Urban doctors earn $2,000 per day for rural emergency locum training

The Rural LEAP program offers urban GPs (working in RA 1) paid emergency medicine training in exchange for undertaking locum placements in rural or regional areas. You complete a maximum of three days approved emergency medicine training and are paid $2,000 per day. In return, you agree to ... More ...
Reminder for Fellows to notify PDP activities in 2011
The College is currently processing PDP members’ activity data for 2011, the first year of the current triennium. If you attended activities during year but have not sent in certification, please send it tothe PDP team by email – pdpacrrm [dot] org [dot] au - or fax to 07 3105 8299, marked ‘Attention PDP’.

Fellows invited to conduct pre-employment interviews with IMGs

ACRRM last year conducted more than 180 Pre-employment Structured Clinical Interviews (PESCIs) with international medical graduates in Queensland. The College is now accredited by the Australian Medical Council to also conduct PESCIs in South Australia and Tasmania. If you are a Fellow practising in Queensland, South Australia or Tasmania, and would like to be on interview panels in your state, please email Annelise Carter (a [dot] carteracrrm [dot] org [dot] au).

ACRRM ALS course: Burnie, Tasmania

To ensure optimum benefit from this hands-on training course, numbers are strictly limited to 20. Run and accredited by ACRRM, the one-day Advanced Life Support (ALS) course equips general practitioners to manage common emergencies in rural practice, incorporating key aspects of advanced life support skills in accordance with the Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines. It will be held in Burnie, Tasmania, 3 March 2012.  To secure your place, complete the short online registration form on the College website.

Emergency medicine workshop: intro to ultrasound

This ACRRM/Sonosite introductory level workshop is designed for rural emergency medicine/critical care physicians and general practitioners with little or no prior ultrasound experience. It includes ultrasound physics and knobology, FAST, AAA and other relevant instruction. The workshop is limited to 20 participants.  To secure your place, please complete the online registration form on the College website.

Is your AHPRA registration up to date?

Medicare Australia will in future be relying on the Specialists Register to determine eligibility for Medicare specialist rebates. The accuracy of practitioners’ listing on the Specialists Register, including your specialty, with any field of specialty practice, will guide Medicare Australia in determining whether patients are able to access a specialist rebate. Read the briefing note on the Board’s website and ensure that your information on the Specialist Register is correct.

Pneumovax 23: revaccination update

The Therapeutic Goods Administration advises that revaccination with Pneumovax 23 can be undertaken in accordance with the approved Product Information (PI). In summary, revaccination should not be given routinely to immunocompetent individuals (that is, those with a healthy immune system). It should be considered for patients at a high risk of serious pneumococcal disease, provided that at least five years has passed since the previous dose of Pneumovax 23. Read the full update on the TGA website.

GPs invited to review NPS information on depression

GPs with an interest in psychiatry and depression are required by NPS to review content to be published in its newsletter and Prescribing Practice Review. Remuneration is offered to GPs who agree to do regular reviews. NPS is an independent, not-for-profit, evidence-based organisation supporting better decisions about medicines and medical tests. It is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. For more information, please contact Keinwen Shephard at NPS on 02 8217 8784 or KShephardnps [dot] org [dot] au.

Free special issue: Climate Change and Health Promotion

The Australian Health Promotion Association has released a special issue of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia it hopes will ‘build knowledge and promote debate’ on the links between climate change and health promotion. You can download your free copy during January from the AHPA website.

Dates for your diary

RDA Western Australia procedural meeting: 27 to 29 April
The three-day procedural meeting will be held in Geraldton under the auspices of RDAWA. The scheduled events are ultrasound (for doctors and midwives), skin cancer surgery workshop, and a two-day ACRRM REST course. For more information, please contact Dr Kim Pedlow kimpedlowme [dot] com, or text you name and number to 0428 462 245.
ALS wilderness courses in New Zealand
Southland Wilderness Medicine Group will present three advanced wilderness life support events this year. The four-day or five day courses will be held in Queenstown and Tuatapere on New Zealand’s south island. Each is accredited for ACRRM PDP points. For more information, visit www.wildmed.co.nz or email WildMedxtra [dot] co [dot] nz.
The conference and scientific forum: Fremantle, 26 to 28 October 2012
Rural Medicine Australia 2012 will include the biennial scientific forum. This is an opportunity to turn your work into publishable research, and to hear from experienced practitioners and leading academics how rural and remote practice is faring and changing. The three-day event will be preceded by CPD-accredited one-day and two-day procedural workshops. Save the dates: 26 to 28 October 2012.