How to engage
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- How to be involved with the College
- Nominate for election
- Become an examiner
- Regional education officer
- Rotational supervisors
- Supervisors of training
- Module supervisors
- Formal project officer
- International medical graduate specialist activities
- Hospital accreditation
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Procedure for accreditation of hospitals for anaesthesia training
How to be involved with the College
There are many ways to get involved with College activities to provide support, guidance and oversight to specialist trainees and its Fellows, including offering educational activities, the development of professional standards and representing the profession to government and to the community. Many College Fellows serve as examiners, supervisors of training, module supervisors, rotational supervisors, formal project officers or regional education officers. Fellows also are encouraged to nominate for election to regional and national committees as well as the ANZCA Council. Here are just some of the ways you can engage.
Nominate for election
ANZCA Council
Anaesthetists who wish to nominate for election to the ANZCA Council must have their nomination received by the ANZCA Chief Executive Officer at least 60 days before the annual general meeting. The nomination must be signed by two Fellows and contain a consent to act if elected signed by the person nominated. Details of how to stand for election are outlined in sections 8 and 9 of the ANZCA Constitution.
New Zealand and regional committees
Every two years, New Zealand and each region call for nominations for election to their committee. The call for nominations is made in February of the even year, with the term of office beginning in May of the same year. The next call for nominations will be in February 2012 for membership May 2012 to April 2014. For information on how to contact your regional or national committee, please click here.
For further information, read the ANZCA Constitution and Regulation 3.2.
Email:ceo@anzca.edu.au
Become an examiner
Fellows with appropriate interests and skills can apply to become examiners for ANZCA’s primary or final examinations. The principles of appointing an ANZCA examiner are to provide the best quality examination process for the fair assessment of candidates and to promote fair and appropriate assessment of examiner applicants.
The ANZCA Council appoints examiners for three years following a recommendation by its Examination Committee and regional committees about the suitability of applicants. It also will take into account the need for examiners with particular expertise or the need for a geographical spread of examiners.
The council may reappoint examiners for further three-year intervals if the committees recommend it. Under normal circumstances, examiners are eligible to serve for a maximum of 12 years, subject to reappointment every three years.
Click here to learn more about the duties and responsibilities of a primary examiner and here to learn more about the duties and responsibilities of a final examiner.
Fellows who wish to serve on the panel of examiners are encouraged to apply. An application form to become a final examiner is available here. For more information about how to become an examiner please contact the College’s Training and Assessment unit at training@anzca.edu.au
Regional education officer
Regional education officers oversee the trainees in their regions and track their progress. They provide liaison between trainees, supervisors of training, their regional committee and the central administration of the College.
For details of the roles and responsibilities of regional education officers please refer to ANZCA professional document TE4: Policy on Duties of Regional Education Officers in Anaesthesia.
Rotational supervisors
Rotational supervisors coordinate the approved training program in consultation with the respective regional education officer and supervisors of training. This person may be a supervisor of training from a participating hospital department or another suitable person.
Rotational supervisors are responsible for ensuring that trainees are exposed to the required specialist areas throughout their main rotations. For details of the roles and responsibilities of the rotational supervisors please refer to section 2.4 of ANZCA professional document TE10: Recommendations for Vocational Training Programs.
Rotational supervisors are nominated by their regional or national committee. Fellows interested in becoming a rotational supervisor should contact their regional or national committee. For information on how to contact your regional or national committee, please click here.
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Supervisors of training
Supervisors of training (SOTs) are pivotal to the ANZCA's training program, They are the representatives on training in anaesthesia in ANZCA-approved hospitals. They provide liaison between registered vocational trainees and hospital authorities on matters related to training, as well as with regional education officers and the central administration of the College.
Supervisors of training (SOTs) provide guidance and oversight throughout a trainee’s training for fellowship. They act as a reservoir of knowledge, coordinate learning experiences, provide guidance and help a trainee to improve their clinical skills and professional attributes. SOTs act as an advocate in matters related to organisation of clinical duties and as a general link with the College to ensure that its professional standards and administrative requirements are met. The supervisors' duties are set out in ANZCA professional document TE5: Policy for Supervisors of Training in Anaesthesia.
Fellows interested in becoming a SOT should contact the director of their hospital anaesthesia department.
How to nominate a supervisor of training
When a director of a department of anaesthesia nominates a supervisor of training, he or she should provide information on four criteria:
- The supervisor of training in anaesthesia should be nominated by the director of the relevant department of anaesthesia, and should not be the director of the department or administratively responsible for its functioning unless the circumstances are exceptional.
- The supervisor of training should hold the Diploma of FANZCA or a comparable qualification acceptable to the ANZCA Council and should not be a candidate for any ANZCA examination.
- The supervisor of training should be able to carry out all duties within and outside the hospital, as outlined in paragraph two of ANZCA professional document TE5: Policy for Supervisors of Training in Anaesthesia.
- The supervisors of training should be provided with resources, as outlined in paragraph three of ANZCA professional document TE5: Policy for Supervisors of Training in Anaesthesia.
Module supervisors
Supervisors of vocational training modules are key Fellows for training in anaesthesia in its approved hospitals. They must have a broad understanding of, and experience in, the contents of the modules they supervise.
