A GUIDE TO APPLICATIONS FOR APPROVAL OF
NEUROLOGY ELECTIVE TRAINING POSTS

Preamble

An elective post can count towards one year of non-core advanced training in neurology. Non-core training can include research (clinical or basic science), or clinical work in another specialty (providing there is suitable neurology experience) or subspecialty experience within neurology. There are no set requirements for the elective year. Each candidate must submit his/her plans for the elective year to the Neurology STC for prospective approval prior to starting the year.

A hospital may wish to accredit an elective post. This should be a post that is offered on a regular basis and can be advertised as such. We envisage that this post would provide subspecialty clinical exposure (such as neurophysiology, stroke, epilepsy, movement disorder etc., which may also involve a research component) or further broad clinical experience (e.g. exposure to rural, private practice, or overseas environments).

It is not a barrier to offer an elective post if it is not accredited. Accreditation of the post is designed to make things easier administratively.

It should be emphasised that all elective posts must be approved by the STC when the trainee applies prospectively.

STC Approval of Elective Posts

As described above, this is an administrative process that is of assistance to the institution and the candidate. It does not replace the requirement for the trainee to prospectively submit his/her training plan for the elective year.

The STC will assess any application for approval of an elective post. The application is a paper based process. All members of the STC will review the application. Correspondence will come via the Chair or Co-Chair of the STC. The STC will approve the elective post for three years.

It should be emphasised that for approval of an elective post to occur, it should be an ongoing neurology based position with subspecialty or other special emphasis. The STC is mindful that the elective post should allow a degree of flexibility for individual trainees.

Proforma for Applications

It is requested that applications be emailed to the ANZAN Secretariat in Word format, using the following four headings.

The proforma should include:-

i/ name of supervisor, names and appointments of other neurologists with which the trainee will work and brief description of departmental facilities, if the department does not have accredited core training posts;

ii/ a description of the main educational focus of the post;

iii/ other educational opportunities for the trainee. This should include attendance at Brain School, local/state/national/international meetings, teaching opportunities, and research opportunities (if not a major part of the post); and

iv/ a suggested or provisional weekly time table.

Dr. Peter Hand

Chair, Specialist Training Committee (Neurology)

August 2008