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9/10/09 |
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- From the Chief Executive Officer
- 2010 Training Year Changes - Frequently Asked Questions Now Available on AGPT Website
- AGPT 2010 Intake Update
- Enrolments for the 2010.1 RACGP Exam
- RLO Wrap - "Up To Date" and RACGP Exam Fees
- ALS Requirement for GP Registrars Proceeding Towards FRACGP Endpoint
- Are You a GP Registrar Completing Your Training Time at the end of 2009/Early 2010?
- 2009 Cohort Registrars - RPL Applications Now Due at CSQTC
- Registrars Want More Feedback From Supervisors
- Dr Pat Byrnes Puts the Concept of Nurse Practitioners Through a SWOT
- The Latest CSQTC Registrars to Receive College Fellowships
- GPET Registrar Update - 9 October Edition Now Available
- GPET Update - 30 September Edition Now Available
- Upcoming Educational Opportunities - Run By Organisations Other Than CSQTC
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Upcoming CSQTC Educational Events
- Staff Contacts
- Change of Address or Details
From the Chief Executive Officer
Partnership with Tropical Medical Training (TMT)
CSQTC and TMT are working together to share ideas, resources, and various information and communication infrastructure development projects, to support AGPT for their Registrars, Training Practices, GP Trainers, and staff. The CSQTC and TMT CEOs, Senior Educators, Business Managers, IT and other staff are regularly collaborating as these initiatives are in progress.
On Monday and Tuesday 21-22 September 2009, the CSQTC CEO and Manager Business Services visited TMT to work on developments that are in progress.
Queensland Health Rural Generalist Program Integration
I was delighted to represent CSQTC at the Queensland Health Rural Generalist program that was held in Townsville on Monday 22 September 2009. This forum supported about 20 Queensland Health Rural Generalist program trainees and CSQTC, RRQC and TMT participated in a session that focused on the integration of AGPT with the Rural Generalist Training program. It was pleasing to interact with these Trainees and the Queensland Health staff who oversee and support the Queensland Health Rural Generalist Program. Thank you to Queensland Health for the opportunity to participate in this important program for Queensland.
Congratulations to the 2009 RACGP Award Winners
On behalf of CSQTC Board Directors and Staff, I wish to congratulate all recipients of the recently announced 2009 RACGP Awards. We were particularly delighted with the news of the 2009 General Practice Registrar of the Year and the 2009 Queensland General Practice of the Year and take this opportunity to applaud their wonderful achievements.
- Dr Abhilash Varshney has been named the 2009 RACGP General Practice Registrar of the Year. Abhi is a recently qualified fellow of the RACGP and undertook his AGPT program with CSQTC. Read more about Abhi's award on the RACGP website.
- Inala Primary Care has been named the RACGP 2009 Queensland General Practice of the Year. Inala Primary Care is a CSQTC Training Practice located in the western suburbs of Brisbane. Congratulations to their team of doctors and support staff. You can read more about the details of their award on the RACGP website.
Peter Harrison, CEO
2010 Training Year Changes – Frequently Asked Questions Now Available on AGPT Website
Following the May 2009 Australian Government Budget announcements, a set of FAQs have been developed to clarify changes to the 2010 AGPT program training year known, as at 23 September 2009. These changes include the simplified rules regarding general pathway Registrars’ outer metropolitan and rural training requirements; the new remoteness classification system underpinning these new pathway requirements; and the new incentives scheme (GPRIP) that will replace the current RRIPS. Some of these changes will come into effect on 1 January 2010 and others 1 July 2010. Please visit the AGPT website to read the document entitled "2010 Training Year Changes FAQs Sept 2009" http://www.agpt.com.au/Registrars/GeneralInformation/.
CSQTC is currently working on a document which aims to interpret and simplify these changes, relative to CSQTC Registrars and Training Locations/Practices. We anticipate having this document available very soon!
Applications have now closed for the 2nd Intake into AGPT for 2010 entry. CSQTC has recently completed interviews for the 2nd Round of the 1st Intake. As from 16 October 2009, we will know whether CSQTC has any available Rural Pathway positions to offer for the 2nd Intake.
