Explore New England/ Northwest CONTENTS Welcome to New England/ 4 Northwest Why go New England/ 7 Northwest? Rural generalism 8 Aboriginal health 10 How can we help you get there 12 Explore our towns and 14 practices Welcome to THE NEW ENGLAND/ NORTHWEST New England/ TRAINING SUBREGION The New England/Northwest subregion stretches from the Queensland/NSW border in the north, to Northwest Quirindi in the south. TRAINING IN NEW ENGLAND/ NORTHWEST NSW There are 16 towns across New England/ Northwest with accredited training facilities. With more than 30 training facilities and 80 GP supervisors across the subregion there are many training opportunities, including four Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services offering Aboriginal health training posts. LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND/ NORTHWEST The subregion is known for its great rural lifestyle. It is a key area for agriculture, mining including gemstones, producing gourmet food and fine wine, and tourism. Aboriginal and historic heritage are recognised throughout the subregion, and there are exciting festivals and events throughout the year, art and DR JAMES MARSHALL Mungindi cultural experiences, and welcoming communities. "I grew up on a farm near Black Mountain The regional cities of Tamworth and Armidale just north of Armidale, so not far from are the largest centres in the subregion, offering where I’m now training in Manilla (about extensive shopping, dining, and arts and cultural 160 km west of Armidale). opportunities. I was working in the UK helping There is a network of airports across the subregion run an international health risk Warialda Glen Innes making travel to Sydney and other destinations management program. After that, I relatively easy. retrained as a doctor with a view to Inverell returning to the country to become a Bingara Joining a sporting team, community or volunteer rural GP. group is a great way to get to know people. There Wee Waa Guyra are sporting facilities and sporting teams catering I think working rurally is a great for a myriad of sports. Whether you're interested experience for doctors in training, Barraba Narrabri in the arts, conservation or helping out in times of as you develop such diverse skills need there are groups always happy to welcome which are so useful to the whole new members. community. As a relatively junior Manilla doctor in the country you get early Whether you're single or have a family there exposure to working independently are great options for living and working in New and utilising procedural skills which Gunnedah Walcha England/Northwest. help you develop professionally. Rural communities are very welcoming and supportive, and they are really appreciative of the Quirindi For more information about training with GP Synergy, service you offer, so it is rewarding request a copy of our applicant pack. as you feel you are contributing to something worthwhile." Explore New England/Northwest | 5 WHY GO DR MATTHEW CHAN NEW ENGLAND/ FROM SYDNEY TO NORTHWEST NEW ENGLAND/ NORTHWEST "There’s quite a lot to like about training in New England/Northwest! The main thing is the experiences I’ve had. When I’ve had a chat to the city MAKE A DIFFERENCE guys it’s been really, really different. They are always really surprised Going rural is a unique and rewarding training by the extent of medicine that we experience. Who knows how long you might decide do. I found it quite difficult to begin to stay? Serving a rural community even for a short with but in hindsight now that I’m time can make a big difference. Even if you do decide towards the end of my training, it was to move on, you can do so knowing you made an great I was able to learn a lot more, important contribution to a community in need during troubleshoot a lot more, I got to learn your time there. things that specialists would be doing in the city. In Gunnedah having the opportunity to do VMO work was great, patients were so appreciative. You’ve managed them in the clinic and if they’ve been really unwell that they’ve BUILD YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE had to go to hospital, and you go and Training in a supervised setting is a unique opportunity see them, they have that continuity to gain new skills in a safe environment. With fewer of care. specialist services readily accessible in some rural areas, patient presentations are often more diverse To be honest, before I moved to than those encountered in large metropolitan centres. Gunnedah I don’t think I’d even heard of it. I was a bit wary of going Make the most of this opportunity – experience the somewhere quite small in the sense diversity of rural general practice and build an extensive that I’d never experienced that. knowledge base that you can use anywhere. Initially I wanted to go to somewhere a little bit bigger like Tamworth or Armidale but it just happened that when I interviewed with the practice in Gunnedah they seemed