Rural Rotations
Inequitous (and Iniquitous) Rural Rotations
Sunday, 04 March 2007
Responder Rant
By Dr Bianca Felix
Spare a thought for our WA colleagues.
In Victoria, we grumble as we commute between Melbourne and Bendigo (or Traralgon, or other major regional centres) for three months. In New Zealand and South Australia, rural rotations are either close to home, or involve a day “fly in – fly out” arrangement.
But in WA, you could find yourself 1000’s of kilometres from Perth and your family. For six months.
Yes, you read right. You are sent away from family and friends (and active professional development) for SIX MONTHS. Half a year…
Now, I know there are many crises facing our fellow citizens who live in The Bush and access to quality healthcare is one of them. But I don’t think that disrupting the life of a specialty registrar – not to mention the lives of their families - is the solution.
What is more, the arrangement is far in excess of what the College itself mandates as an acceptable rural training experience. The minimum College-mandated rural experience is 15 days of a fly in – fly out arrangement, and some centres negotiate a less onerous alternative even to this.
I am humbled by the dedication of our WA colleagues to the profession, if they have been prepared to put up with this arrangement for the sake of qualifying in Psychiatry. I think I would have sought out an alternative speciality!
JavaScript?
Secondly, the College is in the process of undertaking an Education Review and ANZAPT will be sure to bring up this issue.
Thirdly, the AMC is asking for annual updates on the College’s progress in implementing its recommendations. Rural training was one of (the many) areas of training requiring clarification so ANZAPT will raise the issue directly with the AMC.
Can you think of a fourth, fifth or sixth way to advocate? Let your voice be heard and let’s help our WA colleagues get more of a choice in how they fulfill the rural experience training requirements.