Communications and advocacy update: 6 July 2023
6 July 2023
Here’s an update on a few of the issues AMA Victoria is working on for members, including:
- RANZCO rule change regarding applying for and sitting RANZCO examinations whilst on Interrupted Training
- Need for consistent nationwide regulation of e-scooters.
RANZCO rule change regarding applying for and sitting RANZCO examinations whilst on Interrupted Training
AMA Victoria has recently written to RANZCO concerning a recent rule change regarding applying for and sitting RANZCO examinations whilst on Interrupted Training.
We understand that currently RANZCO trainees on interrupted training are not eligible to register for, or sit any RANZCO examination, whilst on Interrupted Training except if on parental leave, but that that this rule has recently been amended to exclude trainees on parental leave from being able to register for, or sit RANZCO examinations, effective January 2024.
In writing to RANZCO, we noted recent research findings by Kevric et al (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.943112) that found that ”female doctors delay starting and completing their family due to work-related demands and structural biases in career progression, which may result in higher infertility and pregnancy complication rates”.
AMA Victoria concurs with the assertion of Mohan et al (Surgical trainees' experience of pregnancy, maternity and paternity leave: a cross-sectional study - PubMed (nih.gov)) that “Internationally, supporting surgical trainees during pregnancy, maternity and paternity leave is essential for trainee well-being and for retention of high-calibre surgeons, regardless of their parental status.”
Therefore, we have respectfully asked RANZCO to reconsider this rule change, and have further requested to meet the college to discuss the rationale for RANZCO’s change in examination rule regarding Interrupted Training, and the potential consequences of the change on current and prospective RANZCO trainees.
We will update members on RANZCO’s response.
Need for consistent nationwide regulation of e-scooters
Following on from our previous state-based advocacy on this issue (Communications and advocacy update: 25 January (amavic.com.au); Communications and Advocacy update: 23 March (amavic.com.au)), AMA Victoria has written to the Australian Government to call for consistent nationwide regulation of e-scooters.
AMA Victoria’s position is that e-scooter use is largely underregulated and has the potential to cause unnecessary injury.
AMA Victoria supports all states and territories adopting a nationally consistent, optimised Australian Road Rules model regulatory framework for the legal use of escooters, and in our letter we called on the Australian Government to facilitate this. It is our view that this framework may be different to that regarding other current and emerging personal mobility devices, and should be evidence designed to optimise safety and accident/injury prevention and decrease the burden of health costs on the Australian community.
We will update members on the Australian Government’s response.
