information

Advanced Training Progress Reports
Education Policies
See Additional resources for all Supervisor's Reports

Trainee's Report (New Zealand only)

This report provides feedback to the RACP for use in future training program evaluations and to encourage you to reflect on your training rotations and embed reflection and review into your practice.

Requirement

One per rotation (core and non-core) submitted with the Supervisor’s Report at the end of each rotation and due by 31 May/31 October.

More information

Trainee's Reports
See Additional resources for Trainee Report Guidelines and Cover Sheets

Course overview

About work-based learning and assessment tools

Formative assessments focus on learning through feedback and guidance. The College’s formative assessments aid the trainee and supervisor through a formal feedback discussion, prompting areas for discussion highlighted by the trainee’s performance. The College’s formative assessments are based on existing workplace-based assessment methods and best practice in medical education.

Summative assessments focus on judgements about trainee progression, resulting in pass or fail decisions on a trainee’s performance.

Important dates

Australia

January - March

15 February: Applications for Approval of Advanced Training due
Learning Needs Analysis
Case-based Discussion

April - June

Learning Needs Analysis
Case-based Discussion
Professional Qualities Reflection

July - September

15 July: Supervisor’s Report due for all trainees
31 August: Applications for Approval of Advanced Training for the second half of the year due
15 September: Infectious diseases research project due
Learning Needs Analysis
Case-based Discussion

October - December

15 October: Supervisor’s Report and all PREP tools due for trainees eligible for December Fellowship
Learning Needs Analysis
Case-based Discussion
Professional Qualities Reflection

January

31 January: Previous year’s Supervisor’s Report and all PREP tools due for trainees not applying for Fellowship in December

New Zealand

December - February

Learning Needs Analysis
Case-based Discussion
Professional Qualities Reflection

March - May

31 March: Applications for Approval of Advanced Training for April–August rotations due
31 May: Applications for Approval of Advanced Training for the second half of the current year due
31 May: Supervisor’s report due for all trainees
31 May: Trainee’s Report for the first half of the year due
31 May: Infectious diseases research project submission date
Case-based Discussion
Learning Needs Analysis

June - August

Learning Needs Analysis
Case-based Discussion
Professional Qualities Reflection

September - November

31 October: Infectious diseases research project submission date
31 October: Supervisor’s Report and all PREP tools due for all trainees
31 October: Trainee’s Report for the second half of the year, or the whole year, due
31 October: Applications for Approval of Advanced Training for the first half or whole of the following year due
Case-based Discussion
Learning Needs Analysis

Curricula, docs and assessment tools

Curricula / handbooks

Program & Professional Curriculum

Program Handbook

Infectious Diseases Handbook 2017-18 (PDF 0.3MB)
Note: this is a PDF version of this online handbook.
Infectious Diseases Handbook 2019-20 (PDF 0.5MB)

Forms and reports

Supervisor’s Report

Trainee's Reports (New Zealand only)

Research Projects

Other Forms

Supervisor Details Amendment Form (DOC 1MB)

Specialty societies

Specialty societies are medical/scientific societies that bring together research and clinical scientists and physicians who are actively involved in a particular area of medical practice, e.g. cardiology, geriatric medicine. The specialty societies are independent organisations that contribute to physician education through their members’ involvement in College education committees and activities.

Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases
The Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases is the peak professional body representing Infectious Diseases physicians/paediatricians in Australia and New Zealand.

Infectious Diseases

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