The College this week caught up with Registrar Director on the College Board, Dr Danielle Dries, to reflect on what ACRRM-led training means for registrars:
"As the Registrar Director on the board I cannot be more excited that ACRRM-led training is finally here. Like many ACRRM registrars and Fellows, my passion for rural health comes from many things – the small team collaboration and profound trust in your colleagues, the flexible lifestyle and the vast and diverse options for training both clinically as well as environmentally with beauty in the countryside, beachside, mountainside and desert.
There are unique challenges of thinking outside the box, being creative and utilising resources, as well as having a stronger autonomy in your work and outcomes, providing extended services and care in health gaps. A desire to improve systems, and something that I have heard more and more during my training is ‘clinical courage’, a concept which is both terrifying and exciting and stands out as a Rural Generalist. All of these things inspire and motivate me to maximise my potential with a career in rural and remote medicine.
And, just like many ACRRM registrars and Fellows, I want to be able to build a career around who I am, which includes my family, my community, and my interests outside of medicine. I started my training with AGPT in NSW, I then transferred to QLD but had to shift my training organisation again to complete my Obstetrics and Gynaecology training. After my training then took a turn with a baby, maternity leave and a move overseas with my family, I transferred to Independent Pathway. If I was under College-led training, my training platforms and those supporting my training would have remained consistent and I would have been able to build relationships. This is not only important to easily manage training placements and have consistent training advice, but to identify if registrars need further support, and gives registrars confidence in seeking support from a trusted medical educator or director in training."