Position Statement
Prevocational medical education and training - 2020
This document outlines the AMA’s position on the scope and structure of prevocational medical education, which encompasses the period between graduation and the commencement of vocational training. This includes the internship year (postgraduate year [PGY] 1) and post internship training (PGY2+). Doctors at this stage of their training are collectively referred to as prevocational doctors in this document.
Key points include a call for:
- The accreditation of all prevocational training places against robust standards informed by a nationally consistent accreditation framework with respect to education and training. This will provide all prevocational doctors with a valid, safe, and well-structured training experience that facilitates entry into vocational training or the career path of their choice.
- Protected time for more senior doctors to teach, supervise and assess prevocational doctors, with teaching responsibilities and non-clinical time built into their job descriptions and work schedules.
- A commitment from employers to building and sustaining a positive and respectful workplace culture and have appropriate workplace policies focused on prevocational doctor health and wellbeing. This extends to adequate orientation, welfare and support, safe working hours and flexible work arrangements to facilitate health and wellbeing and an appropriate work-life balance.