Enrolments for the 2010.1 RACGP Exam
The next enrolment intake period for the RACGP Examination will commence on Monday 26 October 2009 and close on Friday 11 December 2009. The RACGP has acknowledged that some GP Registrars won't complete the required 6 (six) or 8 (eight) active units by the closing date for enrolments but will complete these units prior to the commencement of the Exam. Therefore, Registrars who will have completed the required 6 (six) or 8 (eight) active units by 8 February 2010 may still be eligible to enrol.
Registrars who intend to enrol in the 2010.1 RACGP Exam are urged to notify CSQTC, and the following actions will occur:
- For those who will have completed the required 6 or 8 units by 11 December, CSQTC will be able to produce the RTP statement/training profile, signed by an authorised Senior Medical Educator, once these units have been completed.
- For those who will not have completed the required 6 or 8 units by 11 December, CSQTC will record your details so that we can follow up and produce the RTP statement/training profile, signed by an authorised Senior Medical Educator, once you have completed these units. If you fall into this category, you must still ensure that you submit the enrolment application by 11 December 2009. The RACGP states that these Registrars will be tentatively enrolled in the examination. A letter will be sent to them outlining how to confirm their enrolment in the exam after they have completed their required units, and this will include a deadline for provision of the RTP statement. Registrars will be asked to provide consent for the RACGP to exchange information with their RTP which will enable the RACGP to accept the signed RTP statement/training profile directly from the RTP. It will still be the Registrar's responsibility however, to ensure that the required information is received at the RACGP by the deadline provided.
Upon receiving notification from you that you intend to apply for enrolment in the 2010.1 Exam, CSQTC will forward you a resource pack.
For further information about the Exam please visit the RACGP website:
- A Guide to Enrolment: http://www.racgp.org.au/exam
- Assessment Handbook for Candidates: http://www.racgp.org.au/assessmenthandbook
- Assessment Policies: http://www.racgp.org.au/assessment/policy
- Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.racgp.org.au/assessment
The CSQTC Clinical Exam Support Workshop will be held on the evening of Wednesday 10 March 2010 and invitations will be forwarded closer to the time. The date for the Queensland Faculty RACGP Exam Preparation Workshop is yet to be advised. You can read more about how CSQTC can assist Registrars with exam preparation, by visiting the following website pages:
- Study Groups: http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=15478&pid=7509
- Preparation tips: http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=7601&pid=7509
- Support and Resources for GP Registrars: http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=7602&pid=7509
RLO Wrap - "Up To Date" and RACGP Exam Fees
UP TO DATE
Thanks for the responses so far from those interested in subscribing to the online US medical resource: "Up To Date". As you may know, we successfully organised a group of 11 GP Registrars earlier this year who had expressed interest and were able to access a 'Group Trainee' subscription rate. If any Registrars are currently interested in an "Up To Date" subscription, please let me know and if there are enough (11 or more Registrars) for a group discount rate then, I will organise the subscription as a group. More information about subscription cost in US dollars is available at www.uptodate.com. When I receive further information about the group subscription rate, I will let you know.
RACGP Exam Fees
Thank you to all Registrars who filled out surveys about the RACGP exam price increase. There were 450 surveys received in total. These were very helpful to GPRA in providing evidence of the opinions of their members during the RACGP Convocation. The negotiations between GPRA and RACGP have now been completed. The outcome is as follows:
- Full explanation about the cost (they presented some figures at convocation);
- Written assurance they will inform GPRA of all planned price increases of >10% and give at least 12 months notice;
- For all Registrars who enrolled in the OSCE in 2009, they will get a credit on membership up to the value of the new Fellow rate, ie. approx $650*;
- For all who enrol in the OSCE in 2010, they will get a 50% credit, ie. $325*.
* Both of these can be used on Registrar membership if people will not become a Fellow in the time frame, which is up to and including the 2011/12 renewal.
