Record Investment in Specialist Doctor Training

Source: Department of Health & Ageing

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As part of the Gillard Government’s $390 million commitment to boost the number of specialist doctors across the country, Health Tanya Plibersek today announced that 1.

Ms Plibersek said that 6.

“Specialists doctors provide life-saving clinical care to millions of Australians every year,” said Ms Plibersek.

“To ensure communities continue to have access to the doctors they need, the Gillard Government is making this record investment in training to boost the number of specialists working across the country.”

Ms Plibersek said the number of specialist training places would increase to at least 1,0 and result in an additional 680 specialist doctors in the system by 2020.

This is in contrast to just 51 specialist training positions funded by the Commonwealth when Tony Abbott was Health Minister.

Under the programs, specialist trainees provide services to patients under the supervision of a specialist doctor and are rotated through an expanded range of settings beyond traditional public teaching hospitals.

“The program aims to give specialists the skills they need to match the demand for health services as well as develop system wide education support to enhance training opportunities.”

“Trainees are encouraged to get out into the community, working in a variety of settings, including hospitals and clinics, in both urban and rural areas.”

The level of funding available for training posts is a salary contribution of $110,000 each year. Posts in rural locations may also be provided with rural loadings, of up to $22,000.

About half the training delivered under the Specialist Training Program and More Doctors and Nurses for Emergency Departments initiative is in regional, rural and remote areas.

Through partnerships with specialist medical colleges, opportunities are being provided for junior doctors to train as anaesthetists, physicians, psychiatrists, pathologists, surgeons, radiologists, obstetricians and gynaecologists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, medical administrators and emergency medicine specialists.

The 2012 training places are located in the Australian Capital Territory (7), Northern Territory (28), New South Wales (172), Queensland (119), South Australia (43), Tasmania (13), Victoria (155), Western Australia (86.)

For media inquiries, please contact Minister Plibersek’s office on 02 6277 7220