Remote and rural Australia is a unique location, truly like nowhere else on earth. Providing health services in the outback requires specific skills and knowledge to suit the needs of the people who live there with the resources available. Training schemes have been developed which support medical professionals to develop the skills required to work in rural and remote communities.
One such scheme is the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) which was initially piloted in 1999 by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). The aim of the RVTS is to improve the quality of health services available to remote communities through training doctors in remote areas, and contribute to the recruitment and retention of doctors in those areas.
Who is eligible?
The scheme targets remote medical practitioners working in small towns where health services would be negatively impacted if a doctor were to leave to undertake training. The RVTS has two streams and both streams are restricted to certain areas which have been identified under the Modified Monash Model. The RVTS does not provide a list of eligible locations, it is the responsibility of applicants to determine if the location they are working in is eligible.
Doctors joining the Remote Vocational Training Scheme must remain working in that location throughout the duration of their training. The mandate of working in one location during the program is to benefit the community because it allows for consistency and continuity of care. Community members are able to develop a trusted relationship with the doctor caring for them. The general practice vocational training is managed by RVTS Limited and fully funded by the government. The program is delivered via regular webinars, online discussion forums and remote supervisor discussions which are conducted via telephone, email or Skype. Supervisors on the program are registered medical practitioners who have experience in mentoring and who have worked in rural and remote general practice. Applications to RVTS are accepted from Australian citizens, permanent residents and temporary residents including 457 visas holders. Doctors training with RVTS are eligible to access A1 rebates through Medicare. The nationwide training program provided by the RVTS meets the requirements for Fellowship of both ACRRM and RACGP. Fellowship of RACGP requires three years of training full time whereas four years full time training is required by the ACRRM. Recognition of prior learning may reduce the training period. The number of training places available is limited. For more information about the application process, refer to the RVTS website.