RANZCOG has a rich history as the peak medical body for obstetricians and gynaecologists across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and with this history we have built the foundation for the future of our College as the leading voice for women’s health and O&Gs in our region. This issue will look at where we have come from, we are now, and where we are going as a college, and as a specialty.

Historical collection

We are committed to preserving the history of our College for future generations of obstetricians and gynaecologists, and as such have appointed a College Archivist who will be managing the RANZCOG Historical Collection and the Frank Forster Library in consultation with the Historical Collections Committee. The history of the College is important, and we are grateful to all Fellows who have donated to assist with the management of the collection. The Historical Collection is being reviewed and itemised by the Archivist so that we can get a better understanding of what we have in our collection and look at options for displays. Our first display is currently available to view at Djeembana, which showcases the evolution of forceps and surgical tools over the last three centuries. The feature item is the Smellie forceps which you can read more about in Professor Caroline de Costa’s article in this issue. All members and trainees are welcome to view the display and make enquiries about the collection through the Archivist.

AMC reaccreditation

RANZCOG is currently undergoing the reaccreditation process through the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ). This has been a lengthy process that has taken many months of preparation, followed by the reaccreditation visit that took place in July. This was a good opportunity for us to examine what we do well as a College and look at areas for improvement. What we had identified as our areas for improvement were confirmed by the preliminary report that was delivered to the RANZCOG Council on Friday 21 July. We were pleased that there were no surprises in the recommendations and that many of the items identified are already being addressed through projects that currently are in development. Thank you to all Fellows, trainees and staff who have invested considerable time in the preparation of the report and attendance at meetings with the AMC. When the final report is received, it will be shared with the broader membership. To find out more about the reaccreditation process, have a look at the A whole college effort – putting the A+ in accreditation article.

Looking ahead

Planning for the future of our College and our specialty is at the forefront of our work at RANZCOG. We have been engaged in a range of meetings with Ministers and government departments to discuss hospital accreditation sites and the future of SIMG assessments. The College is deeply invested in advocacy for our members and has been working closely with the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges to advocate on issues that affect the entire industry.

Our advocacy work continues with the numerous ongoing submissions that we participate in, as well as College representatives providing evidence at Senate Hearings, including the Senate Inquiry into Universal Access to Reproductive Healthcare, and the Senate Inquiry in the Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill. Thank you to Professor Kirsten Black, Associate Professor Jared Watts, and Ms Julie Hamblin for their important contributions as expert witnesses at these hearings. We also extend our thanks to all Fellows who contribute to College work in an ongoing capacity on submissions and consultations.

Looking ahead, work on our Assessment, Learning and Examination Centre (ALEC) is progressing well. We are aiming to hold the October FRANZCOG Oral Exam at ALEC and are excited to unveil this invaluable resource to our members and trainees. We are pleased to have a number of colleges and organisations interested in holding their future exams at  ALEC. We have recently completed the RANZCOG Mapping Project and the College is excited to share the outcomes with you and look forward to implementing strategies to improve access to women’s healthcare for regional and rural Australians. We have also progressed work in the CPD homes space, and a detailed overview was provided to the Council at the July Council Meeting. This included a presentation on the value that RANZCOG offers its members as a CPD home, which you can read about in more detail in the update from the President, Dr Benjamin Bopp.