- Email: [email protected]
Professional organisation profile: the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease (2005) 3, 39–41
www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/tmid
Professional organisation profile: the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine Peter A. Leggata,*, Kenneth N. Winkelb a
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia Australian Venom Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
b
Received 6 July 2004; accepted 6 July 2004 Available online 21 August 2004
KEYWORDS Australasian College of Tropical Medicine; Professional Organisation; Tropical Medicine; Australia; New Zealand
Summary A review of the foundation of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine is presented. Information is given on aims, professional grades of membership, and the various activities of the College, including publications and scientific meetings. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine was founded on 29 May 1991 at a meeting in Townsville, Australia.1 Formerly, the professional interests of tropical medicine were served almost exclusively by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTM&H) based in the United Kingdom, although many College members have retained their membership of the RSTM&H. The need for a professional organisation in tropical medicine for Australasia and the rekindling of professional interest in tropical medicine reflected in part the re-establishment of academic training programs in * Corresponding author. Tel.: C61-7-4781-6108; fax: C61-74781-5254. E-mail address: [email protected] (P.A. Leggat).
tropical health and medicine in Australia during the late 1980s and early 1990s.2 The ACTM established its first professional Faculty, the Faculty of Travel Medicine, on 9 March 2000, which has been profiled elsewhere.3 The Constitution of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine provides for a governing body, the College Council, headed by an Executive Council. The Executive Council consists of five members (President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and Immediate Past President/President-Elect). The College’s professional members elect the Council and Executive Council. The College Secretariat is based in Queensland and is operated on behalf of the College by the Australian Medical Association. The President of the College is a member of the Committee of Combined College Chairs of the AMA in Queensland.
1477-8939/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2004.07.001
40
Aims of the college The aims of the college are to: † Encourage continuing education and the exchange of knowledge in tropical medicine † Collaborate with other organisations in conducting activities of mutual concern, interest and direction in tropical medicine † Promote research in tropical medicine † Strive for professionalism and competence among its members and those specialising in and entering into the field of tropical medicine † Maintain a historical collection of items relevant to the development of tropical medicine in Australasia
College membership Since its humble beginnings, The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine has become the preeminent organisation in the Australasian region representing professional interests in tropical medicine. The College currently has about 450 members coming from more than 30 countries around the world. The College’s inclusive membership is drawn predominantly but not exclusively from generalists and specialists in the medical and nursing professions, as well as medical scientists, in the public and private sectors. The College is actively seeking to encourage membership amongst those working in tropical medicine and related areas and provides professional recognition through different grades of membership, which reflect the level of training and experience of applicants. Professional grades of membership include Fellow, Member, and Associate. There is also a nonprofessional grade of Affiliate. The requirements for the award of Fellowship currently include a named postgraduate academic qualification in tropical medicine or a pass in an approved examination or an approved Fellowship in another medical college. At present, the certificate of knowledge exam offered by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is an approved examination.4 Training in tropical medicine in the Australasian region has been discussed elsewhere.2
Networking and scientific meetings of the college In addition to providing a network for an exchange of knowledge and experience amongst professionals
P.A. Leggat, K.N. Winkel working in tropical medicine, the College seeks to provide continuing education in tropical medicine through the Annual Scientific Meetings and various regional meetings of the College. External accreditation from other professional organisations is often sought from continuing professional development points. Both poster and oral presentations are encouraged at Annual Scientific Meetings. Keynote speakers may also present plenary and workshop sessions. The College Executive Council also endorses meetings of other professional organisations and groups following review of the proposed program.
