Implementation of Mandatory Participation in CEP

Implementation of Mandatory Participation in the RACMA Continuing Education Program  Approval Date: 29th August 2007 Review Date: August 2010 Review By: Continuing Education Program Committee 1. Purpose This documents outlines the policy and process around the implementation of Mandatory Participation in the RACMA Continuing Education Program and the associated implications for the College. 2. Background A central objective of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators is “…to establish and maintain the highest standards of learning, skill and conduct by medical practitioners engaged in health services administration…” (Source: RACMA Constitution). At the Council Meeting held on 27 February 2004, Council resolved that “… future Fellows of the College to be advised that Fellowship of the College is contingent upon their participation in the College CEP program with a view to all active Fellows participating in CEP by the year 2007. This proposal to be highlighted at the 2004 AGM…” (Source: Council Minutes of meeting on 27/2/2004, Item 4.1). Council has also determined that “…Each Fellow or Member unless exempted by the Chairman of the Board of Continuing Education/Recertification or Council shall participate in an approved continuing education programme of the College…”(Source: RACMA Regulations- Item 19). This policy outlines the key issues and decision points related to implementation of Mandatory Participation in the RACMA Continuing Education Program. 3. Policy guidelines 1. Good Standing RACMA Fellows and Members are expected to participate in the College’s Continuing Education Program, and such participation is essential to the Fellow being ‘in good standing’ with the College. Evidence of participation will be taken as an indicator of the Fellow’s continuing medical management development, and of the maintenance of professional standards in the practice of medical management. 2. Elements of the Continuing Education Program Commitment to participate in continuing professional education through the RACMA Continuing Education Program includes the following elements: · The Continuing Education Program (CEP) shall be developed, promoted, monitored and evaluated by the Continuing Education Program Committee, chaired by the National Director, Continuing Education/Recertification. Significant changes to the Program will require Council approval. · RACMA CEP has a triennial cycle, commencing with the development of a CEP Plan, which is submitted to their local CEP Coordinator or agreed by the members of their learning group. Every three years a Fellow or Member shall complete a report of activities undertaken in their CEP, which will be endorsed by their local CEP Coordinator and forwarded to the National Director, Continuing Education/Recertification for certification, including the issuing of a Certificate of Participation in the Continuing Education Program. · Fellows and Members are required to maintain ongoing records of their CEP activities, and may be requested to participate in annual random audits of this documentation. · For conjoint Fellows, the activities undertaken with another comparable college program may be considered to fulfil the RACMA requirements as long as they contribute to the development or maintenance of RACMA management competencies. Evidence of participation (as provided by the other college) must be provided through the standard approval process of the College, that is, via the appropriate local RACMA CEP Co-ordinator. · Fellows and Members who work overseas may submit activities undertaken overseas for recognition for RACMA CEP, provided these activities are undertaken to contribute to the development, or maintenance, of RACMA management competencies and the medical management role of the Fellow. Evidence of participation must be submitted to the National Director CEP/Recertification in the standard RACMA format. In the case of Hong Kong Fellows and Members, evidence of participation will be submitted to the CEP Co-ordinator Hong Kong, and then forwarded to the National Director for certification. · A random audit of 10% of Fellows and 10% of Members will be undertaken each year, requiring the submission of documentation as determined by the National Director of CEP/Recertification. · Fellows and Members must submit the required documentation for the purposes of certification through the College approval process in order to be considered to have fulfilled the requirements of mandatory participation. 3. Exemption from the Requirement to Participate in RACMA CEP There are two main reasons why exemption from participation in CEP may be granted. a) Some categories of membership are not required to participate in RACMA CEP, although they are encouraged to do so. These categories are: · Life Fellows · Honorary Fellows · Fellows and Members who are fully retired, that is, no longer routinely working in any field of medical management b) In the case of periods of protracted leave, where an exemption has been applied for and granted. Leave for this purpose is defined as a continuous period during which no practice of medical management is undertaken. In the case of requests for extended leave, that is, for longer than one year, exemption will be considered on a case-by case basis, and if granted, will be reviewed annually. Examples include maternity or paternity leave, sick leave and long service leave. The process for obtaining an exemption is as follows: The Fellow/Member writes to the College requesting exemption, and stating the reasons for the request. This will be considered by the National Director Continuing Education/Recertification, who may also consult the local CEP Coordinator. The National Director’s recommendation regarding exemption is then presented to Council, which gives final approval. Those Fellows/Members in the specific categories in (a) above are automatically granted exemption by nature of their category of membership. 4. Implications of Non-Participation Fellows and Members who do not maintain current CEP participation, other than those with approved exemptions, will be considered to not be in Good Standing with the College, and shall not be able to: · Act as Supervisors, Preceptors or Censors · Serve on the College Council or committees · Represent RACMA on national bodies or in other functions · Use their RACMA post-nominals in any way It is proposed that from January 2009, a list of Fellows and Members actively participating in the College’s CEP will be published on the public section of the RACMA web site annually.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 20 May 2008 )