Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

FORM Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Application for Short-Term Specified Training

Applicant’s Name:

This document has been developed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) to ascertain whether the specialist or specialist-in-training IMG is a suitable applicant to undertake a short-term specified training position/program and to ensure hospitals offering such positions/programs provide IMGs with:

·  an appropriate scope of work

·  adequate clinical and academic supervision a

·  a designated supervisor

It is essential that the employer/sponsor and/or institution has assessed and verified that the applicant:

·  is an overseas-trained specialist or is an overseas specialist-in-training, having either passed the relevant specialist examinations or is no more than two years from completing specialist training in their country of training;

·  will be undertaking this position (which may include such opportunities as exchange fellowships) for the purpose of specific training or upskilling in their specialty or obtaining experience in their specialty not available in their country of training;

·  has the stated intention of returning to their country of training at the end of the short-term program, which shall not be for a period of longer than two years.

Submission for approval of a short-term training position/program by RACS must include a Position Description and details of the training program as per the College’s prescribed form below.

It is important to note that hospital training positions/programs should not compromise the Surgical Education Training (SET) programs for Australian and New Zealand trainees.

Is this a new short-term training position/program or an extension of a current short-term training position/program?
Specialty / Location (Department, Facility)
Facility Contact Name and Position Title
Contact Email Address: / Phone

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Applicant’s Name:
Position Title:
Position Number:
Proposed Date of commencement and duration of the short-term training position/program:
Reports To:
Division:
Position Location:
Salary - Award and Additional Hours:
Position Objectives:
Responsibilities & Accountabilities:
Required position competencies:
Key Selection Criteria: (including Qualifications, Experience, Personal skills etc)
Mandatory:
Optional:
Senior Management - Contact Person / Contact details:
Senior Clinician - Contact Person / Contact details:

SHORT-TERM TRAINING POSITION/PROGRAM FACILITIES

Submissions for approval of a short-term training position/program by RACS must also include the following information

