Opportunities and support for Bonded Medical Scholars

In Western Australia medical degrees are offered at Curtin University, University of Notre Dame – Fremantle and the University of Western Australia. Each university has their own entry requirements and application process to study medicine.

To learn more about entry requirements and opportunities to study medicine in Western Australia you can visit the websites below:

• Curtin University Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery
• University of Notre Dame – School of Medicine
• University of Western Australia – School of Medicine

On successful application to medicine, the University may offer you a Commonwealth Supported Place and you will have the option to accept the offer to join the Bonded Medical Program.

To find out more about the Bonded Medical Program, its obligations, and the Commonwealth Supported Place you have been offered or currently undertaking, please find the following links to useful information:

• Bonded Medical Program website and handbook for prospective students.
• Information regarding a Commonwealth Supported Place
• Online portal to manage your return of service through the Bonded Return of Service System (BRoSS).

Bonded medical program students have access to the following opportunities that will assist you to explore career options in rural Western Australia:

• National Rural Student Health Network Clubs SPINRPHEX and CROHC.
• Penultimate year training opportunities and rural electives Rural Clinical School of Western Australia
• Final year training in rural areas Regional Training Hubs
• Sponsorship and support to attend conferences and events, and to explore rural opportunities from Rural Health West

Logging into BRoSS and keeping your details up to date is a requirement while at university. In your final year you should think about your RoSO and how you may be able to work or do any placements in eligible locations.

Once you graduate medical school, and if you are working in an eligible location you can start accruing RoSO.  You will need to make sure you log into your BRoSS portal where you can check the eligibility of your work location and submit a workplan for approval prior to commencing your internship.

In most cases, up to 50 per cent of your RoSO may be completed before beginning fellowship training in your chosen specialty.

Post Graduate Year 1 – Internship

Post Graduate Medical Council of Western Australia (PMCWA) manages the PGY1 intern application process in WA.  This includes intern opportunities with the Western Australia Country Health Service (WACHS) where you could begin accruing RoSO.

Post Graduate Year 2+ – Resident Medical Officer (RMO)

From PGY2 is when you will generally decide on a specific training pathway towards becoming a generalist within the hospital system, general practitioner, a rural generalist or other specialist.

WACHS RMO positions are available to PGY2+ doctors for periods of 6-36 months. For updates regarding RMO application process (mid-year) please visit the PMCWA site.

WACHS offers a number of different programs for doctors in training, depending on the area of interest. Find out more about:

• ASPIRE (Surgical) (PGY3 or above)
• RAPTOR (Physician) (PGY2+)
• Rural Generalist Pathway
• John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program
• Community Residency Program

More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP)

Doctors in training (PGY3 or above) are eligible to join MDRAP to gain experience working as a GP prior to joining a college Fellowship Program.  MDRAP provides support for supervision and training. Doctors participating in the MDRAP must make a minimum of one application to a Fellowship Program each year.

Internships, MDRAP, and WACHS training programs or placements, in eligible locations could contribute towards RoSO. Check the location eligibility and submit your workplan in BRoSS for RoSO to be approved.

Bonded medical program participants have access to the following support to assist your career development in rural Western Australia:

• Western Australian Rural Doctors in Training (WARDiT) represents rural medical officers and trainees across WA
• Join your local Health Professionals Network, providing Networking and education for rural health professionals
• Sponsorship to attend conferences and events, and training from Rural Health West

More useful links regarding intern recruitment and opportunities:

• PMCWA Junior Doctor recruitment information
• WACHS Junior Doctor training and placement programs
• More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (PGY3 or above)
• Rural Generalist Pathway
• Regional Training Hubs

Don’t forget to log into BRoSS and update your work plan with any planned work or placements that could count towards your RoSO. Eligible work should be approved in BRoSS before commencement.

General practice is a medical speciality that plays a central role in the delivery of health care to the Australian community.  A General Practitioner (GP) is often the first point of call for patients seeking medical care and treatment.

Rural generalists are general practitioners who provide primary care services, emergency medicine and have training in additional skills like obstetrics, anaesthetics, or mental health services.

Once you have completed fellowship as a GP, rural generalist, or other speciality, you are able to complete your remaining RoSO.

There are two GP training colleges in Australia to undertake training to gain fellowship as a specialist of general practice or rural generalist, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

ACRRM offer the following fellowship training programs for Australian graduates:

• Rural Generalist Training Scheme (RGTS): The Rural Generalist Training Scheme (RGTS) is a fully funded pathway that leads to Fellowship of ACRRM (FACRRM).
• Australian General Practice Training (AGPT): The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program is a fully funded Commonwealth pathway directly delivered by ACRRM.

The RACGP offers the following fellowship training programs for Australian graduates:

• Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP): on the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program.
• RACGP Rural Generalist Fellowship: (FRACGP-RG) is awarded in addition to FRACGP to registrars who successfully complete the rural generalist training.

The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program provides funding for 1,500 Australian medical graduates training places each year for doctors to train towards receiving fellowship through the GP training colleges Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

RVTS is a fully funded Commonwealth pathway providing vocational training for medical practitioners in remote and isolated communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Australia.

Doctors undertake remote and supervised training for FACRRM, FRACGP and FRACGP-RG while working in community for the duration of their training.

Congratulations on achieving your fellowship – log into BRoSS to make sure you update your details and update your workplan with any opportunities that meet your RoSO.

Depending on your chosen speciality, you may also be able to commence training in a rural location and claim RoSO hours accordingly. To see what specialist training opportunities are available you can visit WACHS Doctors in Training regional opportunities.

For more information on the specialist medical colleges visit the Australian Medical Council (AMC) website. Each college will have their own fellowship training programs.

If you are interested in opportunities to complete your RoSO once you have completed your training, you may be able to work with WACHS, undertake locum placements or provide visiting specialist services.  Visit the WACHS website to view their current vacancies and opportunities for specialist services in eligible locations.

Providing visiting specialist services to rural Western Australia

Many communities in regional, rural and remote Western Australia do not have easy access to medical specialists or allied health professionals who can diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses.

Rural Health West provides funding from the Australian Government Providing to support health professionals to provide specialised medical services reducing patient’s need to travel long distances to attend a consultation or receive treatment.

For more information on the types of specialist services offered, and Rural Health West support available to provide services to rural and remote Western Australia, please visit the outreach program page.

If you are working in an eligible location as a specialist, you may be able to complete hours, days or weeks of work that meet your program obligations. Make sure you log in to BRoSS to submit any work plans to have this counted towards your RoSO.