Public Health Medicine
The curriculum for Advanced Training in Public Health Medicine has been redesigned. From 2027, first year trainees will be enrolled in the new curriculum.
The Public Health Medicine (PHM) curriculum was redesigned through a 5-stage process. It has been widely consulted on and approved by the College Education Committee.
We're now working to carefully plan the implementation of the new curriculum from 1 January 2027.
The new curriculum is a competency-based program that includes new learning goals, assessment tools, criteria for progression throughout the phases of training, and will be supported by a new technology platform, the Training Management Platform (TMP).
Revised entry requirements
Important changes to the entry criteria for Advanced Training in Public Health Medicine will come into effect from 1 January 2027.
Trainees entering a Public Health Medicine training position from 1 January 2027 onwards must have:
- at least 3 years full-time equivalent postgraduate clinical experience, and
- completed the following core discipline areas as part of their Master of Public Health (MPH):
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
- Environmental Health
- Communicable Disease Prevention and Control
- Health Promotion
- Health Policy
- Indigenous Health
This is a summary of key changes to the entry criteria in the new curriculum. To view the complete list of entry criteria, access the
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Programs (PDF)
PREP (current) PHM training
Trainees starting Advanced Training in Public Health Medicine in 2026 or earlier, including current PHM trainees, will continue to follow the current PREP curriculum and handbook.
Trainees who have successfully applied for entry to Public Health Medicine training have until 31 December 2026 to commence training and start their training position. They will be enrolled in the current PREP program.
Trainees who have successfully applied to commence training but have not yet started will have until 31 December 2026 to start their training position. They will be enrolled in the current PREP program.
Entry to the PREP training program will close permanently on 31 December 2026. All new PHM trainees from 1 January 2027 will follow the new curriculum, including the new entry requirements.
Subject matter experts
Specialist contractor
A specialist contractor developed an initial draft specialty curriculum in line with College-approved educational models and templates, quality standards, and project deadlines.
Emeritus Professor Robyn Lucas FAFPHM | Specialist contractor
Robyn is a retired epidemiologist and public health physician. She trained in medicine in Auckland, before living and working in Canada, Solomon Islands, Australia and Fiji. She was awarded a PhD in epidemiology and population health, and achieved Fellowship of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine in 2005. She has held a number of positions within the Faculty, including lead for the Assessment Subcommittee, chair of the Faculty Education Committee and president of the Faculty (2020 to 2022). Prior to retirement she was head of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University, with research interests in environmental risk factors for health, with a focus on autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis.
Curriculum Review Group
The Curriculum Review Group reviewed and refined the draft curriculum in preparation for broad consultation.
Members
Professor Jeanette Ward FAFPHM l Chair
Associate Professor Phil Hider FAFPHM l Deputy Chair
Dr Satyamurthy (Anu) Anuradha FAFPHM
Associate Professor Simon R Crouch FAFPHM
Associate Professor Liza Edmonds FRACP
Dr Francesca Kelly FAFPHM
Dr Marlene Kong MBBS, FRACGP, DRANZCOG, IMPH
Dr Elly Layton
Professor Roderick McClure FAFPHM
Dr Stephanie Munari FAFPHM
Dr Rhea Psereckis
Dr Finn Romanes FAFPHM
Dr Evelyn Wong (née Lew)
See the Curriculum Review Group for Public Health Medicine Terms of Reference (PDF) for more information.