Over the past year, the College has undertaken significant work to develop a pathway to Fellowship for long-standing Affiliate members whose sustained professional practice, contribution to psychiatry and engagement with the College have been evident over many years.

The Board has provided clear direction that the pathway be bi-national, maintain the integrity of Fellowship standards and be supported by appropriate governance, assessment and oversight.

I am pleased to share that applications will open next month for a time-limited Affiliates Pathway to Fellowship for eligible members in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The pathway arose from our commitment to improving the experience of Affiliate members, particularly the substantial cohort in Aotearoa New Zealand, and has developed into a unified bi-national initiative. It recognises the valuable contribution Affiliate members make to psychiatric practice, education, supervision and our health systems across both countries.

Importantly, this pathway does not diminish or bypass the standards required for admission to Fellowship. Rather, it provides a defined route through which experienced, long-standing Affiliate members can demonstrate that they meet College-determined Fellowship standards, with appropriate recognition of their specialist practice, professional standing, College engagement and continuing professional development.

To be eligible to apply, Affiliate members must meet all approved criteria, including at least seven years of specialist practice in good standing with continual specialist registration, and compliance with applicable continuing professional development requirements. Applicants will also be required to complete a multi-source feedback assessment and participate in a case-based discussion.

Specialist registration or Affiliate membership alone does not confer eligibility or guarantee admission to Fellowship. Specialist registration authorises a psychiatrist to practise within a jurisdiction; it does not, in itself, establish that the standards for RANZCP Fellowship have been met. Admission to Fellowship will remain dependent on applicants satisfying the pathway’s eligibility and assessment requirements and providing evidence that the College’s standards have been achieved.

The pathway will operate for a limited period of three years, and will be subject to ongoing oversight, monitoring and evaluation. This approach will help address the backlog of Affiliate members seeking Fellowship while ensuring the pathway is implemented fairly and consistently.

In the longer term, the College will explore opportunities to align this pathway with existing comparability and SIMG pathways, supporting a more unified and consistent approach across entry routes to Fellowship.

I thank the members, committees and staff whose thoughtful work, feedback and engagement have contributed to the development of this pathway. In particular, I would like to acknowledge Dr Hiran Thabrew, Professor Andrew Teodorczuk, Associate Professor Raju Lakshmana, Damian Ferrie, and Anita Hill for their leadership and close collaboration throughout the development of this pathway.

Further information, including detailed eligibility criteria, application timelines, fees and assessment processes, will be communicated in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact affiliatespathway@ranzcp.org.