Selection into Advanced Training in Rheumatology in Australia: towards a programmatic and theory-informed model.

Abstract

Selection into vocational medical specialty programmes such as Advanced Training in Rheumatology in Australia is fraught with complexity. Selection panels must identify suitable trainees while navigating eligibility standards set by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), complying with state-based employment legislation and responding to broader social and political expectations. While functional, this federated system exhibits variation in selection strategy, methodology, governance, transparency and panel composition. Evidence for selection into vocational medical training is limited, and practice is mainly derived from medical student selection research, with no published studies evaluating the predictive validity of Rheumatology Advanced Training selection methods in Australia. The recent shift towards programmatic assessment across the RACP has prompted a major revision of the rheumatology curriculum in 2026. This transition presents an opportunity to evaluate current selection strategies and their alignment with key competencies. Drawing on national workshops convened by the Australian Rheumatology Association and contemporary validity theory, this article proposes a theory-informed framework for selection into Advanced Training in Rheumatology. Rheumatology is therefore well positioned to develop a defensible, evidence-informed and socially accountable approach to specialty selection within the RACP.