CoastCityCountry Training

Prevocational General Practice Placement Program

This page has been created on the CCCGPT website to assist anyone seeking to learn more about the PGPPP program run in the CCCGPT region. During the second half of 2010 as implementation of an additional 13 PGPPP posts continues, this page will be used as the prime means of updating all stakeholders about PGPPP implementation.

Updates undertaken in July have focused on providing testimonials from Doctors who have already undertaken the program. Additional testimonials will be added as we receive them. Our aim is to provide the largest cross section possible of experiences to help JMOs decide if the PGPPP experience is for them.

If you are a JMO please do not leave the site without reading the testimonials or downloading the FAQs for JMOs document.

Gain a broader understanding of patient care, the GP's role as the care manager in coordinating Allied Services and work in teams. Experience clinical autonomy, with continuity of care in patients with acute and chronic medical problems, preventative care and patient education
Receive unprecedented access to personalised teaching as well as team based learning in a vertically integrated education programme with GP Registrars and Medical Students. An excellent educational experience with individual supervision and mentoring by experienced and committed GP Supervisors who provide planned, structured teaching to support the clinical experience
Extend communication and consultation skills and enhance awareness of the breadth and depth of Medical services, Allied health, Indigenous and Community care services
Extend the skills developed in a hospital setting and increase your confidence in a community context which will. Include procedural medicine such as surgery, emergency medicine, anaesthetics and obstetrics
Develop a profound understanding of human culture and the importance of holistic care which includes the critical aspect of the context of a patient's life through exposure to family care across multiple generations
Develop a greater understanding of the Australian Health Care system, its potential and its limitations and how general practice interfaces with specialist care/services
An invaluable educational experience giving you Insight into the small business nature of private clinical practice (Observe a professional small business in operation to give you tools and knowledge to set up your own business.

Junior Doctors consult patients independently with access to close on-site supervision from Senior GPs.
Education is tailored specifically to your individual needs and delivered via in-practice teaching, hospitals tutorials and GP Registrar training days.
During your term, you remain an employee of your hospital and continue to be paid and accrue leave entitlements in the usual way.
All accommodation and travel costs are covered.
Furnished accommodation is provided for all JMOs rotating away from their home hospital to rural and regional practices.

"Whatever specialty you're looking at, you won't regret the great learning experience" Dr Emma Gilchrist

"I was already sure I wanted to be a GP, but my PGPPP placement in Gundagai gave me the chance to give general practice a try before committing to a training program. I enjoyed the mix of general practice and hospital work in a rural practice, and it confirmed for me that this was definitely the kind of work I wanted to do.

It was also nice to do something different from the usual ward based rotations offered in the hospital. It was a refreshing change to feel respected by both patients and staff, to have a bit more autonomy and to work patients up from their first presentation.

I enjoyed my PGPPP placement so much, I not only became a GP Registrar with CCCGPT, but went back to Gundagai for my first term as a Registrar!"

"Try before you buy" Dr Ruimin Ma

"Gundagai Medical Centre is a small family medical practice operated and owned by Dr Virginia Wrice and Dr Paul Mara. The Centre offers spacious consultation rooms, state of the art IT equipment and more importantly, has a multidisciplinary health team with excellent team work. Supervisors are very supportive with varied teaching measures, such as direct observations, case discussions, bedside teaching etc.

A wide range of presentations made my daily work challenging and very interesting. I gained valuable VMO experience doing hospital work in a friendly work environment with experienced and helpful nursing staff, cooperative and supportive colleagues.

CCCT were very supportive providing excellent orientation and the CCCT GPR weekly Tele tutorials were very useful.

My term was a great way of experiencing GP and VMO work, confirming General Practice is the right career choice."

"It has totally changed my views..." Dr Lilly Chen

"I was honoured to be the first junior doctor to experience a PGPPP placement at Milton Medical Centre (MMC). It has totally changed my views of being a GP especially a rural GP.

I found the term was challenging and the most rewarding medicine I have undertaken. Most importantly, I realised that rural GPs were not only GPs, but also GP obstetricians, GP anaesthetists, GP surgeons and so much more at the same time. I enjoyed the mix and variety of General Practice, Nursing Home visits and hospital work, as well as the 9-5 lifestyle. My family also enjoyed visiting me in Milton at weekends.

There was a steep learning curve but my supervisors and CCCGPT have been excellent in providing lots of support and giving me independence. It was a great term. I was challenged, rewarded, excited and had lots of fun.

I would like to thank everyone involved (CCCGPT, Wollongong Hospital, Dr Brett Thomson and other supervisors and staff of MMC) in providing me the opportunity to try the world of general practice, and helping cement my decision to join the GP training program with CCCGPT.

I highly recommend PGPPP to all JMOs whether or not you are thinking about General Practice as a career."

"We've Only Just Begun" Dr Henry Tang

"I have undertaken a PGPPP rotation as part of my PGY2 training at the Wollongong Hospital. My placement is at Milton Medical Centre - a wonderful medical practice with a number of dedicated and reputable general practitioners.

It's an incredible experience of medicine which has been surprising me almost every day. It is amazing to see the range of issues. Consultations vary from skin to mental health to surgical to paeds; and that can be four consecutive consultations!

The flexibility of my work life also allows me to have a great work-life balance, and I'm sure this balance makes me a better doctor in the long run.

A big thank you to CCCT for organising such a wonderful term for JMOs to gain practical experience across the broad range of medicine and try out life as a true general practitioner (especially thank Dr Millers for ongoing personal mentoring).

I do enjoy this term so much and would like to share my experience with other JMOs after going back to the hospital. The first one will be my wife Cindy - another JMO who will start this term at the end of this year!

I have already applied for fellowship with CCCGPT and look forward to starting the GP training with CCCT from next year. PGPPP term definitely has increased my confidence and independence for future GP training and work environments.

So much of life ahead.

We'll find a place where there's room to grow. And yes, we've only just begun..."

"PGPPP - better than good from many perspectives" Dr Amali Mallawaarachichi

I had an invaluable experience during my PGPPP term in Gundagai. Although I was planning to undergo physician training, I was happy to do a PGPPP term and am really glad I did!

The term was a great learning experience for many reasons. Working in the Gundagai Medical Centre and at the Gundagai District Hospital allowed me to see an amazing breadth of pathology and made me realise how different practicing medicine is without endless tests and machines at your fingertips!

The term was one of my first exposures to outpatient medicine, and this is something I really appreciated. I had already been working at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and knew many of the staff there particularly those in the Emergency Department and it was very interesting to be on "the other end" of the process during my PGPPP term.

I would strongly recommend this experience as a rotation to give anyone working in Australian Health, regardless of their career plans, a holistic view of the relationships between small and tertiary referral hospitals, GPs and other providers of primary health care and specialists.