Medical Training Review Panel: Seventeenth Report

Subspecialty Training

Page last updated: 09 April 2014

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Subspecialties

In 2013, there were 53 members or fellows undertaking additional advanced training in a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynaecology, with the most common subspecialties being maternal and fetal medicine (34%) and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (24.5%). Almost two-thirds of obstetricians and gynecologists training in a subspecialty were female (Table 4.19).

Table 4.19: Obstetrics and gynaecology advanced trainees: Total, proportion of total and females by subspecialty, 2013
Subspecialty
(a)Positions
Proportion (%)
Females

(a) These positions are Member or Fellows of RANZCOG, training in a subspecialty. They are not included in advanced trainee numbers elsewhere.

Source: RANZCOG
Obstetrics and gynaecology ultrasound
9
17.0
9
Maternal and fetal medicine
18
33.4
10
Reproductive endocrinology and infertility
13
24.5
7
Gynaecological oncology
9
17.0
4
Urogynaecology
4
7.5
3
Total
53
100.0
33

Pathology Subspecialties

In 2013, there were 514 advanced trainees (Table 4.20) undertaking training with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA). Almost half of these (240 or 46.7%) were within the subspecialty of anatomical pathology and almost a third (155 or 30.2%) in haematology.

Table 4.20: Pathology advanced trainees: Total, proportion of total and females by subspecialty, 2013
Subspecialty
Positions
Proportion (%)
Females

Source: RCPA
Anatomical pathology
240
46.7
142
Chemical pathology
19
3.7
10
Forensic pathology
7
1.4
5
General pathology
7
1.4
5
Genetic pathology
8
1.6
2
Haematology
155
30.2
91
Immunopathology
25
4.9
9
Microbiology
52
10.1
32
Oral and maxillofacial pathology
1
0.2
1
Total
514
100.0
297

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Table 4.21 shows the number of training positions in the pathology subspecialties in each of the states and territories.

Table 4.21: Pathology advanced trainees by subspecialty and state/territory, 2013
Subspecialty
NSW
Vic
Qld
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Aust

Source: RCPA
Anatomical pathology
89
61
42
14
23
4
1
6
240
Chemical pathology
4
7
4
1
3
0
0
0
19
Forensic pathology
3
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
7
General pathology
3
1
2
0
0
1
0
0
7
Genetic pathology
3
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
8
Haematology
51
52
27
12
8
1
0
4
155
Immunopathology
11
6
2
3
2
0
0
1
25
Microbiology
18
14
11
2
5
0
1
1
52
Oral and maxillofacial pathology
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Total
182
147
89
33
43
6
2
12
514

Physician Adult Medicine Subspecialties

In 2013, there were 1,513 advanced physician trainees undertaking training with the RACP in adult medicine (Table 4.22).

Of all the subspecialties, general medicine and geriatric medicine had the largest numbers of advanced trainees (308 and 176 respectively).

Table 4.22: Physician adult medicine advanced trainees: Total, proportion of total and females by subspecialty, 2013
Subspecialty
Trainees(b)
Proportion (%)
Females

(a) The totals are not cumulative sums of the figures above as some trainees are enrolled in multiple subspecialties (i.e. dual trainees).
(b) Total trainee numbers include those undertaking training in Australia and overseas in 2013.

Source: RACP
Cardiology
162
10.7
29
Clinical genetics
4
0.3
4
Clinical pharmacology
12
0.8
4
Endocrinology
115
7.6
82
Gastroenterology
110
7.3
37
General medicine
308
20.4
125
Geriatric medicine
176
11.6
90
Haematology
144
9.5
77
Immunology and allergy
26
1.7
9
Infectious diseases
104
6.9
58
Medical oncology
137
9.1
71
Nephrology
95
6.3
56
Neurology
83
5.5
44
Nuclear medicine
14
0.9
4
Palliative medicine
58
3.8
40
Respiratory and sleep medicine
105
6.9
44
Rheumatology
37
2.4
27
Total(a)
1,513
100.0
735

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Table 4.23 shows the numbers of advanced training positions in adult medicine subspecialties in each of the states and territories.

Table 4.23: Physician adult medicine advanced trainees by subspecialty and state/territory, 2013
Subspecialty
NSW
Vic
Qld
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Aust(b)

(a) Totals are not cumulative sums of the figures above as some trainees are enrolled in multiple subspecialties (i.e. dual trainees).
(b) Australian total differs from the sum of state/territory totals because it includes trainees in overseas placements.

Source: RACP
Cardiology
62
41
31
12
10
5
0
1
162
Clinical genetics
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
4
Clinical pharmacology
3
2
2
4
0
0
0
0
12
Endocrinology
38
36
23
7
5
1
2
1
115
Gastroenterology
35
37
14
12
8
1
1
2
110
General medicine
43
95
82
34
28
12
10
3
308
Geriatric medicine
46
61
28
19
18
2
0
2
176
Haematology
48
47
23
10
7
4
0
5
144
Immunology and allergy
12
4
3
3
5
0
0
0
26
Infectious diseases
30
32
18
7
5
4
4
1
104
Medical oncology
50
40
20
11
5
3
0
5
137
Nephrology
32
31
12
8
7
2
1
3
95
Neurology
32
29
8
7
3
0
1
1
83
Nuclear medicine
9
4
2
0
0
0
0
0
14
Palliative medicine
19
14
7
7
6
0
0
0
58
Respiratory and sleep medicine
34
32
17
14
5
1
1
1
105
Rheumatology
11
12
5
5
3
0
0
1
37
Total(a)
506
518
296
160
115
35
20
26
1,690

Physician Paediatric Subspecialties

In 2013, there were 556 advanced paediatric and child health trainees with the RACP’s Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Table 4.24). Two-thirds (373 or 67.1%) of these trainees were female.

