Benefits of Fellowship
- The ability to pratice Musculoskeletal Medicine as a recognised vocational scope of practice in New Zealand
- Helping community-based patients with complex pain issues
- Collegiality and being recognised by your peers as offering an unique service
- Access to specific funding streams such as ACC Clinical Services and/or Interventional Pain Management contract
- Personal satisfaction and work/life balance
Path to Fellowship
Clinical Training Course for Fellowship in Musculoskeletal Medicine
1. Become Member of the the Association (NZAMM) – having completed MSMX701 & MSMX711 DipMSM (Otago)
a. Complete NZAMM membership application form + fee
b. Two current financially paid-up Members to nominate you
2. Apply to do Training Course
a. Application Form + fee
b. Receive Summary of Training
c. Provide necessary supporting information as per application
d. Return to Administrator
3. Acknowledgement
a. Will be sent to you by Administrator on receipt of Application within 5 working days
b. Will give time frames for processing Application by Board of Censors (Summary of Application Time Frames for prospective trainees)
c. Will receive a notice of Acceptance for an Interview (or Decline if not suitable)
d. If accepted will be given date/place of interview by Panel (in person or by telecommunication) & forwarding of the Full Training Manual
4. Interview
a. Will be a structured interview following a Faculty developed protocol
b. Panel of Three from Board of Censors/Training Committee, or if by telecommunication, preferably with one panel member personally present
5. Acceptance
a. Formal letter of acceptance/decline into training programme
b. Meeting with Director of Training and Supervisor to review Portfolio and how to action the various elements of the Training Programme
i. Rotation through Training posts
ii. Elective placements
iii. Study & retreat commitments
iv. Syllabus and core references
v. Individualised Timeline
vi. MoU (or contract) signed by both parties
c. Presented with personal Portfolio of Learning
i. Determines which elements of training already “met”
ii. Prior experience may determine which elements of the Training Programme will need to be undertaken
d. Receive an Approval to Commence Training e. Names of your Supervisor & Mentor
6. Fees
a. Annual Training fee – includes CPD (Comprises both Annual Membership fee as per Fellows & Accreditation Levy)
b. Retreat Fees as per Fellows
c. To be paid within one month of invoice
7. In Training
a. Maintain and submit 3 monthly Case Log, Log of Clinical Proficiency/ Portfolio of Learning to Supervisor
b. Complete and submit to Supervisor Trainee Placement Reports
c. Maintain Annual CPD reporting and submit to Administrator each year, along with APC/evidence medical indemnity
d. Attendance at Retreats and Training Days
e. Review of learning requirements, identification of deficits and plan to address these
f. Annual review with Supervisor/DoT with annual Approval to Continue Training being given
g. Preparation for Fellowship Examinations
8. Disputes (be aware of process for resolving disputes)
i. Mentor
ii. Board of censors
9. Final Examination
a. Apply to FAFMM for membership
b. The DoT will forward a “Candidate ready to be Examined” notice to Board of Censors via the Administrator
c. Receive an Invitation to be Examined from BoC, with time & place
i. If deferment then BoC & Supervisor will formulate programme to satisfactorily complete training to the standard required, or preparedness for examinations
ii. Examination date to be set within 2 months of receipt of candidates readiness for examination
d. Fellowship examination – 2 parts – + fee
i. by 2 hour, 100 question MCQ (as described in training manual)
ii. by oral viva e. The oral viva will only be offered upon successful completion of the written examination. The oral viva is to be offered within 3 months of successful completion of the written examination
10. Awarding of the Fellowship
a. Letter to candidate of either successful in obtaining Fellowship in Musculoskeletal Medicine, or unsuccessful
b. Letter to NZAMM advising that the Candidate was successful and can be awarded a CAMM
c. Letter from Censor in Chief to MCNZ advising them that the candidate has been awarded Fellowship/CAM in Musculoskeletal Medicine (to be done within 1 month of passing)
d. Formal presentation of Fellowship at next Faculty Retreat
Becoming a Fellow
Eligibility for New Zealand Graduates
Prospective Trainees are required to hold:
- MBBS, MbChb qualifications gained at a University approved by the MCNZ
- Full registration with MCNZ
- Annual Practicing Certificate
- Completed post-graduate years 1 & 2
- Two years of community based work, at 50% of which is in accredited General Practice
- Membership to a professional indemnity insurer such as Medical Protection Society
- Passes in papers MSMX701 (Clinical Diagnosis) and MSMX711 (Pain Assessment) offered in the Post-Graduate Diploma of Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Otago
The training programme shall include, but is not necessarily limited to:
- periods in clinical practice under the supervision of a Fellow of the Faculty, either in community or hospital based practice
- periods of unsupervised practice but subject to the supervision of a preceptor
- taking short and long courses of instruction in practices or disciplines pertinent to the Syllabus of the Faculty
- availing themselves of the educational resources of the Faculty and its members including, but not limited to, videotapes, published works, internet instruction and refresher courses
- undertaking formative assessments provided by the Faculty
Typically, this training would be completed over a period of four years but could be less in the light of aptitude or previous experience and training.
Upon completion of the training period, and its requirements, trainees will be eligible to submit for the Fellowship examination. Upon passing the examination, trainees will be eligible for Fellowship in accordance with its other accreditation requirements.
Training Programme Details
Eligibility for the exit examination is contingent upon completing a Training Programme approved by the Censor-in-Chief. The Training Programme shall typically be undertaken over a period equivalent to four years, full-time, and shall comprise rotations through approved hospital or community-based clinics which can include approved Musculoskeletal Centres, Pain Management Centres, Sports Medicine Centres, Rehabilitation Units, or centres specialising in medical imaging or interventional procedures. Additionally, successful completion of approved course work with a strong musculoskeletal component, such as a Masters Degree in Pain Medicine or in a cognate discipline – e.g. Clinical Epidemiology, may be considered as approved training, at the discretion of the Censor-in-Chief.
Full details of the requirements are contained in the training manual.
KEY Features
- The role of the Musculoskeletal Medicine doctor is to listen, interpret, diagnose, explain, treat and rehabilitate. They work with people who have pain and loss of function as a result of problems with their musculoskeletal system: bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerves.
- Musculoskeletal Medicine doctors use the latest evidence-based treatments ranging from manual therapies, soft tissue or joint injections, to diagnostic and therapeutic hi-tech interventional procedures.
- With specialist knowledge and networks, Musculoskeletal Medicine doctors often provide relief where others have not been able to help. This makes a lasting difference in their patients’ lives.
- A career in Musculoskeletal Medicine provides the best of both worlds: specialising in an emerging and rewarding field of medicine which makes a lasting difference in patients’ lives, while working normal 9 to 5 office hours, based in the community with no shift work and hospital commitments (unless there is a wish to do so).
- Training and upskilling is incredibly flexible with remote learning options and a number of regular workshops and retreats held at various locations, nationwide, by fellow MSM specialists.
- Those GP’s interested in studying MSM may start by studying for a diploma in MSM which allows them to be a GPSI. Doctors may also follow an MSM specialist pathway from the outset. For more information on the different options, you can see the MSM training pathways below.
