STATEWIDE Paediatric Training Program 2024

STATEWIDE Paediatric Training Program

Recruitment Campaign 2024

The Royal Hobart Hospital is the major paediatric and neonatal referral service, as well as the major university teaching hospital for the state of Tasmania. There is an active registrar training program including written and clinical exam preparation, research project support, and education in advanced training stream. Research is actively encouraged and supported through links with the University of Tasmania and the Menzies Research Institute. Financial support is available for conference leave.

The Department of Paediatrics is managed by a team of Staff and VMO Specialists in Neonatology, Neonatal and Paediatric Emergency Transport, Paediatric Intensive Care, Oncology, Neurology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Developmental Paediatrics, Community Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery, Child Psychiatry, Endocrinology, Emergency Medicine and General Paediatrics. In 2020 the Royal Hobart Hospital’s Paediatric and Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (NPICU) moved into a new hospital building, which brought exciting new growth opportunities for our department.

The Paediatric Department offers a truly extraordinary range of experience for Paediatric trainees with excellent consultant support.

There are a range of basic and advanced training positions available as outlined below.

Positions available:

(See below for details)

• Basic Trainee
  1. BT1 – Junior Registrar (1-2 BT Stream positions) *Separate Application
  2. BT Registrar (1-2 BT Stream positions)
• Advanced Trainee
  1. AT Registrar (2 AT Stream positions)
  2. Senior Registrar/Fellow in General Paediatrics
  3. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Community Paediatrics
  4. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Paediatric Rehabilitation
  5. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Adolescent Medicine
• Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
  1. Senior Registrar/Fellow in NPICU (2 AT positions in Neonatal Perinatal Medicine)

Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Registrars

Basic Trainee (BT) in General Paediatrics:

These positions are to assist in the care of children in our in-patient and outpatient services. Possible rotations include Ambulatory/Outpatient care, Neonatal & Paediatric Intensive care and transport, Paediatric Emergency, Inpatient ward at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH), the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) and North West Regional Hospital (NWRH) in Burnie. These positions are accredited by the RACP for basic training in General Paediatrics. LGH and NWRH are both accredited for rural training as well as basic training if on rotation from Hobart.

1. BT1 – Junior Registrar

This position is ideal as an entry point into paediatric training or an extended paediatric experience for those in other training programs. Please see separate application.

2. BT Registrar

As of 2022, we started offering 1-2 positions in a Paediatric Basic Trainee Stream (BT Stream).

BT Stream: A successful applicant to the BT Stream would be granted a 3-year position, which would fulfill all their basic trainee requirements.

Stream positions have two entry pathways, 1) BT1 (junior registrar) positions, 2) BT Registrar positions if entering as the first year on the training program.

The BT Stream would be structured as follows:

Year 1: Broad year to develop skills in acute medicine – 3 months Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care, 3 months Emergency, 6 months of General Paediatrics (ward, relief, etc).

Year 2 - General Year - 6 months in General Paediatrics at RHH, and 6 months in General Paediatrics in a regional hospital (Launceston General Hospital or North West Regional Hospital, Burnie)

Year 3: Tertiary year – rotation from the RHH to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, or the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide.

Note: Trainees are not required to continue for all three years, and adjustments to this program may be made on request on an individual basis within the capacity of the RHH Program. Progression each year is reviewed based on performance, and continued funding of all posts.

We also welcome applications from trainees who are interested in BT Registrar positions but do not wish to apply for the BT Stream.

Advanced Trainee in General Paediatrics:

These positions are to assist in the care of children in our inpatient and outpatient services. Possible rotations include Ambulatory/Outpatient care, Neonatal & Paediatric Intensive Care and Transport, Paediatric Emergency, Paediatric Ward in Hobart, Launceston General Hospital (LGH) and North West Regional Hospital (NWRH), Burnie.

The positions in Hobart are accredited by the RACP for advanced training in General Paediatrics. LGH and NWRH are both accredited for rural training as well as general paediatrics with a perinatal component.

Support can be offered for advanced training projects through a joint program with UTAS (https://www.utas.edu.au/courses/chm/courses/54w-bachelor-of-health-public-health-professional-honours)

1. AT Registrar

General Paediatric AT Stream: A successful applicant to the General Paediatric AT Stream would be granted a 3-year position, which would fulfill all of their general paediatric advanced trainee requirements.

