Medical Training Survey – Make your voice count
AMA(SA) is encouraging Doctors in Training (DiTs) to take part in the Medical Training Survey (MTS) which opened on Monday 5 August 2024. Now in its sixth year, the MTS is a national, annual, profession-wide survey conducted by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). Last year more than half (54.4%) of all DiTs across the country took part.
WHY TAKE PART?
The MTS provides a snapshot of the quality and experience of medical training in Australia.
The Chair of AMA(SA)’s Doctors in Training Committee Dr Hayden Cain says it’s important that South Australian DiTs take part to improve medical training in this state.
‘This survey gives trainees the chance to expose strengths and fault lines in their workplaces and the profession,’ Dr Cain said.
‘It’s generating important longitudinal data which the AMA(SA) DiT Committee is already using to identify the prevalence of cultural and safety issues affecting junior doctors.
‘The results are shaping and informing AMA(SA)’s advocacy and have allowed the DiTs Committee to make recommendations to SA Health and Local Health Networks to improve workplace conditions and health and safety conditions for both doctors and patients.’
WHAT TOPICS ARE COVERED?
The MTS asks questions about your training program and training post. It includes questions about your supervision, access to teaching, workplace environment and culture and your wellbeing.
In 2024, a new question will split out sexual harassment from other forms of harassment. As a result, MTS data on the prevalence and visibility of harassment in medical training will be more granular, enabling more detailed analysis and targeted response strategies.
IS IT SAFE?
Stringent privacy controls ensure the MTS is safe, confidential and anonymous.
Ahpra will send you your survey link and third-party market researcher EY Sweeney will collect de-identified data. There is no link between your survey feedback and your medical registration and contact details will not be shared with any third party. Your data will be handled in line with the privacy policies of the Medical Board of Australia, Ahpra and EY Sweeney.
It’s still safe and confidential to do the MTS when there are small numbers of trainees at any site. Results are only published when there are 10 responses so data will build over years to create a picture of the quality of training.
HOW TO TAKE PART
The survey is running during August and September.
DiTs can complete the survey on their phone, tablet or laptop in two ways:
- interns and international medical graduates just click on the survey link sent in the email invitation from Ahpra (search your inbox for Ahpra or email heading: Medical Training Survey)
- all other DiTs can do the MTS when they renew their medical registration.
Just follow the prompts after renewing your registration and doing the workforce survey, which is different from the Medical Training Survey. The Medical Training Survey will appear after you pay your medical registration. If you can’t complete the survey when you renew, Ahpra will send you a unique survey link embedded in your confirmation of registration email.
All DiTs in Australia are encouraged to take part. This includes interns, hospital medical officers, resident medical officers, non-accredited trainees, postgraduate trainees, principal house officers, registrars, specialist GP trainees and specialist non-GP trainees. Career medical officers who intend to undertake further postgraduate training in medicine can also participate.
For more information head to the Medical Training Survey website.