The Medical Colleges: issues at the turn of the century

For most of the 20th century, Australia's Medical Colleges have played an important role in our healthcare system. The Colleges were founded to maintain and enhance professional standards in medicine's various disciplines. This was achieved through providing opportunities for the continuing medical education of College Fellows, by certifying that aspiring specialists could practise independently, and by encouraging research. The training role of Colleges was progressively developed, with evolution of training curricula, and through involvement in selection of trainees, appointment of supervisors and accreditation of hospitals and other healthcare providers as suitable sites for specialist training.