Describe the RANZCOG training Program
CORE TRAINING
- 4 yrs total, complete within 6 yrs
- 12 mths in tiertary
- 6 mths rural
- Sufficient knowledge of GONC to have working knowledge of pelvic sidewall
- Prospective approval for training
REQUIREMENTS
- APSS ( Assessment of procedural and surgical skills
- Climate Modules
Workshops ( Basic obstetrics skills, FSEP, Prompt, Neoresus)
- Workplace assessments
- FRANZCOG Written and Oral Exam, x3 goes at each
ADVANCED TRAINING
- 2 yrs total time, complete within 3 yrs
- Prospective approval
- General or subspecialty training
- MFM/UroGyn/GONC/COGU/Reproductive endocrinology + AGES ( Not formal subspecialty
** RANZCOG training alone does not make you a specialist in all areas***
How will you deal with challenges of Rural Rotation
I will thoroughly enjoy rural term having come from a regional area and having an intention to practice regionally in the long term however there are challenges…
- Moving hospital networks + Lack of anonymity
- Small town everyone will know you
- Loss of knowledge of how certain individuals like things done
PROS: I have many years of experiencing this + closer consultant contact + professional relationships + operative experience - Separation from friends and family
- PROS: I have always had a widely spread support network. I have adequate self awareness to reach out - Lack of subspecialties to rely upon
- Less doctors to back you up + need to organise care over distance with Telehealth + transfers
PROS: Junior doctor in regional Victoria for 3 yrs -> lots of experience, Being only O&G registrar in hospital overnight covering a wide area . greater surgical experience given less people vying for exposure
What do you see being the major issues with training in O&G in next 5-10 yrs
- Increasing complexity of patients
- Higher BMI/Comorbidities _. high risk care
- PRO: RANZOCG provides adequate exposure for trainees to learn to manage this risk + MDT care - Lack of surgical exposure and confidence in trainees
- More trainees/Increase sub specialisation/More effective medical therapy
- PRO: Rural term allows development of skills + multiple courses to improve skills - Increasing trend to sub specialisation
- Oversaturation of metropolitan specialists, sub-specialisation is an avenue to work/income
- Increasing needs for O&G in regional areas which demands generalist skills
- PROs: Provincial training program provides generalist skills right way through
What is the role of the college in Womens health
ADVOCACY
- Promoting shared decision making and women centred care both in Australia and abroad
EDUCATION
- Information to patient
- Training Trainee and providing support for trainees and fellows ( CPD, workshops)
- Publications of guidelines
RESEARCH
- supports researchers both in Australia and abroad to improve health outcomes for women
What is the role of simulation in surgical training
Positive influence for following reasons
Improved patient saftey
- Make mistakes without patient consequences
- Progress at least part way through highest risk part of learning
More efficient learning
- Prior exposure in simulation -> increased learning in real life environment, able to get basics down beforehand
Supplements clinical opportunities
- Able to supplement a lack of clinical opportunities given more trainees/increasing sub specialists/better medical therapy
How could the college overcome the issue of lack of procedural/surgical experience for trainees
Lack of experience due to
- Increasing subspecialsists
- More effective medical therapy
Solutions
- Split college into 2 arms
- Increase training time
- Support better simultation
- Improve clinical teaching -> structured learning “ teach the teachers_
- recognising limitations -> FRANZCOG’s can no longer do everything
What is your opinion of an increased proportion of women in training
Increased number of women in training compared to a previously dominated male professional is excellent for women and their families. It promotes women’s centred decision making and increased empathy for clinical situations given increased likelihood of personal experience
2 major issues with a female dominated speciality
- Completely female specialty -> may lead to a more transient workforce
- more female -> possible workforce shortage
- Males can take time off but generally take less
OPTION: increased trainees or more men in training - Gender Monopoly discourages passionate individuals from entering workforce
- Just as male dominated surgical specialities have discouraged excellent trainees from entering their ranks, a female only workforce may lead to a similar phenomenon
- Female dominated workforce may lead to lack of general interest by men in general -> lack of clinical knowledge -> poor patient care
You are giving a talk tp medical students about the pros and cons of a life in O&G
Clearly I think O&G is an excellent career otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here.
Pros
- Intimate exposure to key moment in womens and families lives across the lifespan
- Only true generalist specialist, working as both a physician/surgeon
- Multipel types of careers in O&G: GP O&G
Cons
- Social sacrifices due to work. significant on call component
- RANZCOG: Changing trend in work means less loss of personal time
- High stress environment/emotionally taxing
- RANZCOG has multiple avenues for trainees and fellows to seek support + offer resilience training
What is the role of RANZCOG in supporting you as a fellow in 10 yrs time
- Professional Development ( CPD, workshops)
- Guideline and Protocol development
- Research -> development of population specific EBM
- Advocacy: woman centred care for all
- Fellow/trainee support