like a really good fit and that’s why I decided to go there. BE PART OF A TEAM I’ve had a great experience, I’ve been happy with my training and I wouldn’t Today, most rural practices have teams of doctors, change it. If I had the opportunity nurses and other health professionals working over, I’d do the same. I definitely together, providing collegiate and supportive working don’t want to move straight back to environments for you to work and train within. Sydney!" SUBSPECIALISE One of the great appeals of general practice is career diversity and opportunity. Opportunities to sub-specialise, provide holistic care across multiple settings, and explore new areas of interest are often enhanced in a rural setting. Explore New England/Northwest | 7 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR Rural NSW AND ACT generalism TRAINING POSTS LIST OF TRAINING POSTS WHAT IS A RURAL GENERALIST? There are two GP procedural training programs in NSW: AND LOCATIONS Rural generalists (also known as procedural GPs) DR LISA SIMPSON • NSW Rural Generalist (RG) Training Program are doctors who have a specialised skill in a "I wanted a broader skill set, which is • NSW Rural GP Procedural Training Program. particular area of medicine. important in a rural setting where we do not have specialist emergency or medical They play an important role in servicing small rural Applications for advanced skills training places physicians. Anaesthetics was a great fit for communities who do not have staff specialists can be made from PGY2 and above. Doctors me and I enjoyed working as an anaesthetic providing these services. interested in the RG program can also apply for the preparation Foundation Year program from PGY1. registrar. Across New England/Northwest there are Now as a GP registrar, I can complete my opportunities to undertake training in a procedural CONSIDER APPLYING FOR THE HETI GP training as well as anaesthetic lists in the skill, and for working as a rural generalist/ FOUNDATION YEAR local hospital, and use my anaesthetic skills procedural GP. working in the local emergency department The Foundation Year is a program run by HETI Rural generalist/procedural course subsidies where they are highly relevant. to provide an introduction to the RG program. It’s are available through GP Synergy and specialist highly recommended for anyone considering rural Being a rural generalist GP is a demanding colleges. For more details visit our supports and generalism and includes education and access to job and I’ve now got a greater understanding subsidies page. mentors. MAP OF TRAINING POSTS of its demands and rewards and am grateful my family and I came to Moree. WHAT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES For further information visit the HETI website www. ARE AVAILABLE? heti.nsw.gov.au or contact GP Synergy’s Special I’ve found GP training to be very different Education and Programs Manager on applicant@ from my anaesthetics work, where my role There are many training opportunities available gpsynergy.com.au or 1300 477 963. ended once surgery was finished, I’ve really in New England/Northwest as well as towns to enjoyed getting to know patients and being practice those skills. involved in their long-term care. In the New England/Northwest subregion training I’ve enjoyed the change after moving from is available in: Newcastle, my kids love living on a small Explore procedural opportunities for each property and I’ve enjoyed feeling part of the • anaesthetics town in the following pages, or visit our local community." • emergency medicine website for maps and lists of all posts • obstetrics and gynaecology. available. Explore New England/Northwest | 9 GP TRAINING IN ABORIGINAL Aboriginal HEALTH Aboriginal health training posts are GP health training positions undertaken in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs). ACCHSs are Aboriginal organisations that provide primary health care and related services to their local Aboriginal community. ACCHSs are community controlled organisations, overseen by a locally elected board of management. They deliver holistic and culturally appropriate health care using a multidisciplinary team approach to ensure the best possible outcome for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Aboriginal health means not just the physical well-being of an individual but the social, emotional and cultural well-being of the whole community. ACCHSs vary in size and the services they offer. Services generally include primary DR CAMILLA KING clinical care delivered by GPs working with Mungindi Aboriginal health professionals with an "I wanted to get exposure to all facets emphasis on holistic and preventive care, of medicine so I deliberately sought out delivered in a culturally safe environment. training at Armajun Aboriginal Health Service. Across New England/Northwest there are numerous opportunities to train in Aboriginal The presentations here are different health.