Transition FAQs

Transition to the 2022 training program starts from 5 November 2023 and there are several things’ trainees can do in the lead up to help prepare for it. As November gets closer, the number of enquiries to the ACEM training team is likely to increase so trainees are encouraged to look at what their transition arrangements may look like sooner rather than later to be able to receive more timely advice.

• Continue with training as planned, including confirming any placements for 2024, there is no need to alter your placements. The transition principles have been designed to ensure there will be no disadvantage to trainees.
• If you know which placements you will be in for 2023 and 2024, enter them on your training portal now. This will help provide more targeted advice. Should placement details need to change at a later stage this can be done by contacting the training team.
• Check out the 'Understanding the transition' section on the transition website to work out which cohort you are likely to be in at the time of transition. You may need to chat to your DEMT about your plans.
• Regularly check and read emails and other College communication, particularly the trainee newsletter, for updates on transition.
• Check your spam folder or add @acem.org.au to your email contacts to ensure emails are not flagged as spam.
• Make sure all your assessments and logbooks are up to date and completed by your assessors and supervisors, particularly as the transition dates gets closer.
• Check out the 2022 Trainee Handbook and other resources on the Educational Resources page to see more detail about the 2022 FACEM Training Program.
• If there are any further questions after reading all the information, contact the ACEM Training team at [email protected] – who are available to provide advice and clarification.

The transition principles have been designed to ensure no disadvantage to trainees.

If, prior to transition, trainees already have a confirmed training position or are in mid-placement, the placement will be honoured. Essentially, if there was a way to have this time certified towards your training in the pre-2022 training program a way will be found to have this certified towards your training in the 2022 training program.

Once that placement ends, any future placements must follow the requirements of the 2022 training program.
Evidence of a confirmed training position can be in the form of employment contract or letter from your future hospital or confirmation from your DEMT.

For example:

• Trainee A has a confirmed 6 FTE month placement in a Paediatric ICU from Term 1 2024 that was going to be certified towards Critical Care in the pre-2022 FACEM training program.
• Trainee A receives their transition advice and has not fulfilled the Critical Care requirement in the old training program. The trainee subsequently provides supporting information that this placement was confirmed prior to transition.
• Trainee A will have this placement certified towards the Critical Care requirement in the 2022 training program even though all Critical Care must be completed in Adult ICU placements.
• Trainee B is a Late Phase trainee with only Discretionary time remaining on the 5 November 2023, and will be transitioned to Training Stage Four to complete the Training Stage Four Elective requirement.
• Trainee B has a confirmed 6 FTE month placement in General Medicine that is not approved for Training Stage Four.
• Trainee B receives their transition advice and subsequently provides supporting information that this placement was confirmed prior to transition.
• Trainee B will have this placement certified towards the Training Stage Four Elective requirement in the 2022 training program even though a trainee in Training Stage Four must complete placements that are pre-approved to provide Training Stage Four placements.

Trainees reaching a training milestone such as the November 2023 Primary Viva or completing a phase or stage of training during or by the end of Term 4 (Feb 2024), may be able to complete that current training requirement in the 2022 Training Program and be transitioned once they receive the examination result or TPR review outcome for that phase.

A slight adjustment in transition timeline will mean a trainee can transition at the end of a training milestone rather than mid milestone making it easier to monitor training and assessment requirements.

Any transition that occurs post 5 November 2023 will be done on a case by case and in consultation with the individual trainee. Trainees will not be disadvantaged by a slight delay in transition.

The below table details the expected transition timeline and applies to any transition cohort.

Trainees will continue with their training until the point of transition. Any assessments or training time completed while waiting for an examination result or TPR Panel outcome can be credited following transition.

