Medical graduates from around the world are heading to Mount Gambier Hospital under a new 12-month workplace-based assessment program.
Accredited by the Australian Medical Council, the Flinders University program sets international medical graduates on a path to obtain full-time work at health sites across the State’s South East region.
Flinders University Rural Health SA and the Mount Gambier Hospital have welcomed the first placement, Dr Alaina Iftikhar, from Pakistan.
Two other candidates are also taking part in the first stage of the workplace-based assessment (WBA) program at Mount Gambier.
The progressive program targets high quality international medical graduates and provides on-the-job training and assessment.
International medical graduates usually need to pass clinical exams to work in Australia, but the program provides an alternative to the exams and allows graduates to be assessed on the job.
Country Health SA’s Director of Medical Services in the South East, Dr Chris Tan, says Mount Gambier Hospital is the only hospital in South Australia that offers the accredited program.
“We are excited to announce that three international medical graduates will be given the opportunity to take part in the inaugural WBA program at Mount Gambier Hospital,” Dr Tan says.
“This provides Mount Gambier Hospital with a platform to not only attract medical leaders of the future, but also promote the Limestone Coast as a wonderful place to live and work.”
Candidates will be ranked according to their commitment to working as a clinician on the Limestone Coast, coupled with their interest in rural generalist practice or a specialist discipline currently in under-supply in the region.
“I am looking forward to the WBA program commencing and to helping progress the future Australian medical careers of our international medical graduates,” Dr Tan says.
Professor Jennene Greenhill, the Director of Flinders Rural Health South Australia, says the program allows Flinders University to provide “an important service for international medical graduates who provide essential services to people in our rural communities”.
“This is an excellent new venture that offers a flexible rural training pathway and will allow medical graduates to train while delivering much-needed services in Mount Gambier,” Professor Greenhill says.
For more details regarding the WBA program, go to the Flinders University website