Fellows, Associates (Procedural) and Certificants
If you have qualified with RANZCOG, find your member information and services here.
All members are required to adhere to the Íæż½ã½ãCode of Conduct.
Member types explainer
Fellows
A Fellow is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist who has completed four years of core training and a further two of advanced training.
Associates (Procedural & Advanced Procedural)
Associates (Procedural & Advanced Procedural) are commonly upskilled General Practitioner specialists or regional doctors.
Certificants
The Certificate of Women’s Health (CWH) is designed for medical practitioners who desire increased knowledge in aspects of women’s health.
Fellows
​Currently, there are more than 2000 Fellows in Australia and New Zealand. Within the specialty of obstetrics and gynaecology, there are five subspecialties recognised by the Medical Board of Australia and the Medical Council of New Zealand. To become a subspecialist requires a minimum of three years of additional training. Only Fellows of the College are permitted to use the FÍæż½ã½ãpostnominal.
Fellows of the College work in the public and private health system, in hospitals and clinics; they teach and undertake research, in universities and in clinical settings; they work collaboratively with other healthcare organisations and government bodies to ensure that women and their families have access to quality care; many Fellows do extensive pro bono work for the College and the community.
Please refer to the Íæż½ã½ãRegulations Section A for information on the regulations that govern this class of membership.
Member actions
Maintaining my Fellowship
Ongoing Fellowship is subject to:
payment of the Annual Subscription fee
completion of the annual practice profile and declaration
participation in an approved Continuing Professional Development program.
Annual renewal is sent in June each year, for completion by July in line with the new financial year.
to complete these actions.
Fees
35 year Fellows
Once you have been in service for 35 years, your Fellowship is elevated to 35 year Fellowship.
In recognition of long service and dedication to the profession, 35-Year Fellows will receive a 35-Year Fellowship pin, awarded at an Annual Regional Dinner in their respective state.
35-Year Fellows are still required to complete the Annual Renewal and CPD requirements while in active clinical practice.
Associates (Procedural & Advanced Procedural)
Íæż½ã½ãis committed to improving access to high-quality healthcare for women, particularly in places where specialist assistance is remote. The Associate (Procedural & Advanced Procedural) training programs are offered by the College for doctors practising in all areas of Australia to enable them to deliver high-quality health outcomes for women.
Currently there are more than 2,500 Associates (Procedural & Advanced Procedural) in Australia and New Zealand. Íæż½ã½ãAssociates (Procedural & Advanced Procedural) are commonly upskilled General Practitioner specialists or regional doctors who perform a crucial role in maintaining the wellbeing of women and families in rural and remote communities.
Please refer to the Íæż½ã½ãRegulations Section A for information on the regulations that govern this class of membership
New Associates (Procedural)
Congratulations on graduating as a Associate (Procedural) or Associate (Advanced Procedural)! Your services as a newly-qualified women’s health practitioner are critical to the health of our communities, especially in regional and remote locations.
To assist you as you begin this journey, we’ve created a digital New Associates (Procedural) Resource Guide.
Member actions
Eligibility
Associate (Procedural & Advanced Procedural) membership can be held by trainees who have completed all the requirements of the Associate Training Program (Procedural) (PTP) or Associate Training Program (Advanced Procedural) (APTP), including any associated administrative requirements. Associate members can also be holders of the New Zealand Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology or the Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists who have satisfactorily completed all additional and administrative requirements as determined by the Board.
Fees
Annual Renewal
Ongoing Membership is subject to the payment of the annual AÍæż½ã½ã(P) or AÍæż½ã½ã(Adv. P) subscription fee; completion of the annual Practice Profile; and participation in an approved Continuing Professional Development program.
35 Year Associates (Procedural)
Once you have been in service for 35 years, your Associate (Procedural) status is elevated to 35 year Associate.
In recognition of long service and dedication to the profession, you will be invited to receive your certificate at an Annual Regional Dinner in your respective state.
35 Year Associates (Procedural) are still required to complete the Annual Renewal and CPD requirements while in active clinical practice.
Nomenclature change
Please refer to the FAQs regarding the 2024 nomenclature changes to the programs formerly called the Diploma and Advanced Diploma of RANZCOG.
