News and Views of Medical Training in NSW ISSUE NUMBER 7, June 2009 > Printer friendly format (pdf) > Last newsletter (#6 February 2009) WHAT'S NEW? > New team structure at IMET > Changes to intern allocation policy > National registration and the Internship Working Group EVENTS > Future Medical Training and Workforce Forum > JMO Forum > Rural Preferential Recruitment (RPR) Information Expo > Education Support Officer Forum > IMET at AMA Careers Exhibition COMING EVENTS > Prevocational Education Forum, 21 August 2009 FEATURES > Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors – what’s new? IMET PROGRAM UPDATES Medical Education and Training > Psychiatry Supervisors of Training Forum > Future Leaders Development Program > Advanced Paediatric Trainees Professional Development Program > Oncology Training Review Accreditation > Accreditation online on the way > Surveyors wanted TALKING POINT > Interprofessional learning — the next development in postgraduate education and training? WHAT'S NEW? New team structure at IMET IMET has restructured its System and Support Operations Division (which carries out the functions of accrediting prevocational training facilities and allocating trainees) to improve customer service. The new teams have dedicated staff who are responsible for a group of prevocational training networks. The relevant contacts for your prevocational training networks are available online <www.imet.health.gov.au>. System Support and Operations. Back row, left to right: Acting Head Mathivanan Sakthivel, Support Officer Paul Kurilla, Projects Manager (Function Re-Design) David Lochhead, Network Support Officer Daniel Moore. Centre row, left to right: Network Support Officers Sarah Smith and Margaret Taofi, Network Coordinators Pamela Bloomfield, Dawn Webb and Jacqueline Gregor. Front: Archimedes Salinas, ACHSE Trainee.   Changes to intern allocation policy NSW IMET is currently allocating AMC graduates to start as prevocational trainees on 15 June 2009. NSW Health has advised IMET of recent changes to the intern allocation policy. For 2010 and beyond, all Australian citizen and permanent resident medical graduates from NSW universities, or from interstate universities if they have completed Year 12 in NSW, will be guaranteed an internship. This includes both Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and Domestic Full Fee (DFF) medical graduates. If there are more applicants than the total number of Commonwealth-supported NSW graduates and the workforce needs identified by Area Health Services, the priority listing developed by NSW Health will be invoked. For more information on the recent policy changes, please visit the IMET website <http://www.imet.health.nsw.gov.au/www/472/1001127/displayarticle/1005500.html> or contact Mr Mathivanan Sakthivel, Acting Head, Systems Support and Operations Division, NSW IMET (98446546; msakthivel@imet.health.nsw.gov.au). National registration and the Internship Working Group Australia will soon establish a national medical board and medical register to replace the current state and territory boards and registers. The Medical Board of Australia is expected to be appointed in mid-2009 and the new national registration and accreditation scheme will commence on 1 July 2010. The composition of the intern year and a nationally agreed process for sign off after satisfactory completion of internship will be a matter for the new board to decide. There is an opportunity to introduce a stronger educational focus as the new structure is introduced and Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils, of which IMET is a member, have agreed to convene a working party to investigate these issues. The working group is chaired by Professor Brendan Crotty, the Chair of the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria, and will include representatives from Postgraduate Medical Councils, IMET and doctors in training. Dr Joanna Flynn will represent the Australian Medical Council and Mr Andrew Dix will represent the Joint Medical Boards Advisory Committee. Ms Louise Rice has been appointed as Senior Project Manager. The working group will report to CPMEC in June, 2009 and it is anticipated that a consensus position will be developed for subsequent discussions with the Medical Board of Australia. For further information please contact Ms Louise Rice, Senior Project Manager, on (02) 9844 6535 or email lrice@imet.health.nsw.gov.au. EVENTS Future Medical Training and Workforce Forum NSW IMET and the NSW Department of Health jointly held a forum on 7 April 2009 to discuss strategies to manage the increasing number of medical graduates expected in the near future. One hundred and twenty people attended the forum, including medical students, senior clinicians, Directors of Prevocational Education and Training, Junior Medical Officers, Administrators, University Deans, representatives of the specialist Colleges, and union representatives. The forum discussed strategies to manage increasing medical graduates, such as developing new training terms within hospitals, using new training methods to increase capacity, revising rosters to include more trainees and using new sites for training. The