Doctors who are serious about physician training will apply to the hospital which they believe will get them the best training results. They look at pass rates for the RACP exams, using the web to research hospitals for methods of training. Until a few years ago, only the biggest tertiary teaching hospitals attracted the best candidates leaving the smaller hospitals with mostly a service role.
Then a new `training consortium' model was set up to even out the training and opportunities.
``The major hospitals support the rural hospitals, ensuring appropriate junior workforce training outcomes,'' says Dr Andrew Brett, director of the Greater Western Consortium. ``Now the consortium has arguably the best pass rate of any group of hospitals in Australia and our tutors at the Royal MelbourneHospital offer an extremely comprehensive teaching program.''
All hospitals work hard to develop their training programs and Ballarat, a substantial regional hospital in this consortium, is already a Level 2 training hospital which means that physicians can do two years (of their three years) training there.
``Our specialists are no longer just serving the community, teaching and training the next generation of physicians is now a major element of their work,'' says Dr Grant Phelps, director of physician training at Ballarat Health.
``Ballarat is now well-regarded, there is a pool of expertise available to assist and support trainees here. My colleagues are College examiners, we host the College exam and are taking advanced trainees in a range of specialties. The consortium model has allowed us to become a significant physician training hospital with excellent training outcomes.''
Wangaratta and Wodonga serve much smaller communities and are Level 1 hospitals for BPTs who rotate there, working under registrars and visiting specialists. It is quite a different experience but the support coming from these specialists and the consortium allows them to continue their training uninterrupted.
``At first the major teaching hospitals were concerned that the consortiums would in some way `dilute' their excellent physician training results,'' says Dr John Mulder, director of physician training at Western Health.
``However, they have found their success rates in the physician exams just as good as ever with the added bonus that their trainees now experience a broader patient group in various hospital environments.''
Dr Mulder says the consortium has been very good for smaller hospitals like Western and Ballarat.
``We ensure that our training is up to standard so there is no disadvantage in doctors coming here for BPT,'' he says. ``We can now attract and retain good trainees.''