The RACGP is extending this to all doctors who sit the exams, ie. IMGs outside of the GP training program, and so this will equate to around $900,000 in lost possible revenue for the RACGP.
You can read the RACGP media release regarding this issue on the RACGP website http://www.racgp.org.au/media2009/34569 "GPRA & RACGP respond to registrar concerns" 9 October 2009.
If you have any comments or queries, please contact me on rlo@csqtc.qld.edu.au.
Dr Danika Fietz, Registrar Liaison Officer
ALS Requirement for GP Registrars Proceeding Towards FRACGP Endpoint
We are in the process of seeking final clarification from the RACGP regarding the Advanced Life Support (ALS) Requirement under the RACGP Requirements for Fellowship 2005, as to which cohort of GP Registrars the 2005 Requirements will apply and how the new (2005) ALS requirement is to be implemented.
In the meantime, whilst we are awaiting clarification from the RACGP, they have advised that the criteria set in place for the RACGP Requirements for Fellowship 2001 will be accepted as a minimum standard for the ALS requirement.
Are you a GP Registrar who is completing training time soon? CSQTC has started reviewing training profiles for those GP Registrars who are due to complete their AGPT time requirements between now and January 2010 and according to our records there are some Registrars whose certificates indicate that their ALS skills have expired. For Completion of Training (COT) for Registrars proceeding towards the FRACGP, their ALS skills certification must be current as at their completion in order for the College Censor to sign off. ALS currency is determined by having completed an approved ALS course within 3 years of COT. If you are due to complete your training time soon and you are aware that your ALS skills certification has expired, you may be interested to know that the STEMI ACLS 3A course, which has been deemed to meet the RACGP Requirements for Fellowship 2001, is being held at the CSQTC office in Alderley on Saturday 14 November 2009. For further information about this course and to reserve your place, please visit the STEMI website http://www.stemi.com.au/pane.php?id=10 or email ACLS@stemi.com.au. You may also be eligible for course fee reimbursement from CSQTC, for an approved ALS course (providing you have not already claimed reimbursement). If you have any questions about this, please contact Anthony Dunn adunn@csqtc.qld.edu.au or 07 35528148.
Are You a GP Registrar Completing Your Training Time at the End of 2009/Early 2010?
Are you due to complete your training and time requirements at the end of 2009/early 2010? If so, it will be of benefit to you to read the CSQTC web pages on Completion of Training. Please also review the Completion of Training FAQs.
CSQTC will forward individual letters and printouts of training units and activities to each GP Registrar who is due to complete time at the end of 2009/early 2010.
- For GP Registrars who have already successfully completed the RACGP exam – the above paperwork will be sent in November 2009.
- For GP Registrars awaiting the results of the 2009.2 RACGP exam – the above paperwork will be sent within 2 weeks of you notifying us that you have passed the exam. To expedite your paperwork, please notify CSQTC as soon as you have your exam results. Please contact Anthony Dunn adunn@csqtc.qld.edu.au/07 35528148.
Continuing Medicare Access whilst awaiting Fellowship:
- Please note that once you have completed the College Exam and all training requirements you are no longer a GP Registrar with CSQTC but you are not yet a Fellow so you cannot independently access Medicare for a Provider Number.
- While you are applying for Fellowship you are allowed a six month extension of training during which time you can continue to access a Provider Number through CSQTC providing you are working in an approved placement. This enables you to continue working and your patients to access Medicare rebates while the completion and Fellowship processes take place.
- To extend your provider number at your current Practice or to apply for a provider number for a new Practice, you must submit further Medicare paperwork to CSQTC. This should be done at least 8 weeks prior to the expiry of your current provider number. For more information, instructions and guidelines, please read the CSQTC website on continuing Medicare access.
2009 Cohort Registrars - RPL Applications Now Due at CSQTC
The RACGP requires GP Registrars to submit applications for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) during their first year of training. ACRRM does not stipulate a timeframe for RPL application submission, however, ALL GP Registrars are encouraged to submit RPL applications during their first year of training.
