NATIONAL HEALTH AND HOSPITALS REFORM COMMISSION
The AMA Council of Doctors-in-Training (AMACDT) has made a submission to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC), presenting a range of proposed solutions to maintain quality clinical training in the face of increased graduate numbers. Proposed solutions include:
- growth targets for clinical placement numbers to be included in the Australian Health Care Agreements.
- enhancing the role of the Medical Training Review Panel (MTRP) to monitor compliance by the states and territories with the benchmarks set out in the Australian Health Care Agreements.
- protected training time, adequate clinical teaching opportunities, more resources for supervision and better infrastructure in the public sector.
- increased prevocational and vocational GP training places, and vocational training places in the private sector more broadly.
- support for a robust accreditation framework involving the colleges, postgraduate medical education councils and the Australian Medical Council.
The NHHRC is charged with developing a long-term health plan reform plan for Australia’s health system. The full AMACDT submission can be found on the AMA website: Click here for the full AMACDT submission.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT DINNER – JUNIOR DOCTORS GET INSPIRED
The AMACDT Leadership Development Dinner was held on Friday 30 May 2008 in Hobart and was a great success with over 80 doctors attending. Keynote speaker, Rachael Robertson, discussed a recent expedition to Davis Station in Antarctica where she led a team of 18 people in highly challenging conditions, including total isolation for nine months. Rachael was the second woman ever to do this and used real life examples to demonstrate important leadership principles, all relevant to leadership in medicine. The AMACDT Leadership Development Session is held in May each year, in conjunction with AMA National Conference.
Rachael Robertson with Francis Sullivan and Dr Rosanna Capolingua
PART-TIME TRAINING
There are an increasing number of trainees seeking part-time training to allow them to balance their work, training, research, and other personal commitments. While part-time training opportunities have been on the rise in a number of disciplines, they have been almost non-existent in surgery. Therefore, we are very pleased to pass on the following information about a part-time surgical training position in Adelaide available next year.
PART TIME SET POSITION AVAILABLE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
South Australia has a unique accredited training position which is available for 2009. The position is a 12 month ‘stand-alone’ position (i.e. not a job share) based on a 2 ½ day week and provides for six months of accredited training. The part-time trainee is employed alongside a full-time trainee and a full-time Fellow. The Breast-Endocrine and Surgical Oncology Unit is a busy unit of a major teaching hospital. The position offers a broad training experience in breast and endocrine surgery, including breast reconstruction and in general surgical oncology, encompassing melanoma and soft tissue tumour management. The trainee will be expected to participate in rostered general surgery ‘on call’. This position provides a unique opportunity for a SET trainee to combine accredited training with family, research or other commitments. Interstate trainees are welcome to apply and private assisting and/or research opportunities can be explored by the successful candidate.
Any interested surgical registrars should contact Ms Nicki Bator and forward a CV for consideration to Nicki.Bator@health.sa.gov.au
IMPROVING YOUR WORKING LIFE – MABEL
MABEL (Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life) is a new major national longitudinal survey of doctors funded by the NHMRC. MABEL is the first survey to provide such rigorous evidence in Australia. MABEL focuses on examining a number of issues influencing the work—life balance of all types of doctor in Australia, and includes doctors in training through to doctors close to retirement. For more information go to www.mabel.org.au/
CONTACT US
Either via our Facebook Group AMA Doctors-in-Training Network or via email to ditnetwork@ama.com.au or by phone 02 6270 5400.