It's Friday! Welcome to this week's edition of the AFOEM eNews

These ebulletins are best viewed in html. Simply click on the item of interest (left) and you will be taken straight to that item.

An archive of all previous Newsletters (from 2002) are available on the Faculty website.

As always, if you would like to contribute an item to the next eNewsletter please email a paragraph to afoem@racp.edu.au.

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Unless stated otherwise, this email represents only the views of the sender and not the views of AFOEM.

Upcoming Events & Meetings

Detailed calendar can be viewed via the Faculty website.

WOMIG 2009 Workshop

• Friday 27, February - Sunday 1, March 2009
• Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
• Further details: Claude Preitner
• Program schedule

AFOEM Executive Teleconference

• Monday 2, March 2009
• 9.00AM-10.00AM (Sydney time | UTC+10)

75th Beattie Smith Lecture

• Tuesday 3, March 2009
• 6.00PM-7.00PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)
• University of Melbourne, Parkville
• RE: Why parents are not to blame for anorexia nervosa?
• Further details

Teaching & Learning Committee Face to Face Meeting

• Friday 6, March 2009
• 52 Philip St, Sydney NSW 2000

Musicus Medicus

• Sunday 8, March 2009
• 2.30PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)
• Verbrugghen Hall, Conservatorium of Music, Macquarie St, Sydney
• Booking details: City Recital Hall Angel Place Box Office 02 8256 2222

MOPS/CPD Committee Teleconference

• Monday 9, March 2009
• 5.00PM-6.00PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)

WHO Millennium Development Goals Seminar

• Monday 9, March 2009
• 1:30-3:30PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)
• RACP, Education Centre, Lv8, 52 Phillip Street, Sydney
• RE: WHO Millennium Development Goals for Child & Adolescent Health and WHO regional priorities for Asia Pacific

Identifying & Reducing Error in Surgical Care

• Wednesday 11, March 2009
• 9.00AM-12.30

Technology in Medicine Roadshow

• Thursday 12, March 2009
• Microsoft Theatre, Microsoft Pty Ltd, 1 Epping Rd, North Ryde, NSW
• 11.30AM-2.00PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)

Pathology Update (RCAP)

• In conjunction with XXV WASPaLM
• 13-15 March 2009
• Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour
• Further details available from RCPA

NSW/SYD Trainee Meeting

• Monday 16, March 2009
• RPAH, Camperdown NSW
• 5.30 - 7.00PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)
• RE: AFOEM compentency - Management
• Further details: Naresh Verma or Reem Mina

P&A Committee Teleconference

• Tuesday 17, March 2009
• 5.00PM-6.00PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)

Remote Trainee Teleconference

• Thursday 19, March 2009
• 1.00 - 2.30PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)
• Further details: Daniel Cheung or Tim Rumball

Infectious Diseases Workshop

• Saturday 21, March 2009
• Mirvac Quay West Hotel, Brisbane
• Topics include: travel medicine, TB, zoonoses
• Further details: Dr Therese McGrath or on (07) 3404 8162

Emergency Management of Severe Burns Workshop

• For rural Fellows and Trainees - Numbers are limited!
• Saturday 28, March 2009 | Launceston, TAS
• Saturday 4, July 2009 | Bendigo
• Saturday 10, October 2009 | Cairns, QLD
• Further details and registration: rural@racp.edu.au

ANSZOM 2009 ASM

• Wednesday 12 - Saturday 15, August 2009
• Hyatt Coolum Resort, QLD
• RE: Fit to work

Dates For Your Diary

For a more detailed AFOEM calendar, please visit the Faculty website.

Trainee Annual Subscription (Early Bird) Deadline

• Tuesday 31, March 2009
• Forms available from Documents & Forms

CPD/MOPS for 2008 Submission Deadline

• Thursday 30, April 2009
• Online submission of points from MyCPD
• Access requires online login/password (contact the Faculty if you do not have member's access to the Faculty website)

AFOEM 2009 ATM

• Saturday 16 - Sunday 17, May 2009
• James Packer Auditorium, RPA Hospital, Camperdown, NSW
• Program and registration details being finalised
• Program highlights include practical epidemiology, health surveillance for exposure to respiratory carcinogens, problem solving in occ med practice, standards setting for safety critical workers, chemically induced carcinogens, 2x virtual worksite visits

RACP Physicians Week 2009

• Sunday 17 - Wednesday 20, May 2009
• Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, NSW
• Program details
• Registration

AFOEM 2009 ASM in Conjunction with RACP Physicians Week 2009

• Tuesday 19 - Wednesday 20 May, 2009
• Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, NSW
• Program and registration details being finalised
• Program details to date

RACP College Ceremony

• Sunday, 17 May 2009
• Bayside Auditorium A, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney
• 4.00 - 6.00PM (Sydney time | UTC+10)

Position Vacant

Occupational Physican | North Adelaide, SA

Opportunity for occupational physician particularly interested in musculoskeletal medicine and looking to relocate to Adelaide to work in a busy North Adelaide practice. If you would like to discuss this opportunity further, please ring North Adelaide Occupational Medicine on 08 8267 5288.

Other employment opportunities are advertised on the Faculty website.

Seeking Advice

Robin, to the Batmobile!

