Regional training in tropical and travel medicine

Objective: To review regional training initiatives in travel and tropical medicine.\ud \ud Methods: Standard searches on PubMed, CINAHIL and Google were conducted looking at key words training, education, academic, professional, travel medicine and tropical medicine, primarily focusing on Australia and New Zealand and our regional neighbours.\ud \ud Results: Australia has a long tradition of academic training in tropical medicine dating back to 1925. Since then, major programs in tropical medicine have arisen elsewhere in the region, including the University of the Medical Sciences (now Mahidol University) in 1961, which is also part of the SEAMEO TROPMED Network. A professional college of tropical medicine was established in Australia in 1991. Both Australia and New Zealand offer academic programs in travel medicine. Following the establishment of the Asia Pacific Travel Health Society, a professional faculty of travel medicine was established in Australia in 2000. Various organizations now offer continuing professional development programs in tropical and travel medicine throughout the region. Linkages are just starting to form with licensing and statutory requirements for training, for example with Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in New Zealand, which may assist in the uptake of academic and professional training in tropical and travel medicine.\ud \ud Conclusions: Extensive opportunities exist for academic and professional training in tropical medicine in the region. Professional and commercial groups should advocate for appropriate training requirements for those entering the field of travel medicine and for continuing professional development