Gynaecological Oncology

Across all three years, the medical expert areas, including assessment and management of gynaecological cancer, perioperative care and surgery, systemic therapy, radiotherapy, cancer genetics, pathology, and palliative and supportive care

Independent extrafascial abdominal hysterectomy, and oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy including complex cases

Assisting at pelvic sidewall exploration, sentinel node biopsy, lymphadenectomy and radical hysterectomy

Multi-source feedback

At the end of the year, from consultants, peers and other health professionals, with a self-assessment beside it

Research proposal

A proposal and timeline with the first six-monthly assessment, naming a research supervisor, and a final proposal with ethics approval at 46 weeks if the committee asks

Research project

Original research you help design and write as principal author

• A Cochrane review approved in advance, with you as first author, also counts
• Case reports and review articles do not

Higher research degree

One in the field can meet the research requirement

• Apply for this with your first semester's training plan
• You still take part in research in your unit

CGO Written Examination

Ten short-answer questions for 150 marks in 3 hours 15 minutes, sat by remote proctoring each August

• Open once 46 weeks of training are credited by its application closing date
• You have 3 attempts

CGO Oral Examination

A structured oral examination of about 4 hours with a short break, face to face in Melbourne, each November

• Open once 46 weeks are credited by its application closing date
• You have 3 attempts

Surgical skills

Signed off at independent level by the end of the year, for open and laparoscopic pelvic sidewall exploration, laparoscopic pelvic sentinel node biopsy, laparoscopic hysterectomy, and vulvectomy with primary closure

• A laparoscopic hysterectomy signed off at that level in FRANZCOG training need not be repeated

Research progress

A report with each six-monthly assessment, signed by the training and research supervisors

Training outside an accredited CGO unit

Only in Year 3, approved in advance, up to 12 months of surgery outside gynaecological oncology and up to 3 months across medical oncology, radiation oncology or palliative care

• Surgical training is approved only if every surgical skills assessment can still be done by the end of Year 3

When to ask

Training outside an accredited unit goes to the June committee meeting of the year before for a semester 1 start, and to the October meeting for semester 2

• Send the request 8 weeks before the meeting, with your supervisor there and their CV

Surgical skills

Signed off at independent level by the end of the year, for complex oophorectomy, extrafascial abdominal hysterectomy, open radical hysterectomy, open and laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy, inguinofemoral sentinel node biopsy and lymphadenectomy, ureterolysis, supracolic omentectomy and pelvic peritonectomy

• Open para-aortic exploration is signed off with a supervisor available

Examination deadlines

Sit the first within 2 years of finishing your 3 clinical years

• Pass both within 4 years of finishing them

A progress reportYour own and your supervisors' assessment of your progress against the learning goals over a period of training. every 6 months, with a nominated mentor or supervisor

Certification applied for once 138 weeks are credited and every assessment is complete, approved by the subspecialty committee and ratified by the Board

Research project

Submitted within 1 year of finishing your 3 clinical years, and assessed as satisfactory by two independent assessors within 3 years of finishing them

• Otherwise removal from the program is recommended

A published project

One published or accepted in a journal with an impact factor of 1.7 or more, or in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, is still submitted but needs no further assessment