Flinders NT Regional Training Hub – Strengthening the Integrated Rural Training Pipeline

FNT Regional Training Hub

The Northern Territory medical workforce will benefit from the new rural health workforce initiatives through the creation of Regional Training Hubs, the Rural Junior Doctor Training Innovation Fund and expanding the Specialist Training Program (STP), providing 100 new training places in rural areas for 2017-2018.

The result of an Australian Government Department of Health initiative, the Flinders NT Regional Training Hub builds on the rural training network established through the RHMT program.

The objectives of the regional training hubs are to:

  • Improve the coordination of the stages of medical training to enable students intending to practise rurally to complete as much of their medical training as possible within regional and rural areas
  • Identify students with an interest in practising rurally and facilitate access to networked rural training opportunities at an early stage in their careers
  • Develop regional training capacity by supporting current supervisors of clinical training, assisting health services in obtaining accreditation for new training positions, and supporting local medical practitioners to become clinical supervisors
  • Strengthen existing, and develop new, connections with key stakeholders to improve the continuity of training for medical students/trainees within their region and
  • Identify regional medical workforce needs and use this information to prioritise activity

Flinders NT Regional Training Hub has sites in Darwin and Alice Springs and has appointed the following staff; Eliza Gill, Program Manager and Abdul Basid, Admin Assistant, both based in Darwin; and Karen Montey, Program Administrator in Alice Springs. Academic Medical Director positions for Top End and Central Australia have been advertised. Contact us for further information on these positions.

In October 2017 new Expressions of Interest for the Integrated Rural Training Pipeline (IRTP) Specialist Training Positions (STP) were submitted by the Hubs, with the successful submissions being announced early in the year.

The next few months will see the FNT Regional Training Hub raise their profile and further develop medical specialist and rural generalist training capacity through effective collaboration with local and national stakeholders, thereby addressing medical workforce needs in the Northern Territory. We will aim to build on and develop well-coordinated and well supported postgraduate training pathways in the NT.

For further information please contact Eliza Gill at fnt.rth@flinders.edu.au or (08) 8920 0253.

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Flinders NT Regional Training Hub