Expanded & Outer Metropolitan Specialist Training

Specialist Training Program 2011 (STP) - Applying for Funding

Background

The Specialist Training Program (STP) is a funding initiative by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DHA) which subsumes the following earlier specialist training programs including:

• Expanded Specialist Training Program (ESTP)
• Outer Metropolitan Specialist Trainee Program (OMSTP) and
• Advanced Specialist Training Posts in Rural Areas (ASTPRA) program.

The aim is to enable medical specialist trainees to undertake training rotations in an expanded range of settings outside traditional public teaching hospitals.

For RANZCOG trainees these training posts could be either in the Integrated Training Program (i.e. general O&G training) or the Elective training program. NOTE: Post-Fellowship posts are NOT eligible for funding, however, pre-Fellowship training in subspecialities may be eligible.

The DHA is currently seeking funding applications for 2011-2013.

Period funded: Minimum 1 year; maximum 3 years.

Possible Training Settings/Arrangements

Eligible specialist training settings under this program include:

• Private hospitals
• Specialists’ rooms
• Clinics
• Day surgeries
• Publicly funded health care facilities

Possible training options include:

• Senior registrar working full-time in a private hospital or private rooms
• ITP trainees working/training one or two days per week in a private hospital or consulting room (e.g. for ultrasound experience or to gain additional general gynaecological operating experience), the remaining three or four days in the public system
• Elective trainees working for a substantial proportion of their training time in a private hospital, with the remaining time spent in private consulting rooms

Mandatory Funding Criteria

The proposed posts for which funding is sought must meet the following criteria (as defined by the DHA):

• Be in a specialty of an eligible Medical Specialist College.
• Relate to a formal training program leading to Fellowship.
• Relate to a position located in Australia.
• Not be filled by overseas trainees seeking rotation through expanded settings within Australia.
• Include relevant stakeholder agreement e.g. the College and the relevant health jurisdictions.
• Include accreditation or progress towards accreditation of the post by the College (see below for further information).
• Confirmation that registrar entitlements will be maintained throughout the duration of the post.
• Evidence that appropriate workers compensation and medical indemnity will be available to trainees.
• Evidence that the position is a genuine expansion that was not filled during the previous academic year (unless funded under a previous Commonwealth medical specialist training program).

How to Apply for Funding

Applications for new posts or for continued funding for existing posts must be made direct to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing using a standard application form. Interested parties can register for additional information and application forms.

Deadline for receipt of applications by DHA: 5.00 pm (AEDST), 1 March 2010

Essential:  The DHA requires all applications for funding to include a letter of support from the RANZCOG. In order to facilitate this support, applications should be prepared in consultation with the College.  

For further information, please contact:

Shaun McCarthy
Manager, Training Services
(t) +61 3 9412 2917
(e) smccarthy@ranzcog.edu.au

Please email requests for letters of support with the completed STP application form to Mr Shaun McCarthy, allowing a minimum of 4 working days for assessment of the proposal. 

Accreditation of Posts by the College

As indicated above, funded posts must be accredited or in the process of being accredited by the relevant college. The RANZCOG will be conducting formal accreditation visits to sites applying for funding under the STP. These visits will be conducted by a small team from the College comprising an interstate Fellow, a senior College staff member and a trainee representative.

The accreditation criteria will be based on the current RANZCOG Guidelines for the Accreditation of ITP/Elective Training Posts in Expanded Settings Hospitals ( 281 KB). 

Important Note: Submission of applications to the DHA is not dependent on having an accreditation prior to the application deadline of 1 March.  However, final approval of posts for 2011, 2012 and 2013 will be dependent on a successful accreditation by the College.

Further information

Full details are available on the application form.  Additional information from the DHA can be obtained by contacting:

Kathleen Orr
(t) +61 2 6289 9887
(e) specialist.training@health.gov.au

© RANZCOG