The AMA welcomes the recommendation of an Independent Expert Panel for the Government to re-introduce a program to provide junior doctors with a rural general practice experience as part of their prevocational training.
The Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) was discontinued in the 2014 Budget, leaving general practice as the only major medical specialty that does not offer Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) a prevocational training experience.
The Independent Expert Panel, which was established to report on the public consultation and advice to Government on the redesign of the General Practice Rural Incentives Program, recommended “that the Government consider a range of options to introduce a program that provides a high quality community medicine and general practice training in rural and remote areas through extended placements for junior doctors”.
AMA President, A/Prof Brian Owler, said today that providing prevocational doctors with the opportunity to undertake high quality training in general practice gives them a valuable insight into life as a GP, informs their career choice, and helps build an understanding of how general practice works.
“This sort of experience can influence junior doctors to pursue a career in general practice, and it can also give doctors who choose other specialties a valuable insight into how general practice works,” A/Prof Owler said.
“With a deeper appreciation of the role of GPs, other specialists can make better decisions about patient care, and work more closely with their GP colleagues.
“A carefully targeted prevocational GP training program can also help boost rural and remote workforce numbers.
“The AMA has developed a proposal for a Community Residency Program to support more prevocational training for junior doctors, which satisfies the objectives of the Independent Panel’s recommendation.
“The AMA’s Community Residency Program, which is affordable, and which would be a very worthy investment in our future medical workforce, has been presented to the Assistant Minister for Health, Fiona Nash, for consideration,” A/Prof Owler said.
The AMA is currently examining the details of Independent Panel’s complete Report, which informed the Government’s overhaul of the GP Rural Incentives Program, announced yesterday.
Details of the proposed AMA Community Residency Program for JMOs are available at: https://ama.com.au/submission/community-residency-program
The Independent Panel’s Report is at: http://www.ruralhealthaustralia.gov.au/internet/rha/publishing.nsf/Content/7AD73254A0EC4356CA257E4D001ACD51/$File/Accessible%20Version%20Final%20-20IEP%20Report.docx