RANZCR: Clinical Radiology Trainee Matters

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) Inside News June 2020

Dr Matthew Lukies Alfred Health

Fast forward to June 2020, and who would’ve predicted this year could be so unique and challenging? I hope that you are all keeping well, (re)discovering home hobbies, making the most of electronic learning resources and mastering the optimal angles and lighting for video meeting chats. Many of you will have been involved in the care of patients with novel coronavirus and others affected indirectly by changes to emergency and elective services. Australia and New Zealand have done a tremendous job in the early stages of this pandemic and I am confident that we can navigate the road ahead well as a community.

Over the past few months, I have been contacted by a number of trainees with concerns about the College training and exam fees given their personal financial situation. Everybody’s circumstances are different, and the College has a process by which individual circumstances can be considered and alternative arrangements made.

If you would like to apply for consideration, I suggest:

Completing the application form for consideration of special circumstances www.ranzcr.com/college/documentlibrary/consideration-of-specialcircumstances-policy

Including your desired payment structure (for example: quarterly payment, monthly payment or deferred payment).

Outlining your desired structure makes the process more efficient administratively and increases the chances of approval. The College has made alternative arrangements for many trainees in the past and I encourage anyone experiencing difficulty to get in contact.

Progression in training has also been on the minds of many trainees during this period. Please be assured that the priority of the College is to ensure that trainees are minimally impacted by the disruptions this year, and this sentiment is reinforced by the trainee representatives on the core committees including training and assessment, research and faculty council. A large body of work is going on behind the scenes to structure examinations that can be implemented without requiring travel interstate or across the Tasman sea, and I am cautiously confident that there will be some examinations in the second half of this year. Please stay on track as best as possible with your preparation and keep an eye out for official updates if you plan to sit examinations at the next available attempt.

Regarding research, the cancellation of conferences this year has decreased the available opportunities for trainees to complete their research requirements in training. The College is understanding of this and I encourage anyone who has concerns about their project to speak to the Director of Training (DoT) about alternative options.

Finally, memes are great. I hope you enjoy this one.

Much like your parents, we would love to hear from you more often!

Please feel free to email the Clinical Radiology Trainee Committee (CRTC) at clinicalradtc@gmail.com with your thoughts, questions, and feedback.