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Medical students interested in remote health care are celebrating, following news that a new Rural Generalist Pathway will be added as a study and career option.
The announcement was made by national rural health commissioner Professor Paul Worley earlier this week, after the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine agreed to develop a national framework for rural generalist as a medical speciality.
AMSA Rural Heath Committee co-chair Nic Batten said the move would be instrumental in improving rural and remote health care.
“We are thrilled to hear that ACRRM and RACGP have together committed to the goal of a National Rural Generalist Pathway,” Batten said.
“The Rural Generalist role is critical to addressing the complex healthcare needs of our rural and remote communities; it will also offer a clear career path for students and young doctors who want to work in the bush.
“For young doctors, this framework represents an exciting opportunity – a clear rural training pathway, options to pursue their interests, and the flexibility of having their qualifications recognised across States.
“This program is a first step towards addressing the maldistribution of the workforce in regional areas, ensuring better health outcomes for rural Australians.”
Rural generalism will combine general practice with skills such as anaesthetics, emergency medicine and obstetrics, and allow all-round doctors to obtain further training in their areas of interest.
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