Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Non-profit medical association (1938–)

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Abbreviation| RACP
Formation| 1938
Headquarters| Sydney, Australia
Location|

* Australia

Region served

| Australia & New Zealand
Membership| 32,000[citation needed]

Official language

| English

President

| Prof. Jennifer Martin
Website| https://www.racp.edu.au

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a not-for-profit professional organisation responsible for training and educating physicians and paediatricians across Australia and New Zealand.[1]

The RACP is responsible for training both generalist and subspecialist physicians and paediatricians. The College has formal training programmes in general and acute medicine, paediatrics & child health, addiction medicine, adolescent medicine, cardiology, clinical genetics, dermatology (New Zealand only), clinical haematology, immunology and allergy, clinical pharmacology, community child health, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, infectious diseases, neonatology, nephrology, neurology, nuclear medicine, oncology, respiratory and sleep medicine, public health medicine, occupational and environmental medicine, palliative medicine, rehabilitation, rheumatology, and sexual health medicine.[2][3] The RACP is also responsible for the ongoing education of Fellows of the College through its continuing professional development (CPD) programme.[4]

## History

[edit]

Until the 1930s, Australian and New Zealand Physicians had to seek membership of one of the United Kingdom Colleges in London, Glasgow, Ireland or Edinburgh.[1]

In November 1930, a group of physicians met in Melbourne to establish the Association of Physicians of Australasia "for friendship and scientific stimulus", which solely consisted of its members; no building or permanent base existed.[citation needed]

In 1934, the Association of Physicians of Australasia Council decided that an examining and executive body College should be formed to enhance the prestige of the profession, stimulate interest in medical education and research, and set a standard of professional ethical conduct. The constitution was to be modelled on that of the London College.[citation needed]

In 1937, the Association purchased premises at 145 Macquarie Street, Sydney, which had originally been the home of the Fairfax family. Funds were raised by the NSW Government and public donation.[citation needed]

In 1938, the College was incorporated and the first meeting of the Council was held in April.[1]

The motto of "hominum servire saluti" ("to serve the health of our people") was adopted for the College coat of arms.[citation needed]

In September that year 47 candidates took the first examinations and 41 members were admitted.[citation needed]

In May 1973 a green ban was placed by the NSW Builders Labourers Federation on the Royal Australasian College of Physicians building in Macquarie Street, Sydney. This followed a request from the National Trust. Demolition was averted and the building subsequently renovated.[5]

## Structure

[edit]

The RACP is divided into two Divisions and three Faculties. Each Division has a number of Chapters.

### Divisions

[edit]

* Adult Medicine Division
* Paediatrics & Child Health Division

### Faculties

[edit]

* Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine
* Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
* Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

### Chapters

[edit]

* Chapter of Community Child Health
* Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine
* Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine
* Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine (formerly Australasian College of Sexual Health Physicians)

### Speciality societies

[edit]

The RACP is affiliated with 51 independent Speciality Societies. These are independent membership organisations for individuals who practice in a specific medical subspeciality. The RACP consults closely with these societies when designing its curricula.[6] The RACP provided a pathway for intensive care medicine specialty training in Australia and New Zealand until an independent intensive care medicine college was launched in 2008.[citation needed]

## Facilities

[edit]

The History of Medicine Library at the RACP has a leading collection of medical history items from Australia and around the world. The RACP established the History of Medicine Library in 1938 as a clinical library. The focus of the library changed to medical history in the mid 1950s. The History of Medicine Library continues to grow through the contributions of College Members.[citation needed]

## Publications

[edit]

The RACP also publishes two medical journals, The Internal Medicine Journal[7] and The Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health,[8] and has a foundation which provides funding for research in the field of internal medicine.[9]

The RACP issued a position statement on non-therapeutic circumcision of boys in 2010.[10]

## Qualifications

[edit]

### Fellow

[edit]

Main article: Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians

The qualification of "Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians", abbreviated as the post-nominal initials FRACP, is a recognition of the completion of the prescribed postgraduate specialist training programme in internal adult or internal paediatric medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.[citation needed]

## Arms

[edit]

Coat of arms of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians  |

Notes
Designed by the Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms, Eric Neville Geijer.
Adopted
Granted by the Kings of Arms, 27 September 1938 (Earl Marshal's Warrant, 15 September 1938).
Crest
On a Wreath of the Colours in front of a Sun rising Or a Hand grasping a Rod of Aesculapius erect proper.
Torse
Or and Azure.
Helm
A closed Helmet.
Escutcheon
Azure, a Pomegranate slipped and leaved Or seeded Gules issuant from the chief a Cloud proper irradiated Gold.
Supporters
On the dexter side an Emu, and on the sinister side a Kiwi, both proper.
Compartment
A grassy field.
Motto
Latin: Hominum servire saluti ("To serve the health of our people")
Other elements
Mantling Azure doubled Or.
Symbolism
The Arms are based on those granted in 1546 to the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in London, with the healing rays of the sun representing divine authority.[11] The meaning of the pomegranate in the RCP arms is contested, but is thought to mean regeneration and fertility in classical mythology, and/or to medicinal plants.[12][13] In John Guillim's Display of Heraldrie (1664) he noted on the heraldic use of the pomegranate: "This fruit is holden to be of profitable use in Physick, for the qualifying and allaying of the scorching heat of burning Agues, for which end the juyce thereof is reckoned to have a very soveraigne vertue."[14] The rising sun in the crest is a traditional symbol of Australia, representing the growth of a new nation. The Rod of Asclepius is a traditional Greek symbol of healing and medicine, and its position being upheld by a hand represents the ideals of medical practitioners.[11] The status of the College encompassing members in Australia and New Zealand is represented in the supporters, with the Emu representing Australia, and the Kiwi representing New Zealand.[11]

|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "About the RACP". The Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
2. ^ RACP. "Training pathways". Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
3. ^ Senate Inquiry into the Government Investment Funds Amendment Bill 2011 Submission by The Royal Australasian College of Physicians. July 2012
4. ^ RACP. "Connoting Professional Developmentent". Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
5. ^ Green Bans Art Walks Project (23 June 2023). "Green Bans Timeline: 1971-74". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
6. ^ RACP. "College Structure". Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
7. ^ "Internal Medicine Journal". Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010.
8. ^ "Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health". Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
9. ^ "About the RACP Foundation". Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
10. ^ Circumcision of Infant Males
11. ^ a b c Low, Charles (1971). A Roll of Australian Arms. Adelaide: Rigby Limited. pp. 6–7\. ISBN 0-85179-149-2.
12. ^ Forde, Pamela. "A picture is worth a thousand words: the RCP grant of arms". Royal College of Physicians. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
13. ^ Forde, Pamela. "Status symbols: the RCP coat of arms". Royal College of Physicians. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
14. ^ Guillim, John (1666). A Display of Heraldie. p. 135. Retrieved 7 October 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website – Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Czech Republic
* Israel