Assessments and Requirements for FACEM Trainees enrolling from 2022

Trainees complete twelve Core DOPS (Direct Observation of Procedural Skills) throughout the course of their training. A DOPS involves a trainee being observed by an assessor whilst performing a specific clinical procedure. The assessor rates and provides structured feedback on the trainee’s performance of this procedure. Each of the Core DOPS is considered ‘completed’ when it has been satisfactorily performed by the trainee independently and without supervisor intervention. Trainees may repeat each DOPS until this standard is achieved. The completion of the Core DOPS ensures a trainee’s proficiency in a number of essential EM procedures.
 
The Core DOPS are completed during placements in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand. While most of the DOPS are completed in ED, some may also be completed in non-ED placements. All twelve DOPS must be satisfactorily completed to meet this assessment requirement. Specific resources aimed at completing the Procedural Requirement can be found on the Educational Resources page.

The Research Requirement helps trainees to develop skills in applying best evidence and academic knowledge to their practice in Emergency Medicine. The requirement is aligned to the Scholarship and Teaching domain of the ACEM Curriculum Framework. The Research Requirement must be completed to be eligible for the Fellowship Clinical exam.
 
The Research Requirement can be satisfied by either coursework or completion of a trainee research project. You can view a list of Approved Coursework Pathway Units to identify if your chosen/completed units are approved for meeting the Research Requirement. More specific information on the different pathways for completion is available in the Trainee Research Requirement Policy.

The Paediatric Emergency Requirement (PER) is designed to facilitate learning and assessment, and to increase exposure to an appropriate breadth and acuity of paediatric emergency presentations. Trainees need to plan their training to ensure adequate access to paediatric emergency cases as not all sites are accredited for this requirement.

The PER may be started in Training Stage 1 and must be satisfactorily completed to be eligible for the Fellowship Clinical exam. The PER comprises eight EM-WBAs and a Paediatric Emergency Portfolio (PEP), as detailed below. All components of the PER are undertaken in paediatric EDs accredited for Specialist Paediatric Emergency Medicine training and/or mixed EDs accredited by ACEM for the PER.

Paediatric WBAs
Trainees are required to complete a minimum of  eight  PER EM-WBAs to be eligible for review for completion of the Paediatric Emergency Requirement. These PER EM-WBAs are in addition to the EM-WBAs relevant to each individual Training Stage of the Program, and have specific requirements. The EM-WBAs for PER comprise:

• 3 x Mini-CEX
• 3 x CbD
• 2 x DOPS

One paediatric Mini-CEX and two paediatric DOPS may be completed in Training Stage 1, the remainder are completed to be eligible for the Fellowship Clinical Examination.

Paediatric Emergency Portfolio
The Paediatric Emergency Portfolio (PEP) is a mechanism for recording training experiences, encouraging trainees to monitor, reflect on, and direct their own learning and training appropriately. DEMTs monitor and comment on the trainee’s experience and performance at the time they complete each ITA and ensure that they are meeting the requirements for the applicable Training Stage.

To be eligible for review for completion of the PER , trainees must have recorded a minimum of 400 paediatric cases that meet the following minimums, in addition to the minimum PER WBA requirements:

• 200 cases related to the management of children less than five years of age;
• 200 cases related to the management of children five to fifteen years of age;
• 50 cases classified as triage category 1 or 2;
  • of which at least 25 must be less than five years of age;
• 150 cases classified as triage category 1, 2 or 3.

Specific resources aimed at completing the Paediatric Emergency Requirement can be found on the Educational Resources page.

Quality improvement activities are essential components of an emergency department quality framework. A quality culture is fundamental to the provisions of the highest standard of care. To develop skills in quality improvement, trainees undertake a quality improvement activity, which can be a guideline or protocol review, or an audit. Specific resources aimed at completing the Guideline/Protocol Review or Audit requirement can be found on the Educational Resources page. Additional resources will be added throughout 2022. 

The Guideline/Protocol Review or Audit must be directly observed and assessed by two ACEM-approved assessors, one of whom may be online.

M&M meetings contribute to improved clinical quality and patient safety through critical analysis of adverse events and recommendations for change in systems and processes of care. Trainees present a case at an M&M meeting, which provides the opportunity for education and reflection, and for the ongoing development of clinical reasoning and decision-making skills. Specific resources aimed at completing the M&M Presentation requirement can be found on the Educational Resources page. Additional resources will be added throughout 2022. 

The M&M Presentation must be directly observed and assessed by two ACEM-approved assessors, one of whom may be online.

The Formal Teaching Presentation assessment is undertaken by an ACEM assessor who directly observes the trainee delivering a formal teaching presentation. The teaching presentation may be an inter- or intra-departmental teaching session or grand round. Teaching is an essential skill for all FACEMs and in this assessment the assessor rates and provides structured feedback on the trainee’s presentation. The criteria assessed are aligned to Training Stage 4 of the ACEM Curriculum Framework.
 
Specific resources aimed at completing the Formal Teaching Presentation requirement can be found on the Educational Resources page. Additional resources will be added throughout 2022.

The Formal Teaching Presentation must be directly observed and assessed by two ACEM-approved assessors, one of whom may be online.