The Faculty has received the following email requesting advice on potential occupational and environmental health risks to residents who live and work in the vicinity of a bat colony in North QLD:

"Nearly three years ago, a colony of bats moved into the Port Douglas area. The majority now occupy the Rainforest Habitat Reserve which is a commercial enterprise. There are now about 20,000 bats in close proximity to us and the stench, continual noise, interference with our day to day life is very bad.

Although we do not wish to see destruction of the bats, only their relocation. We have found it very difficult dealing with various govt authorities in trying to mediate a solution and we have received conflicting and inaccurate information from them. The bats are in trees which overhang public footpaths and backyards. The faecal deposits on the footpaths make movement dangerous because of the rapid, slippery slime build up and dead animals that fall into grass or pathways. Local children use the ONLY available pathway from the bus-stop to go to school; most children are bare-footed. Other pedestrians have slipped and dirtied clothes but so far have miraculously not sustained a bad accident. Yet. There is a sign on the fence of the Habitat Reserve which says that recycled effluent water is sprayed within the grounds of the area and it it is unsafe. Naturally, the bat faeces mix with this water which travels into backyards and onto the footpaths.

It is unclear if workers in the Habitat are inoculated against disease, but considering the working environment, one would think that some precaution/s have been taken. There are signs in the Habitat warning about the bat faeces. There is a public restaurant in the Habitat that advertises to 'Breakfast With the Birds.' It seems quite inappropriate that despite the warnings of effluent water, faeces and a huge bat population that members of the public are allowed / encouraged to be in very close contact with possible dangerous, disease carrying animals... (i.e. birds leaping onto tables. food plates and the patrons. Dirty beaks and claws !!!!) There are many unhealthy vector agents that exist in the space. It is realised that birds do not carry some of the dangerous pathogens within their system due to higher body temperature, it has been recorded that they can carry them on their feathers. Insects also can be on the birds and bats and carry disease into the workplace, restaurant and residential area"

Responses can be sent to gmacdonald@internode.on.net

New Communications Procedure

Improving the flow of information to Fellows and Trainees is critical to the effective and efficient running of the Faculty. One method of improving the flow of information is to communicate information from committee meetings to faculty membership. At the AFOEM Council meeting of 28 November 2008 it was agreed to communicate information from committees to the faculty. The following procedure outlines what will be communicated, how it will be communicated, and to whom.

Communication from Committees to the Faculty Procedure (PDF | 22KB)

Continuing Professional Development Grant

 The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) grant is an initiative set up by the RACP to promote and support educational initiatives for Fellows' CPD. The grant is intended as a seed fund to provide financial assistance for the organisation of an educational activity or set of acitivites for a community of Fellows that contribute to the CPD of Fellows. The grant is not intended to cover all costs involved.

All Fellows of the College from the Divisions, Chapters and Faculties are eligibile to apply for a grant.

Note: This fund is intended to support organisation of CPD activities for a community of Fellows (e.g., regional scientific meetings, updates, etc) and not for individual Fellows CPD undertaking.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the 2009 CPD grant application kit, please contact the CPD unit of the Education Deanery via email Christine Jusuf or phone 02 8247 6239.

Closing date for applications is 31 March, 2009. Applications received beyond this date will not be considered.

CPD Grant Available For Remote Specialists

The Support Scheme for Rural Specialists (SSRS) is now calling for applications for CPD grants of up to $5,000. These grants are available to support individual medcial specialists access to education and professional learning opportunities, who are living and working in towns and regions classified as Rural Zone 2-3 or Remote Zone 1-2, according to the "Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Areas Classification" (RRMA).

For further information, please visit the SSRS website.

Lucy F Falkiner Fellowship 2009

Applications close: 30 March 2009

The Medical Foundation at the Faculty of Medicine, The University of Sydney is calling for applications for the 2009 Lucy F. Falkiner Fellowship. Further details available here.

ANZCA Education Seminar

Thursday 5, March 2009

Presenter: Dr Jason Frank

Dr Frank is the Associate Director in the Officer of Education at The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). In this seminar, he will be sharing his experience in the development and implementation of the CanMEDS Curriculum Framework in Canada and around the world.

Title: Implementing Competency-based Education

Time: 1.00PM-2.00PM

Venue: Auditorium, ANZCA House

Call For NHRMC Peer Reviewers

For Committee Members

NHMRC invites researchers to register as potential NHMRC assessors, to be considered for membership of one of a peer review panel in 2009.

The effectiveness and sustainability of NHMRC peer review processes depends on researchers with excellent track records and wide-ranging expertise in Australian and international health and medical research fields.

While many researchers have recently provided NHMRC with updated contact details, all health and medical researchers are asked to return the completed NHMRC Peer Review Participation Form. Details and the form can be downloaded here.

For Rural Fellows and Trainees

Emergency Management of Severe Burns Workshop

This one-day workshop is being held in Launceston on Saturday 28 March 2009. It is part of an SSRS (Support Scheme for Rural Specialists) project and is being coordinated by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Course fee is $110.

The workshop will also be held in Bendigo on 4 July and in Cairns on 10 October.

Numbers are limited.

For further details or registration form, please e-mail rural@racp.edu.au

Exploring Demand in Acute Care

Expressions of Interest

Are you interested in finding solutions to demand in acute care settings? Do you work in a hospital or another provider that interfaces with acute services?

Further details available here.