Key points
- Medical specialist colleges are already recognising the potential of diversifying training opportunities and many are planning some increase to the proportion of training in settings outside public hospitals.
- Specialist trainees working in settings other than public teaching hospitals gain experience in the diagnosis and management of patients with complex and chronic diseases, as well as common conditions, in the settings in which they are treated.
- Specialist trainees will have further opportunity to develop communication skills and skills in multidisciplinary team care in a range of settings.
- There is a range of existing and pilot projects in most specialties around Australia that provide opportunities for specialist training in private hospitals, private practices, rural settings, community-based team practices and non-clinical settings.
- Appropriate resources are needed to provide effective experiences for specialist trainees including high quality supervision and adequate training opportunities, support for the professional development of supervisors and trainees, access to educational resources, and setting-specific infrastructure requirements.
- It is important that high quality training in public teaching hospitals is not compromised by more diverse training settings, and that the capacity for teaching and infrastructure in these hospitals is maintained.