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The minimum required period of training is five years. During this time, the trainee must obtain experience in all imaging modalities available in Australia and New Zealand. Before a trainee can be awarded the FRANZCR, his or her supervisor of training must certify that experience and training has been obtained in general radiology, computed tomography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, MRI, angiography and basic interventional techniques.
All training prior to sitting and passing the Part II FRANZCR exam and completing four years in an accredited position must be undertaken in Australia, New Zealand or Singapore. After passing the Part II FRANZCR and completing four years (in Australia, New Zealand or Singapore) in an accredited training position, the trainee may gain experience in an overseas academic department. Before doing so, the trainee must apply to have the overseas training recognised by the Chief Censor. A maximum of one year's training may be undertaken overseas.
Unlike many overseas training centres, particularly in North America, most accredited training positions in Australia and New Zealand do not have a rigid sectional structure based on a particular imaging modality or system. Instead, a more integrated approach to each clinical problem is usually encouraged and flexibility of trainee rotation is allowed. Therefore, depending on the individual department, a trainee may rotate on a daily, weekly or monthly basis through the various sections of the particular department.
The Chief Censor in Radiology and the Education Board rely on certification by the Supervisor of Training and Branch Education Officer that appropriate experience in all imaging modalities has been obtained. Training is expected to be broadly based until the Part II FRANZCR examination is passed.
Radiographic
Techniques
In the first year of training, registrars must receive one week full time, or part time equivalent of practical training in radiographic techniques.
Ultrasound
The registrar will receive regular training in all aspects of ultrasound during each of the five years of training. Continuous exposure to ultrasound during the training years is expected to enable the registrar (at the successful completion of training) to perform obstetric, neonatal, musculoskeletal, general abdominal and vascular ultrasound studies. The training will also enable Fellows of the RANZCR to supervise ultrasound examinations undertaken by sonographers. In addition, during the five years of training, the registrar is expected to receive at least six months of advanced training including hands-on scanning in ultrasound - colour Doppler, power Doppler and transvaginal ultrasound. Registrars must also gain an understanding of peripheral, arterial and venous vascular ultrasound.
Ultrasound Logbook
Candidates are required to perform 50 ultrasound scans in undifferentiated cases in their first year of training. Logbooks should be sent to the College Office upon completion of a candidate’s first year of training.
MRI
A minimum of three months full-time MRI training, including image interpretation and appropriate protocol selection and modification is required, although registrars should receive ongoing training in this modality throughout their five years.
Nuclear Medicine
A minimum period of two weeks experience in the practical and imaging aspects of nuclear medicine is required.
It should be noted that during this time, trainees should obtain a practical understanding of nuclear medicine techniques which should be supplemented by further study of nuclear medicine and exposure to nuclear medicine studies in the course of practice during the remainder of their training.
Paediatrics
For paediatric radiology, three months is the minimum period of practical experience required with six months the preferred maximum during the earlier years of training.
The greater part of these periods of exposure to ultrasound, nuclear medicine and paediatric radiology should be undertaken before presenting for the Part II FRANZCR examinations.
Interventional
Radiological Procedures
Candidates are required to perform 100 angiographic and interventional radiological procedures during their five years of training. Please note, however, that the Education Board does not insist a specific number of each type of procedure be logged. This should include at least some of the following:
- Fine needle and core biopsies of superficial and deep lesions in the chest, abdomen and other areas using a variety of imaging guiding modalities;
- Abscess drainage and biliary procedures using imaging guidance;
- Renal procedures including biopsies, cyst aspirations and nephrostomies;
- Central venous catheter placement using imaging guidance; and
- Angiographic studies including selective and non-selective catheter studies.
A logbook should be kept documenting the type of examination, level of trainee participation and supervision and relevant comments about the examination including follow-up of results or ongoing management of the patient as appropriate. Each patient entry should be signed and dated by the supervising radiologist. A copy of the logbook should be sent to the College Office upon final completion of training.
Extract from RANZCR Guidelines for Accreditation of Departments of Diagnostic Radiology.
- EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
The Supervisor of Training must organise a teaching course which covers adequately the subjects of training laid down in the College Syllabus.
- The Supervisor of Training must formally meet at least twice a year with registrars and at those meetings each registrar’s progress must be reviewed.
- During the training period the registrar must acquire competence in soft copy film reporting in all the commonly performed special investigations.
- CT Scanning, Ultrasound, Nuclear Imaging and MRI: There must be adequate basic training in each of these modalities with experience of at least six months in ultrasound, three months in CT Scanning and MRI and a minimum of two weeks experience in Nuclear Imaging. If this training cannot be provided within the Department, it is mandatory that arrangements be made for it to be obtained elsewhere.
- Paediatrics: A period of three months full-time or equivalent training in paediatrics, preferably in a specialist hospital, is required for each registrar.
- Vascular Ultrasound: Access to peripheral, arterial and venous vascular ultrasound must be provided.
- Tutorials: At least one (1) formal tutorial per week from qualified staff must be received by the registrars. The content of these tutorials must give a wide coverage of imaging during the training period.
- Structured Lectures: The registrar must have available and be free to attend a structured series of lectures in medical imaging technology, anatomy, pathology and radiodiagnosis.
- Film Library: There must be a comprehensive film library containing examples of the vast majority of radiological pathology.
- Unit Conferences: Conferences between the department of radiology and other units within the hospital should be held regularly and the registrars should be able to attend these.
- Hospital Teaching: There should be adequate teaching sessions in the hospital such as orthopaedic, gastro-enterological and chest unit conferences and grand rounds which are open to radiological registrars and which these registrars should attend.
There must be adequate general medical library covering all facets of medicine and the hospital must subscribe to a good range of current radiological and general medical journals. The Library should have access to on-line literature-search facilities.
- Accreditation by other Colleges: There should be a high proportion of hospital training posts accredited by other Colleges which will ensure that an adequate spectrum of work in these areas is referred to the department of radiology.
- Presentation of Papers and Research Projects: It is highly desirable that the staff of the department are involved in presentation of papers at the Annual Scientific Meeting of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists. Active involvement in basic and clinical research also will be the hallmark of a fully-functional teaching hospital department. To this end, ready access to word-processing, power-point and slide-making facilities should be available.
- Individual Registrar Courses: The course of training of each individual registrar must conform to College requirements and is subject to individual approval by the Education Board, through the Chief Censor in Radiology.
- Branch or Regional Training Programs: The setting up of a system of rotation of registrars on a Branch or regional basis tis encouraged to facilitate training, provided that the requirements specified in this document are met.
- Definition of Tutorial: A tutorial is a teaching session on medical imaging, which may be a didactic lecture-demonstration or preferably a film quiz and which is conducted in addition to work-bench teaching, unit conferences and structured lecture courses. In the case of registrars proceeding to the Part I FRANZCR examination, a tutorial may relate to Medical Imaging Technology and Anatomy, rather than to medical imaging.
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