• developing guidelines, policy and procedures for the accreditation of specialist medical education and training programs
• overseeing the AMC’s program of accreditation
• encouraging improvements in postgraduate medical education that respond to evolving health needs and practices, and educational and scientific developments.

Scope of accreditation

AMC accreditation standards

All AMC accreditation's are based on the training organisation demonstrating that it satisfies or that it will satisfy AMC standards for specialist medical education and training. The AMC endorsed revised standards in June 2008. These standards apply to all accreditation assessments from 1 January 2009.

The combined AMC and Australian Dental Council standards for assessing the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons’ oral and maxillofacial surgery programs are located here.  

In its standards, the AMC defines the broad goals of education and training of medical specialists as follows:

1. To produce medical specialists who:
   
   
   • have demonstrated the requisite knowledge, skills and professional attributes necessary for independent practice through a broad range of clinical experience and training in the relevant specialty
   • can practice unsupervised in the relevant medical specialty, providing comprehensive, safe and high quality medical care, including in the general roles and multifaceted competencies inherent in all medical practice and within the ethical standards of the profession and the community they serve.
2. To produce medical specialists with a high level of understanding of the scientific and evidence base of the discipline.
3. To produce medical specialists able to provide leadership in the complex health care environments in which they practice, who work collaboratively with patients and their families, and the range of health professionals and administrators, and who accept responsibility for the education of junior colleagues.
4. To produce medical specialists with knowledge and understanding of the issues associated with the delivery of safe, high quality and cost effective health care within the Australian or New Zealand health system.
5. To prepare specialists able to assess and maintain their competence and performance through continuing professional education, the maintenance of skills and the development of new skills.

• The Context of Education and Training
• The Outcomes of the Training Program
• The Education and Training Program - Curriculum Content
• The Education and Training Program - Teaching and Learning
• The Education and Training Program - Assessment of Learning
• The Education and Training Program - Monitoring and Evaluation
• Implementing the Curriculum – Trainees
• Implementing the Training Program – Delivery of Educational Resources
• Continuing Professional Development

AMC accreditation procedures

• The training organisation prepares an accreditation submission.
• The AMC appoints an assessment team after discussing the expertise needed with the training organisation.
• The team considers the accreditation submission, identifies major issues, and decides on the meetings, site visits and other information required to complete its assessment.
• The AMC invites submissions on the training organisation’s education and training and professional development programs.
• The team completes its assessment, through a program of meetings and sites visits.
• The team prepares a report and submits it to the Specialist Education Accreditation Committee which decides on the period of accreditation to be recommended.
• On the basis of the accreditation report, the AMC makes a decision on accreditation. The AMC may grant accreditation with or without conditions. The option exists for the AMC to refuse accreditation.

Periodic reports by accredited training organisations