Associate Training Program (Advanced Procedural) (APTP)

WBAs evaluate your clinical skills during a normal working day. During a patient encounter or procedure, your performance will be assessed against the standards described for each criterion.

You may use the assessment of these skills as a formative process prior to having a final satisfactory summative sign-off.

• Caesarean delivery
• Instrumental vaginal delivery – vacuum
• Instrumental vaginal delivery – forceps
• Personal management of first-trimester (surgical) abortion or miscarriage
• First-trimester ultrasound scanning – transvaginal
• First-trimester ultrasound scanning – transabdominal
• Third-trimester ultrasound scanning

≥ 40 Personally perform Caesarean sections, which must include ≥ 10 elective caesarean sections, ≥ 3 repeat caesareans sections, and ≥ 10 emergency caesarean sections
≥ 20 Personally perform instrumental vaginal deliveries
≥ 5 Personally conduct management of post-partum haemorrhage
≥ 10 Personally conduct management of first-trimester surgical abortion or missed miscarriage
≥ 15 Personally conduct first-trimester ultrasound scanning – transvaginal
≥ 15 Personally conduct first-trimester ultrasound scanning – transabdominal
≥ 15 Personally conduct third-trimester ultrasound scanning
≥ 15 Personally perform the repair of second and third-degree* perineal and vaginal tears, which must include ≥ 5 third-degree tears

The requirement may be met with a combination of ≥ 5 non-simulated (majority of logged procedures), simulated third-degree tear repairs and confirmation of competency (in writing) from the supervisor. Please contact cptp@ranzcog.edu.au if you are unable to obtain the required procedure numbers.

Additional procedures performed, assisted or observed, such as pelvic laparotomy or hysterectomy. Record as many as possible.

Trainees must complete five de-identified written case syntheses on a range of obstetric conditions and must be:

• Particularly unusual and/or problematic cases
• Relevant and valuable to your current and/or intended practice
• Based on patients under your care
• Researched to ensure that the final synthesis is representative of evidence-based best practice

The essays must be assessed by both training supervisors and any assessed as unsatisfactory must be repeated until you achieve the minimal acceptable passing standard.

A summative assessment is completed by your training supervisors to assess your performance against standard domains and criteria to verify your ability to practice obstetrics independently.

The assessment should be undertaken during the last month of APTP training.

• Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injuries (OASIS)
• Basic Obstetric Skills (BOS)
• Medical Termination of Pregnancy (mTOP)

Training is complete once the program examination and logbook requirements have been met, and you have been formally approved by the Conjoint Committee for Associate Procedural Training (CCAPT).

Formal approval takes place six times a year in the following months: February, April, June, August, October, and December.

Following successful completion of the APTP, you will be qualified to:

• Manage caesarean and instrumental deliveries.
• Conduct first-trimester transvaginal/transabdominal and third-trimester scans.
• Repair perineal tears.
• Perform a range of advanced procedures, including pelvic laparotomy and hysteroscopy.