Circumstances change. If you need to withdraw from the FACEM Training Program but wish to continue a career involving Emergency Medicine you may transition to either the ACEM Emergency Medicine Certificate (EMC), ACEM Emergency Medicine Diploma (EMD) or ACEM Emergency Medicine Advanced Diploma (EMAD) Programs. Recognition of prior learning means you will be rewarded for the milestones you have already achieved in the FACEM Training Program. Completion of these programs allow you to apply for membership as an ACEM Certificant, Diplomate or Advanced Diplomate and participate in an ACEM CPD Program.
Depending on the training requirements and assessments completed during FACEM training, you may receive Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for various components of the EMC, EMD or EMAD.
The Policy for the transition from the FACEM Training Program to the Emergency Medicine Certificate, Emergency Medicine Diploma and Emergency Medicine Advanced Diploma programs indicates the modules and assessments to be completed to achieve the EMC, EMD or EMAD.
How do I apply?
The FACEM Training Program record is used as the basis for assessing and verifying the RPL to be awarded. Supporting documentation must also be submitted to verify the procedures and workshop requirements of the EMC, EMD and EMAD.
Procedures
To have the procedures on the EMC, EMD and EMAD Procedural Checklist assessed for RPL, you must submit the checklist, with the date and signature of your most current Director of Emergency Medicine Training (DEMT) for each procedure, with your application. Any individual procedures that are not signed by the DEMT will need to be completed once you are enrolled in the EMC, EMD or EMAD.
Workshops
To be assessed for RPL for the Advanced Skills workshop requirement you must submit current and valid certificates of competency, with your application form, for any of the following emergency skills workshops that you have completed:
- Advanced Life Support 2 (ALS2)
- Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS)
- Early Management of Severe Trauma (EMST), or Emergency Trauma Management (ETM).
- For the Ultrasound courses you will need to submit a confirmation letter from your DEMT or Supervisor that you have completed an appropriately credentialed ultrasound courses as outlined in the Training Handbook and Ultrasound Course Requirement document.
- Note there is no exemption from the ACEM EMCD Supervisor Course.
Incomplete applications will not be processed. If any supporting documentation cannot be provided at the time the application form is submitted or, if further documentation is required, it must be received within one month of the date originally requested. If not, the original application will be withdrawn, and a new application must be submitted.
You cannot be concurrently enrolled in the FACEM Training Program and either the EMC, EMD or EMAD. After receiving your RPL outcome, you will need to formally withdraw from the FACEM Training Program before enrolling in the EMC, EMD or EMAD.
How do I Apply?
Step 1: Submit an online application form for assessment, including all supporting documentation. Before beginning the application process, please make sure you have the relevant supporting documentation ready.
Step 2: ACEM staff verify the requirements of the EMC, EMD and EMAD against your FACEM Training Program training record and supporting documentation. Your application will then presented to the Council of Education (COE) approved delegate/s for consideration.
Step 3: The COE approved delegate/s determines the RPL to be awarded and any outstanding requirements to be completed.
Step 4: ACEM staff notify you of the RPL outcome and provides an enrolment form for the relevant program.
Step 5: Complete and submit the enrolment form and pay the enrolment fee. Withdrawal from the FACEM Training program must be received prior to processing of the enrolment for EMC, EMD or EMAD.
Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS)
Verification of the completion of an individual DOPS during the FACEM Training Program is the DOPS Work-place based Assessment (WBA) assessment form in your ACEM Training Record. No additional documentation is required to be submitted.
For more information visit our DOPS page.
Fees
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Application Fee

There is no fee to assess and determine the RPL awarded. The application for assessment is not an enrolment into the program.
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Enrolment Fee