 

Transition Cycle Number	On 5 November 2023, a trainee	The trainee’s approximate Date of Transition will be
1	Is on an Interruption to Training	Between 5 and 20 November 2023
2	Will reach a training milestone after the end of Term 4	Between 5 November and 30 November 2023
3	Is waiting on the 2023.2 Primary Viva Results	30 November 2023 (expected release of exam results)
4	Is reaching a training milestone for end of Term 3	Early to Mid-December 2023 (after TPR Panel Meeting)
5	Will reach a training milestone during Term 4	Mid to Late January 2024 (after TPR Panel Meeting)
6	OSCE is the last training requirement before election to fellowship and doesn’t plan to sit the 2024.1 examination.	Early to Mid-February 2024
7	Will reach a training milestone at the end of Term 4	Early to Mid-March 2024 (after TPR Panel Meeting)
8	Will sit the 2024.1 OSCE and may achieve Fellowship	Mid-May 2024 (expected release of exam results)

 

For example:

• Trainee A has completed all the training requirements of Late Phase Advanced Training except the OSCE
• On 5 November 2023, Trainee A indicates they intend to enrol to sit the 2024.1 OSCE examination.
• Trainee A can continue in the pre-2022 FACEM Training Program until the outcome of the OSCE examination is known.
• If Trainee A is successful at the examination, they can then apply for election to fellowship and will not need to be transitioned.
• If Trainee A is unsuccessful at the examination, they will then be transitioned to the revised training program as cohort B8.
• Trainee B is an Early Phase trainee and on the 5 November 2023 has completed 9 FTE Months of Early Phase training.
• Trainee B is continuing in an ED placement in Term 4 and will reach their Early Phase training milestone of 12 FTE months at the end of Term 4
• Trainee B is advised that they can remain on the pre-2022 FACEM training program until the end of Term 4 and then be transitioned following the TPR Panel review in mid March.
• Trainee B accepts this option and successfully completes their Early Phase training as per the TPR Panel review outcome.
• Trainee B is then transitioned in mid March as cohort A2 to start Training Stage 3 from the start of Term 1.

Trainees must ensure there are no incomplete assessments in the portal closer to transition. If you are waiting for your DEMT to complete an assessment, please ensure this happens in a timely manner, so that at the time of transition your training records are up to date.
 
Trainees reaching training milestones by the end of term 3 or term 4, 2023, should ensure they have no incomplete assessments in the portal between their milestone and the Trainee Progression Review (TPR) outcome. If there are incomplete assessments, they might need to re-enter them after the transition to MyACEM.
 
Likewise, trainees who won't be reaching a training milestone by the mentioned terms should also avoid leaving any incomplete assessments closer to the transition time.

Trainees must ensure there are no incomplete assessments in the portal closer to transition. If you are waiting for your DEMT to complete an assessment, please ensure this happens in a timely manner, so that at the time of transition your training records are up to date.
 
Trainees reaching training milestones by the end of term 3 or term 4, 2023, should ensure they have no incomplete assessments in the portal between their milestone and the Trainee Progression Review (TPR) outcome. If there are incomplete assessments, they might need to re-enter them after the transition to MyACEM.
 
Likewise, trainees who won't be reaching a training milestone by the mentioned terms should also avoid leaving any incomplete assessments closer to the transition time.

Trainees who are in a Paediatric Placement which will conclude by the end of term 3 or term 4, 2023, will be transitioned after completing the Paediatric Placement. This approach aims to ensure a smoother transition process for these trainees.
 
For example:

• Trainee A has a full-time paediatric placement starting from August 2023 for 6 months and will complete this by the end of term 4, 2023.
• Trainee A will be contacted by the College prior to November 5, 2023, seeking consent for the delay in transition until the end of term 4, 2023 to allow completion of the paediatric placement.
• Trainee A is happy with the delay and hence will then be transitioned to the 2022 FACEM Training Program after 4 February 2024 (end of term 4, 2023).

Any discretionary time completed prior to transition will be credited towards the TS4 Elective training requirement. Trainees who have not completed their Discretionary time requirement prior to transition will be required to complete the TS4 Elective training requirement in a placement that is pre-approved for TS4 training (Only those placements in a non-TS4 site confirmed prior to transition will be honoured).
 
A list of TS4 accredited sites is available on the ACEM website to assist you with your planning (ED TS4 and Non-ED TS4).

Any Paediatric requirement completed prior to transition, whether that is by time spent in a Paediatric ED or by the logbook, will be credited. It is best to refer to the Transition principles in relation to the Paediatric Requirement as everyone’s circumstances will be very different.
 
