Formal project
The College professional document pertaining to the formal project is TE11 – Policy on the Formal Project.
Before the Diploma of FANZCA can be awarded, every trainee registered with the College is required to complete a formal project or to meet criteria for exemption from the formal project as a component of Module 11 – Education and Scientific Enquiry.
The subject of the formal project must be of relevance to anaesthesia, intensive care or pain medicine.
The project is not a prerequisite for presenting for either the primary or the final examinations. It may be undertaken at any time during the training program (but must be completed in advanced training - (Regulation 15.5.3.1) and should be submitted well before the completion of approved vocational training to avoid delay in awarding the Diploma of FANZCA.
A formal project process map has been developed to guide trainees through this training component.
Prior to commencing project work, each trainee should register the project using the Formal Project Registration Form (
131 kB) and seek approval and advice from his or her regional/national formal project officer via the regional or national office. Once completed, each trainee should submit their formal project electronically to the regional/national office with which it was registered, together with the Formal Project Completion Form ( 131 kB) and supervisor's report, if required (see notes). The formal project is the submitted material of the trainee’s work and must include a written report of at least 1500 words (excluding references) on the work undertaken, be conducted in major part by the trainee and follow conventional standards applicable to scientific work, including research ethics, honesty of reporting and authorship.
Examples of formal projects
- A case report of interest or clinical significance.
- A literature review of a topic relevant to anaesthesia, intensive care or pain medicine.
- A meta-analysis of published work on a topic relevant to anaesthesia, intensive care or pain medicine.
- A research project. This may be a self-contained project conducted mainly by the trainee or be a large trial involving multiple investigators to which the trainee contributes. When the trainee participates in a large trial, a log book of involvement should be presented which has been signed off by the trainee’s nominated formal project supervisor.
- Survey research. You are required to contact the ANZCA trials group coordinator at trialsgroup@anzca.edu.au prior to obtaining formal project approval. The College will facilitate the distribution of survey research that has scientific merit and is of a publishable standard only.
- Any other project which has value from a clinical, scientific or educational perspective, such as:
- A quality assurance project.
- An instructional video.
- A computer program.
- An oral or a poster presentation at an ANZCA annual scientific meeting, Australian Society of Anaesthetists national scientific congress, regional ANZCA/Australian Society of Anaesthetists continuing medical education meeting, New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists/New Zealand National Committee annual scientific meeting, and ANZCA registrars meeting may be accepted as a formal project and must include submission of a 1500-word written report.
Presentations at a meeting having selection criteria of an acceptable standard, other than those stated above require prospective approval by the Director of Professional Affairs assessor. A 1500-word written report must also be submitted.
Possible exemptions from the formal project
- A paper (relevant to clinical anaesthesia, intensive care medicine or pain medicine) published in an indexed and peer-reviewed journal. Letters to editors are excluded.
- A qualification relevant to anaesthesia awarded either before or during vocational training in anaesthesia, conferred by an educational or professional institution, and which requires examination of a written dissertation.
- Diplomas of Fellow of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand and Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
Application for exemption from the formal project requires consideration by the Director of Professional Affairs Assessor.
Further information can be found on the frequently asked questions page.
Useful links
Writing for Publication References ( 16 kB)
Trainees
