Join Dr Christine Fejo-King, Larrakia Senior Elder and Chairperson of the National Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Workers, as she presents ‘Echoes from the past, impacting on the present and stretching into the future: Reflections of a Larrakia woman’ in Darwin this upcoming weekend.

Christine says “History, memory, past policies and current practices all help shape the lives of people. This presentation focuses on the intersection of these points and their impact on generations of Aboriginal families from the Territory. It examines their intersection in the past, explores how these intersections are currently experienced, and offers insights into how they might impact into the future.”

Event Information
Venue: Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, 2 Smith Street, Darwin
Date: Saturday 16 August
Time: 5pm to 6pm
Cost: $20 at the door

PDF: Dr Christine Fejo-King Presentation Flyer

You may be aware of changes announced Tuesday by the Federal Government regarding GP education and training.

• The budget announcement endorsed the Commission of Audit Report recommendation to absorb the national management of the General Practice Education and Training (GPET) into the Department of Health.

• GPET’s responsibilities are to be transferred to the Department of Health by 31 December, 2014. However, for the remainder of 2014, GPET will retain management of the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) and Prevocational and General Practice (PGPP) Programs as well as the selection process for an increased 2015 AGPT registrar cohort.

• The PGPPP will cease as of 31 December, 2014. Until this date NTGPE remain committed to delivering the highest quality of training for our prevocational doctors on placement. NTGPE staff will be in contact with those affected by the changes.

• Funding to support NTGPE’s delivery of training to GP Registrars remains secure until the end of 2015. However, the Government has announced that future contracts will be fully contestable and provided by a smaller number of regional training providers.

NTGPE supports a competitive environment and looks forward to delivering GP training well beyond 2015.

We will work collaboratively with all of our stakeholders, participants, the Department of Health and GPET to minimise any disruption to training services.

GPET Transition to Department of Health - Update 11 June 2014

NTGPE was delighted to partner with the NT GP Student Network (GPSN) group last night (2 October 13) to present a Clinical Skills Evening for the NT’s Medical Program and Clinical Science’s Students.

Four senior GP Registrars and two Medical Educators from NTGPE were on hand to take the 40 students through four skills stations – point of care testing, chest pain and ECG, suturing and airway management. Stories of GP training, the huge variety of roles undertaken by GPs in the NT and the activities of students in the NT were shared over the evening and a fantastic feast and half time entertainment was provided by SARRAH.

NTGPE looks forward to partnering in more activities with the NT GPSN to spread the word about becoming a GP in the NT!

GPRA has released the findings of their Dr wYse: The Next Generation research project, which profiles the opinions of Gen Y Medical Students and recent medical graduates.

The key objective of Dr wYse: The Next Generation was to identify how Gen Y medical students and recent medical graduates are currently accessing medical information and how this information is being used to reach a decision to choose a specialty in medicine.

The multi-method study, which involved three focus groups and a survey of over 600 medical students and recent medical graduates suggests that students are likely to make career decisions based on three key areas; their own experience within a specialty, others experience of a specialty and the overall impact of lifestyle.

Interestingly, the report claims that experience and lifestyle are perceived as more important than money when it comes to choice of specialty.

GPRA CEO, Mr Amit Vohra, said, “A number of studies have focused on what makes medical students and young doctors tick. In spite of the perennial association with money it is refreshing to note that when it comes to picking specialties the next generation of doctors are thinking a bit more than dollars on the table.”

The report highlights that the current student generation still refer to traditional sources for career advice. Peer conversations (78%), rotations and experience (59%) and conversations with mentors (46%) were determined as the most common of career information.

Mr Vohra concluded, “With a variety of tech-tools in the market and information pouring in from a raft of resources it is reassuring to note that some of the basics haven’t really changed much – the next generation isn’t as google dependent as we think and are taking a whole raft of complex areas into consideration when making career choices.”

Dr wYse: The Next Generation was conceived by GPRA and the multi-method study was conducted by Ipsos Australia. Key stakeholders were invited to form a research committee to refine the scope and outcomes of the research. This group provided critical feedback at various stages of the research and also provided funding assistance.

To view Dr wYse: The Next Generation report click here.

NTGPE was a key stakeholder body involved in setting the research scope for this project.
For enquiries contact:
Sabeha Mohamed, Communications Coordinator, GPRA
Phone: (03) 9629 8878 email: [email protected]

Sue Irvin and Lynn Lee from the NTGPE Alice Springs office have recently commenced remote community visits in Central Australia, the aim being to initially travel to those communities that have NTGPE accommodation in preparation for a new cohort of John Flynn medical students in up and coming months.

Titjikala and Yuelamu have been their destinations so far and whilst it has been beneficial to view the accommodations, stock up supplies and complete housing inventories and condition reports, the real value has been the working relationships they have been able to develop with clinic staff and other community stakeholders. They were warmly welcomed by Clinic Managers Marcelle Keenan (Titjikala) and Fiona Steel (Yuelamu) who, like them, were keen to put ‘faces to names’. The Clinic Managers spoke enthusiastically about their previous experiences with medical students and made a solid commitment to future John Flynn students, booking in a number of placements for the rest of this year – a fantastic outcome.

After leaving Yuelamu they made a quick stop at Yuemdumu to meet the new clinic manager Jeanie Calma and to view the ANU accommodation utilised for ‘John Flynners’. Senior Administrator Sue Irvin said, “It is so good to now be able to visualise the communities/clinics and we now feel better equipped to answer the many questions from eager med students”.

Next on Sue and Lynn’s list is Aputula (Finke), Urapuntja (Utopia) and Ampilatwatja (pronounced um-bludder-watch). They also hope to head north up the highway to Tennant Creek and Elliott to take the opportunity to call into other clinics along the way for a ‘meet and greet’.

Marcelle Keenan, Clinic Manager and Lynn Lee, NTGPE at Titjikala Health Centre, July 2012

NTGPE’s Cultural Immersion strategy has been growing momentum over the past 2 years with all medical students engaged in remote clinical placements reflecting and sharing their experiences on NTGPE’s interactive blog online. Dr Hung The Nguyen recently presented the early successes of NTGPEConnect at the 2nd Medbiquitous and International Virtual Patients Conference in the UK. While he was there he was interviewed about NTGPE’s use of Web 2.0 technology to support learners. You can listen to the interview by clicking here.

The success of this technology has been such that NTGPE has looked to use the technology more broadly in its educational and business activity to ensure program participants and key stakeholders have the opportunity to engage with NTGPE and each other and continue learning from the experiences they gain from their time in the Territory.