The development of the obligatory education and certification programme of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: a practical response to the increasing challenges of a modern society.

A career in medicine should involve a commitment to a lifetime of learning. Rapid advances in medical knowledge, as well as the increasing knowledge and sophistication of consumers, make this commitment more important than ever before. The establishment of a new Specialist College in Australia in 1979 provided the opportunity to frame Articles which made this commitment obligatory for those who wished to continue as Fellows in the new College. The implementation of this philosophy called for a wide ranging involvement of all obstetricians joining the College, to ensure that the final form of the programme would reflect their collective views on the major issues raised by obligatory Continuing Medical Education. The development of this programme could serve as a model for other Specialist Colleges facing this increasingly important issue.