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Continuing professional development for rural physicians: an oxymoron or just non‐existent?
Author(s) -
McLean R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2006.01173.x
Subject(s) - medicine , oxymoron , isolation (microbiology) , economic shortage , workforce , professional development , commonwealth , rural area , videoconferencing , rural health , medical education , professional association , health professionals , public relations , nursing , health care , economic growth , government (linguistics) , political science , telecommunications , philosophy , linguistics , pathology , law , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , economics , biology
There is geographic maldistribution of physicians across Australia and their professional isolation, particularly in relation to continuing professional development, is a definite problem. It tends to be worse in smaller centres where there is no critical mass that allows for peer support. Although some academic research has been carried out concerning the needs of rural GP, none has targetted rural specialists. Several activities, including the Commonwealth‐funded Support Scheme for Rural Specialists, have been well received and other initiatives, including the rural clinical schools and university departments of rural health, are beginning to provide an infrastructure that will help overcome the professional isolation through the use of innovative technologies such as interactive videoconferencing. This is being used to deliver RACP initiatives such as the basic physician trainee lecture series and the potential for vertical integration of training in rural settings which offer some promise to address the rural workforce shortage in the years to come.