Medical Officer Professional Career Development Committee (MOPCDC)

The Medical Officers Professional Career Development Committee (MOPCDC) will assess the competency level of each MO presently in service, both Regular and Reserve. Every MO will have a competency level assigned irrespective of whether they decide to move to the new system or no, as the MO must still be placed within the new structure.

This Committee will comprise

• Chair – Medical Officer of O6 or higher rank
• Members –
  
  • a minimum of one senior Medical Officer from each Service
  • a minimum of one Career Management Agency representative from each Service

The Chair is appointed by CDF. The Chair may then appoint members and secretariat as appropriate, using the framework above.

The Committee will

• set, review and recommend the assessment criteria for competency levels consistent with the DFRT Ruling,
• assess the competency level and increment of MOs being considered for appointment to the ADF in accordance with the competency requirements of the Career Structure approved by the DFRT,
• make recommendations on the progression of Medical Officers to higher Competency Levels (CL) to Service Career Management Delegates, and
• implement the transition requirements contained in the Medical Officer’s Case Court Book, including the competency level and increment.

Note that the Committee can only make recommendations to the Career Management agencies on aspects of new entrants and existing member competencies, and career progression.

At least one member of the Committee will have received training in workplace assessment.

The full Terms of Reference of the Committee will be published when available.

The principles the MOPCDC will follow are:

• All entrants to the ADF on and from 31 July 2003 will enter under the new scheme only.
• Current members assessed to be at a lower rate of competency than the job they are in may be grandfathered to the CL for their job (applies to those currently serving MO who have not yet gained an appropriate fellowship or vocational registration). The grandfathering will work on a six-year rule. MO with at least six years equivalent of full time military service will be deemed to be CL3 and those with at least 12 years equivalent of full time service will be deemed to be CL4. Full time military service relates to the time after completion of the residency period when performing full time duties with the ADF at an ADF base.
• Members who have been grandfathered must complete the competency requirements within six years of transfer to the new system or their competency level, and thus salary, will be reduced to their true assessed level.
• Election to move to the new scheme is voluntary. The election can be made at any time and is one way only. Therefore, once on the new system, a member can not return to the old.
• All members on a permanent commission not wishing to transfer to the new scheme can elect to stay with the old structure, otherwise they will transfer to a fixed period of service (FPS) or a be offered a limited tenure promotion.

23 September, 2008