The enrolment fee payable will vary depending on the amount of RPL awarded into the relevant program. In summary, the following levels of training completed will usually result in a FACEM trainee being categorised as follows:
Category A refers to a trainee who either:
- Has not met the requirements of Provisional Training
- Has not been reviewed by a Trainee Progression Review Panel.
Category B refers to a trainee who either:
- With the exception of the Primary Examination, has met all requirements of Provisional Training as verified by the trainees most recent Trainee Progression Review Panel review
- Is undertaking Early Phase Advanced Training but has not yet met the standard expected at the end of Early Phase Advanced Training.
Category C/D refers to a trainee who either:
- Has met the standard expected at the end of Early Phase Advanced Training as verified by the trainees most recent Trainee Progression Review panel review
- Is undertaking Late Phase Advanced Training but has not yet met the standard expected at the end of Late Phase Advanced Training.
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EMC
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EMD
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EMAD
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AUD/NZD
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AUS/NZD
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AUS/NZD
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Category A
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$2600/$2425
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$5200/$4850
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$7800/$7275
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Category B
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$1300/$1213
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$2600/$2425
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$3900/$3638
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Category C/D
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$520/$485
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$1040/$970
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$1560/$1455
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The RPL, for individual components of the EMC, EMD or EMAD, within each category is determined on a case-by-case basis and dependent on the training requirements and assessments completed during the FACEM Training Program. The components required to be completed will be provided in a letter for each applicant together with an enrolment form after a review by the COE approved delegate.
If you do not enrol within 60 days of receipt of your outcome, you will be required to submit a new application form for re-assessment.
If you have completed additional FACEM Training Program requirements since your last assessment outcome letter, you will be required to submit a new application for assessment.
Transition into EMC, EMD or EMAD Application Form
FAQs
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Q. How will I know how what RPL I may be eligible for?

A. A review of the tables in the transition policy will give an idea of the RPL that may be granted, what RPL may conditionally be granted and what requirements are outstanding.
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Q. Do I need to print my assessments? 

A. Assessments completed as part of FACEM training will not need to be extracted, but you will need to provide records of workshops and procedural checklists.
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Q. Do I have to withdraw from FACEM training before I apply? 

A. No, but you need to withdraw from FACEM training prior to enrolling in the EMC, EMD or EMAD.
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Q. How do I maximise the RPL I can get between programs?

A. If you are considering withdrawing from FACEM training, review the requirements of the EMC, EMD – Entry Pathway 1 and EMAD – Entry Pathway 1 training programs and work out what your gaps are, especially around the DOPS requirement. Work out what is outstanding and which ones you may be able to complete in your current ED placement as a FACEM trainee to be included as part of your application for RPL. Make sure these are recorded on your portal.
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Q. What if I withdrew or was removed from FACEM training prior to 2015?

A. This RPL process can only be applied for trainees who have undergone training from the commencement of the 2015 training curriculum. This RPL process is mapped against this particular curriculum and would not be applicable to those trainees who have withdrawn prior.
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Q. I haven’t done the DOPS required for RPL but my supervisor has seen me do it, do I need to still complete them in the EMC, EMD or EMAD programs?

A. Only the DOPS that have been recorded in your training portal can be considered for RPL as part of the application. If your supervisor has seen you do them make sure they are recorded. DOPS that are not recorded cannot be considered. If you have DOPS outstanding, you will need to complete them once you are enrolled in the EMC, EMD or EMAD.
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Q. Can I submit paper DOPS completed as part of the FACEM training program?

A. No, all records must have been entered online in your training portal in order to be eligible for consideration for RPL.
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Q. I have received my outcome to my RPL application and I want to start the EMC / EMD / EMAD and have outstanding DOPs but I am not working in ED.

A. You can complete outstanding DOPs during an ED shift provided that the supervisor is a FACEM or a currently certified Diplomate or Advanced Diplomate of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine who has completed the EMCD Supervisor training. This includes casual and locum shifts.
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Q. I completed some Critical Care time during FACEM Training, will this be recognised as part of the RPL application?

A. A specific critical care term is not part of these programs. You will be required to have procedures that can be completed in critical care settings signed off as part of the application.
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Q. Do I need to have a primary supervisor?

A. If you are required to complete further ED time for the EMC, EMD or EMAD you will be required to have a Primary Supervisor.
You can check the relevant regulations as to who qualifies to be a Primary Supervisor for each of the programs.
EMC – Regulation D3.7.4
EMD – Regulation D4.7.4
EMAD – Regulation D5.7.4
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Q. Where can I find information about the exams? 

A. Information on the exams is available on the ACEM website under each of the programs.
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Q. When is the latest date that I can apply to transition to EMC, EMD, or EMAD, after I am no longer a FACEM trainee?

You have up to five years from the date you left the FACEM training program to apply to transition to EMC, EMD, or EMAD.
Contact
For more information, please contact the relevant departments on:
EMC/D – [email protected]; phone: +61 3 8679 8872
Trainee Support – [email protected]; phone: +61 3 8679 8874