An email reminder was sent last month to those Registrars who had previously advised us that they intended to apply for RPL. We haven't heard from about 25 of you, and we are hoping that you can respond to us soon!
It is advisable to submit applications well before December, because our experience has shown that it can be very difficult to obtain documentation from hospitals during the lead up to Christmas. We need sufficient time to check the application, advise Registrars of any documentation still needed in order to forward the application to the appropriate Censor for adjudication within the timeframe stipulated by the College. (NB: If you wish to sit the 2010.1 RACGP Exam, it is particularly important that your RPL application is submitted as soon as possible or there is no guarantee it will have been considered by the Censor in time for you to meet the Exam enrolment deadline).
We strongly encourage 2009 Cohort Registrars to submit RPL applications by 30 October 2009. If you are having any challenges in submitting your paperwork, we'd love to hear from you! To update CSQTC on the status of your application or to ask any questions in order to finalise your application, please contact Susan Garside sgarside@csqtc.qld.edu.au or 07 3552 8100.
To obtain further information about RPL and to download the application forms, please go to the CSQTC website: http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=7514&pid=7198.
GP Registrars who have recently accepted a place with CSQTC for the 2010 Cohort, who wish to apply for RPL, do not need to submit their applications until next year. However, if you are commencing general practice terms in January 2010 and do not intend to return to the hospital system, it is advisable to ensure that you obtain copies of your duty statements and assessment forms when you leave the hospital in January next year.
Registrars Want More Feedback From Supervisors
Comments from CSQTC's Dr Graham Emblen and Dr John Buckley feature in a recent Australian Doctor article entitled "Tell it like it is - Registrars want more feedback from supervisors, but it should be handled with care". The article is worth a read and reminds GP Trainers/Supervisors of the importance of regular, constructive and well-timed feedback being provided to their GP Registrars. Methods such as sitting in for direct observation or video-taping Registrar consultations are a vital part of the feedback process. John encourages Supervisors to be careful of the timing of feedback they provide to their Registrars and Graham speaks of the the value of Supervisors seeking feedback from their Registrars on their own consultations and teaching strategies. To read more, visit the Australian Doctor website http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/articles/34/0c064134.asp? (you may need to register for an individual username and password).
Dr Pat Byrnes Puts the Concept of Nurse Practitioners Through a SWOT
Dr Pat Byrnes features in this week's Medical Observer as a guest blogger, writing on the subject of nurse practitioners. Read what Pat has to say at http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/Blog/18/99/Default.aspx.
The Latest CSQTC Registrars to Receive College Fellowships
Congratulations to the following CSQTC Registrars who have recently received their FRACGP Award: Kaverjit Gujral, Shamima Akhter, Abhilash Varshney, Tireshni Prasad.
GPET Registrar Update - 9 October Edition Now Available
The latest edition of GPET's Registrar Update is now available on the AGPT website http://www.agpt.com.au/Registrars/RegistrarUpdates/. This month you will read about the 2010 Training Year changes; the Indigenous GP Registrars Network Meeting; the Rural Pathway Registrar "Future Practice Intentions" survey; and recent and upcoming events.
GPET Update - 30 September Edition Now Available
The latest edition of the GPET Update is now available on the AGPT website http://www.agpt.com.au/NewEvents/Updates/. This edition provides updates on RTP collaboration plans and contracting with GPET for 2010-12; the Minister's Statement of Expectations; PGPPP transitional arrangements; Indigenous health training; RTP review and accreditation; and the latest FAQ release regarding 2010 Training Year changes.
Upcoming Educational Opportunities - Run By Organisations Other Than CSQTC
In this section, we will include details of upcoming educational opportunities, such as teleconferences, courses, workshop, conferences etc, run by organisations other than CSQTC. CSQTC provides this as a service to GP Registrars and stakeholder organisations. If organisations would like upcoming events relevant to GP Registrars listed here, please contact Julie Ball csqtc@csqtc.qld.edu.au or 07 35528134.
