The Medical Board of Australia has taken the next steps on revalidation of doctors by commissioning research and seeking expert advice to provide one or more models for revalidation and how these can be piloted. The decision not to adopt a specific model is essential to ensure that the revalidation is tailored to the Australian environment.

The report from the Collaboration for the Advancement of Medical Education Research and Assessment (CAMERA) found positive evidence that revalidation is worthwhile in managing risk to patients and recommends three alternative models for the Board to consider.

The Board will progress its consideration of revalidation in Australia by:

• Appointing an expert group to provide technical expert advice on revalidation which will be chaired by Professor Liz Farmer.
• Appointing a Consultative Committee to provide feedback on issues related to the introduction of revalidation in Australia, chaired by the Chair of the Medical Board of Australia.
• Commissioning social research into what the profession and the community expect from medical practitioners.

The Board has set a 12-month timeline for the Expert Advisory Group to recommend revalidation models and how each of them can be evaluated. The social research will also be conducted over the next 12 months.

More articles on My Health Career:

• Revalidation of doctors
• The health industry responds to “Wasted” – the 4 Corners report on overdiagnosis and treatment in medicine
• 4 areas of health sector change in the NAB Health in Focus Report
• General Practice: The best job in the world or a career for those who fail?

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