Having commenced at RANZCOG on the 29th June, the past few weeks have been spent becoming familiar with RANZCOG systems and processes, meeting staff, attending meetings and developing an understanding of the College’s philosophy, vision and strategic objectives.

For the past six years I was employed at another specialist medical college, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM), initially as the Director of Education and then as CEO. It is interesting to gain an insight into the similarities and points of difference and those things that make RANZCOG unique. I have been welcomed warmly by the staff, Board and Council and impressed by the level of commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated by those who volunteer their time by serving on the various committees and working groups.

Before beginning my role, I was made aware of the College’s strategic plan for the coming three years. Not surprisingly, education is a key objective, with online learning and technology featuring highly on the list of planned initiatives. Aligned with this is the desire of the College to engage more meaningfully with its members; to add value to their professional lives and provide enhanced opportunities for participation and interaction.

Over the past few weeks, I have been fortunate to have attended several regional committee meetings, and hope to attend all regional meetings over the next few months. This has enabled me to learn more about the local matters affecting our Fellows and Trainees as well as the specific medico-political issues relating to the regions. One of the major challenges facing a federated organisation, such as RANZCOG, is the ongoing exchange of information and how this can best be facilitated. Effective communication is a challenge for any business, group or society, no matter how large or small, and it is my hope that we can continue to build on and enhance our ability to communicate effectively with our members and Trainees as well as with the broader community.

The College website is often the first point of contact for those wishing to learn more about RANZCOG and its activities and so in the coming months, our focus will be on evaluating the current site; from both an external and internal perspective. We hope to make the website more user-friendly as well as more informative and interactive and would welcome your feedback and suggestions as to how this might be achieved.

It is always a challenge to meet the needs of a diverse group of people, who may have different values and expectations. One of the critical factors is maintaining and respecting those aspects of the College that are important to the membership (such as its history and traditions) while striving to be a contemporary and relevant organisation. I am looking forward to meeting the members of the College and learning more about how they view these often conflicting and sometimes complementary aspirations. I am also looking forward to assisting the College build on the excellent reputation it has earned over many years and hope my contribution may, in some small way, support the continuation of this evolution.