Module supervisors oversee the work trainees do on specific modules and provide guidance on curriculum content. They work with both the trainee and the supervisor of training. A module supervisor may be responsible for one or more modules. In general, a trainee will work with several module supervisors in any one rotation. For details of the roles and responsibilities of module supervisors please refer to ANZCA professional document TE2: Policy on Vocational Training Modules and Module Supervision.
Module supervisors are appointed by hospital directors of anaesthesia. Fellows interested in becoming a module supervisor should contact the director of their hospital anaesthesia department.
Formal project officer
Formal project officers are appointed in each country or region under the ANZCA jurisdiction to assess formal projects submitted by trainees.
For details of the requirements and guidelines of the formal project, please refer to ANZCA professional document TE11: Formal Project Guidelines.
Fellows interested in becoming a formal project officer should contact their regional or national committee. For information on how to contact your regional or national committee, please click here.
International medical graduate specialist activities
There are several roles for Fellows in the international medical graduate specialist (IMGS) assessment process. These include IMGS interviewers, area of need assessors and workplace-based assessment supervisors.
IMGS interviewers
When an international medical graduate specialist (IMGS) is assessed by the College, he or she is interviewed by a panel consisting of three Fellows of the College and a community representative. This interview panel asks questions relating to the applicant’s training, experience and participation in continuing professional development activities in order to determine how comparable they are to an Australian trained FANZCA. Interviews each run for 30 to 60 minutes. Interview days are held at the College approximately every six weeks.
Area of need assessors
International medical graduate specialists (IMGS) are often recruited to work in areas where it is difficult to recruit Australian-trained specialists. In order to ensure that these doctors are at an acceptable standard, they are assessed first on paper by the Director of Professional Affairs IMGS and then in person after they have been practising in the position for two months.
Area of Need assessments are conducted by a Fellow of the College in current anaesthetic practice, nominated by the relevant regional committee. The assessor spends a day observing the clinical competencies of the IMGS and writes a report for the College. Continuing professional development points can be counted for the assessment: number 1515 under Category 3/Level 1 – 2 credits per hour.
Workplace Based Assessment assessors
The workplace-based assessment (WBA) is a tool designed as a non-examination method to assess international medical graduate specialists (IMGS) who are considered to be substantially comparable to an Australian trained Fellow of ANZCA. The assessment is conducted by two Fellows: one from the IMGS Committee, known as a central assessor, and one from the region in which the IMGS is working, known as a local assessor, nominated by the relevant regional committee.
The workplace-based assessment takes place after the IMGS has been in employment for nine months and is a full-day assessment. One assessor observes the clinical practice of the IMGS while the other interviews colleagues. The day ends with a case-based discussion between the two assessors and the IMGS. The assessors then complete a report for the College. Continuing professional development points can be counted for the assessment: number 1515 under Category 3/Level 1 – 2 credits per hour.
For further information on how to be involved in any of these activities, please email imgs@anzca.edu.au.
Hospital accreditation
ANZCA accredits departments of anaesthesia Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, to provide approved anaesthesia-training sites for ANZCA trainees. Before a department is accredited, it is inspected by the College to assess its ability to provide training and supervision of the required standard, and its degree of compliance with ANZCA professional documents. ANZCA’s Training Accreditation Committee oversees the process and makes recommendations based on reviewers’ reports.
Become a hospital inspector
ANZCA’s Training Accreditation Committee runs annual workshops for prospective inspectors, which cover issues such as the aim and structure of inspections, organisational requirements, discussion about past difficulties and an interview skills workshop. Fellows can also receive training by attending inspections with senior inspectors.
Fellows interested in becoming Training Accreditation Committee hospital inspectors can express interest by completing and submitting this form to tac@anzca.edu.au.
Procedure for accreditation of hospitals for anaesthesia training
Departments of anaesthesia wishing to apply for ANZCA accreditation must meet all relevant College standards as outlined in the ANZCA professional documents, including TE1 Guidelines For Hospitals Seeking College Approval For Vocational Training In Anaesthesia.
All departments recognised by the College must be included in an approved rotational training program. For assistance with this, please contact the ANZCA regional or national education officer in your state or country.
Departments wishing to apply for accreditation must complete a Hospital Data Sheet. Data entry for the accreditation process occurs online at the ANZCA website. Please contact the College to arrange for a data sheet to be set up for your hospital.
Completed documentation will be considered by ANZCA’s Training Accreditation Committee, which meets three times a year. If the committee considers the department to be eligible for accreditation, then an onsite review will be arranged The process can take several months so it is advisable to apply early in the year if accreditation is desired for the following year.
Accredited departments wishing to vary their approved training must also complete the hospital data sheet, and may be asked to carry out a trainee workload survey
ANZCA has prepared a detailed guide for hospitals preparing for review, which covers the aims and practice of accreditation, the preparation required for a review, the review process, and suggestions for maximising benefits.
Handbook for hospitals undergoing ANZCA accreditation
For further information about ANZCA approved training sites, please click here.
For further information:
Email:tac@anzca.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9510 6299
Fellows
