A Rural Generalist (RG) is a medical practitioner who is trained to meet the specific current and future health care needs of Australian rural and remote communities, in a sustainable and cost-effective way, by providing both comprehensive general practice and emergency care, and required components of other medical specialist care in hospital and community settings as part of a rural healthcare team. The Collingrove Agreement
The Tasmanian Rural Generalist Pathway (TRGP) facilitates aspiring rural GPs to gain the skills their communities need. All rural generalists are general practitioners with either a Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM) or a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP)/Fellowship in Advanced Rural General Practice (FARGP).
After university that means training with supervision and ongoing education in both hospital and the community takes at least another five years before they are independent practitioners. Rural Generalists may then work in either or both the community and the hospital, with the capability to work in general practice, in an emergency facility and in an area of additional skill. This may be palliative care, mental health, polar medicine, anaesthetics, retrieval medicine, paediatrics, emergency medicine, adult internal medicine, obstetrics/gynaecology, general surgery, indigenous health and polar medicine.
Image: Removing patient from helicopter (provided by ACRRM)
Why do we need Rural Generalists >
Tasmania's rural and remote communities have poorer health outcomes and health care access than our urban communities. There is a medical workforce mal-distribution with fewer doctors in rural and remote areas. Rural Generalists provide a broad scope of clinical practice, in both primary care and hospital services, to address the needs of their communities.
Who are our local Rural Generalists >
Who | Fellowship | Rural Generalist Skills | Location |
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Dr Peter Arvier | FACRRM | Emergency Medicine | North West Regional Hospital / Mersey Community Hospital |
Dr Jeff Ayton | FACRRM | Remote Medicine | |
Dr Darren Briggs | FACRRM | Emergency Medicine | Mersey Community Hospital |
Dr Jane Cooper | FRACGP / FARGP | Adolescent Health | Don Medical Clinic Devonport |
Dr Chris Hughes | FRACGP / FARGP | Emergency Medicine | Saunders Street Clinic Wynyard |
Dr Kate Kloza | FACRRM | Remote Medicine | Australian Antarctic Division |
Dr Meg McKeown | FACRRM | Remote Medicine (Austere Medicine) | Moreton Group Medical Services (Tasmania) |
Dr Eve Merfield | FACRRM / FACEM | Emergency Medicine | Dover Medical Centre |
Dr/Prof Dennis Pashen | FACRRM | Emergency Medicine/O&G | Queenstown General Practice |
Dr Michael Smallwood | FRACGP / FACRRM/ FARGP / JCCA/DIP PC | Anaesthetics/Retrieval | Launceston General Hospital /Ambulance Tas / Aeromedical Retrieval Service |
Dr Jan Radford | FRACGP/FARGP | Mental Health | West Tamar Health |
Have we missed you or someone you know? Please let us know rural.pathways@health.tas.gov.au
Other Tasmanian Rural Generalist graduates >
Who | Fellowship | Rural Generalist Skills | Location |
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Dr Michelle Hannan | FACRRM | Emergency Medicine/Retrieval | QLD |
Dr Molly Shorthouse | FACRRM | Mental Health | NT |
Dr Brian Treanor | FACRRM | Anaesthetics | QLD |
Dr Nitya Malhotra | FACRRM | Paediatrics | Overseas |
Dr Edi Albert | FACRRM | Remote Medicine | Overseas |
Have we missed you or someone you know? Please let us know tasrural.pathways@health.tas.gov.au
How to become a Rural Generalist in Tasmania >
The Tasmanian Rural Generalist Pathway (TRGP) consists of a number of interconnected pathways throughout the Tasmanian system.
Please refer to the TRGP Training Pathway Summary
For more detail about each portion of the pathway, contact the following organisations:
The University of Tasmania - School of Medicine has a Rural Application Process and a Rural Application Process Funding Scheme Grant
There is also an Aboriginal Entry Application Process at the University of Tasmania School of Medicine.
The University of Tasmania Rural Clinical School: provides support to medical students from the North West region at selection, opportunity to visit during Years 1-3 of medical school, and the option to stay and train in the North West in Years 4-5 of medical school. Throughout Year 4, students attend general practice every Tuesday. Year 5 students undertake a five week attachment at a remote medical practice.
The University of Tasmania Launceston Clinical School: provides support to medical students from the northern region at selection, opportunity to visit during Years 1-3 of medical school, and the option to stay and train in the north in Years 4-5 of medical school. This includes rotations to general practice in places like Campbell Town, Deloraine, George Town, Longford, Oatlands, Scottsdale, St Helens, St Marys and Swansea as well as Launceston-based practices.