The majority (396 or 71.2%) of all trainees were training in general paediatrics.

Table 4.24: Physician paediatric and child health advanced trainees: Total, proportion of total and females by subspecialty, 2013
Subspecialty
Trainees
Proportion (%)
Females

(a) The totals are not cumulative sums of the figures above as some trainees are enrolled in multiple subspecialties (i.e. dual trainees).

Source: RACP
Cardiology
9
1.6
3
Clinical genetics
15
2.7
11
Clinical pharmacology
2
0.4
1
Community child health
63
11.3
55
Endocrinology
19
3.4
14
Gastroenterology
14
2.5
6
General paediatrics
396
71.2
298
Haematology
10
1.8
7
Immunology and allergy
5
0.9
3
Infectious diseases
25
4.5
16
Medical oncology
18
3.2
15
Neonatal/perinatal medicine
76
13.7
36
Nephrology
10
1.8
7
Neurology
14
2.5
12
Nuclear medicine
0
0.0
0
Paediatric emergency medicine
44
7.9
25
Palliative medicine
5
0.9
5
Respiratory and sleep medicine
20
3.6
14
Rheumatology
3
0.5
3
Total(a)
556
100.0
373

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Table 4.25 shows the numbers of training positions in paediatric subspecialties in each of the states and territories.

Table 4.25: Physician paediatric and child health advanced trainees by subspecialty and state/territory, 2013
Subspecialty
NSW
Vic
Qld
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Aust(b)

(a) Totals are not cumulative sums of the figures above as some trainees are enrolled in multiple subspecialties (i.e. dual trainees).
(b) Australian total differs from the sum of state/territory totals because it includes trainees in overseas placements.

Source: RACP
Cardiology
1
3
0
1
2
0
0
0
9
Clinical genetics
6
2
1
2
1
0
0
0
15
Clinical pharmacology
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Community child health
24
10
12
2
9
0
0
0
63
Endocrinology
6
3
5
2
3
0
0
0
19
Gastroenterology
2
4
4
1
3
0
0
0
14
General paediatrics
139
90
68
27
48
2
11
3
396
Haematology
3
3
2
1
0
0
1
0
10
Immunology and allergy
0
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
5
Infectious diseases
5
6
2
4
3
0
2
0
25
Medical oncology
7
3
2
3
2
0
0
1
18
Neonatal/perinatal medicine
17
20
12
8
12
0
1
2
76
Nephrology
3
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
10
Neurology
10
1
1
0
2
0
0
0
14
Nuclear medicine
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Paediatric emergency medicine
8
11
16
3
3
0
0
0
44
Palliative medicine
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
Respiratory and sleep medicine
9
4
4
0
2
0
0
0
20
Rheumatology
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
Total(a)
242
171
130
57
92
2
15
6
748

Surgical Subspecialties

In 2013, there were 917 advanced surgical trainees undertaking training with the RACS (Table 4.26). Of these, just over one-quarter (252 or 27.5%) were female.

Of the nine subspecialties, general surgery and orthopaedic surgery had the highest numbers of trainees (359 and 191 respectively).

Table 4.26: Surgical advanced trainees: Total, proportion of total and females by subspecialty, 2013(a)
Subspecialty
Trainees
Proportion (%)
Females

(a) Excludes 66 Australian trainees that had approved interruption to training.

Source: RACS
Cardiothoracic surgery
30
3.3
3
General surgery
359
39.1
125
Neurosurgery
48
5.2
14
Orthopaedic surgery
191
20.8
16
Otolaryngology, head and neck surgery
66
7.2
26
Paediatric surgery
19
2.1
13
Plastic and reconstructive surgery
66
7.2
21
Urology
100
10.9
24
Vascular surgery
38
4.1
10
Total
917
100.0
252

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Table 4.27 shows the numbers of training positions in surgical subspecialties in each of the states and territories.

Table 4.27: Surgical advanced trainees by subspecialty and state/territory, 2013(a)
Subspecialty
NSW
Vic
Qld
SA
WA
Tas
NT
ACT
Aust

(a) Excludes 66 Australian trainees that had approved interruption to training.

Source: RACS
Cardiothoracic surgery
11
10
3
3
1
2
0
0
30
General surgery
132
103
67
21
27
1
5
3
359
Neurosurgery
19
11
8
4
3
1
0
2
48
Orthopaedic surgery
72
40
37
13
20
4
2
3
191
Otolaryngology, head and neck surgery
22
18
12
7
4
0
1
2
66
Paediatric surgery
8
5
4
0
1
0
1
0
19
Plastic and reconstructive surgery
18
22
10
8
7
1
0
0
66
Urology
35
27
22
5
7
1
0
3
100
Vascular surgery
15
11
6
1
4
0
0
1
38
Total
332
247
169
62
74
10
9
14
917