NSW Future Medical Training and Workforce Steering Committee will now develop a strategic plan to manage these issues by incorporating the new ideas received at the forum. Future Medical Training and Workforce Forum participants in the auditorium at the Kerry Packer Education Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. JMO Forum Some visionary thinking and youthful enthusiasm made the JMO Forum held on 24 April a great success. Survey data presented at the Forum suggested that interns in NSW are doing fairly well, with a majority of 218 surveyed interns agreeing with these statements: “My workloads are manageable”, “I feel well supported by my seniors”, “Orientation provided me with what I needed to know to work effectively at my hospital” and “Internship is pretty much what I imagined it to be.” On the other hand, a majority of interns surveyed also agreed that “I often feel stressed during my work day” and “I am unable to attend educational sessions”. Partly in response to the last finding, the Forum proposed a new approach to providing some educational sessions, calling for statewide distribution of some learning resources in electronic form. The vision is that each prevocational network could take its turn providing educational sessions, hopefully with the result that every JMO everywhere will have access to high quality teaching by leading experts. Will it work? The new PREVOC committee of the JMO Forum is going to look into the detail. Working groups at the JMO Forum had a big picture view of the future of medical education, calling for statewide use of multimedia and equity in educational resources. Above (from left to right): Dr Nelson Agostinho, Dr Bernard Roach, Dr David Ryan, Dr Sonali Pandey. Below (from left to right): Dr Farzan Fahrtash, Dr Umair Ansari, Dr Carlos El-Haddad, Dr Jeremy Curtin, Dr Ruth Noel, Dr Maureen Ryan). The Forum reviewed orientation week, sharing the experience of JMOs across the State to come up with a list of the good (such as meeting residents and receiving USB sticks containing essential information), the bad (lectures, psychometric testing) and the what-might-be-better (such as more guidance on handover). IMET will be sending the full list to DPETs and JMO Managers for their information. Other topics discussed and marked for further action include the maintenance of standards during the implementation of national registration, equity of resources for training across the State and participation in the JMO welfare study and national JMO Forum. Rural Preferential Recruitment (RPR) Information Expo Rural Preferential Recruitment (RPR) was established in 2006 and is an opportunity for final year medical graduates who are interested in starting their prevocational training in rural hospitals to be directly recruited before allocation. The purpose of RPR is to: allow medical graduates who wish to spend most of their PGY1 and PGY2 training years at a rural site of their choice to do so provide increased workforce stability and therefore enhanced patient care in rural hospitals. This year’s expo on 24 March gave final year medical students a chance to speak directly with staff from rural hospitals across NSW. The following rural hospitals attended or were represented at the expo: Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital Orange Base Hospital Dubbo Base Hospital Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Manning Base Hospital Albury Base Hospital The Maitland Hospital Lismore Base Hospital The Tweed Hospital Coffs Harbour Health Campus Port Macquarie Base Hospital Calvary Mater Newcastle A survey of student responses to the expo received positive feedback, with students saying that they would recommend the RPR expo to future students and that they found it beneficial speaking with the rural hospitals in person. NSW IMET would like to thank all the rural hospitals for their participation and ongoing support of prevocational rural training.   Education Support Officer Forum A forum was held for Education Support Officers (ESOs) on 30 April at the Macquarie University Graduate School of Management. Twenty-two ESOs from each of our training programs (psychiatry, cardiology, physicians, paediatrics, surgery and hospital skills) joined IMET staff for the day to share their education and training experiences. The Forum heard from IMET Director, Associate Professor Simon Willcock, on the Optimal Model for Network Training project. Associate Professor Simon Willcock said that the ESO position was a vital part of the success of our training networks. Each of our programs provided interesting speakers on very different aspects of their programs. Thank you to presenters at the ESO Forum (left to right): Catherine Young, Surgery ESO; Kathy James, Basic Physician Training ESO; Angela Bennett, Psychiatry ESO; Wayne Fulford, Cardiology ESO. Ms Angela Bennett, Psychiatry ESO, spoke on value of peer mentoring as a new ESO. Cardiology ESO Mr Wayne Fulford described a video conference seminar series for advanced cardiology trainees. Ms Ellen Rawstron, Paediatric Program Coordinator, IMET, spoke on a professional development program for advanced paediatric trainees and described a pilot being