Strategic workforce planning needed
AMA Position Statement on Prevocational Medical Education and Training 2011
The AMA today released its Position Statement on Prevocational Medical Education and Training – 2011.
AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said that the significant increase in medical student numbers in Australia puts additional pressures on the health system to provide clinical training for students and junior doctors.
“The AMA has called for an overarching medical workforce plan that ensures there is an appropriate number of adequately funded undergraduate, prevocational and vocational training places,” Dr Hambleton said.
“It is simply not enough to graduate more medical students without providing students and junior doctors with the jobs and training they need to meet the needs of the community.
“The quality of medical training may be eroded if investments in supervision and supporting infrastructure do not match the growth in trainee numbers.
“The AMA Position Statement outlines the fundamental arrangements and resources that need to be in place to ensure that Australia maintains its enviable reputation for medical workforce training.
“Profession-led accreditation arrangements are one of the strengths of medical education in Australia.
“Employers should be accredited to agreed standards before being permitted to employ prevocational trainees.
“These standards have been developed by the Postgraduate Medical Councils and should underpin the delivery of quality prevocational medical education.
“As well as meeting accreditation standards, employers of prevocational trainees must have appropriate workplace policies that focus on junior doctor health and wellbeing.
“This extends to safe working hours, fatigue management, and flexible working arrangements so that an appropriate work-life balance can be obtained.
“Keeping junior doctors healthy means they can deliver high-quality health care to their patients and the community, and experience medicine as a rewarding and satisfying career.”
The Position Statement highlights other areas where investments are needed to match the growth in trainee numbers, including in curricula, internship, supervision, feedback and assessment, and competency-based training and assessment.
The Position Statement is available on the AMA website at http://ama.com.au/node/7084
6 September 2011
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