College publications The College produces a quarterly newsletter, the ACTM Bulletin, which has periodic supplements, such as the Travel Medicine Briefcase. The Publications Committee of the College also produces a journal, the Annals of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine,which is subtitled a Journal of Tropical and Travel Medicine.These publications seek to keep members up to date with recent developments and topics of interest in tropical medicine. The journal contains a wide variety of review and original papers. The College Publications Committee has also produced a range of monographs, directories and textbooks, including a textbook of travel medicine since 1996, the Primer of Travel Medicine; currently in its third edition.5 The third edition has been reviewed elsewhere.6
College website The College has a website, which can be accessed at http://www.tropmed.org. The website contains information about College membership and its activities, as well as providing links to other organisations and resources. The College actively promotes relevant activities of other organizations, such as the International Federation of Tropical Medicine, with whom the College is affiliated.7
Concluding remarks Over the coming years, the College will review its membership criteria and continue to promote membership to interested professionals working in tropical medicine. It is also in the process of developing its own body of knowledge in tropical medicine, which is often considered a necessary prelude to professional certification. A membership
Profile of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine application may be downloaded from the College’s website. Further information may also be obtained by contacting The Executive Officer, ACTM Secretariat, P.O. Box 123, Red Hill, Queensland 4059, Australia. Tel.: C61-7-38722246; fax C61-738564727. Email: [email protected].
Acknowledgements Interests to declare. The first author is President of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. The second author is President Immediate Past of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. Disclaimer. The authors do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, or any other organization referred to in this paper.
41
References 1. Leggat PA. Leading article: a college of tropical medicine for Australasia. Med J Aust 1992;157:222–3. 2. Leggat PA, Heydon JL. Postgraduate academic and professional training in Tropical and Travel Medicine in Australasia. Travel Med Infect Dis 2003;1:77–9. 3. Leggat PA, Klein M. The Australasian Faculty of Travel Medicine. Travel Med Infect Dis 2004;2:47–9. 4. Barry M, Maguire JH, Weller PF. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene initiative to stimulate educational programs to enhance medical expertise in tropical diseases. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1999; 61:681–8. 5. Leggat PA, Goldsmid JM, editors. Primer of travel medicine. Brisbane: ACTM; 2002. 6. Pearn JH. Book review: Primer of travel medicine. 3rd ed. Travel Med Infect Dis 2004 in press. 7. International Federation for Tropical Medicine. Member Societies. Visit. Accessed 3 July 2004, http://www.iftm. org/membersocieties.htm.
www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/tmid
Professional organisation profile: the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine Peter A. Leggata,*, Kenneth N. Winkelb a
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia Australian Venom Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
b
Received 6 July 2004; accepted 6 July 2004 Available online 21 August 2004
KEYWORDS Australasian College of Tropical Medicine; Professional Organisation; Tropical Medicine; Australia; New Zealand
Summary A review of the foundation of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine is presented. Information is given on aims, professional grades of membership, and the various activities of the College, including publications and scientific meetings. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine was founded on 29 May 1991 at a meeting in Townsville, Australia.1 Formerly, the professional interests of tropical medicine were served almost exclusively by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTM&H) based in the United Kingdom, although many College members have retained their membership of the RSTM&H. The need for a professional organisation in tropical medicine for Australasia and the rekindling of professional interest in tropical medicine reflected in part the re-establishment of academic training programs in * Corresponding author. Tel.: C61-7-4781-6108; fax: C61-74781-5254. E-mail address: [email protected] (P.A. Leggat).
tropical health and medicine in Australia during the late 1980s and early 1990s.2 The ACTM established its first professional Faculty, the Faculty of Travel Medicine, on 9 March 2000, which has been profiled elsewhere.3 The Constitution of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine provides for a governing body, the College Council, headed by an Executive Council. The Executive Council consists of five members (President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and Immediate Past President/President-Elect). The College’s professional members elect the Council and Executive Council. The College Secretariat is based in Queensland and is operated on behalf of the College by the Australian Medical Association. The President of the College is a member of the Committee of Combined College Chairs of the AMA in Queensland.
