AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF CRANIOMAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONS
CRANIOMAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY TRAINING
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The ANZSCMFS Post Fellowship Education and Training (PFET) Program provides the opportunity for suitably qualified independent specialists to undertake extensive education and training to achieve advanced proficiency, knowledge and skills in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery.
The goals of the training and education programme are to:
provide an opportunity to obtain the knowledge, skills, clinical judgement and attitudes essential to the practice of CMFS
educate surgeons who are able to lead and establish national and world standards in the treatment of CMFS patients and establish international leadership in CMFS research.
TRAINING COURSE
Craniomaxillofacial surgery has developed as a superspecialty of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. It includes the study, investigation and management of congenital and acquired anomalies of the face, skull and skull base.
A formal 2-year training program in craniomaxillofacial surgery has been developed by ANZSCMFS. This is a post fellowhship training program (PFET) and has been endorsed as such by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
SET Trainees in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery are invited to apply for the program in their final year of SET training. The first year of the program is to be undertaken in an Australian or New Zealand centre approved by the ANZSCMFS for training. The second year of raining is usually done in an overseas centre that has also been approved by the ANZSCMFS.
Currently approved training centres are: The Australian Craniofacial Unit in Adelaide, The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, The Royal Brisbane and Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, The Oxford Craniofacial Unit, England, The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Sunnybrook Hospital in Seattle.
DURATION, SCOPE AND TRAINING CENTRES
The duration of CMF education and training requires trainees to have completed SET training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery before commencing a two-year component of CMF training.
Within the two-year component of CMFS training, there can be an overseas year at centres approved by the ANZSCMFS.
Training programs will be arranged with rotations between institutions to provide the necessary range of training experience.
There are currently accredited positions in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne for PFET trainees in craniomaxillofacial surgery. Appointment to these positions is via local employment procedures and is not under the control of the ANZSCMFS
COMPETENCIES
Maxillofacial surgery is surgery of the lower and midface and is an integral part of current training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Orthognathic surgery, including detailed assessment and treatment planning, is a core component of the 2 year CMF curriculum.
Craniofacial surgery implies surgery of the skull and skull base, including the management of complex skull and orbital deformities, syndromal problems and complex clefting of the orbits, upper face and cranium and other complex cranial and upper face deformities. Depending on the exposure to this work during the 2-year training in CMFS, further education and training may be required to be fully competent in the management of such craniofacial problems.
ASSESSMENTS
The assessment of performance by the supervisor is fundamental to advancement of the fellow and the accreditation of the PFET Program. Each PFET position has a nominated supervisor or supervisors. The supervisor(s) is/are responsible for the supervision and assessment of the fellow in that position.
During the PFET Program the fellows’ performance should be regularly reviewed by the supervisor including a three monthly performance assessment meeting.
Completion of the Professional Performance Assessment (PPA) Report, in the prescribed manner, must be undertaken at the conclusion of each six (6) month period.
The fellow is required to have completed and submitted one Craniomaxillofacial research project for publication and/or presentation in a peer reviewed journal or scientific meeting during the PFET Program.
PFET fellows are required to pass an exit examination. The examination will consist of:
a. 1 hour of standardized oral questions relating to the published Syllabus in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery.
b. 1 hour of oral questions relating to the submitted case reports.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Please contact Mr Yun Phua, supervisor of training, for further information regarding the training program on secretariat@anzscmfs.co.nz