organised to run this across disciplines with cardiology. Basic Physician Training ESO Ms Kathy James showed a network website to support education delivery using modern web-based learning. Pre-surgical ESO Ms Catherine Young discussed sharing resources for surgical skills workshops with hospitals within the network. Hospital Skills Program Coordinator Mr Graeme Still introduced this new program and discussed opportunities for cross disciplinary interactions and support. The resulting discussion continued enthusiastically into the lunch break. After lunch, forum members divided into small groups to workshop the evolving role of the ESO and how professional development can be better supported. There is keen interest in holding these meetings more regularly, so watch this space. IMET at AMA Careers Exhibition As in previous years, NSW IMET supported the AMA Medical Careers Exhibition hosted by the Australian Medical Association on 4 April 2009. IMET staff were available to answer questions from medical students and junior trainees about allocation matters and career guidance. Dr Amanda Brownlow (left), Chair of the NSW JMO Forum, and Ms Sarah Smith (centre), Network Support Officer, advise a student at the AMA Careers Exhibition. COMING EVENTS Prevocational Education Forum, 21 August 2009 IMET will be holding a Prevocational Education Forum on Friday 21 August 2009 for Directors of Prevocational Education and Training, JMO Managers and others involved in prevocational training. For more information, contact Craig Bingham, Prevocational Program Coordinator (9844 6511, cbingham@imet.health.nsw.gov.au). FEATURE Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors – what’s new? Ms Debbie Paltridge is the National Project Coordinator for the Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors (ACF) project of the Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils. A new version of the ACF has recently been released for comment. Debbie describes this and other news from the project. The ACF project is working on three fronts: assessment, resources and workplace implementation. Recently a subgroup of the National Steering Group met to revise the ACF for the first time since its launch in 2007. The aim of this revision was to incorporate feedback received since the launch and to ensure that the capabilities within the framework were able to be assessed. A two-month period of intensive review and consultation is now under way. A copy of the revised ACF (version 2.2) can be downloaded from the CPMEC website (www.cpmec.org.au). Please send me your feedback: dpaltridge@cpmec.org.au. The Workplace Implementation group has developed a “Raising Awareness Toolkit”. The aim of the toolkit is to assist those wishing to raise awareness of the ACF within their institution. The toolkit consists of a PowerPoint presentation, suggestions for raising awareness of the ACF, and a handout on the background to the ACF. Educators, supervisors or individual junior doctors may like to consider using the PowerPoint at the beginning of a Grand Round or Unit meeting to promote discussion of the framework at an institutional or unit level. To further promote the ACF, a poster has been developed and can be purchased through CPMEC. Please contact dpaltridge@cpmec.org.au for further information. A National Term Description Template has also been developed. This document provides term supervisors with a template for developing their term descriptions. The aim of the template is to encourage supervisors to consider the areas within the ACF that will be covered or experienced during their term. It has been developed after extensive review of examples of term descriptions nationally. For those supervisors who do not currently have a term description, the template has been designed as an electronic form to allow text entry and use of the ACF checkbox to indicate the capabilities relevant to the term. Supervisors who have already established term descriptions are encouraged to review their current term descriptions and consider the elements of the national template that they may be able to add to ensure that all critical areas are covered. Sample term descriptions are included on the CPMEC website as a guide (www.cpmec.org.au). Shortly the Assessment Working Party will commence a pilot of the draft National Assessment Tools. These tools are being piloted at 12 sites across the country and CPMEC thanks John Hunter, Manly and Mona Vale Hospitals for agreeing to be part of this important process. Results from the pilot will be presented at the 14th National Prevocational Medical Educational Forum in November. IMET PROGRAM UPDATES Medical Education and Training Psychiatry Supervisors of Training Forum This Forum, held on Thursday 19 March at the WaterView Convention Centre, was attended by over 55 participants from across NSW. The Forum gave participants an opportunity to meet supervisors from other networks in the round table discussion groups. These groups provided the Forum with insight into different strategies to address difficult supervision issues. A resource site for supervisors is being compiled to house such valuable information (contact Jan Veitch, Psychiatry Program