Certificates of Advanced Training
In addition to general psychiatry training, the RANZCP offers Certificates of Advanced Training in various areas of practice to enable trainees and Fellows to extend their training in the field.
Certificates of Advanced Training can be undertaken by RANZCP trainees and RANZCP Fellows. SIMG candidates must achieve Fellowship before undertaking a Certificate of Advanced Training.
Completion of all Fellowship requirements is necessary for eligibility to receive a Certificate of Advanced Training.
Trainees undertaking a Certificate of Advanced Training program and Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program concurrently must follow the requirements for both programs.
This page contains information about:
A print version [PDF; 98 KB] of the information on this page is available.
Selection criteria – all Certificates of Advanced Training
Certificates of Advanced Training cannot be commenced until a trainee is eligible to enter Stage 3 of the 2012 Fellowship Program and has satisfied the selection criteria of the relevant certificate (outlined below).
.Application to commence a Certificate of Advanced Training [PDF; 162 KB]
The following mandatory selection criteria will be effective for the selection processes related to Certificate of Advanced Training entry from rotation two, 2016.
For more detail, please refer to the Progression through training policy [PDF; 71 KB].
In order to be eligible to enter any of the seven Certificates of Advanced Training, trainees must have at least:
- passed the MCQ exam
- participated in an interview with the relevant Director of Advanced Training (DOAT) or their delegate (where progression in other assessments can be considered, e.g. Essay-style exam, Psychotherapy Written Case, OSCE or Scholarly Project)
- been formally selected to the Certificate of Advanced Training.
Trainees who have been selected for a Certificate of Advanced Training must notify the College.
.Advanced Training Selection Notification [PDF; 88 KB]
Additional selection criteria – Certificate of Advanced Training in Forensic Psychiatry
In addition to the above selection criteria, in order to be eligible for selection into the Certificate of Advanced Training in Forensic Psychiatry, trainees must have also:
- passed either the Psychotherapy Written Case or the Scholarly Project or the Essay Examinations (Both the Modified Essay Questions [MEQ] and Critical Question [CEQ] Examinations).
Additional selection criteria – Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies
In addition to the above selection criteria, in order to be eligible for selection into the Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies, trainees must have also:
- completed the required minimum 40 psychotherapy sessions towards the Psychotherapy Written Case. A letter from the psychotherapy supervisor confirming the completion of the psychotherapy sessions must be provided on application.
Mandatory requirements – all Certificate programs (except psychotherapies)
For all Certificates of Advanced Training (except psychotherapies) there are mandatory training requirements (outlined below) in addition to specific training requirements that apply to each Certificate (see relevant Certificate page).
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Pre-Fellowship trainees must be in accredited training posts; Fellows in training must have their position reviewed and approved by their Director of Advanced Training (DOAT) to ensure they can fulfil the requirements of the Certificate of Advanced Training program.
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Trainees and Fellows-in-training must attain two summative Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) per 6-month FTE rotation (up to 3 months FTE requires the attainment of 1 EPA).
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A minimum of three Workplace-Based Assessments (WBAs) are required to contribute to the evidence base for each required EPA.
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Trainees and Fellows-in-training are able to attain extra Stage 3 Fellowship (FELL) EPAs in addition to the two EPAs per 6-month FTE rotation required of their Certificate of Advanced Training.
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Fellows in Training are not required to attain EPAs following the completion of 24 months FTE training time towards one certificate.
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Trainees and Fellows-in-training must complete a mandatory minimum of one Observed Clinical Activity (OCA) WBA during each 6-month FTE rotation as per the specific training requirements of their Certificate of Advanced Training.
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Trainees and Fellows in training must submit a summative end-of-rotation ITA form to the College training team within 60 days of the completion of a rotation.
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Failure to submit the ITA form within 60 days will result in a letter being sent which reminds the trainee/Fellow in training to submit the ITA form within 30 days (of the date of correspondence).
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Continued non-receipt of the ITA form 30 days from the date of correspondence will result in a failed ITA form and rotation unless exceptional circumstances¹ have been accepted by the College on a case-by-case basis.
¹Exceptional circumstances: Where relevant, the DOAT may recommend in writing that a trainee/Fellow in training receive a specified amount of extra time for the completion of an assessment(s) due to exceptional circumstances. The DOAT does not have the authority to determine when a case is exceptional or to grant an extension; this will be done by the Committee for Training (CFT) on a case-by-case basis.
