News

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Medical Student Public Hospital Engagement contract offer Checklist

The Federal AMA, the AMA Council of Doctors in Training, Australian Medical Students' Assoication and the Medical Deans Australia New Zealand have produced an important document for medical students regarding employment to ensure students are protected and supported in clinical roles. Below are some key points of advocacy regarding these roles. 

  1. Due to the disruption to training as a result of COVID –19, variations are likely to medical student graduation pathways.
  2. Medical students may be offered employment in a public hospital/local health district (LHD) to fill workforce gaps; particularly in response to an anticipated in-patient surge. In these paid jobs, medical students will berecognisedas employees, not as medical students. 
  3. All job offers should be consistent with the AMA / AMSA contract offer check list. Available here.
  4. While not all jobs offered will necessarily be linked to formal medical education and training outcomes, medical school deans are well placed to advocate for the design of job offers that have the potential to simultaneously contribute to separate medical school learning objectives.
  5. Medical schools have an important role to play to establish a pool of job candidates, be a conduit for advertised jobs, and to advise medical students about the appropriateness of a job before they decide whether or not to accept (including usefulness in achieving learning objectives and personal fit).
  6. It is also important that medical schools provide pastoral care throughout, whether the individual is an employee (with a contract with a hospital/LHD) or is a medical student under their faculty.

If you are offered a contract for employment, have your medical school check it over and use the CDT checklist before you agree & sign! 

Access the checklist here.

Related topics