Obstetrics and gynaecology
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The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology is a small, but busy clinical unit at Alice Springs Hospital, with about 700-750 deliveries annually.
About 60% of women delivering at the hospital are Aboriginal, however the delivery rates do not truly reflect the clinical workload. The case mix is varied and includes a high pre-term delivery rate and serious maternal morbidity with infectious diseases, diabetes mellitus, renal disease and rheumatic heart disease.
Doctors in training gain valuable clinical exposure to Aboriginal health issues and high risk medical obstetrics, as well as a first-hand experience of varied and specific challenges faced in providing health care to a diverse population.
Teaching
The department is a teaching unit for medical students from the Northern Territory Clinical School, affiliated with Flinders University of South Australia. The teaching program includes:
- Once weekly education sessions on topics relevant to the Certificate of Women’s Health/ Diploma, or journal article review
- Once weekly case presentations discussing perinatal morbidity
- Quarterly perinatal mortality audits
Other specific learning opportunities are provided by:
- A dedicated early pregnancy clinic runs on 3 times a week providing an opportunity in the first trimester to perform hands-on supervised ultrasound examinations, as well as gaining confidence in the counselling and management of complications. Trainee registrars rate this clinic highly in achieving its teaching goals.
- Opportunity to learn basic obstetric ultrasound
- Opportunity to learn colposcopy within the general gynaecology clinics
- Outreach visits to Aboriginal community clinics and district hospitals complement the experience of understanding the challenges of health care in the NT.
- Elective Gynaecology theatre session attendance provides an opportunity to both perform and assist in routine gynaecological surgery
Training
Alice Springs Hospital is currently accredited with the Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for advanced training, and the Integrated Training Program (ITP) training (rural term).
Resident medical officer posts of 3, 6 and 12 months are available for general experience in obstetrics and gynaecology and to pursue the diploma, advanced diploma, and certificate of women’s health in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Contact
For further information email MedicalRecruitmentASH@nt.gov.au
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology is a busy clinical unit at the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) and provides a large range of services to the diverse population of the Top End.
Approximately 2,000 births per year take place at RDH, with several hundred occurring at regional hospitals in Katherine and Gove. High-risk pregnancies are common, with a higher proportion of women experiencing pre-term birth, gestational diabetes, renal disease and rheumatic heart disease than in other locations.
Gynaecological services include colposcopy, urodynamic and advanced laparoscopy with an active outreach program to communities across the Top End.
There is an active program of education, audit and research available to all junior doctors who join our unit. This includes teaching for medical students from the Flinders University Northern Territory Medical Program.
Resident Medical Officer (RMO) positions are available through the annual RDH RMO intake. Priority is given to those who will provide service to the NT population as future GPs, GP obstetricians or specialist obstetrician and gynaecologists. Prospective RMOs are encouraged to consider formal Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) certification pathways, including the Certificate of Women’s Health.
Prospective GP obstetricians considering future work in the NT should contact the director of obstetrics and gynaecology training directly to discuss opportunities to undertake the advanced diploma. These positions are highly sought after and expressions of interest are recommended prior to job advertisements.
Accredited registrar (including senior registrar and rural rotations) and unaccredited (service) registrar positions are available for existing and future specialist trainees with an interest in the diversity and challenges of the Top End. These positions are highly sought after and expressions of interest are recommended prior to job advertisements.
Career in obstetrics and gynaecology
College | Royal Australian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RANZCOG) College website. |
Entry requirements |
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Duration |
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Exams/Assessments | Exam:
Other assessments:
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Accredited training | RDH is accredited to provide:
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Unaccredited positions | Top End offers unaccredited positions including DRANZCOG Advanced. The following unaccredited training positions are available for those undertaking certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, GP trainees who need three to six months for their training requirements, or anyone who just wants a little more obstetrics and gynaecology.
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Paediatrics and child health
The Department of Paediatrics at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospital (RDPH) is responsible for 3 wards: a general paediatric ward, an isolation ward, and special care nursery plus NICU with ventilated cots, and a neonatal retrieval service. It is a friendly, busy department, staffed with both full-time and part-time paediatricians, community paediatrician, local visiting specialists, visiting Interstate sub-specialists, registrars and residents.
The department has hospital positions accredited for rural training and core training in general paediatrics and positions accredited for developmental/community training by the SAC for general paediatrics. All registrars applying for a hospital position must have completed a minimum of 6 months of neonatal training in a tertiary referral centre, and should ideally be an advanced trainee.
Clinical paediatric practice in Darwin is significantly different from other teaching hospitals in Australia, and the majority of our work is with indigenous children and their families. The spectrum of disease includes: severe gastroenteritis and other infectious diseases, chronic respiratory and middle ear diseases, malnutrition, very low birth weight infants, post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic fever.
In addition to acute and ambulatory medical services, the department provides outreach paediatric services to more than 40 remote Aboriginal communities in the Top End, and registrars are rostered to accompany consultants on these visits. We have an active teaching program for residents and registrars, including weekly journal club, grand rounds, radiology meeting, infectious diseases meeting as well as the opportunity to attend the lecture series at the Menzies School of Health Research (MSHR), which is on site. We enjoy a close relationship with MSHR and there are numerous research opportunities in Indigenous child health, as well as increasing potential to become involved in international dhild health.
We are part of the Northern Territory Clinical School which provides teaching for medical students from Flinders University and James Cook University.
Career in paediatrics and child health
College | Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) College website. |
Entry requirements |
Basic Training positions are generally to be undertaken at RACP-accredited training sites. Once you have secured a training position, you must prospectively apply for approval as per the Progression Through Training Policy. Approval of training periods will be determined by the overseeing committee. To be approved, your individual training program must be consistent with the training requirements and appropriate for that stage in training. Upon completion of each rotation or calendar year of training, the overseeing committee considers your progress according to the program requirements. If all requirements of training have been satisfactorily completed, the overseeing committee certifies the period of training. |
Duration | Basic training in paediatrics and child health is the start of the minimum 6-year training program to become a Paediatrician. At the end of your basic training in paediatrics and child health, you’ll have completed 36 months of certified training time consisting of work-based learning and assessment tools. The Physician Ready for Expert Practice (PREP) teaching and learning activities are designed to support you in your reflective practice and self-directed learning. A variety of teaching and learning activities and assessments are used, catering to a range of learning needs, styles and situations that may arise in your workplace training. |
Accredited training | Top End is accredited as a paediatric secondment hospital to provide level 2 or 3 requirements. The Townsville Hospital is the parent hospital. A maximum of 12 months may be undertaken at RDPH. |
Contact
For further information on resident or registrar positions you can contact the Director of Paediatric Training by emailing WCYAdmin.RDH@nt.gov.au
Why work with us
Jasmine
Doctor, Katherine Hospital
A great career in health, goes with the Territory