Rural Health Education Foundation (RHEF)
- 27 October 2009: Public forum "Breast Cancer: Challenges After Treatment", 8:00pm (AEDT) - live simultaneous interactive satellite television broadcast and internet webcast. Repeat broadcast Friday 30 October 2009 at 12:30pm (AEDT). For further information and registration details visit the RHEF website http://www.rhef.com.au/programs/program-1/?program_id=387.
Avant GP Registrar Teleconference Series
- Thursday 29 October 2009: "End of Life Decision Making", 7:00-8:00pm (AEDT).
- Tuesday 10 November 2009: "Certificates: The Rules", 7:00-7:45pm (AEDT).
- Tuesday 24 November 2009: "National Registration - What Does it Mean for the GP Registrar?", 7:00-8:00pm (AEDT).
These teleconferences are free for GP Registrars, and RSVPs are generally due a week before the teleconference date. For further information and to register for these teleconferences visit the Avant website https://www.avant.org.au/content.asp?Document_ID=668&Month_ID=10&Year_ID=2009.
GPRA Future Series Workshop
- Friday 6 November 2009: General Practice Registrars Australia's Future Series 2009 is being held at the Rydges World Square in Sydney. GPRA has put together a very exciting program where high profile speakers, experts in their field, have been invited to present and run workshop sessions which will help Registrars prepare them for issues outside of the training program. GP Registrars are invited to attend the Future Series Workshop which will introduce them to a whole new way of
thinking and also address some of their longstanding questions. This event is also supported by the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN). Registrars who attend the Future Series workshop also have complimentary registration the
AGPN conference on 5 November 2009 and/or 7 November 2009. There are only 30
complimentary registrations available for the AGPN conference.
The workshop will be followed by a cocktail function at Square Bar, Rydges World Square, 6pm, where GPRA will launch its new initiative, the GP Compass Magazine. A fun-filled social evening and networking opportunities with your peers will make this a memorable event. For more information on the program and to access the registration form, please visit the GPRA website http://www.gpra.org.au/Future%20Series.php.
Watch this space for upcoming FAQs. If you have a question, the answer to which you believe would be helpful to others, please email it to csqtc@csqtc.qld.edu.au. FAQs can be accessed via the CSQTC website http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=7663&pid=5440
Upcoming CSQTC Educational Activities - GP Registrars and GP Trainers
- 14/10/09: Greater Brisbane & Valley (North & South) Nodes combined afternoon release.
- 15/10/09: Sunshine Coast Node morning release.
- 15-16/10/09: South West Qld/St George Node 2 day workshop in Toowoomba (combined with Toowoomba & Surrounds Node on 16/10/09).
- 16/10/09: Toowoomba & Surrounds Node 1 day workshop in Toowoomba (combined with South West Qld/St George Node)
- 20/10/09: Hospital Based Registrars at Redland Hospital HLO Clinical Education Seminar.
- 21/10/09: Greater Brisbane & Valley (North & South) Nodes combined afternoon release.
- 21/10/09: Logan & Gold Coast Node afternoon release.
- 22/10/09: South West Qld/St George Node lunchtime web-conference.
- 22-23/10/09: Central Qld and Wide Bay/Bundaberg Nodes combined 2 day workshop in Rockhampton.
All CSQTC Calendars may be accessed via the link http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=11615
For the dates of GP Registrar Educational Activities for each training Node, visit the Node Calendar pages on the CSQTC website:
Central Queensland
Greater Brisbane & Valley
Logan/Gold Coast
South West Qld/St George
Sunshine Coast
Toowoomba & Surrounds
Wide Bay/Bundaberg
If you need to get in touch with individual staff members at CSQTC, please refer to our website for a full listing of staff within areas of interest http://www.csqtc.qld.edu.au/index.php?action=view&view=7731&pid=5408
Please advise CSQTC of any changes to address or contact details immediately on csqtc@csqtc.qld.edu.au. This includes changes to: Telephone/fax numbers; Email address; Street/postal address; Surname (eg. for Registrars who become married); Practice Name; Practice Staff (Trainers and Practice Managers).