The Tasmanian Health Service (THS): provides guaranteed internships for all University of Tasmania domestic graduates. These can be in any region of Tasmania. All interns receive the rotations required for general registration, including medicine, surgery and emergency. In addition, all three regions offer rural primary care intern placements (King Island, Queenstown, Huonville, Scottsdale, St Helens). These are managed in collaboration with Ochre Health who were the recipients of the Rural Junior Doctor Training Innovation Fund.
After intern year, RMOs may elect to undertake a two year dedicated TRGP RMO rotation in the north-west that assures you receive the rotations you require for your general practice training. There is also a dedicated TRGP anaesthetic rotation at the LGH, and a dedicated TRGP paediatric rotation at the RHH. There are also opportunities to complete a 13 week GP RMO rotation at either Scottsdale in the north, or Devonport in the north west.
Once a GP Registrar, a number of additional skills posts are available at the THS including emergency, anaesthetics, paediatrics, mental health and more. For a full list of currently accredited additional skills posts in both the hospital and community, please see the GPTT web page.
The Centre of Antarctic Remote and Maritime Medicine also provide a unique opportunity to work and train in Polar Medicine with the Australian Antarctic Division in Tasmania.
General Practice Training Tasmania: train GP registrars on the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program. These registrars may train to either the ACRRM or RACGP requirements. This is a federal government funded training program and operates on a statewide basis.
The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine: have AGPT, Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) and Independent Pathway trainees in Tasmania.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners: have AGPT trainees in Tasmania.
A special note for International doctors looking to move to Tasmania to work in general practice. The Rural Workforce Agency in Tasmania, HRPlus is your best first contact. They can assist you in identifying the possible pathways to becoming a rural generalist in Tasmania, including through the Practice Experience Program (PEP).
If you aren’t sure where to start, you can contact: tasrural.pathways@health.tas.gov.au, Dr Peter Arvier, Director, Rural Pathways peter.arvier@health.tas.gov.au or Sharee Taylor, Rural Pathways Project Support Officer sharee.taylor@health.tas.gov.au
Supports available to complete the Tasmanian Rural Generalist Pathway >
Tasmanian Rural Generalist Scholarship 2019 - Building Medical Workforce Capacity in Rural and Remote Tasmania for further information refer to the TRG Scholarships Guidelines and Forms or email: rural.pathways@health.tas.gov.au
GPTT has scholarships for GPTT registrars with applications to be done in advance of the completed course. These are open twice a year, around May and November. For more information see the GPTT website.
Rural Doctors Association of Tasmania (RDAT). RDAT is the Tasmanian branch of the national Rural Doctors Association of Australia that advocates for and on behalf of rural doctors around the country at all levels of politics, jurisdictional governance and health organisations. Further information and application forms can be found on the RDAT website
Postgraduate Medical Education Council of Tasmania (PMCT)
The Rural & Regional Medical Training Hub at the University of Tasmania is funded by the Commonwealth Government to support and expand postgraduate medical training opportunities in rural Tasmania. If you require further information please email the Training Hub.
What opportunities exist as a Rural Generalist in Tasmania >
Rural Procedural Grants Program
For procedural GPs practicing in surgery, anaesthetics or obstetrics in ASGC-RA 1-5 areas; and GPs practicing emergency medicine in ASGC-RA 2-5 areas
$2000 per day for up to 10 days for procedural GPs, and up to 3 days for emergency medicine GPs.
The Tasmanian Rural Generalist Pathway Coordinating Council >
The Tasmanian Rural Generalist Pathway is governed by the Rural Generalist Coordinating Council (RGCC).
Members details are:
Name | Position |
---|---|
Dr Allison Turnock (Chair) | Medical Director, General Practice & Primary Care |
Dr Peter Arvier | Director, Rural Pathways |
Sharee Taylor | Rural Pathways Project Support Officer |
Elif Stoneman | Rustica |
Dr Aaron Hawkins | GP Registrar |
Dr Meg McKeown | ACRRM |
Dr Jim Berryman | RACGP |
Dr Kristy FitzGerald | GPTT |
Associate Professor Dr Deb Wilson | Rural & Regional Medical Training Hub (RCS Burnie) |
Dr Ben Dobbs | Rural Doctors Association of Tasmania |
VACANT | Post Graduate Medical Council of Tasmania |
Dr Kathleen Atkinson | Executive Director of Medical Services, THS North West |
Professor Richard Hays | Ex-officio, Immediate Past Chair |
Peter Barns | HR+ |
To contact the RGCC please email: sharee.taylor@health.tas.gov.au (Secretariat)
History of the Tasmanian Rural Generalist Pathway >
Date | History |
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2020 |
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2019 |
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2018 |
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2017 |
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2016 |
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2015 |
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2014 |
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2013 |
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2012 |
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For all Enquiries and Feedback
For all enquiries please email: tasrural.pathways@health.tas.gov.au
If you would like to provide specific feedback please email us