The training program would be structured as follows:

Year 1: 6 months in General Paediatrics at RHH, and 6 months in General Paediatrics in a regional hospital (Launceston General Hospital or North West Regional Hospital, Burnie) – this rotation fulfills the rural and perinatal training requirement.

Year 2: 6 months in a Community/Developmental Paediatric post (Community Paediatrics, Paediatric Rehabilitation), and 6 months in Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care and Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport. This rotation will fulfill acute and community/developmental training requirements.

Year 3: 3 months Outpatients, 6 months General Paediatrics at RHH, and 3 months in General Paediatrics in a regional hospital (Launceston General Hospital or North West Regional Hospital, Burnie). This year is flexible, depending on the availability of other positions, and may include the role of Senior Registrar in General Paediatrics depending on the individual’s interests and experience.

Note: Trainees are not required to continue for all three years, and adjustments to this program may be made on request on an individual basis within the capacity of the RHH Program. Years 2 and 3 in the program are subject to satisfactory performance and continued funding of all posts, in particular STP funded posts. The Stream position is only granted for the year you are given it, and is contingent on successfully being an AT at the time of the position. If exams are not passed or a deferral is taken, a position may be held, but the ‘stream’ component will not be.

We also welcome applications from trainees who are interested in AT Registrar positions but do not wish to apply for the AT Streams.

2. Senior Registrar/Fellow General Paediatrics

This position is designed for a senior advanced trainee to provide support to the acute paediatric service. In addition to clinical care, the main areas of responsibility are the supervision and support of junior medical staff on the paediatric ward and in the ambulatory care unit. The senior registrar coordinates the roster and education schedule with staff specialists. There is minimal out of hours on-call. There is ample opportunity to pursue interests in areas such as research, medical education, policy or evidence-based medicine.

3. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Community Paediatrics

These positions are accredited for advanced training in community child health (CCH) as well as a community term for general paediatrics. They are suitable for a senior trainee wanting experience in Community Paediatrics, Child Protection, Paediatric Rehabilitation or Public Health. These positions involve working and training in child development and child protection and paediatric rehabilitation. There is also the opportunity to work in paediatric policy and service development at state level. There is involvement in the on-call and after-hours roster for the acute paediatric service.

4. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Paediatric Rehabilitation

This unique position may be filled by trainees in CCH, Advanced Trainees in General Paediatrics, Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine, or Adult Rehabilitation Medicine, as it provides excellent training in neurodevelopmental follow up and rehabilitation of infants and children. The role involves admission and care of patients with liaison with Specialist Medical Staff. The trainee will also provide care for patients referred to outpatient Paediatric Rehabilitation clinics (General Rehabilitation, Spinal, Brain Injury, Neuromuscular, Combined Orthopaedic-Rehabilitation Clinic, Transition Clinic). There is involvement in the on-call and after-hours roster for the acute paediatric service.

5. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Adolescent Medicine

This position is suitable for a senior trainee wanting to experience inpatient and outpatient Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. The position is accredited for AYAM trainees, or Non-Core General Paediatrics. This position will involve working on the new adolescent medicine ward, in the Eating Disorder Clinic, and with other adolescent outpatient care. There is also the opportunity to work in service development and delivery. There is involvement in the on-call and after-hours roster for the acute paediatric service.

Trainee in Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care:

This position involves the provision of clinical care in a 12 bed Neonatal and Paediatric ICU (NPICU) and its co-located 16 bed Special Care Nursery. In addition to medical care provided for neonates, infants and children, the NPICU also provides experience in the care of neonates with surgical conditions. The role includes participation in the Neonatal and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NPETS), the Early Development Clinic, the High-Risk Antenatal Clinic (Fetal Medicine), education, research and quality improvement initiatives.

1. Senior Registrar/Fellow in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

This position incorporates clinical training with more senior responsibilities, including the supervision of junior medical staff. The position involves a roster that includes daytime supervision of the unit, participation in an after-hours registrar roster, and the opportunity to be first on-call (i.e. acting consultant with back-up) when sufficiently experienced. The position is accredited for a maximum total of 18 months of advanced training in Neonatal Perinatal Medicine (maximum of 12 months core training in a perinatal centre). Each 12 month period is equivalent to 3 months of accredited surgical training. Senior Registrars will also participate in the newborn emergency transport roster with transport experience also meeting advanced training requirements. This position is also accredited for the acute paediatric requirements of advanced training in General Paediatrics and may be suitable for a senior general paediatric trainee.

Note – Interested Career Medical Officers are invited to express interest to the unit director.