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From 2027 onwards, new eligibility criteria will apply to FRANZCOG Selection applicants. Candidates must have completed 12 months clinical experience in O&G in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand and be in PGY3 or above. RANZCOG reviewed data from successful applicants over the past five years. Analysis showed that the vast majority who were accepted were in PGY4 or 5, and those that applied whilst in PGY2 were largely unsuccessful, using up one of their three attempts.

The completion of the RANZCOG prevocational O&G pathway has been mandated from 2028 onwards as a way of demonstrating prospective applicants have experience within O&G and are committed to the speciality.

There will be a stepwise introduction of the following three tools used to assess applicants’ suitability as part of the FRANZCOG Selection Process: multi-source feedback, multi mini interviews and a situational judgement test. Refer to table 1 and 2 for when the tools will be implemented.

Multi-source feedback (MSF) is a 360-degree assessment allowing doctors to get feedback from a diverse range of colleagues to provide varied views of their performance. Starting from 2026, multi-source feedback is replacing referee reports in the FRANZCOG Selection process.

This change is being introduced because multi-source feedback offers a comprehensive, objective, and detailed view of an individual’s work behaviour and performance from multiple perspectives.

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), which will be introduced in 2027, are an interview f�ǰ������� often used by universities, medical schools and some specialist medical colleges in Australia. Applicants are put through several short assessment stations.

The MMI process reduces bias and evaluates applicants across multiple dimensions in short bursts, ensuring a fairer and more comprehensive assessment process and allowing applicants to recompose themselves between stations.��

The Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which will be introduced in 2028 (replacing a CV), assesses applicants’ ability to choose the most appropriate action in workplace scenarios. Applicants are presented with a description of a problem or critical situation and are asked to identify how they would handle it. SJT provides insight into a candidate’s potential behaviour, soft skills, and alignment with company values in a realistic context.

����TV reviewed the latest research in this area which indicates a shift away from reliance on a CV and highlights growing evidence for use of alternative methods of evaluating an applicant’s skills and experience.

Institutional Rankings (IR) are a scoring component historically used in the FRANZCOG selection process in Australia. Institutional rankings are obtained directly from the employing hospitals of applicants, where they have had clinical experience for 6 months or more. Feedback is gathered from a broad range of staff, including consultants, advanced trainees, and registrars, who are familiar with the applicant’s pre-vocational O&G clinical performance. This feedback determines the candidate’s ranking compared to other applicants from the same institution.������

This is a selection tool that poses difficulty in being applied consistently and potentially introduces risk. Removing IR will enhance consistency across Selection as a national process.��

Selection of trainees for the FRANZCOG Training Program is based on the selection criteria. The new criteria have been developed based on the attributes which are essential in an O&G trainee.

To determine these attributes, RANZCOG reviewed the relevant evidence and looked at the RANZCOG roles¹ in the Training Program Curriculum to identify the essential characteristics for a Year 1 FRANZCOG Trainee in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

¹The FRANZCOG Curriculum is structured according to the competency-based approach to medical education. It is defined by the eight domains of specialist practice, called the RANZCOG Roles.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Peoples-specific Selection Policy and Rural Selection Policy have been designed to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in the O&G specialty.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori, and Pacific Peoples Selection Policy includes points for applicants of Indigenous descent and is supported by national initiatives aimed at improving the recruitment and retention of these doctors.

The Rural Selection Policy incorporates rural location and experience into the scoring system or uses it as a contextual factor to provide more opportunities for applicants from rural areas.

Policy amendments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Peoples-specific Selection and Rural Selection are under development and will be published at a later time. For 2026 and 2027, there are no changes to points gained through CV for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and rurality. Policy amendments will apply from 2028 onwards.