How To Participate In OSMOPS

OSMOPS operates on a five year cycle, commencing from the first year points are submitted.

Calculating Points

The OSMOPS program requires a minimum of 250 points to be obtained in oncology specific activities over the five year cycle, including a minimum of 25 points in Quality Assurance.

Points for the OSMOPS program are calculated.

What are appropriate OSMOPS activities?

Accredited Meetings

Both local and international meetings, including collaborative clinical trial groups meetings as well as the regular meetings of various Societies, are recognised as accredited meetings and therefore eligible for OSMOPS points.

Accredited Workshops

See Points Guidelines below. Please note: the meetings will need to be oncology related.

Learning Projects

These projects allow physicians the opportunity to pursue an area of interest in a structured and systematic manner. In addition to the MOPS guidelines, clinical trials generated within an institution and submitted to Ethics will be included in this category. Participation in protocols not written by the individual physician cannot be included as a learning project.

Self Assessment

Self-assessment programmes such as those distributed by the RACP and the American College of Physicians will be acceptable if specific to the field of cancer.

Practice Related CME Activities

See Points Guidelines below; also includes participation in clinical trials, including attendance at Investigator Meetings.

Teaching and Presentations

See Points Guidelines below.

Publications

See Points Guidelines below.

Quality Assurance

OSMOPS gives a very high priority to participation in clinical trials. To this end, active quality assurance may include time spent coordinating clinical trials. See Points Guidelines below.

Physician Assessment and Practice Quality Review

This is available through the RACP. See http://www.racp.edu.au/members/ce/plan8.cfm for further information.


Points Guidelines

Area

Definitions & Examples

Required Documentation

Practice Related CME

Meetings 0.5 points/hour; max 20 points/meeting

Usually involves minimal participation e.g. addresses, orations, plenary sessions and symposia of State, National & International meetings under the auspices of Medical Colleges or their affiliated Special Societies. 

Registration form and program with activities attended highlighted.

Workshops 2 points/hour;

Max 50 points/workshop

Small group activities, interactive and patient focused. 

Program or statement of involvement indicating the number of hours.

Learning projects 3 points/hour; max 60 points/project and 60 points/semester (PhD, post graduate studies etc)

These projects are learner-initiated and planned, have clearly specified educational objectives and the outcomes are evaluated.

Appropriate to the type of activity e.g. project report, proof of participation.

Self assessment 2 points/hour; max 50 points for any single program

Programs produced by the RACP, MOGA or other medical institutions/colleges.

Some evidence that questions have been attempted e.g. diary entry

Practice related CME 0.5 points/hour; max 250 points over 5 years

These are activities that you undertake in your day to day practice. Examples: journal reading, grand rounds, literature searching, department or hospital meetings, reviewing articles or grant applications, preparation for teaching or presentations, publications, journal clubs.

None if claiming <100 point per cycle diary entries, notices of meetings, etc.

Teaching & Research

Presentations

3 points/presentation

Presentation of paper or poster at conferences or other educational / scientific meeting.

Written invitation, Program, Abstract.

Teaching

1 point/hour

All teaching activities involving health education.

Teaching timetable or signed statement by an appropriate person.

Publications

5 points/publication

All publications of scientific or education content.  It does not need to be a peer reviewed publication.  Points are claimed according to they year of publication

Reprint.

Quality Assurance

Active activities

3 points/hour; max 60 points/project

Activities that you instigate and undertake to directly improve your individual practice.

Documentation of aims methods, results and conclusion of study.

Passive activities

0.5points/hour

Activities in which you participate but are not primarily directed toward your individual practice.

Details of extent of involvement and type of activity.

*Table adapted from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians A guide to the Maintenance of Professional Standards Program, May 2002.

OSMOPS returns

OSMOPS participants are required to complete a separate form each year identifying activities related to oncology practice. To download the OSMOPS return form, click here. OSMOPS forms are also mailed to all members each year in the December MOGA newsletter.

Return completed OSMOPS forms to:

MOGA Secretariat
145 Macquarie Street
SydneyNSW2000
Tel 02 8247 6207
Fax 02 9247 3022
Email moga@moga.org.au

A statement of participation, summarising points accrued in the current cycle is provided annually on receipt of a completed OSMOPS return. An OSMOPS certificate is provided to successful participants at the end of each cycle.

Random Review

A proportion of the members of MOGA will be subject to random review of their documentation each year. This review requires that members send in verifying documentation on request (eg. diaries, programmes, publications or other items). This request will be usually made in May for the previous year. Once a Fellow has successfully completed a random review within a particular cycle, he/she is excluded from review for the remainder of that cycle.