I am often contacted by confused intending consumers of cosmetic surgery who want to know about the standing of training that is provided by a private organisation which calls itself the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery (ACCS).
Doctors who adhere to this group are mostly GP’s who seek to perform cosmetic surgery.
In an attempt to dispel some of the confusion, and to address some of the pertinent questions properly, and especially as I am not qualified myself to assess the worth of medical training provided by the ACCS, I have written to the Australian Medical Council (AMC) about the ACCS, and issues pertaining to accreditation and recognition in cosmetic surgery, for greater clarity on this matter. (See copies of the correspondence concerned below)
This is what I have surmised as a result of the exercise-
- Medical training in cosmetic surgery provided by the ACCS is not recognised by the AMC, which is the only body nationally, that is authorised to accredit medical training programs on behalf of the Australian Government.
- Therefore if a doctor tells you he is accredited by the ACCS, you need to bear in mind that this accreditation, does not in turn enjoy the backing of the AMC.
- Further to this, cosmetic surgery is not a recognised specialty. So if a doctor says he/she is a ‘specialist in cosmetic surgery’, that is not true in the formal sense, since cosmetic surgery is not a recognised specialty.
The ACCS currently has an application for recognition of cosmetic surgery as a specialty in progress with the AMC.
To read submissions for and against this proposal click here.
Dr Michael Zacharia (left) a founding member of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery (ACCS), and currently a conditionally registered doctor, appears to be handing an ACCS award to a colleague. ACCS awards are not accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC).
This is the email I sent to the AMC
From: Deidre Nolan [mailto:deidre.nolan@yahoo.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 5 July 2010 4:33 PM
To: Australian Medical Council
Subject: Accreditation and Recognition
To whom it may concern,
Could you please assist me with the following inquiries?
1) Besides the AMC, what other body is authorised to recognise medical specialties or accredit medical training programs on behalf of the Australian Government?
2) Does the AMC currently recognise cosmetic surgery as a medical specialty?
3) Does the AMC currently accredit any training programs provided by The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery?
Thank you for helping me with these matters.
Yours sincerely
Deidre Nolan.
This is the response I received from the AMC
Tue, 3 August, 2010 5:13:12 PM
Accreditation and Recognition – Australian Medical Council
| From: |
AMC Recognition recognition@amc.org.au
|
| To: | deidre.nolan@yahoo.com.au |
Thank you for your enquiry concerning the recognition and accreditation of medical specialties. Responses to your questions are provided below:
1) Besides the AMC, what other body is authorised to recognise medical specialties or accredit medical training programs on behalf of the Australian Government?
The AMC is the national standards body for medical education and training in Australia . The AMC is the sole accrediting authority for Australian and New Zealand medical schools and medical courses and Australian/ Australasian programs of specialist medical training. The AMC is also responsible for providing advice to the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing on the recognition of medical specialties.
Note at no stage is the AMC authorised to make a decision concerning the recognition of a medical specialty, the decision to recognise a medical specialty is currently made by the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing.
As you may be aware, Australia ’s new national registration and accreditation scheme commenced on 1 July 2010. From this date, a new National Law (the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009) will come into effect and the 10 health professions (which include medicine) will be regulated by nationally consistent legislation. As a result the Medical Board of Australia will now also be responsible for providing advice to the Ministers on the recognition of medical specialties for the purposes of registration. The Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing will continue to have responsibilities for decisions in relation to recognition for Medicare purposes.
2) Does the AMC currently recognise cosmetic surgery as a medical specialty?
Cosmetic Surgery is not listed on either the AMC managed List of Australian Recognised Medical Specialties (http://www.amc.org.au/images/Recognition/AMC-list-of-specialties.pdf) or the Medical Board of Australia’s List of Specialties, fields of specialty practice, and related specialist titles (http://www.medicalboard.gov.au/en/Registration-Standards.aspx), therefore Cosmetic Surgery is not recognised as a medical specialty.
3) Does the AMC currently accredit any training programs provided by The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery?
The AMC does not currently accredit any training programs of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery. The AMC accredits training programs in recognised medical specialties.
The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery (ACCS) has applied for recognition of cosmetic medical practice as a medical specialty. The AMC has begun its detailed assessment of the case for recognition of cosmetic medical practice as a medical specialty. As the assessment is ongoing the AMC makes no comment on the advice it may provide regarding the assessment of the case for recognition of cosmetic medical practice as a medical specialty. The AMC anticipates that it will complete Stage 1 of the assessment and provide advice to the Minister by early 2011.
The recognition process is described in detail in The Recognition of Medical Specialties: Policy and Process available at: http://www.amc.org.au/images/Recognition/recognition-guidelines.pdf
Stacey Yeats
Research & Policy Officer
Australian Medical Council
Level 3, 11 Lancaster Place
Majura Park, ACT 2609
I hope this addresses your questions. Should you have any further queries regarding the AMC recognition processes please email: recognition@amc.org.au.
