ACEM - FACEM Trainees commenced prior to 2022

A revised PEM Training Program will be introduced from 2023 and applies to all FACEM Trainees training who started FACEM Training from 2022. Regulation G7 applies to all these trainees.

FACEM Trainees who enrolled prior to 2022 and are currently undertaking FACEM and PEM Training with ACEM under Regulation B, will not be impacted by these changes.

Pre-2022 FACEM Trainees (under Regulation B) enrolled in PEM, will have their PEM Training transitioned to Regulation G at a date to be advised.

Principles for transition for ACEM PEM trainees have now been approved and detailed information will be published soon. Please note there will be no disadvantage to trainees.

Overview of the Speciality

If you are dedicated to the short-term and emergency treatment of children (neonates to adolescents) then Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) is the sub-speciality for you.

Undertaking this sub-speciality will focus on:

Being well-rounded in all areas of acute medicine and managing most situations independently. This involves coordination of complex patients and interacting with other health care service providers.
Educating and supporting other healthcare staff and professionals who work with children.
Managing paediatric patients within an emergency department where medical and surgical emergencies may be required.

Eligibility to enrol in PEM Training with ACEM

You must be:

Registered as an advanced trainee in the FACEM Training Program ; or
A Fellow of ACEM (FACEM).

Curriculum

FACEM Trainees undertaking the Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) Training Program with ACEM are guided and supported in their training by the PEM Advanced Training Curriculum, used in conjunction with ACEM’s Curriculum Framework.

The curriculum specifies the learning outcomes expected at the completion of each stage of training, building upon the pre-existing knowledge, skills and professional attributes of trainees. Assessment of PEM trainees occurs through In-Training Assessments (ITAs) conducted by the PEM DEMT or Supervisor.

Structure and requirements

ACEM stream	PEM requirements	FACEM Training requirements that can be satisfied concurrently
Stage 1	12 months Provisional Training in an adult/mixed emergency medicine Pass the Primary Exams	Time can be certified to core Provisional Training requirements.
Stage 2	12–24 months³ adult EM	Time can be certified to core emergency medicine training requirements in Early Phase and Late Phase Advanced Training.
	18 months¹ paediatric emergency medicine	Time can be certified to core emergency medicine training requirements in Early Phase and Late Phase Advanced Training.
	12 months paediatric medicine	Time can be certified to the Non-ED or Discretionary requirements for FACEM Training, where applicable.
	6 months Paediatric ICU²	Can also be certified to the Critical Care, Non-ED or Discretionary requirements for FACEM Training, where applicable.
	Trainee research requirement Pass FACEM Training Fellowship Exams On completion of this stage and achieving ACEM Fellowship, trainees will receive a letter confirming completion of the ACEM Pathway Stage 2 PEM Training.
Stage 3	12 months adult EM ACEM Trainee research requirement Pass ACEM Fellowship Exams On completion of this stage, you will receive Dual Fellowship with ACEM & RACP

¹The 18 months of mandatory paediatric emergency medicine training time may only be undertaken in departments that have specific PEM accreditation and, unlike adult ED training, must be wholly undertaken during Advanced Training.

²PICU sites classified by CICM as either ‘Foundation’ or ‘Limited General Training (G6)’ will not count towards the PICU requirement of the Training Program. Sites must be classified as ‘General Training (Gen)’.

³Dependent upon the amount of adult emergency medicine training a trainee completes during their Provisional Training phase. A minimum of 24 months adult emergency medicine training must be completed to receive FACEM and Stage 2 Letter of Completion.

RACP stream trainee requirements

If you are interested pursuing Paediatric Emergency Medicine Training only, you can undertake training with RACP.

All prospective RACP trainees must have:

completed RACP Basic Training, including Written and Clinical Examinations
a current medical registration
been appointed to an appropriate Advanced Training position.

For more information, see RACP Paediatric Emergency Medicine.

Training end points

There are two potential end points to specialist training in paediatric emergency medicine (PEM):

1. Single Fellowship

Trainees may elect to terminate Joint Paediatric Emergency Medicine training at the end of Stage 2 of the joint program, i.e. once they receive Fellowship of ACEM and a letter from the CJCT-PEM (Committee for Joint College Training in Paediatric Emergency Medicine) stating that they have completed all requirements of the Joint PEM Training Program. At this point, Fellows may apply to AHPRA for recognition as a Specialist Paediatric Emergency Physician.

2. Dual Fellowship

Trainees who complete Stage 3 of the joint program via the RACP Pathway may also elect to continue with Stage 3 of joint training via the ACEM Pathway. Before commencing Stage 3, it is necessary to register as a trainee with ACEM first. The completion of all components of Stage 3 will lead to dual fellowship of both ACEM and RACP.

Training due dates

ACEM PEM Training Program trainees who have satisfactorily completed the requirements of the FACEM Training Program must complete all remaining ACEM PEM training requirements within 7 years of the date of election to Fellowship of ACEM.

ACEM PEM Training Program trainees who enrol in Stage 2 Paediatric Emergency Medicine after award of FACEM must satisfactorily complete all training requirements outlined within 7 years of the date of enrolment into the ACEM PEM Training Program.

How to apply

Complete the relevant enrolment form:

Stage 2 PEM Enrolment Form (ACEM Advanced Trainees and FACEMs)
Stage 3 PEM Enrolment Form (FRACPs)

Neonatal ICU (NICU) towards General Paediatric Medicine

The CJCT-PEM have approved in principle that up to 3-months of NICU training time may be accredited towards the General Paediatric Medicine component of PEM Training, subject to their review and approval of the training site and learning outcomes of the role.

For the CJCT-PEM to review 3-months of NICU placement for contribution towards the PEM training time requirement of General Paediatric Medicine, trainees must provide:

Confirmation of the NICU site at which you intend to complete this placement;
A position description for the placement;
If possible, confirmation of your supervisor for this placement; and
Cover letter on how you intend to address Learning Outcomes.

PEM Trainees are expected to meet the Learning Outcomes as outlined in the Guideline on Certification of Neonatal ICU (NICU) to The General Paediatric Medicine Requirement for Joint PEM.

To request that an additional 3 months of NICU training time be considered towards General Paediatric Medicine requirements (6 months in total), trainees will need to submit a Special Consideration request. Trainees should review the Exceptional Circumstances and Special Consideration Policy and if they wish to proceed, submit an application on this form, together with relevant supporting documentation. It is unlikely that supporting documentation will be very different to that supplied for a first request, but trainees may wish to include a letter of support from a relevant supervisor that identifies any specific benefits resulting from an additional 3 months in this placement.

For further information or advice on PEM Training with ACEM, please contact: pemtraining@acem.org.au