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Clinical supervision for trainees must be maintained at a minimum of 4 hours per week over 40 weeks for full-time trainees. Of these hours, at least 1 hour per week must be individual supervision of a trainee’s current clinical work.
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Fellows-in-training are required to undertake 1 hour per week of individual clinical supervision for at least 40 weeks of the year.
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Trainees undertaking non-clinical training are encouraged to maintain their clinical currency by spending at least 0.2 FTE or 1 day per week in direct clinical work (in an accredited training post); however, the College acknowledges that this is not always feasible.
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Trainees must undertake after-hours and emergency duties required by being in an accredited training post.
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Where a trainee believes there are exceptional circumstances that would prevent them from undertaking these duties, they should submit an application for exemption from after-hours experience for a specified or temporary time period to their employer and should notify their DOAT of this application.
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If approved, this exemption must be communicated to the Branch Training Committee.
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Training undertaken in the Fellowship Program prior to acceptance into a Certificate of Advanced Training Program cannot be converted to or granted as RPL toward that Certificate. For information on RPL, please refer to the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Procedure [PDF; 83 KB].
.Recognition of Prior Learning form [PDF; 230 KB]
.RPL additional evidence page (if required) [PDF; 64 KB]
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Certificate of Advanced Training months can only be credited upon acceptance into the Certificate of Advanced Training program. Any training completed under the 2012 Fellowship Program, prior to the Certificate of Advanced Training start date, cannot be counted towards the Certificate.
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The targeted learning plan and progression requirements of Certificate of Advanced Training programs for both trainees and Fellows-in-training are:
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a targeted learning plan is required when there has been a failure to successfully complete a rotation
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Any three rotation failures will result in a requirement of submitting a training review application to the CFT as to why the trainee/Fellow in training should be able to continue in the program.
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Certificate training must be completed within 6 calendar years of commencement of the Certificate, inclusive of any breaks in training or part-time training time.
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If Certificate training has not been completed within 6 calendar years, the trainee or Fellow-in-training must submit a training review application to the relevant Subcommittee of Advanced Training (SAT) as to why they should be able to continue towards the Certificate. Communication will be sent to the trainee or Fellow-in-training.
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SATs have the capacity to grant an extension of 1 calendar year in the first instance. Further requests for extension must be considered by the CFT with recommendation from the relevant SAT.
All trainees and Fellows-in-training are able to apply for variation to the normal requirements on the grounds of exceptional circumstances. Applications must be made prospectively to the relevant SAT in the first instance.
For more information or to submit an application contact training@ranzcp.org
Mandatory requirements – Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies
Trainees and Fellows need to adhere to the specific training requirements that apply to the Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies.
The rotation model of training does not apply to this Certificate of Advanced Training program. There are very few accredited psychotherapy posts and training in psychotherapies can be flexibly incorporated into a range of training and consultant work situations.
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Certificate award process
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In order to be awarded a Certificate of Advanced Training, Fellowship must be attained.
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To commence the Certificate of Advanced Training award process, the Certificate checklist must be submitted to the DOAT once all Certificate of Advanced Training requirements are completed.
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Upon approval of the Certificate checklist from the DOAT, the checklist is submitted to the RANZCP Training team. The trainee’s record will be audited to ensure all Certificate of Advanced Training requirements have been satisfied. The trainee cannot progress if any of the certificate requirements are outstanding.
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On confirmation that all Certificate of Advanced Training requirements have been completed, the RANZCP organises approval from SAT Chair.
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On approval of the SAT Chair, the application progresses via the SAT to the CFT for ratification.
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The CFT ratifies the award of the Certificate of Advanced Training and makes recommendation to the Education Committee (EC) for the award of Certificate of Advanced Training.
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The EC shall proceed to grant the awarding of the Certificate of Advanced Training.
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The EC and the CFT reserves the right to accept or reject the awarding of the Advanced Certificates if it does not conform to recommendations.
The EC ratification dates on the Admission to Fellowship schedule are when Certificates of Advanced Training are awarded. CFT approval is required to be finalised by the paper due date outlined in the Fellowship schedule in order to make the round.
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The RANZCP shall endeavour to adhere to the ratification deadlines, as outlined in the Admission to Fellowship schedule, thought it may not always be possible. Trainees are encouraged to plan in accordance with the Fellowship schedule dates to be awarded a Certificate of Advanced Training.
