MOUNT Gambier Hospital is set to partner with Flinders University to deliver an exciting new program.
The program is designed to help boost the medical workforce at the hospital, which has been plagued with medical workforce instability.
The hospital will become the first public health facility in the state to take medical graduates from across the world as part of a “ground-breaking” workplace-based assessment program and has begun advertising to recruit three international graduates.
It is hoped these graduates will want to stay in the regional health sector when completing the program and additional places could be offered in the future.
Country Health SA South East medical services director Dr Christopher Tan described the program as a landmark development for the regional hospital.
Dr Tan – who has been in the regional role for just two months – said Mount Gambier was the only South Australian hospital to offer the program.
This work-based assessment program is in existence at just seven other sites across Australia.
“We are excited to announce that from July this year, three international medical graduates will be given the opportunity to take part in the work-based assessment (WBA) program at Mount Gambier Hospital,” Dr Tan said.
“We think this program is a really good way to get people in the door.”
The regional medical services chief said the graduates would be working across the hospital’s footprint in medicine, surgery, obstetrics, paediatrics and emergency.
Dr Tan said he hoped the initiative could also see the Mount Gambier Hospital develop a reputation as a teaching hospital.
“This is basically on the job competency assessment, which we feel will provide a better idea about whether someone is suitable for general registration as a doctor in Australia,” he said.
He said hospitals that offered this program had attracted “high quality” graduates who tended to stay on at the health facility.
“Recruitment and attention in regional areas is an issue in what I have seen,” Dr Tan told The Border Watch.
He said the program would trial three international doctors initially to see how the program worked.
“International medical graduates usually need to pass clinical exams to work in Australia, but the WBA program provides an alternative to the exams and allows comprehensive assessment of doctors over a period of time through direct observation of on-the-job performance,” Dr Tan said.
“This is the only WBA program accredited in South Australia and provides Mount Gambier Hospital a platform to not only attract high-quality medical professionals, but also promote the Limestone Coast as a wonderful place to live and work.”
Candidates will be ranked according to their commitment to working as a clinician on the Limestone Coast, coupled with their interest in rural generalist practice or a specialist discipline currently in under-supply in the region.
Flinders Rural Health South Australia director Professor Jennene Greenhill said Flinders University Rural Health was delighted to be working in partnership with Mount Gambier Hospital to implement the newly-accredited WBA program.
“The WBA program allows Flinders University to provide an important service for international medical graduates who provide essential services to people in our rural communities,” Prof Greenhill said.
“This is an excellent new venture that offers a flexible rural training pathway and will allow medical graduates to train while delivering much needed services in Mount Gambier.”
Applications for the inaugural program – accredited by Australian Medical Council – are open until April 16.
Details are available on the Flinders University website.
