A guide to support trainee's success in the psychotherapy written case submission.

Objective: Many trainees find the Psychotherapy Written Case (PWC) requirement of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists training program challenging. The skills developed and assessed through this experience are critical to the competencies expected of a psychiatrist. However, the process of psychodynamic psychotherapy is often dramatically different from the expectations associated with early clinical placements in acute psychiatric settings.

Formulation in psychiatry - a guide to developing competence.

Objective: This paper highlights the importance of psychiatric formulation and provides guidance to those learning the art of formulation. To achieve this, we explore the guidance on formulation that has been previously published in Australasian Psychiatry, identify the key components of psychiatric formulation, and outline an approach to comprehensive formulation in routine clinical practice.

Conclusion: Formulation is the foundation of good psychiatric practice but presents a considerable challenge to the novice practitioner.

Working towards success in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Modified Essay Question Exam.

Objective: To describe an approach to support Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) trainees achieve success in the Modified Essay Question (MEQ) examination.

Method: Synthesis of the opinion of the authorship encompassing a range of relevant stakeholders, supported by a qualitative content analysis of published examination feedback from the RANZCP Committee for Examinations.

Results: In approaching the MEQs, candidates are encouraged to (1) read the scenario and questions carefully, (2) answer questions broadly and with justification, (3) manage time effectively, (4) undertake deliberate practice in preparation, and (5) 'check your own pulse' (i.

Understanding the drivers of bottlenecks in RANZCP training: modelling and a calculator to determining sustainable trainee intake.

Objectives: Demand for places in postgraduate psychiatry training programmes has increased over recent years. All systems have capacity limits, and concerns have been raised regarding the sustainability of the current intake. This paper presents a modelling exercise to exploring the presence and strategies to resolve bottleneck in the Queensland training programme.

Enhancing the quality of supervision: description and initial outcomes of a blended-learning approach to RANZCP supervisor accreditation.

Objective: Evaluation of a blended learning adaptation of the accreditation process for supervisors in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' (RANZCP) Competency-Based Fellowship Program.

Method: The adaption of the accreditation process is described, and a mixed-methods approach was taken in its evaluation. Descriptive statistics are presented for participant responses to and engagement with interactive workshop elements.

Gaming the system: using transactional analysis to explore dysfunctional processes in clinical supervision.

Objective: This paper discusses the ongoing relevance of concepts derived from transactional analysis to understanding the challenges that can emerge in clinical supervision under the Competency Based Fellowship Program.

Conclusions: Defensive game playing has face validity as a framework for understanding dysfunctional processes in clinical supervision. Being aware of these concepts may aid trainees and supervisors in promoting effective clinical supervision practice.

Supervision contracts for mental health professionals: a systematic review and exploration of the potential relevance to psychiatry training in Australia and New Zealand.

Objective: The use of formal supervision contracts has been strongly advocated across non-medical mental health professions. However, the use of such agreements is not a feature of the RANZCP Competency-Based Fellowship Program. This paper critically examines the evidence to support the use of formal supervision contracts.

An outline of the planned work of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' Board of Education.

Objective: The aim of this paper is to inform College Fellows, trainees and other stakeholders about the structure, principles and functioning of the new Board of Education.

Conclusion: The educational activities of the College are likely to evolve and to be developed over the next 5 years by a process taking account of the views of key stakeholders. In the short term, there will be no changes to training or examination processes which would disadvantage trainees.