Training Program
The Central North West Basic Physician Training Consortium encompasses 5 hospitals:Austin Health, Northern Health, Bendigo Health, Grampians Health Horsham and Echuca Regional Health.
Recruitment is conducted by Austin and Northern Health respectively, with trainees in BPT2 and BPT3 positions rotating to positions at the associated hospitals (Austin/Bendigo and Northern/Horsham/Echuca respectively). Our Regional Pathway Program is recruited via Austin Health, with equal rotations at Austin Health and Bendigo Health across the three-year program.
Consortium Directors, the Consortium Manager and hospital specific directors of physician education manage a comprehensive program and report to a management committee that includes executive staff, physicians and trainees from each hospital. Trainee representation and input is a strong feature of consortium governance. The training program consists of:
- Formal Lecture Series
- RACP Lectures available via the BT Portal
- Consortium based lecture series video-conferenced to all sites
- Clinical Teaching
- Roster of clinical tutorials and written examination tutorials
- BPT1 Stepping Up to Registrar Program
- How to be a Medical Registrar tutorials
- Teaching Ward rounds
- Examination Preparation
- Bedside clinical tutorials on short and long case examination presentations
- Timed written practice examination
- Ideal long case and introduction to long case presentation
- Introduction to short case presentation
- Public long case examination presentations
- Short case specialty practice examinations held at Austin Health and Northern Health
- Practice clinical examinations held at Austin Health, Northern Health and Bendigo Health
- All educational content evaluated to address important domains of physician training
Please refer to the College website for further information on the domains of physician training: https://www.racp.edu.au/trainees/basic-training/adult-internal-medicine
Training Support
The yearly rosters are designed after preferences are received from all trainees. Preferences are obtained on rotations, annual leave, study leave and special requests. All trainees sitting the RACP exams are rostered set periods of examination leave to attend the RACP written and clinical examinations.
The Consortium recognises the importance of examination preparation and success to its' trainees and aims to ensure optimal training opportunities. BPT2s are rostered conference leave around the time of the 2-week revision courses in Melbourne, Sydney and Dunedin, providing an opportunity to attend 1 of the 4 courses prior to sitting the Written exam.
