Community and general practice terms for prevocational junior medical officers: experience and development in South Australia and Western Australia.

Abstract

Changes in health care systems in Australia have had an unanticipated impact on the traditional scope of education and training opportunities for junior medical officers (JMOs) in public hospitals. It has become apparent that the context of JMO training must expand and evolve. The value of general practice and community-based term rotations for JMOs is well established in the literature. South Australia has successfully implemented JMO training in rural and urban general practice settings, and in areas of workforce need in metropolitan community health centres. Western Australia is piloting new models of JMO education and training in outer metropolitan and rural areas, with the intention of expanding its education sites in 2008. Community and general practice terms are in keeping with key objectives of the Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors, showing that a new era of cooperative venture between universities, postgraduate medical councils, regional training providers and health networks, and specialist training colleges is achievable.