Coordinator, for further details: jveitch@imet.health.gov.au, 9844 6543). Each training network presented innovative approaches to education and showcased successful strategies to improve training. The final session focused on reports from successful Education Support Fund project holders who left participants with a better understanding of the program and how they too can apply for funding to improve training. We look forward to seeing their ideas put forward in this year‘s funding applications. The Forum closed with the launch of An Overview of Psychiatric Ethics, a new psychiatry training resource written by Dr Michael Robertson. This text will support psychiatry trainees as they delve into the ethics of their practice and prepare to become specialists. An e-version is available on the IMET website. Organisers were pleased with the forum and participants' feedback has been very positive with calls to repeat the Forum in future. Our thanks go to the presenters for their time and to the participants for supporting the event. Dr Michael Robertson (left), author of An Overview of Psychiatric Ethics, with Dr Marie-Louise Stokes, Acting General Manager of IMET, and Dr Murray Wright, Chair Psychiatry Network Oversight Committee, and, Head Medical Programs, NSW Institute of Psychiatry. Future Leaders Development Program Dr Michelle Cretikos, advanced trainee in public health medicine, is participating in the Future Leaders Development Program. Here she gives us an update on the program so far. I participated in the second workshop of this comprehensive leadership development program for NSW doctors in training, which was held in Sydney recently. The workshop built on the topics covered in the first workshop, focusing on teaching skills, working in teams, assessment and appraisal, and the doctor in difficulty. The program also has an ongoing component, including working in small teams on leadership projects, which has allowed us to apply the skills we are learning. I think this program has been excellent in acknowledging that leadership skills need to be developed and taught, just as clinical skills are developed and taught. I think we focus far too much on the technical aspects of our training. There is nowhere near enough emphasis on relating well to people, working in teams, or the different methods of communicating your message or advancing your point of view. My experience of the program so far has also helped me to talk about the development of non-clinical skills at work, and has already helped to raise awareness of the importance of these skills as part of clinical activities. The Garling report clearly identified the divide between clinicians and managers. A course like this is perfectly timed to start developing clinicians who understand the perspective of managers, and who are able to go some way towards bridging that divide. The program participants are our future leaders — clinicians who will have the capacity and motivation to bring about sustainable change in the NSW health system. Advanced Paediatric Trainees Professional Development Program Throughout 2008, advanced paediatric trainees provided feedback to the NSW Paediatric Physician Training Council that there needed to be increased access to professional development for trainees across the three paediatric networks. In 2009, IMET is supporting a professional development program for advanced trainees. The program structure is one seminar per month for two hours and the sessions are generally held on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 4–6 pm. There are currently nine sessions planned for 2009. The first session, CV Writing and Interview Skills, was held on Wednesday 11 March 2009 and was presented by the State Director of Paediatric Training, Dr Emma McCahon. The aim of the sessions is to provide access to practical skills to assist in developing the future careers of advanced trainees approaching the end of their training. The advanced trainee professional development sessions are also open to advanced cardiology trainees. For more information, please contact Jennie McGhie (jmcghie@imet.health.nsw.gov.au, 02 9844 6521). Oncology Training Review The Cancer Institute NSW has commissioned NSW IMET to review Oncology training, with the aim of proposing a model for networked training focusing on medical oncology, palliative medicine and radiation oncology. IMET has undertaken a broad consultative process, visiting training sites across NSW and circulating an online questionnaire. A Steering Committee has been established to guide the project. A number of key themes and potential recommendations have been revealed. IMET is preparing a discussion paper articulating the key themes and some draft proposals for comment. The discussion paper will be available for comment in early June. A Forum will be held on 10 June (venue TBA) to discuss the proposals and workshop various aspects of the networked training model. If you would like to know more about the Oncology Training Review, including how to access the discussion paper or attend the forum, keep an eye on the website <www.imet.health.nsw.gov.au> or contact: Jennifer Chapman, Acting Deputy Division Head METD, (9844 