Annual report 2010 - Australian and New Zealand College of ...

primary and finalexaminationscontinuedinternational medicalgraduate specialists(IMGS)During 2010, international medical graduate specialists (IMGSs) assessed assubstantial comparable (SC) are required to undertake a period of 12 monthsof clinical practice assessment (CPA) under oversight and a workplace-basedassessment (WBA) to be eligible to apply for fellowship of ANZCA.An IMGS assessed as partially comparable (PC) is required to undertake aperiod of up to 24 months of CPA plus an examination to be eligible to applyfor fellowship. All IMGSs who are categorised as either PC or SC are alsorequired to provide evidence of having completed an Effective Managementof Anaesthetic Crises (EMAC) course (or similar) and to show participationin continuing professional development activities.Cecil Gray PrizeThe Court of Examiners recommendedthat the Cecil Gray Prize for the half-yearending December 31, 2010 be awarded to:Dr Sheila Hart (NZ)Merit CertificatesMerit certificates were awarded to:Dr Charles Warren(NSW)Dr Edward Debenham (WA)Dr Ross Keen(NSW)Dr Joanne Yeo(NSW)Dr Jacobus Geertsema (Vic)International medical graduatespecialists – performance assessmentTwo assessments were held in 2010.March/May 2010Twelve candidates presented for theinternational medical graduate specialists(IMGS) – performance assessment inMelbourne of which three candidateswere successful.August/October 2010Twenty-five (25) candidates presentedfor the international medical graduatespecialist – performance assessmentin Sydney and 12 candidates weresuccessful.Certificate in Diving and HyperbaricMedicineThere were no applications to sitthe diving and hyperbaric medicineexamination in 2010. As a consequence,the College did not hold one.Any IMGS categorised as not comparable(NC) was not accepted in to the IMGSassessment pathway.In Australia, the requirements to becompleted in order to gain recognitionas a specialist in anaesthesia and thosefor eligibility to apply for fellowship ofANZCA are the same. In New Zealand,the criteria for eligibility for vocationalregistration are set by the New ZealandMedical Council following consultationwith the College. The requirementsfor eligibility to apply for fellowship ofANZCA are set by the College.Highlights• 95 IMGS applications were assessed inAustralia and New Zealand during 2010.• 27 WBAs were undertaken in Australiaduring 2010.• 12 WBAs were undertaken inNew Zealand during 2010.• The IMGS Committee now has fivemembers who became Fellows viathe IMGS route.• 76 IMGSs became Fellows during 2010• 1 IMGS was elected to fellowship underregulation 6.3.A number of changes were approved byCouncil in 2010. In Australia the IMGSCommittee undertook a review of theassessment processes for IMGSs with aview to implementing a revised processon February 1, 2011. The new processeswere developed in consultation with therelevant medical boards/councils. Two ofthe key changes to the IMGS assessmentprocess are:• Expanded criteria for exemption fromthe written section of the examination.• That the timeframe for completionof all requirements for eligibilityfor recommendation for specialistrecognition and admission to fellowshipof the College has been reduced fromfive years to four years in line withregistration limitations imposed bythe Medical Board of Australia.During 2010, the College assessed 72IMGSs in Australia. Assessments weremade by four-member panels whichincluded community representation.Interviews were held, on average, oncea month. Criteria assessed includedtraining in comparison with the FANZCA,training program, specialist qualificationand practice as a specialist, experienceas a specialist, and participation incontinuing education and qualityassurance activities by participation ina program comparable to the ANZCAcontinuing professional development(CPD) program.Countries of IMGS origin includedCanada (three), Egypt (two), Germany(eight), India (11), Ireland (two), Israel(one), Malaysia (two), Nigeria (one),Pakistan (one), Slovakia (one), SouthAfrica (10), Sri Lanka (one), Trinidadand Tobago (one), Turkey (one), UnitedKingdom (24), United States (three).Of these applicants, 16 have not yetagreed to attend an interview, 27were determined to be substantiallycomparable (SC), 22 were determinedto be partially comparable (PC), ofwhich 18 require a clinical practiceassessment period of 12 months, eightwere determined to require 24 monthsand one was determined to require18 months.Seven applications were determined tobe not comparable (NC) on the basis thatthe gap between their training and thatrequired for FANZCA was too great forthe IMGS process.During 2010, 76 IMGS were admittedto fellowship.Area of need assessmentsDuring 2010, 16 area of need (AON)assessments, including applicationsfor extension, were undertaken by thedirector of professional affairs (IMGS),according to the College document“Anaesthesia services for areas of need inAustralia”. Of the 16 primary applications,nine have commenced in positions andeight have commenced in the IMGSprocess.New ZealandIn New Zealand, the Medical Council ofNew Zealand (MCNZ) refers overseastrained specialist applications forvocational registration to the College forassessment. As part of that assessmentfor the MCNZ, the College also assessesthe applicant for requirements he or sheneeds to meet for eligibility to apply forfellowship of ANZCA.In 2010, the NZ National Committeeassessed 23 IMGSs. Countries oforigin included Germany (four), Ireland(one), UK (eight), Belgium (one), CzechRepublic (one), South Africa (two), India(one), Sweden (two), US (three).Of these applicants, nine weredetermined to be substantiallycomparable, 11 were determined to bepartially comparable. All were required tocomplete 12 months of clinical practiceassessment. Three were considered tobe not comparable and were thereforenot eligible to enter the ANZCAIMGS pathway.18 ANZCA Annual Report 2010ANZCA Annual Report 2010 19