Country Med Group and other Riverina clinics express interest in rural generalist training program

The Rural Generalist Training Pathway - also known as the Murrumbidgee model - expansion was announced at the beginning of February by minister for regional health Bronnie Taylor.

Since then, clinics across the Riverina and the state have expressed their interest in being part of the program, which will initially see 100 more rural generalists join the training.

Owner of Country Med Group in Cootamundra Danyal Syed said the program was something he was interested in becoming a part of.

"Most [doctors are] not earning to their full potential while they're training," he said.

"It's really beneficial for people who want to live and serve rural communities."

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Creator of the single-employer model integral to the Rural Generalist Training Program Dr Paul Mara said it was a "very simple idea" which he hoped would not be misinterpreted by governments.

"You dont need to call this a pilot, it should just be implemented and it should be gauged by success," he said.

"Trainees don't want to be involved in pilots, they want some certainty. Calling it a pilot immediately takes that away."

Under the pathway, junior doctors who are training to become general practitioners are employed by the local health district, giving them flexibility between clinic and hospital placements.

The model gives those doctors more financial stability as well as extra skills necessary in rural practices.

Dr Mara said the model could also be applied to the rural GP practice as a whole in order to make the profession more sustainable.

"It's all about sustainable service delivery," he said.

"It should be expanded beyond the training scenario in terms of how we better deliver to those communities."

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said she encouraged GP clinics across the electorate to contact their local health district about participating.

"The EOI stage will identify which GP practices wish to participate in hosting and supervising a doctor in their practice, on the days they are not working in the local hospital," she said.

"This could see doctors undertaking advanced training at Cowra and Young Hospitals as early as next year, and eventually networked out to health facilities in areas such as Cootamundra, Gundagai, Temora, Narrandera, West Wyalong and Grenfell."

Expressions of interest are being recorded by local health districts and primary health networks.

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