Education facilities and systems required
All overseas-trained specialists or specialists-in-training wishing to undertake a short-term training position/program in Australia should have access to the appropriate educational facilities and systems required to undertake this
Criteria / Method of Assessment / Minimum Requirements / Essential in the Hospital or within Hospital Network / List of documents attached that substantiate the achievement of minimum criteria.
1.  Tutorial room available / Documented booking and access processes
Feedback from supervisor and IMGS / ·  Tutorial rooms available when required / In the hospital
2.  Access to private study area / Designated study area
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Designated study area/room available isolated from busy clinical areas
·  24-hour access acknowledging security issues / In the hospital
In the hospital
Quality of education, training and learning
Overseas-trained specialists or specialists-in-training in short-term training positions in Australia will have opportunities to participate in a range of activities, the focus of which is to achieve the objectives of the short-term training program position.
Criteria / Method of Assessment / Minimum Requirements / Essential in or by the Hospital or within Hospital Network / List of documents attached that substantiate the achievement of minimum criteria.
3.  Coordinated schedule of
learning experiences for each IMG / Published weekly timetable of activities which incorporate the learning needs of the IMG / ·  Weekly Imaging meeting
·  Access to available formal structured tutorial program(s). / In the hospital
In the hospital
4.  Opportunities for research, inquiry and scholarly activity / Recent or current research funding, publications, current research projects, recognised innovation in medicine, clinical care or medical administration
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Regular research meetings
·  IMGS enabled to access medical records, once ethical approval (if necessary) for the project is obtained
·  Shared responsibility by hospital, surgeons and the College / Within hospital network
Within hospital network
Within hospital network
Surgical supervisors and staff
The short-term training position/program is managed by appropriate and accessible supervisor/s supported by the institution and committed surgeons, delivering regular education, training and feedback.
Criteria / Method of Assessment / Minimum Requirements / Essential in or by the Hospital or within Hospital Network / List of documents attached that substantiate the achievement of minimum criteria.
5.  Designated supervisor of surgical training / Supervisor documentation.
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Clearly identifiable and named supervisor
·  FRACS in relevant specialty ± Member or Fellow of relevant specialty association or society
·  Regularly available and accessible to IMGS / In the hospital
In the hospital
In the hospital
6.  Supervisor’s role/
responsibilities / Hospital documentation regarding supervisor’s role/responsibilities in keeping with College requirements
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Supervisor complies with RACS requirements as published on College website (responsibility for ensuring compliance shared by Supervisor, Hospital and RACS)
·  Supervisor participates in RACS supervisors’ courses/meetings / In the hospital
In the hospital
7.  Specialist surgical staff appropriately qualified to carry out specified surgical training / Documentation of qualifications of specialist surgical staff / ·  Surgeons have FRACS or RACS recognised equivalent in that specialty and current experience in subspecialty areas where required for the specified training / In the hospital
8.  Surgeons committed to the specified training program / Weekly scheduled educational activities of surgeons
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Surgeons attend scheduled educational and audit meetings / In the hospital
In the hospital
9.  Regular supervision, workplace-based assessment and feedback to IMGS / Documentation of hospital/
department practices relating to supervision, workplace-based assessment and feedback to IMGS
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Goals discussed and agreed between surgeon and IMG at the commencement of period of specified training.
·  One-to-one regular supervision
·  One-to-one constructive feedback on performance every three months
·  Opportunities provided for IMG to rectify any weaknesses
·  One-to-one discussion on RACS formal assessment form
·  Workplace-based assessment tools to be introduced gradually and after surgeons have had the opportunity to participate in the College course on the use of these tools
(responsibility for compliance shared by surgeons and hospital) / In the hospital
In the hospital
In the hospital
In the hospital
In the hospital
Clinical load and theatre sessions
Overseas trained specialists or overseas specialist-in-training undertaking a short-term training position/program must have access to a range and volume of clinical and operative experience which will enable them to acquire further experience in their specialty and/or obtain experience in their specialty not available in their country of training.
Criteria / Method of Assessment / Minimum Requirements / Essential in or by the Hospital or within Hospital Network / List of documents attached that substantiate the achievement of minimum criteria.
10.  Supervised out patient (consultative) clinics. / Documentation on frequency of consultative clinics
Documentation which shows IMGS see new and follow-up patients
Documentation on alternatives provided if no consultative clinics available in the hospital / ·  IMGS attend a minimum of one consultative clinic per week
·  IMGS see new and follow-up patients under supervision
·  IMGS attend alternative supervised consultative clinics / In the hospital
In the hospital
Outside the hospital
11.  Consultant led ward rounds with educational as well as clinical goals / Documentation on the frequency of consultant led scheduled ward rounds
Feedback from IMGS / ·  Two per week
·  Teaching of IMGS on each ward round / In the hospital
In the hospital
12.  Caseload and casemix / Summary statistics of number and casemix of surgical cases managed by the relevant specialty in the previous year
Number and casemix of surgical cases managed by each IMGs’ team over the previous year / ·  Regular elective and/or acute admissions.
·  Number and casemix varies between specialties and the focus is on competence acquisition. / In the hospital
In the hospital
13.  Operative experience for IMGS / Documentation of weekly theatre schedule
Evidence of IMGS’ exposure to emergency operative surgery where relevant. / ·  Minimum of three elective theatre sessions per week per specialist IMG (focus is on opportunities to gain required competencies and is based on a combination of theatre time, case numbers and casemix)
·  No conflicting service demands which interfere with required operative experience by IMG
·  Number and level of surgical procedures varies with the specified training program.
·  Rosters and work schedules enable IMG to participate in emergency surgery where appropriate. / In the hospital
In the hospital
In the hospital
14.  Experience in Perioperative care / Clinical examination rooms available
Timetable of postoperative ward rounds / ·  Adequate rooms available to enable appropriate clinical examination of all preoperative patients
·  Scheduled daily postoperative ward rounds / In the hospital
In the hospital
Equipment and clinical support services
A hospital must have the facilities, equipment and clinical support services required to manage surgical cases in a particular specialty.
15.  Facilities and equipment available to carry out diagnostic and therapeutic surgical procedures / Hospital has the accredited status to undertake
surgery / ·  Evidence of accreditation by ACHS or NZCHS to undertake surgical care
*See individual specialty
websites (Appendix2) for specific requirements / In the hospital
16.  Support/ancillary services / Documentation of services
Feedback from surgeons and IMGS / ·  Physiotherapy, rehabilitation, social work
·  Specialty specific, e.g. breast care nurse/stoma therapist/speech therapist/audiologist/
prosthetics/photographic
*See individual specialty websites (Appendix 2) for specialty specific requirements / In the hospital or off site
In the hospital or within network
Clinical governance, quality and safety
A hospital involved in surgical training and short-term training must be fully accredited and have the governance structure to deliver and monitor safe surgical practices.
17.  Hospital Credentialing or Privileging Committee / Documentation of Credentialing or Privileging Committee and its activities / ·  Clinicians credentialed at least every 5 years / Within hospital network
18.  Surgical audit and peer review program / Documentation of audit and peer review program for unit / ·  Monthly audit review of morbidity/mortality
·  All surgical staff participate
·  Opportunity for IMGS to participate / In the hospital
In the hospital
In the hospital

1

Document Owner: Senior Manager, IMG Assessments Version: 1 30/7/2009 Ref. No. DIV_DEPT_XX]