6541, jchapman@imet.health.nsw.gov.au) Kylie Madge, Oncology Review Project Officer, (9844 6548, kmadge@imet.health.nsw.gov.au). Accreditation Accreditation online on the way NSW IMET is developing an online program called "Accreditation Online" (AOL). AOL is being developed to assist facilities with the accreditation process and aims to reduce the administrative requirements of accreditation. For further details, contact David Lochead (dlochhead@imet.health.gov.au, 9844 6516). Surveyors wanted As usual, NSW IMET is looking to recruit more surveyors to help accredit training facilities. Interested people can contact NSW IMET on 9844 6562. An IMET surveyor is a clinician, medical administrator, prevocational or vocational trainee who has been trained to assess the performance of health facilities against the standards for prevocational education and training. Surveying provides an opportunity to learn about other facilities’ innovative ideas and improvements, reflect on the training in your own facility, and network with other surveyors with a passion for prevocational education and training. Surveyors provide their services on a voluntary basis and contribute between two and four days a year. Travel, accommodation and survey-related expenses are met by IMET. Honorariums are also available for eligible surveyors. TALKING POINT Interprofessional learning — the next development in postgraduate education and training? — Marie-Louise Stokes, Acting General Manager of IMET The Final Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Acute Care Services in NSW Public Hospitals (the Garling Report) recommended establishing an Institute of Clinical Education and Training. Core basic skills for health professionals identified in the Garling Report Note taking and record keeping Communication with patients Communication with other health professionals Handover Medication management   Matters relating to the management of the health system Certain clinical skills such as taking blood, using and being familiar with commonplace machinery and equipment. Specifically, the Garling Report recommended that one of the functions of the Institute of Clinical Education and Training should be to design, institute, conduct and evaluate a program for the postgraduate clinical education and training of all new postgraduate professional clinical staff employed in NSW public hospitals. Garling recommended the teaching of basic skills and competencies (see box) in a consistent way to all health professionals during the early years of practice.[1] Such inter-professional learning would improve inter-professional practice, which is essential to the delivery of modern team-based health care for patients. Earlier this year, the NSW Government announced a $25 million transition to work program for graduate doctors, nurses and allied health workers.[2] This is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach to training because, clearly, there will continue to be a need for specific postgraduate training and professional development for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. What the proposed transition to work program offers is the opportunity to improve common skills and team-based skills through interprofessional practice and education. So, what has been the experience of interprofessional teaching and learning? A useful reference is Interprofessional Health Education in Australia: The Way Forward.[3] This report from Learning and Teaching for Interprofessional Practice, Australia, is based on an extensive literature review and consultation process and reveals that “while there are innovative and successful interprofessional education initiatives in the higher education sector in Australia, these initiatives tend to be local, developed in isolation and driven by local champions. They exist on the margins of health professional curricula and health professional practice”. It is not surprising then that Garling identified the lack of interprofessional learning as an issue that needs to be addressed if we are to improve teamwork skills and patient-centred care. We at IMET are keen to hear from any readers who have had some experience with interprofessional learning. For those interested in finding out more about interprofessional education, learning and practice, visit the Australasian Interprofessional Practice and Education Network website <http://www.aippen.net/>. Final Report of the Special Commission of Inquiry: Acute Care Services in NSW Public Hospitals, 2008. Volume 1 Page 353. Paragraph 10.196. NSW Minister for Health. Media release. Caring Together: Major improvements to patient care and safety. 30 March 2009. http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/2009/20090330_02.html Learning and Teaching for Interprofessional Practice, Australia. Interprofessional Health Education in Australia: The Way Forward. <http://www.aippen.net/docs/LTIPP_proposal_apr09.pdf> ^To top^ > Printer friendly format (pdf) > Last newsletter (#6 February 2009)

Building 12, Gladesville Hospital Victoria Road, Gladesville NSW 2111 p: (02) 9844 6551 f: (02) 9844 6544 e: newsletter@imet.health.nsw.gov.au w: www.imet.health.nsw.gov.au Editor: Craig Bingham