Supervised clinical experience pathway

Applicants should secure a position in a pain unit that provides pain procedures, with agreed access to an FPM accredited procedural supervisor. The position should share responsibility for patient assessment, selection and preparation, performing procedures, and post-procedure follow up.
 
When approaching a potential procedural supervisor, applicants are asked to outline their previous procedures experience in the Supervised Clinical Experience Pathway: Expression of Interest Intake Assessment Form, which is submitted to the procedural supervisor in addition to references and a curriculumcurriculum vitae. 

Once a position has been secured, the applicant should submit the Supervised Clinical Experience Pathway Application Form to the faculty and pay the non-refundable registration and annual training fees prior to commencing the role. To support the application, the endorsee must provide the following documentation:

• Evidence of medical registration.
• A declaration authorising the faculty to access and retain all information necessary for managing the program.
• The signed declarations.
• Copy of the Supervised Clinical Experience Pathway Expression of Interest form.

Access to the ePortfolio will be given once payment has been made. 

Clinical experience under the supervision of an accredited procedural supervisor will be accrued towards the pain medicine procedures listed in the program’s curriculum.

The endorsees and supervisors will have access to the ePortfolio to log cases and undertake the Workplace-based progressive feedback (WBPF) assessments which are used to promote formative assessment of endorsees through direct observation and provision of timely and constructive feedback:

• A logbook for endorsees to log cases and self-rate performace with the supervisors providing feedback on performed procedures.
• The Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) assessment tool is used by the supervisor/co-supervisor to provide feedback to suport learning and to assess the overall development of an endorsee as a specialist and professional. 
• Confirmation of competence form is used by the procedural supervisor when they are satisfied that the endorsee can competently and independently perform a particular procedure within the context of the sociopsychobiomedical framework, and that they are suitable for faculty endorsement in the nominated procedure. 

The endorsee has to have successfully completed at least one DOPS assessment at supervision level 4 (endorsee performs procedures independently) before approaching the procedural supervisor regarding sign off, however the decision of the supervisor to declare an endorsee as competent is not based solely on DOPS.

See the program handbook for further details on the program. See ePortfolio user guides for endorsees and supervisors/co-supervisors.  

Once the endorsee has reached competence in their nominated procedures they may apply for endorsement. The supervisor may recommend the endorsee receive endorsement in all procedures of a category (1 or 2) should the endorsee show proficiency in most of the procedures of that category. Category 3 procedures require individual confirmation of competence forms for each procedure in which endorsement is being sought.

Applications for endorsement require:

• Application for endorsement form which includes declaration that:
-  they are in good standing
 - they will practice in a sociopsychobiomedical framework in accordance with PS11

• Confirmation of competence forms.

• Radiation safety course certificate of completion.

The Procedures Endorsement Program Reference Group will review applications for endorsement to confirm adherence to the program and demonstration of attainment of competency. Applications are then considered by the Procedures in Pain Medicine Committee and FPM Executive on behalf of the faculty board.

When joining the Procedures Endorsement Program, or returning to the program after a break, a non-refundable registration fee will be payable. 

An annual program fee will be charged while undertaking the Supervised Clinical Experience Pathway.  In the first year, this fee is due prior to commencing the placement of supervised clinical experience and upon payment, access will be given to the e-portfolio. In subsequent years, payment is due by the end of January to maintain active registration status within the program. 

It is understood that many endorsees will be in the program part time or for part of the year, and the fee is set recognising this. Therefore, pro-rata program fees are not offered.

The current fees are specified on the application form.

The following fellows have been accredited as procedural supervisors for the Procedures Endorsement Program.