Given the busy holiday season, here are just a few quick notes from the Bi-national Committee for trainees (BCT).

We met at the end of October and discussed ongoing concerns (which have been forwarded by the Board), including dissatisfaction with the aftermath of the Critical Essay Question (CEQ) decision and the frequency with which trainee feedback seems to be sought at a late stage in decision-making, etc. However, there have also been some significant positives – a NZ Deputy Chair to the BCT has been found (formal announcement pending), and there does appear to have been some very genuine trainee involvement in places, for example in looking at recommendations stemming from feedback in the Trainee Engagement Survey.  Additionally, there have been several examples this year of trainee feedback at Accreditation visits making a difference to the working conditions of trainees (although we will wait to see how meaningful and long-lasting these changes are).

Heading into 2026, we’re keen to keep close tabs on the progress and direction of the New Fellowship Progress Taskforce and continue to advocate for fairer and less burdensome assessments, as well as anything else that comes up as important for trainees.