Training Post Accreditation – FAQs

The suggested medical administration workplace experiential opportunities are mapped to the RACMA competencies in the Medical Leadership and Management Curriculum. The progression of a Candidate through the RACMA Curriculum to assessment as a competent medical administrator is based on the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition. The Dreyfus model identifies skills acquisition in terms of Novice, Apprentice, Competent, Proficient and Expert.

For the purposes of training, we require an indication of the level of supervision available in terms of Candidate capability for Novice, Apprentice and Competent:

Novice (N) – Candidate will require close or direct supervision and instruction and has little or no concept of dealing with complexity.

Apprentice (A) – Candidate will require direct and indirect supervision, will be able to achieve some steps to an acceptable standard using own judgement, but supervision needed for overall task.

Competent (C) – Candidate will be able to achieve most tasks using own judgement; fit for purpose, though may lack refinement.

Applications must be submitted to the RACMA Accreditation team via email at accreditation@racma.edu.au

There is no submission deadline for applications for the accreditation of training posts. A training organisation may submit an application for the accreditation of a training post at any time.

Prospective Candidates must be in an accredited or provisionally accredited post to be eligible for entry into the Fellowship Training Program.

Candidates who join the Fellowship Training Program who are already in substantive management positions are required to have their training post accredited. The organisation will need to submit an application for RACMA Accreditation of Training Post.

Each new training post requires accreditation. If a Candidate rotates to a training post that has current accreditation according to RACMA records, re-accreditation or a new application is not required.

An organisation may submit application to accredit a training post without a Candidate in the post. This post will be given provisional accreditation if suitable. Once a Candidate fills the post an accreditation site visit will be scheduled.

A site visit will be scheduled once the required documentation has been received and the post has been granted Provisional Accreditation. The site visit may be conducted in person on site or via video conference.

An Accreditation Panel is established for each visit which comprises of a Jurisdictional Coordinator of Training external to the jurisdiction who will chair the meeting together with the Jurisdictional Training Coordinator for the jurisdiction within which the post is situated. A RACMA staff member will also be in attendance to support the panel throughout the scheduling and interview.

The Accreditation Panel meets with the following people at the site visit:

• Chief Executive Officer or Senior Management representative
• Medical Workforce / Human Resources Manager or representative
• Training Post Supervisor/s
• RACMA Candidate
• Other health setting staff who may be involved in the Candidate’s training

There is no cost to the training organisation for the accreditation of a RACMA training post.

Where gaps or issues are identified with the training post at any time during the accreditation process, the Accreditation Review Committee will work with the organisation to remedy the situation.

Strategies may include formal workplace secondments, a structured training plan with the onsite training supervisor and a discussion with the FRACMA line manager or preceptor.

If a solution cannot be found, the organisation will be advised in writing stating the reasons. Should the situation change, the organisation may reapply for the post to be accredited.

Provisional Accreditation is assigned to the training post when the completed application for Accreditation of Training Post and accompanying documentation have been processed by the College.

The status is assigned prior to a pending the site visit to confirm full accreditation.

Training posts are normally accredited for a period of four years. Substantive (non-Registrar) training posts may be accredited for the term of the Candidacy only.

Re-accreditation is the accreditation of a training post where the accreditation period has expired or is due to expire. Updated documentation will be required for re-accreditation. A site visit for reaccreditation will be scheduled via web conference.

Contact the Accreditation team via email at accreditation@racma.edu.au or via phone on +61 3 9824 4699