1477-8939/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2004.07.001
40
Aims of the college The aims of the college are to: † Encourage continuing education and the exchange of knowledge in tropical medicine † Collaborate with other organisations in conducting activities of mutual concern, interest and direction in tropical medicine † Promote research in tropical medicine † Strive for professionalism and competence among its members and those specialising in and entering into the field of tropical medicine † Maintain a historical collection of items relevant to the development of tropical medicine in Australasia
College membership Since its humble beginnings, The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine has become the preeminent organisation in the Australasian region representing professional interests in tropical medicine. The College currently has about 450 members coming from more than 30 countries around the world. The College’s inclusive membership is drawn predominantly but not exclusively from generalists and specialists in the medical and nursing professions, as well as medical scientists, in the public and private sectors. The College is actively seeking to encourage membership amongst those working in tropical medicine and related areas and provides professional recognition through different grades of membership, which reflect the level of training and experience of applicants. Professional grades of membership include Fellow, Member, and Associate. There is also a nonprofessional grade of Affiliate. The requirements for the award of Fellowship currently include a named postgraduate academic qualification in tropical medicine or a pass in an approved examination or an approved Fellowship in another medical college. At present, the certificate of knowledge exam offered by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is an approved examination.4 Training in tropical medicine in the Australasian region has been discussed elsewhere.2
Networking and scientific meetings of the college In addition to providing a network for an exchange of knowledge and experience amongst professionals
P.A. Leggat, K.N. Winkel working in tropical medicine, the College seeks to provide continuing education in tropical medicine through the Annual Scientific Meetings and various regional meetings of the College. External accreditation from other professional organisations is often sought from continuing professional development points. Both poster and oral presentations are encouraged at Annual Scientific Meetings. Keynote speakers may also present plenary and workshop sessions. The College Executive Council also endorses meetings of other professional organisations and groups following review of the proposed program.
College publications The College produces a quarterly newsletter, the ACTM Bulletin, which has periodic supplements, such as the Travel Medicine Briefcase. The Publications Committee of the College also produces a journal, the Annals of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine,which is subtitled a Journal of Tropical and Travel Medicine.These publications seek to keep members up to date with recent developments and topics of interest in tropical medicine. The journal contains a wide variety of review and original papers. The College Publications Committee has also produced a range of monographs, directories and textbooks, including a textbook of travel medicine since 1996, the Primer of Travel Medicine; currently in its third edition.5 The third edition has been reviewed elsewhere.6
College website The College has a website, which can be accessed at http://www.tropmed.org. The website contains information about College membership and its activities, as well as providing links to other organisations and resources. The College actively promotes relevant activities of other organizations, such as the International Federation of Tropical Medicine, with whom the College is affiliated.7
Concluding remarks Over the coming years, the College will review its membership criteria and continue to promote membership to interested professionals working in tropical medicine. It is also in the process of developing its own body of knowledge in tropical medicine, which is often considered a necessary prelude to professional certification. A membership
Profile of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine application may be downloaded from the College’s website. Further information may also be obtained by contacting The Executive Officer, ACTM Secretariat, P.O. Box 123, Red Hill, Queensland 4059, Australia. Tel.: C61-7-38722246; fax C61-738564727. Email: [email protected].
Acknowledgements Interests to declare. The first author is President of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. The second author is President Immediate Past of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. Disclaimer. The authors do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, or any other organization referred to in this paper.
41
References 1. Leggat PA. Leading article: a college of tropical medicine for Australasia. Med J Aust 1992;157:222–3. 2. Leggat PA, Heydon JL. Postgraduate academic and professional training in Tropical and Travel Medicine in Australasia. Travel Med Infect Dis 2003;1:77–9. 3. Leggat PA, Klein M. The Australasian Faculty of Travel Medicine. Travel Med Infect Dis 2004;2:47–9. 4. Barry M, Maguire JH, Weller PF. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene initiative to stimulate educational programs to enhance medical expertise in tropical diseases. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1999; 61:681–8. 5. Leggat PA, Goldsmid JM, editors. Primer of travel medicine. Brisbane: ACTM; 2002. 6. Pearn JH. Book review: Primer of travel medicine. 3rd ed. Travel Med Infect Dis 2004 in press. 7. International Federation for Tropical Medicine. Member Societies. Visit. Accessed 3 July 2004, http://www.iftm. org/membersocieties.htm.