Emergency medicine
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Central Australia
The Emergency Department (ED) at the Alice Springs Hospital is extremely busy with more than 41,000 presentations annually, of which more than 20 per cent are children.
The medicine is incredibly diverse with a prevalence of rheumatic heart disease, bronchiectasis, chronic liver disease, renal disease, and diabetes in a young population with a median age of 34.
There are high incidents of trauma, with motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), truncal and thigh stabbings, and blunt trauma from assault. Aboriginal Australians account for more than 62 per cent of attendances with the admission rate of 42 per cent reflecting the high acuity of presentations, including overwhelming sepsis.
The medical workforce consists of interns, resident medical officer (RMOs) and senior resident medical officer (SRMOs), registrars and emergency department consultants, and rotating medical students. Registrars are predominantly Australian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) trainees, with a number of general practitioner/Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) trainees, many of whom undertake the emergency medicine certificate or diploma.
Specialist staff provide a supportive, enthusiastic, educational and safe working environment, and are rostered on the floor from 07:30am - midnight and on-call overnight.
Interns and residents
Interns and residents in emergency medicine undertake a variety of day, evening and night shifts and are given 3 hours of consultant-led protected teaching on Wednesday afternoons. Rotations in emergency can be arranged through medical administration as part of a mixed rotation year.
SRMOs
SRMOs are employed on a specific rotation and need to be at least PGY3 with a minimum of three months previous ED experience.
There are four 10-hour shifts per week, supervised directly by the specialist or the night registrar during the evening. SRMOs who are not in ACEM training are encouraged to complete the emergency medicine certificate as a 6-month undertaking.
Registrars
The ED is accredited for 18 months adult emergency medicine training plus the paediatric log book. Accredited rotations are offered in intensive care, anaesthetics, medicine, paediatrics and retrieval. Additionally there are rural and remote special skills terms of 3 to 6 months for advanced trainees based in Tennant Creek Hospital.
There are 4 hours of protected registrar teaching each week and support is given to the primary and fellowship exams, including exam training assistance, which have a good success rate.
Quality assurance shifts for skills development are provided, along with support for work based assessments and roster supervised ‘in-charge consultant’ shifts.
Applications are accepted for the whole year, or rotations for 3 or 6 months before returning to the applicant’s base hospital on arrangement with their director in emergency medicine training or director.
The ED is a great place for a 6-month non-tertiary placement, gaining experience prior to undertaking voluntary service overseas, or for broadening experience in emergency medicine or Aboriginal health.
Top End
The Emergency Department (ED) at the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals (RDPH) sees about 70,000 patients a year of which about 25% are children. The case mix is unlike other tertiary EDs in that the patients are younger and the levels of trauma and severe sepsis are amongst the highest in Australia. Indigenous Australians account for 30 per cent of attendance and 50 per cent of admissions. ED staff are supported by a psychiatry team, social worker, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, pharmacist, indigenous liaison officer, security staff and hospital police constable.
RMOs, interns and medical students are supervised by registrars and consultants. Staffing of the department consists of consultants, registrars, residents, interns and medical students.
The roster is 40 hours per week in 10 hour shifts so there is plenty of time to visit the sights in and around Darwin on your 3 days off per week. When in the ED there is a 24 hour registrar presence. Consultant staff aim to provide a supportive, enthusiastic, educational and safe working environment. They are available 24 hours a day with extensive "on the floor" presence.
Formal teaching opportunities include:
- Weekly RDPH grand rounds
- Weekly RDPH ED Resident teaching (Rostered)
- Exam focused training program
- Wellness program
- Weekly simulation training.
Emergency medicine certificate positions
- RMO
- Registrar
Emergency medicine diploma and advanced diploma positions
- Registrar
Prevocational doctor placements
- Intern – 7 positions (avg. 10 week rotations)
- RMO – 17 positions (avg. 13 week rotations)
Entry requirements
College | |
Entry requirements |
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Duration | Provisional training (12 months total)
Advanced training (48 months total)
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Exams/assessments | Primary exam
Fellowship exam
Candidates are only allowed 3 attempts at each part of the exam (written and clinical). Other assessments
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Accredited training | You can complete your entire specialist training in emergency medicine in Darwin although we recommend you train in multiple sites.
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Other courses of study available | Emergency medicine certificate (EMC) PGY2+
Emergency medicine diploma (pre requisite - EMC or equivalent)
Emergency medicine advanced diploma (pre requisite - EMD or equivalent)
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RDPH ED is maximally ACEM accredited for specialist training as a major referral hospital (24 months adult emergency medicine training and the paediatric log book). There are well established rotations to intensive care, anaesthetics, medicine and retrieval. Other rotations (e.g. paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery, psychiatry, orthopaedics) can be arranged on an individual basis.
Registrars are rostered four hours of protected teaching time each week. There are separate teaching programs focusing on primary and fellowship exam preparation. Weekly simulation training is incorporated into the teaching program. The program is supported by 3 co-directors emergency medicine trainees, a wellness program, a mentoring program and a gender equal consultant workforce.
National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) is located in Darwin. The NCCTRC conducts the following courses:
- Early Management of Severe Trauma (EMST),
- Advanced Life Support (ALS),
- Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS),
- Australian Trauma Team Training (ATTT) and
- Major Incident Medical Management Support (MIMMS).
Hospital resident rotations through the ED are for 3 to 6 months at a time and can be arranged through TEHSEMDocJobs.DoH@nt.gov.au.
For RMOs who want more emergency medicine experience (6 to 12 months) or want to enrol in the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) certificate (6 to 9 months) or diploma (6 to 18 months) applications can be made through TEHSEMDocJobs.DoH@nt.gov.au.
Residents in emergency medicine rotate through our majors, resuscitation, fast track, paediatric and extended emergency care areas.
RMOs will also rotate through the Palmerston Regional Hospital ED. RMOs are rostered 3 hours of protected teaching time each week incorporating practical workshops, invited speakers and high fidelity simulation training.
There is additional training for ACEM certificate and diploma candidates.
Why work with us
Aly Knell
Rural Generalist / Specialist Anaesthetist
Cat Gargan
Senior Rural Medical Practitioner
Get in touch
Central Australia
Emergency Staff Specialist, MedicalRecruitmentASH@nt.gov.au.
Top End
Director of Anaesthesia, Emergency Staff Specialist, TEHSEMDocJobs.DoH@nt.gov.au.