FORMAL EDUCATION COURSES

Enrolment in a Formal Education Course:

During the first three years (full-time equivalent) in the RANZCP Fellowship Program, it is a mandatory requirement that trainees are enrolled and satisfactorily complete a RANZCP accredited formal education course (FEC). You may wish to discuss the options for the formal education course with your Director of Training.

There are several options for the Formal Education Course. The NSW Branch of the RANZCP recommends the FECs run through Sydney University, HETI, HNE, and the University of Melbourne, but there are a few other options available to NSW trainees as listed below.

NSW-based Course Providers

Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney:

• Continuing Medical Education (CME) [non-award] - estimated cost $10,500 for the full course from 2025;

• Master of Medicine (Psychiatry) - estimated cost $34,500 for the full course from 2025:

  • If you exit the Masters programme prior to completion you can receive a:

    • Graduate Certificate in Medicine (Psychiatry) after completion of 24 units;

    • Graduate Diploma in Medicine (Psychiatry) after completion of 36 units.

HETI Higher Education (Health Education and Training Institute):

• Non-award Postgraduate Course in Psychiatry (PCP)

  • NSW Health Doctors in Training: total cost $3,000 ($500 per semester)

  • Non-NSW Health doctors: total cost $17,820 ($2970 per semester)

Hunter New England Training (HNET) in Psychiatry:

• Non-award FEC running through Stage 1 & 2

  • Free for trainees working with Hunter New England LHD

Victorian-based Course Providers

1. University of Melbourne:

   1. Master of Psychiatry - estimated cost $38,026 for the full course from 2025.

2. Monash University:

   1. Master of Psychiatry (Master of Mental Health Science) - estimated cost $29,800 for the full course from 2025.

      • If you exit the Masters programme prior to completion you can receive a:

        • Graduate Certificate of Psychiatry after completion of 24 units;

        • Graduate Diploma of Psychiatry after completion of 48 units.

      • It is currently unclear if this programme is RANZCP accredited as a Formal Education Course.

South Australian-based Course Providers

1. South Australian Psychiatry Branch Training Committee (SABTC):

   1. A non-award five year formal education course which can be exited after year 3 to satisfy the requirements of the Stage 1 & 2 formal education course - estimated cost $5,000 for the full course from 2019, but most NSW Trainees would exit after 3 years (cost $3000).

Formal Education Courses in Other States and Territories

1. Queensland:

   • Postgraduate Training in Psychiatry (PGT) provide the FEC in Queensland through their portal, but this is only available to Queensland-based trainees.

2. Australian Capital Territory:

   • There is no FEC in the ACT and Trainees generally select either a Masters course or another Service’s videolink course.

3. Tasmania:

   1. *in progress*

4. Northern Territory:

   • The NT does not have its own FEC and Trainees generally select either a Masters course or another Service’s videolink course.

5. Western Australia:

   1. *in progress*