1. Basic Physician training
Careers advice

3. Points to choosing a specialty
Must be interested
Must enjoy it
Should suit you lifestyle
Able to commit to the time required to complete the training – (will be different as you progress through)
Can you imagine yourself in the consultant’s role?
“People you wanna work with” Christian McGrath
“The betterment of society” Mandeep Kalsi

5. “People you wanna work with” “The betterment of society”
Christian Mcgrath
“The betterment of society”
Mandeep Kalsi
“It’s fascinating”
Madeleine Cosgrave
“It’s cool to know everything”
‘anonymous’

6. What do I do…. 1. How did you end up in your career/ position
2. Reflect on your career- the pros and cons
3. Reflect on your lifestyle
4. What would you do differently?

7. Why choose to be a physician
You should like HUMANS
Having ongoing continuity of care
Complex problem solving, challenging work
Interacting with patients, family members and other staff, working in teams
The ‘journey’ not the ‘destination’ – there are few ‘quick fixes’, sometimes your goals of care may seem small but can a have a great impact on your patients quality of life

8. Training programme
Can join after intern year, deciding after HMO 1 is Ok but you may need to do extra time
Complete three years of basic physician training
Sit clinical and written exam in the same year (as early as 3rd year of basic training)
Apply for a specialty training programme – the year you sit the exam

10. BPT training 3 years (generally HMO2-4)
Pay up prospectively to RACP, allocated supervisors
Need 44 weeks specialty experience in 3 years
Need 12 weeks non level-3 hospital
Exams during BPT 3 year:
Written exam February
Clinical exam July

11. BPT Recruitment
From 2020, Austin and Northern are separating recruitment
Northern will begin recruiting own BPT1s from next year
Expect just over 20 positions
BPT 2 and BPT3 to split subsequent years
Can complete all BPT at Northern Health
Rural rotations to Horsham (BPT2/3)

12. Advanced training
Need to apply just after the clinical exam in BPT3 year
Most medical specialties: 3 – 4 years
Few have further exams, most are about working under supervision in the area + research
Competition to get AT position in popular specialties
Enjoy being in a senior position working in a collegial way with consultants
Increased number of general medical advanced training positions

13. Consultant Jobs Increasingly difficult to get full time public job
Push to completing a higher degree MD or PHD to compete for inner city, tertiary public hospital jobs
Opportunities in growing hospitals (Northern, Western, Geelong and rural areas)
Can do part time or sessional work as well as private work or combinations of these
Can have control over your timetable as well as on call and after hours commitments
Some will have to go to the country in order to get full time work

14. Work life balance
Basic trainees do lots of weekends and nights but initial study commitment not too much
For the 18 months preparing for the exams, will spend most of your time working or studying, the balance will be skewed
Advanced trainees do less weekends and nights (depends on specialty) but have some projects and study - generally better work life balance
As a consultant you can set your own limits on the commitments you make

15. Remuneration
Trainees - gradual increase in Salary (different in different states)
Consultant reasonable increase in Salary – start ~ $ plus salary packaging, CME ($21000 F/T) and superannuation
Private work may increase salary, but need to Mx finances and account for loss of super, holiday pay and sick leave
Will be less than those who do procedures or surgery

16. Other Tips Taking more time to train is not always a disadvantage
Part time work is still difficult but we can consider options – discussion with units re rosters working hours etc
Consider combining research/ higher degree with advanced training
Consider travelling to other states or overseas during advanced training or as junior consultant +/- further research /fellowship

18. Central North West Basic training consortium- (Austin, Northern, Bendigo, Wimmera )
Rotations through hospitals (better experience and exposure)
Each hospital has lecture series, regular clinical tutes, mock exam (ex Wimmera)
Website:Central North West Consortium

19. Physician Training

20. Physician Training
3+ years

21. Physician Training
3+ years
3+ years

22. Physician Training
EXAMS
3+ years
3+ years

25. BPT application - online through RACP website
BPT application - online through RACP website. - retrospective more difficult- do it prospectively! - closing date 28th February Apply to a medical stream position

26. What it looks like BPT1: Fun/ fascinating/ all things great!
Specialty and gen med rotations at HMO level
Good year to start getting some research on your CV
Encourage you to read up on the cases you see.
Good year to up-skill:
Communication workshops
Advanced Life Support

27. What it looks like BPT 2: Get a study group…and so it begins….
Start studying! (generally around Feb/ March)
College lectures- weekly
One week exam prep course (eg- DeltaMed) leave will be allocated for this.
Lots of other medical courses out there- $$
Mix of specialty HMO jobs/ med reg jobs

28. What it looks like BPT3 Medical Registrar year THE EXAM YEAR!
February: WRITTEN Exam
Two parts: basic science and clinical
Mock exam run through Consortium
July: ORAL exam
LOTS of tutes between Austin/Northern/Bendigo
Mock exams
Specialty training days
August: Advanced Training job applications!
Post September: smartest doctor in the hospital, too much free time..
NOTE: Consortium rosters arranged to ensure you are in Melbourne in the lead up to the Written and Oral Exam. So rural rotations are at start of BPT2 and at end of BPT3

29. BPT Recruitment
From 2020, Austin and Northern are separating recruitment
Northern will begin recruiting own BPT1s from next year
Expect just over 20 positions
BPT 2 and BPT3 to split subsequent years
Can complete all BPT at Northern Health
Rural rotations to Horsham (BPT2/3)

30. Why Choose NH for BPT? Our staff!
Northern has amazing teaching & supervision
Smaller friendlier hospital- same city experience but with the added bonus of a smaller close knit team
Friendly, approachable and engaged, enthusiastic ward consultants and DPEs
Excellent, well established educational program embedded into the culture
Comprehensive written and clinical exam tutorial programs
Joint training program continues with the Austin
Mock exams for written and clinical
Pass rates for written and clinical >80%

31. Why Choose NH for BPT?
Diverse and complex patient population providing interesting clinical experience
Growing hospital with future opportunities
Strong General Medicine focus
Already broad but expanding speciality mix
A great foundation of experience for all future training
Can complete all training with NH
General, Specialty and Regional rotations

32. General Medicine @ NH Strong General Medicine focus
Admit most medical patients, including younger & undifferentiated
6 medcial units at TNH plus 1 unit at Broadmeadows
Frequent consultant ward rounds
Extended Observation Unit (EOU2) – short stay medical patients
Assessment Medical Team (AMT) – review new med admissions
HMO Medicine jobs – AMT, EOU, BH Medicine, Obstetric Medicine
Medical Registrar positions- AMT, EOU, HITH, General Medical Unit, Specialty clinics
Rotation to Horsham- proper regional experience!
Grampians!

33. General NH

34. Medical Specialties @ NH
Expanding array of Specialty Medicine at Northern
Fastest area of patient growth
Stroke Neurology
Renal Cardiology
Endocrinology Gastroenterology
Infectious diseases Haematology
Oncology Medical Obstetrics
Respiratory Acute Aged Care (BH)
Aged Care Palliative Care
Rheumatology, Dermatology consult services

35. Medical Specialties @ NH
Specs HMO positions
Haematology, oncology, renal, gastroenterology, respiratory, endo/rheum, neurology, stroke /ACU, infectious disease, cardiology, aged care, palliative care, ICU
BPT junior registrar positions
Advanced Trainee cover positions
Further expansion expected in coming years
Advanced trainees in all specialties (including
General Medicine)

36. Future Opportunities Growing Health Service Expanding Research Base
Future includes further development of specialties
New tower opening 2021 (will need more medical staff)
More consultants will be needed in the future so long term job opportunities at Northern Health

37. New Tower -2021