Training program
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Introduction
Prerequisites for training
Associate fellowship
Structure of the training period
Accredited training units
Supervision of training
Part-time and interrupted training
Assessment
Overview of training sequence
Introduction
The specialty of pain medicine is concerned with the study of all aspects of pain, and clinically, with the evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of persons with pain. The field spans three major clinical areas:
i) Acute pain - post operative, post-trauma, acute episodes of pain in "medical conditions".
ii) Cancer pain - pain directly due to tumour invasion or compression; pain related to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures; pain due to cancer treatment.
iii) Persistent (chronic) pain - including over 200 conditions described in the IASP Taxonomy of Chronic Pain 2nd Ed, such as phantom limb pain, post-herpetic neuralgia, mechanical low back pain.
Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine provides senior trainees and Fellows of the participating bodies, or individuals with a specialist qualification acceptable to one of the five parent bodies, with recognition of completion of approved training in the discipline of pain medicine.
The pathway to fellowship comprises entry qualification, training and examination.
Prerequisites for training
The fellowship in pain medicine is an "add-on" specialist degree. To commence accredited training in pain medicine you must fit into one of the following categories:
(i) Be a trainee or Fellow of one of the following Colleges:
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Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.
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Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
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Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
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Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
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Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine (RACP).
(ii) Hold an Australian or New Zealand specialist qualification, acceptable to the board.
Late registration for training
Faculty Regulation 4.3.2 stipulates that the period of structured training is deemed to commence when the trainee has completed registration with the Faculty.
In April 2010, the board resolved to give discretion to the Assessor to consider, under extenuating circumstances, late registrations submitted no later than the first due quarterly in-training assessment. In October, the board finalised Regulation 4.3.4 pertaining to late registrations to take effect from January 2011. Those applying for late registration will be required to provide supporting documentation and will incur a late registration fee for the first month and a monthly fee thereafter in additon to the annual training fee.
Associate fellowship
Those who have completed the training and examination requirements of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, but who are not eligible for full fellowship because they do not hold an approved Australian or New Zealand primary specialty fellowship, are eligible for associate fellowship. Associate fellowship will not be conferred before specialist registration is completed in the country of practice at the time of application. Associate Fellows are entitled to place after their names the letters AssocFFPMANZCA.
Structure of the training period
The training requirements vary (from one to three years) depending on primary qualification, previous exposure to pain medicine and experience. Prospective trainees are advised to contact the Faculty office for further information.
Training will normally commence during the training program of one of the participating colleges or faculty. When this option is taken concurrently with training towards a primary specialty, advice must be obtained from both the parent college or faculty and the Faculty of Pain Medicine.
It is mandatory to undertake a prospectively approved structured training period in a Faculty-accredited pain management unit.
The requirement is one year for category (i) above. Requirements for category (ii) will be determined by the Assessor.
The Faculty provides trainees with a trainee support kit, which sets out the structure and aims of the training program in detail.
Accredited training units
A number of pain management accredited training units throughout Australia and New Zealand have been accredited for pain medicine training.
Some units offer trainees exposure to the full spectrum of clinical experience required for a complete training program, others may not. A unit which cannot offer a comprehensive experience will usually have links to units where the additional experiences can be obtained.
The supervisor of training at the main unit to which you are attached can help you plan your training program.
Supervision of training
In approved multidisciplinary pain units, a supervisor of training is appointed from the staff. Trainees should seek guidance from their supervisor of training and/or director of the unit in the first instance on all matters related to their training.
The Faculty regularly reviews those units which it approves for training to ensure that there are high standards of teaching, supervision and clinical care.
Part-time and interrupted training
With prior approval from the Faculty of Pain Medicine and with the support of the trainee’s head of department and the respective hospital administration, part-time and/or interrupted training is possible under specific circumstances (see Regulation 4.4 and 4.5).
Assessment
Prior to admission to fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, trainees will have to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and attitudes by satisfactorily completing a number of formative and summative assessment tasks.
Formative assessment:
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A log book documenting workload and experience to be kept for at least six months.
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Formal quarterly in-training assessment reports from the supervisor of training.
Summative assessment:
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Case report - Satisfactory standard achieved in one case report and commentary of 2500 to 5000 words.
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An examination comprising:
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A written paper.
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A clinical long case.
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A series of short clinically based interviews.
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Three structured viva voce scenarios.
Overview of training sequence
Activity
Time scale
Fees†
Primary vocational training
Must be successfully completed prior to admission to fellowship of Faculty of Pain Management
Determined by, and payable to, the primary vocational college
Register for FPM training††
Any time prior to commencing the structured training period
Once only registration fee plus annual training fee
Undertake structured FPM training period
Any time during or after primary vocational training
(Covered by annual training fee)
Submit quarterly in-training assessments
Quarterly during structured training period
(Covered by annual training fee)
Submit case report
To be submitted prior to completion of training
(Covered by annual training fee)
Register to sit FPM final examination
At lease 45 days prior to the examination
Examination fee
Attend pre-examination short course
At least 45 days prior to the examination
Examination fee
FPM final examination
Can be undertaken during or after the structured period
(covered above)
Admission to fellowship of FPM
After successful completion of all training requirements, documentation and assessments
Annual fellowship fee
Continuing professional development (CPD)
Activities to be documented and submitted annually
(Covered by annual fellowship fee)
Fees are GST-exempt except for the pre-examination short course fee and the admission to fellowship (annual subscription).
Those registering early are required to pay only 10 per cent of the annual training fee with the remaining 90 per cent deferred until the commencement of the structured training year. The annual fee for the non-structured year of training must be paid by April 30 in that year of training. An annual administration fee of 25 per cent of the annual training fee is payable by April 30 where trainees have outstanding training requirements and wish to continue to be a registered trainee.
Trainee Performance Review
On occasion the performance of a Registered Trainee in the Faculty of Pain Medicine’s (FPM) training program may require or request an independent review to determine the future of the Trainee. This process is known as Trainee Performance Review (TPR).
Information on TPR is provided to Trainees when they join the Faculty of Pain Medicine’s training program, and in documentation supplied to Supervisors of Training (SOT).
For more information, please click here.
Trainees
