AMA submission to the Standards for Assessment and Accreditation of Specialist Medical Programs

The AMA welcomes stronger expectations around community partnership, cultural safety, rural and regional training, trainee wellbeing, supervision and continuous improvement. It also supports the development of common specialist program outcome statements to help ensure trainees are prepared not only as clinically competent specialists, but also as leaders, supervisors and culturally safe practitioners. 

The AMA is also calling for tougher action on transparency and accountability. That includes clearer disclosure of training costs, stronger public reporting of selection data, and a reduced emphasis on research output as an unofficial gateway into specialist training. The AMA argues that too many trainees are still navigating hidden costs, inconsistent processes and unspoken expectations that undermine equity and wellbeing.