Policy

National Security Framework of Antarctica (NSF-A)

1) Purpose & Principles

1. Equal opportunity & integrity: A single, consistent pathway from education to practice, grounded in patient safety, scientific rigor, and public accountability.
2. Domestic compliance only: Operations must meet the NSF-A Domestic Compliance Framework (DCF); foreign/international certificates are not substitutes.

2) Degree Pathway & Practice Tiers

2.1 Bachelor of Medicine (BM) — 6 years (full-time)

Admission to roles (post-licensure & supervised induction):

1. General Medicine (Resident Medical Officer / GP-track)
2. Associate Specialist (under named consultant supervision)
3. Associate Surgeon (assisting rights only; no independent operating)

Requirements:

1. U1 language standard; CEFR C1 minimum for patient-facing roles.
2. 12–18 months supervised practice (rotations); pass National Licensing Exam (NLE-1).

2.2 Master of Medicine/Science (MMed/MSc) — 2 years (field-specific)

Admission to roles (post-boards):

1. Specialist (independent practice within scope)
2. Surgeon (independent operating within credentialed procedures)

Requirements:

1. Field-aligned Master’s in the illness or scientific branch (e.g., cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, psychiatry, infectious disease, anaesthetics, public health).
2. Completion of specialty residency modules (min. 24 months cumulative, inclusive of Master’s clinical blocks).
3. Pass Specialty Boards (NLE-2) and hospital credentialing.

2.3 Doctorate in Division (DDiv) — 3–5 years

Admission to roles:

1. Division Management (service/department head)
2. Medical Legislation (policy author, regulator roles)
3. Medical Juridical Reviews (expert reviewer, tribunal member)

Requirements:

1. Doctoral research/practice in the chosen Division (e.g., Surgical Sciences Division, Internal Medicine Division, Mental Health Division).
2. Leadership practicum; health-law & governance modules; pass Leadership & Governance Assessment (LGA).

3) Licensure, Credentialing & Revalidation

1. Provisional Licence: Granted after BM + internship start; limited scope under supervision.
2. Full Licence: After internship completion + NLE-1 pass.
3. Specialist/Surgical Privileges: Granted by hospital credentialing committee after Master’s + NLE-2; procedure lists are itemized and time-limited.
4. Revalidation: Every 3 years with portfolio review, outcomes data, msOPs (minimum standards of practice), and CPD/CPE proof.

4) CPD/CPE Obligations

1. Minimum: 28 hours per month (documented).
2. Mix: Clinical updates, simulation, M&M conferences, journal clubs, supervised procedures, ethics/legal refreshers, emergency drills.
3. Audit: Random CPD audits; non-compliance → remediation plan → suspension if unresolved.

5) Patient Safety & Ethics

1. Standards of care: Evidence-based guidelines; mandatory incident reporting; never events register.
2. Duty of candour: Disclose adverse events to patients/families; file root-cause within 10 working days.
3. Infection prevention: Cold-region protocols (air handling, sterilization, isolation).
4. Consent & dignity: U1 language adequacy; interpreters where needed; special protections for minors and vulnerable adults.

6) Telemedicine & Remote Practice

1. Permitted within licensed platforms integrated to the Civilian DMZ; real-time identity and consent capture; secure records.
2. Cross-site consults allowed if both sites maintain licensed clinicians and interoperable records.

7) Records, Data & Quality

1. EHR: Append-only audit; structured notes; outcomes & PROMs capture.
2. Data protection: Role-based access; encrypted at rest/in transit; research use only via ethics approval and de-identification.
3. Quality cycles: Quarterly dashboards (mortality, complications, readmissions, access times).

8) Facilities, Insurance & Governance

1. Facility licensing: Theatre/ICU/diagnostics must hold DCF clinical licences; SBOMs for devices; MPSL attestation for connected equipment.
2. Indemnity: Mandatory malpractice cover at NSF-A minimums; participation in risk pools.
3. Governance: Medical Executive Committee (MEC), Ethics Board, and Independent Patient Ombuds.

9) Foreign Qualifications & Mobility

1. Reclassification: All foreign medical qualifications are mapped into the BM → Master’s → Doctorate pathway.
2. Bridging: Competency exams + supervised adaptation (6–18 months) determine entry level; no direct substitution for NSF-A licences.

10) Education Providers & Exams

1. Universities: Must be DCF-accredited; publish curricula, assessment blueprints, and clinical logbook requirements.
2. Exams: NLE-1 (general licensure), NLE-2 (specialty boards), LGA (leadership/governance).
3. Assessment integrity: Proctored; psychometrics reviewed annually; appeals within 15 working days.

11) Commercial & Contracting Controls

1. Commercial Science Licence (CSL): Required for hospital procurements, clinical trials, and service outsourcing.
2. L3 baseline; Bachelor-level for contracts > £75,000; Advanced CSL + risk review for > £3,000,000.
3. Clinical trials: Ethics approval, data-safety monitoring board, patient indemnity, pre-registered protocols.

12) Enforcement & Remedies

1. Breaches: Misrepresentation, unsafe practice, CPD falsification, or data tampering → suspension/revocation; criminal referral for egregious harm or fraud.
2. Appeals: To the Independent Medical Review Panel within 15 working days.

13) Transition & Effective Dates

1. Applies to entrants and new licences from the effective date.
2. Existing practitioners are migrated to nearest equivalent tier with bridging assessments scheduled within 12 months.

14) Contacts

1. Licensing & Exams: medical-licensing@nsf-antarctica.org
2. Education Accreditation: med-ed@nsf-antarctica.org
3. Quality & Safety: quality@nsf-antarctica.org
4. Ombuds & Appeals: ombuds-med@nsf-antarctica.org

This framework codifies a consistent, merit-based route to medical practice in Antarctica, aligning education, licensure, and governance with strict safety and public-interest standards.

Version 1.0 • Effective 26 September 2025