What are the specialist medical colleges?

In Australia, medical practitioners are organised into specialist medical colleges. These are member-based training organisations that cover a particular specialty.

The colleges have official status and a licence to uphold medical standards in their areas of medicine.

The colleges are responsible for:

• postgraduate medical training, which is required to become recognised as a specialist
• continuing professional education.

To practise as a medical specialist, you must be a member of one of the colleges.

In Australia, there are 15 main specialist medical colleges:

1. Australasian College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA)
2. Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD)
3. Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM)
4. Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)
5. Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP)
6. College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM)
7. Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA)
8. Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP)
9. Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
10. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
11. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstericians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)
12. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO)
13. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZP)
14. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR)
15. Royal College of Pathologists of Australia (RCPA)