In the 2022 FACEM Training program, the Paediatric Emergency Requirement is different and requires all trainees to complete a logbook of cases as well as complete WBAs that are unique to this requirement. The DEMT also provides comment on how a trainee is progressing in their management of paediatric presentations. Further information is available in the 2022 Training Handbook and on our Educational Resources pages.

The changes to the Site Accreditation classification and limits came into effect for all trainees from February 2022 regardless of the training program they were in, a change in transition timeline will not affect training limits at a site, they will carry forward following transition.
 
Any training time completed in Private or Paediatric EDs prior to transition will not be carried forward to the site limits for these settings in the 2022 FACEM training program.

Yes. Any Major Referral/Non-Major Referral time will be credited even if completed in a Paediatric or Private ED that was previously classified as MR or Non-MR. Following transition, trainees must complete any remaining time in an accredited Adult or Mixed Public ED that is classified as MR or Non-MR to fulfill this requirement.
 
The below table details the credit arrangement for each requirement:

 

Training Setting (2022 training program requirements)	Credits applied* (if completed prior to transition)
Major Referral Adult or Mixed Public Hospital (6 FTE months)	Full credit – if completed 6 FTE months. Partial credit – based on time completed.
Non-Major Referral Adult or Mixed Public Hospital (12 FTE months)	6 FTE months credit– for all transitioned trainees. Full credit – if completed 6 FTE months Partial credit – based on time completed.

* Any Major Referral/Non-Major Referral time completed as part of the core ED of Advanced Training prior to transition will be considered for credit towards this requirement.

Examination eligibility is different for the 2022 training program however the transition should not delay overall progression through the training program for any pre-2022 trainee. Trainees are encouraged to continue with their training plans without any changes, so variations to examination eligibility and other training regulations have been made for trainees depending on the cohort in which they are transitioned, and these can be found on the transition website. If you have any concerns, please email the ACEM training team at [email protected].

The following training requirements, limits, allowances and provisions completed or accrued prior to transition will carry forward towards the limits in the 2022 training program. The limits and allowances for all of the below are the same for both programs:

• Maximum Exam Attempts
• Additional Training Time per phase/stage
• Overall Additional Training Time periods
• Leave taken during a placement and year
• Interruption to training allowances, including parental leave
• Surplus Training allowance
• Site limits
• Non-ED Discipline limits
• Placement Compliance
• Administrative Interruptions to training.

Examples

A trainee has taken 12 of the 36 months of interruption to training allowance prior to transition.

The 12 months will be carried forward and the trainee will still have 24 months interruption allowance available. 

A trainee has had one attempt at the Fellowship Written Examination in the pre-2022 training program prior to transition.

This attempt will carry forward and the trainee will still have two more attempts at this examination following transition.

Yes, all core DOPs that have been completed and logged on the training portal will be credited to the Procedural Requirement of revised training program if they are equivalent. The majority of the procedures are the same between the two programs. These can be compared here.
 
The number of procedures a trainee will need to complete following transition depends on which stage of training they will be transitioned to. It is best to for trainees to refer the transition web page and the individual cohorts for more information.

Yes, in the way these core procedures are assessed and logged.
 
In the 2022 training program, the Assessor directly observes a trainee performing a specific clinical procedure. The Assessor assesses the trainee and provides feedback on trainee performance of the procedure. To have the procedure logged as successfully completed a trainee must have been assessed as satisfactorily performed by the trainee independently, without supervisor intervention. This may mean that you need to repeat each DOPS until you are able to do so independently.
 
DOPS are also no longer reviewed by Trainee Progression Review Panels as part of a phase of training. Trainees must successfully complete all the procedures to achieve Fellowship.

No. Trainees are not able to commence any training requirement of the 2022 FACEM Training Program until they are officially transitioned to this program by the College and under a new set of training program regulations. RPL will not be considered for any training requirements.

The detailed information on the new assessments and training requirements of the revised FACEM Training Program which includes,: the Paediatric Emergency Requirement, Procedural Requirement and expectation of each stage of training can be found in the FACEM Training Handbook 2022 and on the Educational Resources website.