You will be invited to have your achievement recognised at the College Ceremony during an annual RANZCP Congress. Cut off for inclusion in each ceremony is 31 March each year. Certificates attained after 31 March of that year will be recognised at the following year's ceremony. To allow sufficient time to plan what is a complex event, regrettably special requests to attend an earlier Ceremony are unable to be accommodated.
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Dual Certificate training
Trainees undertaking Certificates of Advanced Training and Stage 3 of the Fellowship Program concurrently must follow the requirements for all three programs.
Trainees and Fellows in training are able to undertake two Certificates of Advanced Training concurrently (Dual Certificate training).
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In order to be eligible for selection into Dual Certificate training, trainees must satisfy the mandatory selection criteria for both Certificates of Advanced Training.
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Trainees and Fellows-in-training enrolled in a Certificate of Advanced Training can apply to enter Dual Certificate Training. Approval must be granted from both Directors of Advanced Training (DOAT) relevant to the certificates being attempted.
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Progression in the initial certificate will be assessed as part of the Dual Certificate application. Applications into Dual Certificate Training more than 12 months FTE after commencement of first Certificate of Advanced Training will impact the ability to complete both certificates in the minimum time allowable. Recognition of concurrent training will only be recognised once accepted into Dual Certificate training. Dual Certificate training begins at the commencement date of the first certificate
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Trainees and Fellows who have been selected for Dual Certificate of Advanced Training must notify the College.
.Dual Certificate Advanced Training Selection Notification [PDF; 237 KB]
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Trainees and Fellows-in-training must present a detailed plan to both Certificate of Advanced Training program’s DOATs describing how each Certificate of Advanced Training’s requirements will be met, particularly in any rotations where requirements from both programs will be achieved concurrently. The plan also needs to address:
- proposed rotations for each area of practice
- supervision
- attainment of EPAs and the proposed entrusting supervisor(s), particularly in any rotations where EPAs from both Certificates of Advanced Training will be attained
- the trainee’s progress with regards to the centrally administered summative assessments and their plan to achieve them within the expected timeframes. [Trainees only]
- The plan must be prospectively approved by the respective DOATs and tabled for noting at the next meetings of the SATs.
- Dual Certificate trainees and Fellows-in-training will be awarded both Certificates of Advanced Training upon satisfactory completion of all Certificate program requirements. Trainees are not eligible to be awarded dual certificates until they have completed a minimum of 36 months†* FTE training once accepted into Dual Certificate training, depending on the degree of overlap between the two Certificates. Training time completed in one certificate prior to entering in the dual certificate will contribute to assessing minimum time Dual Certificate requirements.
- If a post is assessed as meeting the requirements of two areas of practice, it can contribute concurrently to the time requirement of each certificate. One end-of-rotation ITA form, with two EPAs attained every six FTE months must be completed for each Area of Practice
- Dual Certificate trainees and Fellows-in-training can apply and be awarded the first Certificate of Advanced Training at the completion of 24 months FTE training accredited for that Certificate’s area of practice and all other requirements for the first Certificate of Advanced Training, even if incomplete in the requirements for the second Certificate of Advanced Training.
†Approved Dual Certificate training programs will vary as to the degree of overlap possible so not all combinations may be manageable within 36 months.
*when paired with psychotherapies certificate, two certificates cannot be completed in less than 3 calendar years. 24 months FTE must be completed in the non-psychotherapies certificate.
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If a trainee or Fellow in training withdrew from, or stopped, one of the Certificates of Advanced Training at any point, a single certificate would only be awarded on the full completion of all requirements for the relevant Certificate program.
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Dual Certificate trainees and Fellows in Training must complete each Advanced Training Certificate within 6 calendar years of commencement, inclusive of any breaks in training and part-time training.
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If Certificate training has not been completed within 6 calendar years, the trainee or Fellow-in-Training must submit a training review application to the relevant SAT as to why they should be able to continue towards the Certificate. Communication will be sent to the trainee or Fellow in training indicating this.
SATs have the capacity to grant an extension of 1 calendar year in the first instance. Further requests for extension must be considered by the CFT with recommendation from the relevant SAT.
- Please note: The 6 year calendar maximum will be effective from 1 January 2017 for six Certificates of Advanced Training. The Certificate of Advanced Training in the Psychotherapies 6 year calendar maximum was implemented from rotation 1, 2016.
Please direct enquiries to training@ranzcp.org
Disclaimer
Please note the Certificate programs offered by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists are vocational training for graduate medical practitioners and are not higher education awards in accordance with the Australian Qualifications Framework. Please contact the training@ranzcp.org with any questions.