Supervisor Accreditation

ACRRM accredited supervisors are essential in developing Australia’s future Rural Generalist medical workforce. This workforce is vital for our more remote and vulnerable communities.
    
Our valued supervisors use their experience to help registrars achieve their Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM).
Our ACRRM accredited supervisors oversee the complete clinical and educational supervision of a registrar. This includes providing guidance and feedback on the doctor's patient care. The Supervisor and Training Post Accreditation Guide details the requirements to become an accredited supervisor.
The Principal Supervisor is the doctor responsible for the overall clinical and educational supervision of a registrar in the training post. A registrar must always have a principal supervisor.

An Additional Supervisor contributes to the clinical and educational supervision for a registrar. An Additional Supervisor assists the Principal Supervisor, providing supervision at times when the registrar cannot access the Principal Supervisor.

The Supervisor and Training Post Accreditation Guide outlines the requirements for becoming accredited as a supervisor. Potential supervisors should hold specialist qualifications relevant to the training post, for example:

Core Generalist Training (CGT):

  • Primary care posts (such as GP clinics) – FACRRM or FRACGP
  • Secondary care posts (such as rural hospitals) – FACRRM, FRACGP or FRACP
  • Emergency posts – FACRRM, FRACGP or FACEM

Advanced Specialised Training (AST):

  • Fellow of a Specialist College relevant to the AST, or
  • FACRRM or FRACGP with expertise in the relevant AST
  • Any submissions not meeting the above requirements will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

We highly recommend that supervisors who do not hold a FACRRM learn about ACRRM Fellowship and their responsibilities. They can do this by completing the College's online orientation course. This course gives supervisors an overview of the training program. It also helps them tailor educational content to support the registrar's progress towards Fellowship.

ACRRM accreditation standards require all supervisors to develop and maintain their supervisory skills. This can be achieved by completing Foundations of Rural Generalist Supervision courses or an ACRRM approved course by third party provider. Principal supervisors are also required to demonstrate cultural competency through the completion of a cultural safety training.

 

 

Yes, potentially. You will still need to meet the ACRRM standards for supervisors to become accredited. Additionally, the training post must go through its normal accreditation process and also submit an application for off-site supervision. This application should outline how the post will support the registrar and deliver the educational parts of their training.

This model is applicable for remote supervision and blended supervision models (combination of on-site and off-site supervision).

Your registrar, after consultation with their Medical Educator, should have a carefully constructed plan on how they are going to meet their training requirements. Supervisors play an integral role in assisting the registrar to attain their training goals. A detailed outline of ACRRM training requirements are available in the Fellowship Training Program Handbook. A one page training overview document is also available that summarises the ACRRM practice requirements.

Core Generalist Training (CGT)

The principal supervisor is the doctor responsible for the overall clinical and educational supervision of the registrar. The following are formal processes that require input from the supervisor.

Supervisor Report:

  • Completed at six month intervals (or at the end of a training placement if less than six months)

Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercises (miniCEXs):

  • Registrars must complete 9 in total
  • They are conducted by their supervisors, medical educators and other Fellows of ACRRM.
  • Procedural Logbook of Skills§ Registrars need to log into their online profile to access their logbook. Supervisors should check with their registrars to see if they can assist the registrar in creating opportunities to complete outstanding Logbook items.

Multi-Source Feedback (MSF)

  • Usually conducted early in training, ideally in a primary care setting.
  • Conducted by an externally contracted company, feedback is elicited from a variety of sources and compiled into a report, providing a summary of opinions/perceptions regarding the quality of health care provided by the registrar.

Learning Plan

  • Supervisors should meet with their registrar early in the placement to discuss and appraise the registrar’s skills and experience, using this information to update the learning plan.
  • The learning plan should be revised during the placement to check on progression.

Advanced Specialist Training (AST)

AST terms have their own unique assessment methods and reports which vary between disciplines. Further information regarding these can be found in the ACRRM Assessment Handbook.

The Training Program Advisors (TPAs) are the central support for our practice managers and training posts.  TPAs are located within our regions, each allocated a caseload of registrars within a defined sub-region to oversee their training and manage the relationship with their supervisor, practice manager, and training post. For example, NSW/ACT comprises eight sub-regions, each allocated to a dedicated TPA.  Additionally, your TPA can assist in connecting you with your local Supervisor Liaison Officer and Regional Director of Training. If you have not yet been introduced to your TPA, please contact your Training Network Coordinator in your region.

The Supervisor and Training Post Standards stipulate the evidence required to demonstrate clinical and supervisory competence.

All applicants

  • AHPRA registration
  • Evidence of supervisor training
  • Cultural safety training (mandatory of Principal Supervisors)

Non FACRRMS

  • CPD statement
  • CV
  • Fellowship certificate (or 2 x referees if a non-fellow)
Doctors wishing to become accredited to offer AST training at their facility can contact us by emailing postaccreditation@acrrm.org.au.

Standards & Accreditation

Training Program Advisors (TPAs) provide the main support for our supervisors. TPAs work in our regions, and each one is assigned a group of registrars in a specific sub-region. They oversee the registrars' training and manage the relationship with their supervisor.

Nationally, further support is delivered online and face to face.

 

You can take ACRRM and RACGP registrars. ACRRM will work with RACGP to ensure the most suitable matches are made between training posts and registrars, to ensure training posts have continuity of Rural Generalists and GP trainees.

Data uploading & reporting

ACRRM has developed a system for uploading and reporting training, payments, and accreditation data. Access the partner portal.

Payments

PRODA is an online verification and authentication system which links to your Services Australia Account. It verifies your identity as an organisation against information on the Australian Business Register and is required to facilitate payments.

Register your details

Placements

ACRRM collaborates with RACGP to manage training capacity effectively for all training posts, supervisors, and registrars. This collaboration helps reduce duplicated processes and ensures registrars are well-matched with suitable training posts.

ACRRM training post capacity is defined by several factors including registrars staying at the training post, FTE, supervisor availability, and community healthcare needs. Training posts will submit their capacity request at the start of each placement process. ACRRM will review all requests and provide training posts with their approved capacity allocation.

ACRRM and RACGP will collaborate with each other and the training post, to ensure capacity is mapped correctly and provides safe and high-quality training.

Data

Data relating to training posts, placements and rotations will be shared. This includes training options offered, additional sites available and information relating to your accreditation and supervision history. ACRRM confirms that sensitive information will not be shared without prior permission.