Everything’s coming up rural.
Rural generalism is closer again to being recognised as an official medical specialty, RG training numbers continue to increase and even the non-GP specialist colleges are making an effort in the regions: things are looking up for rural medicine.
According to federal health minister Mark Butler, one third of the 1750 ACRRM and RACGP registrars recruited so far this year will be training to be rural generalists.
In real terms, 585 junior doctors are starting down the rural generalist path in 2025.
ACRRM has not finalised its registrar intake for this year yet, meaning that figure will likely grow further.
The long journey to specialty-hood for rural generalism, meanwhile, is another step closer.
The Australian Medical Council has now officially assessed and recommended its application; the next stage is approval from state, territory and federal health ministers.
After that, both rural generalist training programs need to be re-accredited – a process ACRRM president Dr Rod Martin hopes will be expedited – after which the goal is getting it recognised across different states.
“[It] is a challenge, but it’s not insurmountable,” Dr Martin told The Medical Republic.
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“In reality, it’s in the best interests of rural communities to have rural generalists with the right skill set for the town that they’re in.
“It behoves the federal government to sign off on rural generalism as a well-recognised endpoint, and then the states to integrate it into their systems.”
Rural generalists, he said, are already well recognised in Queensland, where an ACRRM fellow with additional skills training in anaesthesia gets the same pay for anaesthetics as a specialist anaesthetist would.
The National Rural Health Alliance welcomed the high training numbers but called for a National Health Reform Agreement to better coordinate investments in rural health.
“While promoting the Rural Generalist pathway is vital, the Government must also ensure GPs who choose rural practice are supported with essential infrastructure, housing, childcare, schooling, and other facilities that help them and the health workforce stay,” NRHA chief executive Susi Tegen said.
“We need a multifaceted approach to truly make a difference.”
In the non-GP specialist space, the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges has highlighted progress in non-metro training posts by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, which has launched its first general surgery training pathway in the Northern Territory, and the colleges for ophthalmology and medical administration, which have mandated minimum rural placements.
The Australasian College of Dermatologists, meanwhile, is progressing a pilot rural training program.
