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Eligibility to Election to Fellowship

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Approval Date: December 2017
Endorsed by: Board of Censors and Education and Training Committee
Next Review Date: December 2018

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Regulation is to outline the requirements for eligibility for election to Fellowship in the specialty of medical administration with The Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators. The Regulation defines breaches in training towards fellowship that may lead to non-eligibility for election to Fellowship.


SCOPE

This regulation is relevant to all Candidates training towards Fellowship with RACMA, from 2018.  


POLICY STATEMENT 

The Fellowship Training Program is delivered as four learning and assessment programs:

·      Health system science (HSS);
·      Medical Management Practice (MMP);
·      Research Training (RT); and 
·      Personal and Professional Leadership Development (PPLD).

It has been agreed that candidates must perform ‘satisfactorily’ in each Program, within specified time periods, in order to be eligible for membership of the College in the category of Fellow. 

RACMA candidacy may be conducted in accredited posts on a part-time (at least half-time) or full-time basis. It is expected that completion of the requirements for Fellowship will take three to four (full-time equivalent) years, over a maximum period of eight consecutive calendar years (notwithstanding approved suspensions for illness, travel or parenting duties).

Training progress will be identified in the In Training Assessments and e-Training Logs which are monitored by the Training Progress Committee.

Oral Examination results are reported to the ETC via the Board of Censors. Collation of Candidates’ completed FTP training requirements for election to Fellowship will be presented to the Faculty Board which will make eligibility recommendations to the Education and Training Committee.

The Education and Training Committee will consider Faculty Board recommendations and forward to the RACMA Board’s approval, those candidates who are deemed eligible for College membership in the category of Fellow.



TRAINING ELIGIBILITY FOR FELLOWSHIP  

To ensure currency of learning summative assessment activities are aligned appropriately with the learning objectives of each program, and are assessed as satisfactory within timeframes as follows:

 

·      In the Health System Science program, it is required that an accredited Master’s program is completed within the relevant University’s time frame or within sixcalendar years of commencement of candidacy; 

·      In the Research Training program, it will continue to be required that a health service evaluation research project is completed, and that a written report is satisfactory within six calendar years of commencement of candidacy;

·      In the Personal and Professional Leadership Development program, it will be required that successful participation in identified formative learning activities is demonstrated within eight calendar years of commencement of candidacy; 

·      In the Medical Management Practice program, it will be required that

o   competence in (beyond ‘experience of’) supervised medical management practice will be achieved and maintained for a minimum of four full-time equivalent years and a maximum of eight calendar years, and

o   satisfactory performance in a nationally organised Oral Examination will be demonstrated within eight calendar years. (Candidates must demonstrate that they are employed in an accredited training post at the time of application for the Oral Examination.) There is a cap of three attempts at the Oral Examination. 

·      Candidates who entered training in or prior to 2017 may have special arrangements that will be agreed as the Fellowship Training Program transitions from a three-four-year program with an Exit Oral Examination to the four-year program with the retained Oral Examination as a component of the MMPP.


ELIGIBILITY FOR FELLOWSHIP

To be eligible for election to Fellowship

·      All training and assessment activities must be satisfactorily completed within the agreed timeframes, and this success has been verified by the Faculty Board;
·      Candidates must be registered with AHPRA at the time of application to Fellowship
·      Candidates must be in good financial standing and have no outstanding College Membership or Training Fees at the time of application (see Section 9.3 College Constitution) 
·      Application for Fellowship must have been made on the prescribed Application for Election to Fellowship document and relevant application fees must have been paid.

The College provides AHPRA with a list of those who have successfully completed all the requirements of the Fellowship Training Program for the purposes of registration in the specialty of medical administration. 



FAILURE TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR FELLOWSHIP

Candidates will not be awarded Fellowship unless and until all the requirements and obligations of the Fellowship Training Program as specified under sections 5.21 – 5.28 in the RACMA Constitution are met. 

The Faculty Board may identify that a candidate is not compliant with the conditions of candidacy because

·      The candidate is no longer a registered medical practitioner
·      Fees have not been paid within the specified timeframes
·      The candidate is no longer employed in an accredited post
·      The candidate has failed to satisfactorily complete a Program of learning or assessment within regulated timeframes (e.g. three unsuccessful attempts at Oral Examination); or

·      The candidate withdraws from the FTP

Based on the above, the Faculty Board may recommend to the Education and Training Committee, and for forwarding to the RACMA Board, that a particular Candidacy should be suspended or revoked. Candidates may appeal this decision in accordance with the Policy for Reconsideration, Review and Appeal against the decisions made by the College Committee or Officer.

This recommendation will go to the RACMA Board for its deliberation, and consideration of revocation of the individual from the membership category of ‘Candidate’.

The RACMA Board may consider the following options: 

·      A grant of additional limited time in which to complete any outstanding requirements to comply with this Regulation, or
·      A requirement to complete additional assessment of competence

If there is a wish on the part of the Candidate to complete the Fellowship Training Program, the Candidate will be required to apply for a Request for Extension or Special Consideration.   In making these applications, Candidates will be required to show cause, based on compelling and legitimate grounds, why continuation in the Fellowship Training Program is appropriate. 

Withdrawal or Taking Leave from the FTP

A Candidate may withdraw from candidacy at any time and as a result his membership with the College will cease. 

Candidates may apply for Leave during the FTP and can do so for 2 consecutive years. On return a Candidate may be required to complete new assignments, or extra learning to bring her/him into alignment with contemporary practice. 

RE-APPLICATION FOR CANDIDACY

In the event that Candidacy is revoked, the Candidate may re-apply for Candidacy and apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).  The application for re-entry will be considered in accordance with relevant existing regulations and will need to be reviewed by the Training Progress Committee and/or Faculty Board. Special conditions may be applied fora renewal of candidacy.

CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP STATUS

Should a Candidate exceed the permitted training time or the permitted number of examination attempts, or decide to withdraw from the FTP after satisfactory completion of 12 months of learning; and not wish to maintain or re-new candidacy, s/he may apply to join the Associate Fellow (AFRACMA) category of membership, in accordance with the Regulation for Candidates to transfer to AFRACMA. This request is to be endorsed by the Faculty Board for recommendation to the Education and Training Committee.

APPEALS

A Candidate may seek reconsideration/review and appeal against any decisions or outcomes made in relation to their Candidacy or eligibility for election to Fellowship. The relevant policy is the Policy for Reconsideration, Review and Appeals against of the College Officers and/or College Committees. All College Policies and Regulations are located on the RACMA website. 


DOCUMENTATION USED

·      Policy for Reconsideration, Review and Appeals against the decisions made by the College Officers and Committees 
·      Policy for Requesting an Extension for Assessments in the Fellowship Training Program
·      Policy for Special Consideration for the Oral Examination 
·      Policy for Special Consideration for the Research Project Oral Presentation 
·      Policy for Deferral, Taking Leave or Withdrawal from the Fellowship Training Program 
·      Policy for Discrimination, Harassment, Bullying and Victimisation
·      RACMA Privacy Policy 
·      Regulation for the Conduct of Oral Examination
·      Policy for Supervised Practice
·      College Handbook
·      RTP Handbook
·      RACMA Training Calendar 
·      RACMA Constitution