Specialist training in obstetrics and gynaecology has become much more structured nowadays. However, in the past 6 years, many changes and amendments of the education curricula, training requirements and examination formats have also taken place in response to the introduction and developments of new professional knowledge and skills required of an independently practicing specialist. In order to help disseminate and highlight those updated information, the Education Committee has decided to publish a Bulletin with a view of drawing your attention to such important changes that might affect your training.

Listed below in descending chronological order are Trainee Bulletins issued by the College.

2024  Important dates of O&G training    2010  Trainee Bulletin December    2008  Trainee Bulletin Mar    2007  Trainee Bulletin Aug    2006  Trainee Bulletin Nov

Guidelines   Articles are in Adobe© Acrobat format.  If you do not have the Acrobat Reader, please click to download.

Other news:

Requirement for Elective Training has been revised

The College has decided that from July 2007, the elective training will become optional. For detail please refer to this link. (posted date: 11 Dec 2006)

Below are some news, questions and answers concerning the training and examination that have been posted before for reference.

1. Extended period of continuous absence from training during the six years of specialist training is undesirable. Hence, the vacation leaves should be spread out among the training periods. Special consideration is given under exceptional situations stipulated in item (4) below.
2. Absence from training beyond the limit set by the College will require remedial training. The mode of remedial training will be considered and recommended by the Education Committee. It will normally be additional period of training prior to entry into higher training or eligibility to the appropriate Examination/Assessment.
3. Absence from College recognized training of 40 calendar days due to vacation leave and/or study leave within a six months training period (or 20 calendar days in a three months period at higher training) will require remedial training.
4. Absence from College recognized training of total 90 calendar days within the whole specialist training period due to maternity leave, sick leave, special leave, or any other reasons will require additional remedial training. The trainee should notify the College as soon as the 90 days allowance has been exceeded, and submit an application for remedial training within three months.
5. The rule will take effect from 1st July 2003 for all trainees including new recruits.
6. Official statement or evidences from the Human Resource Department or other credible office may be required to support the leave(s) taken and absence from work and training.

(Endorsed by the Education Committee on 1st December 2003)

New: Currently, trainees who are absent for more than 40 calendar days in any 6 months for vacation leave or study leave, the period is rendered ineffective and remedial training is required.  In a 3 month training period, 20 days are allowed.  Prospectively approved study leave will not be counted for this purpose provided the total number of approved study leave days in these periods do not exceed 40 and 20 days in a 6 and 3 month period respectively.

Trainees who are absent for more than 90 calendar days within the whole specialist training period for whatever reason other than vacation leave or approved study leave, have to do additional remedial training.

At the recent Council meeting, it was agreed that the following principles shall apply when deliberating the amount remedial training required.

1. The quality and the quantity of training is the prime consideration.  Standards of training must be maintained.
2. The minimum number of days of remedial training is the number of days in excess taken by the trainee as stipulated above.   Rendering whole period of training, be it 3 or 6 month blocks, as ineffective shall not take place if appropriate remedial training is undertaken.
3. The Education committee of the HKCOG shall consider the relevant documented experience including log books to determine whether any additional remedial training over and above the minimum is required.  A formal submission from the concerned trainee and the chief of training unit is required and forms an integral part of this deliberation.
4. The recommended amount of remedial training shall be expressed in calendar days.

(Endorsed by the Council on 10th May 2007)

Submission of research report, log book and case summary before the Exit Assessment

If the trainees who have or will be applying for an elective period of training (one year or six months) in research, their research proposal and programme for the entire period, should be submitted not less than 3 months before commencement and the final report within 3 month after completion of Elective Training.  For trainees who have been recruited for training after 1st July 1998 but who do not intend to do research in their elective year, they have to submit their proposal at least 12 months prior to their Exit Assessment and the final report submitted at least 3 months before the Exit examination.  For trainees who have been recruited for training before 1st July 1998 but who will not undertake elective training in research, they have to submit their research activities at least 6 months before their planned exit assessment. (109th Education Committee Meeting 1 Dec 2003) 

The 20 case summaries together with the first 3 logbooks in Higher Specialists Training should be submitted 1 month before finishing training. (104th Education Committee Meeting 20 May 2003) 

The fourth logbook should be submitted within the first week after completion of training. (104th Education Committee Meeting 20 May 2003)

The Education Committee has decided that the length of the cases in the logbook should each be around 1000 words including description and discussion. The candidate would be required to specify the word count at the end of each case. This would be implemented as from the January 2003 assessment.

New: At the 149th Education Committee meeting of the Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, it was decided that final approval for the research report must be granted from the Education Committee at least one month before the next available Exit Assessment (i.e. on or before 30th June / 31st December).

(Endorsed by Education Committee meeting 7th May 2007)

The RCOG had changed its regulations for Membership examination. Candidates whose Part 2 training forms reach RCOG after 1st Sept 2002 (i.e. for Sept 2003 or later exams) had to complete 4 years of O&G training before taking the exam.

A discussion paper, prepared by Dr. C.M. Tai, on cut off date for passing the SOE as a prerequisite to enter higher training had been discussed at the Education Committee meeting. It was recommended that "A Pass in SOE will be a requirement to commence higher training after 1 July 2005; before this date, success in the Conjunctive Part 2 Exam will suffice".