Basic and Advanced Physician Training

The Physician Training Unit works within the Department of Medicine to facilitate the education and professional growth of medical registrars. The aim is to train high-quality medical professionals within the framework of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) to become qualified specialist physicians.
The Unit has two levels of medical trainees under its supervision:

Basic Physician Trainees (BPTs)
Advanced Trainees (ATs)

Basic Physician Training (BPT)

The BPT training starts as early as Post Graduate Year 2 (PGY2), equivalent to Resident Medical Officer Year 1 (RMO 1). The RACP program encourages all medical officers with an interest in physician training to register with the college into the formal training program â€" Physician Readiness for Expert Practice (PREP). The BPT training program is three years in duration with the third year focused on formal examinations, including both a written and clinical exam.

The BPTs at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital are assigned to work within specialist medical teams under the supervision of Staff Specialists, Visiting Medical Officers and Advanced Trainees. The roles assigned to the BPTs can vary within departments including ward duty, consultation service and review of patients in the emergency department and outpatient clinics.
The range of specialty experience on offer at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital include:

Cardiology
Respiratory
Gastroenterology and hepatology
Critical care medicine (Intensive Care and Anaesthetics)
Medical oncology
Nephrology
Neurology
Endocrinology
Haematology
Immunology/Rheumatology
Aged Care
Infectious Disease and Ambulatory Care
Palliative Care
Admitting Medical Registrar in Emergency
Medical admissions unit (MAU)
Nights and Relief

Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital is unique in its training without any rural or remote secondment. It does provide medical registrars to Campbelltown Hospital for General Medicine.

The Educational Program

The PTU has an active educational program designed specially to train our BPTs to sit the FRACP Part 1 exams.
The Written Examination Program includes:

Sub-specialty lectures series: Held weekly in the year leading up to the written examination
Weekly journal club with intensive medical literature reviews directed at preparing for the written examination
Physician Education Program (PEP) lectures delivered via videoconference to the Hospital on a weekly basis
Active specialist involvement as Educational Supervisors and Professional Development Advisors
Allocated time off to attend a two-week intensive preparation course
Several written (MCQ) trial exams
Intensive MCQ Review Series prior to the exam

The Clinical Examination Program includes:

Daily short cases
Dedicated weekend short cases with experienced physicians from all medical disciplines
Rostered long case roster
Individual BPTs have mentors assigned
'Scorpios' subspecialty-based short cases to demonstrate focused clinical examination
Long case Master classes
Arranged exposures with other hospitals (organised on an individual basis)

Advanced Training

Upon completion of the FRACP Part 1 Examinations, BPTs apply for advanced training positions. Many of our BPTs stay at Liverpool for this next step in their career. Most specialties are on offer and the ATs provide an invaluable contribution to the medical service and education. The diverse variety of medical presentations and volume of work provide intense training for specialist medicine. Application for Advanced Training occurs soon after the Clinical Examinations and positions are competitive. Advice on how to apply needs to be directed to the respective department or the RACP.

Dedicated Facilities

The BPTs have access to a dedicated study and presentation room equipped with a computer and projector. Lectures and group tutorials are regularly booked into this room. It is also available for all trainees to use as a meeting place for study group sessions.

RMO Room

There is also access to the Resident Medical Officers room which has study areas, overnight rooms and bathroom facilities.

Location

The Physician Training Unit is located on Level 4 within Medical Administration. Access is via the Lifts found on Level 2 or 3 of Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.

Office hours:
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.00pm

Staff

The Physician Training Unit is run within the Department of Medicine at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital. The Unit is made of the following staff members:

Professor Shan Rajendra
Professor of Medicine
Staff Specialist Gastroenterologist
Phone: 02 9722 7749

Dr Sharon Paull
Director of Physician Training (DPT)
Staff Specialist Paediatrics
Email: sharon.paull@health.nsw.gov.au