Why 2024 is ‘an exciting time in general practice training’

This month marks one year since the specialist medical colleges officially reassumed responsibility of general practice training in Australia.
 
So how have medical educators delivering the training found the past 12 months?
 
According to Dr Amelia Duhs, Regional Director of Training for the South Eastern Queensland training region, her team have played a significant role in ensuring that the transition has been mostly smooth sailing so far.
 
‘We are so fortunate to have an amazing team of medical educators and operation staff,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘It is this team of people that have ensured our stakeholders encounter minimal disruption through this time of significant change.’
 
When the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program returned to the RACGP and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) on 1 February 2023, Regional Training Organisations (RTOs) across the country were merged into the specialist medical colleges.
 
Despite a huge undertaking, both medical educators and GPs in training have since reported the successful rollout of training and benefits of collaboration between the colleges and RTOs.
 
‘Training returning to the RACGP has allowed greater collaboration across the country to improve our AGPT outcomes,’ Dr Duhs said.
 
‘We will continue to see the benefits of this in the coming years which makes this an exciting time in general practice training.’
 
But, echoing other medical educators’ experiences, change always comes with challenges, Dr Duhs notes.
 
‘There have been new IT systems, new HR systems, changes in staff and the need to make processes consistent across the nation,’ she said.
 
‘This all results in significant changes locally. Ensuring good internal communication has been vital to navigate these changes.
 
‘With challenge and change comes opportunity and we are working together as a team to ensure we capitalise on the opportunities this change brings.’
 
Brisbane-based GP Dr Duhs pursued a variety of medical interests prior to embarking on a career in general practice – a decision she has never looked back on.
 
‘A love for generalism, long-term relationships with patients and a belief in the importance of primary healthcare led me to general practice,’ she said.
 
‘There have been no regrets.’
 
Having worked in medical education since 2010, primarily with General Practice Training Queensland, Dr Duhs was responsible for overseeing the management of all training requirements for registrars, and has continued to undertake clinical teaching visits, facilitate workshops, design education programs, manage registrar transfers and assist in performance management.
 
So, what’s on the horizon for the next year of training in south east Queensland?
 
‘We need to consolidate the changes made since transition and allow our team a chance to settle into the RACGP delivery model,’ Dr Duhs said.
 
‘That will allow a springboard for further innovation moving forward.’
 
To coincide with the one-year anniversary of the return to college-led general practice training, newsGP will continue to profile medical educators working across the training regions over the next month.
 
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