Media release

GP TRAINEES NEED CERTAINTY FOLLOWING EXAM DISRUPTION

The AMA has called for certainty for the more than 1000 future Australian GPs whose futures have been thrown into doubt by the cancellation of this weekend’s national RACGP Registrar exams, due to technical difficulties.  

The cancellation, which has caused severe distress, inconvenience and uncertainty for GP Registrars and the practices supporting them, dominated discussion at today’s meeting of the AMA Council of General Practice. 

“2020 has already been a year of terrible uncertainty for medical trainees due to COVID-19. A technology failure leading to exam cancellationat the last minute is the last thing that GP Registrars needed,” AMA President, Dr Omar Khorshid, said today. 

“The AMA extends its support to the aspiring General Practitioners who have put their lives on hold, taken leave from work, and now no longer know when their training will finish. 

While technology failures can happen at any time, we understand that similar failures occurred during a mock exam two weeks ago. 

Medical exam administrators across all Colleges should heed this warning and adopt robust contingency plans should future technology failures occur and ensure more clear communication with trainees.” 

AMA Federal Vice PresidentDr Chris Moy, said that registrars impacted by the exam disruption need urgent reassurance that they will not be disadvantaged. 

“This experience has created great anxiety for GP trainees. My AMA colleagues and I really feel for our college trainees who’ve been left with their futures up in the air, Dr Moy said. 

AMA Council of Doctors in Training Chair, Dr Hash Abdeen, said the AMA was looking at how to best support our GP trainees to get certainty about when they might resit the cancelled exams. 

“After many months of sacrifice and study, its distressing to see the lives of our GP trainees put on hold again. A new schedule for exams needs to be organised as top priority,” Dr Abdeen said. 

Over the last 24 hours, I’ve heard from trainees directly impacted by the exam failures. The AMA has also heard from supervising General Practitioners who also feel let down. 

Next week I’ll be meeting with those involved in organising the rescheduling of exams to lend the AMA’s support to ensure the process runs in the best interests of those needing to reprepare to sit their exams. 

It is imperative that we have answers for the affected trainees as soon as possible. Trainee wellbeing is extremely important to keep at the front of mind when dealing with a situation like this,” Dr Abdeen concluded. 


10 October 2020 

 

CONTACT:Alex Woods 0407 726 905 

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