The Dean's reflection: July

A great privilege as Executive Dean is hearing directly from Fellows and Trainees about their experiences of psychiatric training. The conversations reveal not only where training succeeds but where it needs to evolve.

In early July, I met with DoTs and a trainee leader in Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand, where we discussed the importance of sharing key educational data to inform better decision making. This aligns to future directions within the College as we strive to sequentially gather high-quality data, identify emerging trends, analyse them rigorously and translate those insights into better educational decisions. 

More recently I caught up with psychiatrists based in an urban private practice in Southeast Queensland and we detailed the core capabilities that are central to psychiatric training. We agreed that formulation, psychopathology and clinical curiosity must provide the foundations of excellence in psychiatric practice. The conversation then moved onto the need for the curriculum to better reflect contemporary specialist practice. That is to say strengthening preparation for high-prevalence disorders in the settings where many psychiatrists will ultimately work.

Against this backdrop, this month’s reflection spotlights the extensive work of the New Fellowship Program Taskforce as we transform training and assessment to develop a curriculum that achieves these ambitions. Through more than 160 submissions and 40 consultation sessions, we are identifying patterns, testing assumptions and generating insights to inform the future of Fellowship training.

Consultation continues, with recurring themes emerging across stakeholder groups, and concludes on 20 August. To everyone who has contributed, thank you for the time, thought and candour you have brought to this process. We are now focused on ensuring these contributions inform the final recommendations to the Board.

While the Chair, A/Prof Simon Stafrace, continues to lead the work and provide excellent column updates, I would like to share some additional educational context about where we are at, where we are travelling, and why. Do note for current Fellows and trainees, the endorsements below do not change training requirements today. Rather, they provide the foundation upon which the future Fellowship Program will be designed and tested over the coming years.

Following the June meeting, the RANZCP Board endorsed the Taskforce's vision. At its heart, this vision is about producing patient centred and clinically excellent psychiatrists who are prepared to meet the challenges of the future while fulfilling the social contract that underpins our profession.

A statement alone does not create change. Its value lies in providing a clear direction for future decision making. As we design the new Fellowship Program, this vision acts as our North Star, guiding choices about what, where and how we teach, assess and prioritise.

For example, the increasing prevalence of conditions such as anxiety and depression, alongside growing demand for mental health care in the community, requires us to support innovative models of education delivery. This includes strengthening collaboration with primary care and supporting training across practice settings.

Equally important was the endorsement by the Board of a five-year training program structured across three phases to commence in 2030. Central to this model is a clear purpose for each stage of training and a deliberate focus on key transitions to prepare psychiatrists for independent practice.

A third significant endorsement was the return of an external clinical examination within phase 2 of the 2030 training program. This followed recognition that a clinical examination remains a critical mechanism for assuring standards and maintaining public confidence in Fellowship.

Importantly, the reintroduction of a clinical examination also allows greater clarity of purpose across the assessment program that incorporates work-based assessments, external examinations and a reflective portfolio. Work-based assessments can focus on their primary purpose of providing formative feedback to support learning, self regulation and development, while the clinical examination can serve a summative role in assuring competence against expected standards blue printed across the core capabilities.

There is still much work to be done before implementation of a new curriculum, and a FAQ page provides additional detail. As the Taskforce completes its work and provides its final report and recommendations in October, we will move into a new phase. The next three years provide an opportunity to design, test and refine the new Fellowship Program carefully. Ongoing consultation, piloting and ongoing evaluation will remain central throughout implementation.

Equally important is creating the conditions for success within the College itself. Delivering a contemporary curriculum requires contemporary educational infrastructure. We are therefore strengthening educational capability across the College and adopting a more explicit educational lens in our work.

Alongside transforming training and assessment, future educational priorities include improving trainee experience and wellbeing, strengthening supervisor development, enhancing digital maturity, understanding workforce impact and embedding social accountability across our purposes.

Finally, I would like to reflect on the Medical Deans Conference recently held in Christchurch where I met fellow psychiatry education leaders and colleagues; Professor Rebecca Anglin, Dean at the University of Notre Dame, Associate Professor Caryln Barnes, Director of the Sydney Medical program and Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Head of the School of Medicine, ANU. These conversations reinforced that many of the challenges we face are shared. By learning from one another and working collaboratively across the educational continuum, we increase our collective capacity to succeed.

I left the Medical Deans meeting concluding that curricula are judged not by the documents they produce but by the psychiatrists they develop. If we continue to listen carefully, design thoughtfully and work together, I am confident we can create a Fellowship Program that prepares psychiatrists not only for the practice of today, but for the changing needs of the communities they will serve for decades to come.

Warm regards,

Professor Andy Teodorczuk
Executive Dean of Education