In 2022, the College was notified by the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) that a number of non-GP specialist Colleges were offering Diploma courses without being registered as a provider, as required by the TEQSA Act 2011.
The College determined that changing the nomenclature of the was the most effective option to pursue.
Frequently asked questions
Q: I received my DÍæż½ã½ãAdv in September 2023, do I need to have another certificate reissued with new letters?
A: No, Any Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas awarded before the nomenclature change can use the same postnominals, logo and title, there is no restriction on you using your title or post nominals in a professional setting. To avoid duplication and double handling of multiple streams and groups for what is effectively the same membership cohort, Íæż½ã½ãwill refer to Diplomates, Advanced Diplomates and the new Associate Members as Associates.
Therefore communications addressed to Íæż½ã½ãAssociate (Adv Procedural) members will be referring to you.
Q: Can I still access my Certificate and Letter of Participation with my DÍæż½ã½ãAdv information?
A: Yes, Existing Diplomates as of 31st December 2023, will be able to access their Certificate and Letter of Participation from the CPD Integrate portal that will each specify Diploma or Advanced Diploma.
Q: How will the changes affect the progress of rural generalist status registration?
A: The change of name from Diploma to Associate Training (Procedural) and Associate Training (Adv. Procedural) on the Certificate has not impacted the quality of the training program and communications have been sent to all hospitals informing them of this change.
Q: Do existing Diplomates need to change their postnominal?
A: Existing Diplomates and Adv. Diplomates are able to continue to use their existing postnominals, title and logo.
Q: Why don’t you just affiliate with a university?
A: Like all other Colleges, we considered multiple options before arriving at this decision. Affiliating with a university presented ongoing accreditation and audit requirements, as well as significant administrative and operational costs, which would have been passed on to the membership. We believed that this would be an unfair imposition, particularly to accredit programs that have an existing and a strong reputation.
Q. I completed my exam and Logbook late last year and have just applied for my certificate. Will my certificate say “Diploma†and what will be the date on the certificate?
A: Despite finishing the training program requirements last year, completion of your training will be reviewed and approved by the CCAPT in February 2024.
You will receive the new qualification that will specify Associate Training Procedural or Associate Training (Adv Procedural), dated with the date of CCAPT approval.
Q: How will this impact employment and credentialling requirements? Are the hospitals aware of these changes?
A: We have communicated with hospitals and other medical colleges to inform them of this change. We have invited hospitals to meet with us and discuss any concerns.
Our communications have also reaffirmed the absolute equivalency between the previous programs / nomenclature and the current ones. As we have mentioned in previous communications, the curriculum, and the quality of training and assessment remain the same. We are also in discussions with DOHA to ensure they are communicating this in their interactions with hospitals and jurisdictions.
To meet hospital credentialling requirements, Certificates must be supported by a current CPD Compliance Statement that can be downloaded from the CPD Integrate portal.
Q: How does the change impact medical indemnity or medico-legal support?
A: We are in contact with the leading MDOs to notify them of the nomenclature changes and equivalency between the old and new programs. We have received feedback that generally, the nomenclature change does not have an adverse impact.
We cannot provide specific indemnity or medico-legal advice and encourage you to speak to your provider on any specific requirements.
Certificants
The Certificate of Women’s Health (CWH) is centred primarily on office-based obstetrics and gynaecology and generally involves 3 months of either practice- or hospital-based training. Designed for medical practitioners who desire increased knowledge in aspects of women’s health including non-procedural GPs, GP registrars, junior medical officers and other doctors. Doctors who hold a current Certificate of Women’s Health are entitled to acknowledge their membership status with the associated postnominal being ‘CertWH’.
Please refer to the Íæż½ã½ãRegulations Section A for information on the regulations that govern this class of membership.
Member actions
Eligibility
Certificant membership can be held by any medical practitioner who has joined the Certificate of Women’s Health (CWH) training program and has satisfactorily completed all requirements of that program, including associated administrative requirements.
Fees
Annual Renewal
Ongoing Membership is subject to the payment of the annual Certificate holders subscription fee; completion of the annual Practice Profile; and participation in an approved Continuing Professional Development program.