12 Conferences and Events
Admin
Access to training and education opportunities is key to retaining medical practitioners in remote, rural and regional NSW.
Access to training and education opportunities is key to retaining medical practitioners in rural NSW.
For more information please contact the conferences and events team
Doctors are required to maintain skills through Continuing Professional Development (CPD)/Professional Development Program (PDP) activities to practise in Australia.
To support doctors in rural practice and medical students interested in a rural career, NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) hosts a range of CPD/PDP conferences and events, including two flagship annual family-friendly GP conferences.
Our conferences include:
Rural GP Refresher Conference
- one annual general CPD/PDP education update for GPs and medical students, held in March
New General Practitioner Orientation (NGPO) workshops
- face-to-face education for doctors new to general practice, via the New Rural GP Orientation Program
Proceduralist conferences – Anaesthetics and Obstetrics
- two annual interactive CPD/PDP conferences designed for rural GP Proceduralists held in May and August
- approved procedural grants available for GP Proceduralists
Outreach Forum
- one annual update and information sharing forum for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs), specialists, health administrators and Outreach service providers
Rurally-based CPD/PDP workshops
- four annual themed CPD/PDP workshops hosted in rural NSW locations. Workshop themes are identified through the Primary Health Workforce Needs Assessment (HWNA)
Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC of NSW) Deadly Doctors Forum
- one annual co-designed forum for GPs working in the Aboriginal health sector
Rural GPs Conference
- one annual general educational CPD/PDP conference offered to GPs and medical students, held in November
By attending our conferences, you will gain access to CPD/PDP through:
- peer group discussions and panels
- clinical lectures
- interactive simulation workshops
- non-clinical presentations.
Conferences are also an excellent opportunity to network with colleagues and peers and include live entertainment and special activities for partners and children.
RDN is a not-for-profit organisation. Its services are delivered in partnership and with support from the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH), the NSW Ministry of Health (MoH) and various community organisations. Recruitment support services are funded and subsequently provided free of charge. Some additional services may attract a fee where necessary.
Information correct as at January 2020.
For more information please contact the conferences and events team
This service may benefit
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13 Future Workforce
Admin
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) supports students interested in pursuing a rural health career by promoting rural practice pathways, facilitating student scholarship programs, supporting mentoring opportunities and providing opportunities for students to undertake rural experiences.
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) supports students interested in pursuing a rural health career by promoting rural practice pathways, facilitating student scholarship programs, supporting mentoring opportunities and providing opportunities for students to undertake rural experiences.
Support and programs include:
John Flynn Placement Program (JFPP)
JFPP gives undergraduate medical students the opportunity to experience clinical practice and the lifestyle in remote, rural and regional locations across Australia. Scholars are matched with a General Practitioner (GP) mentor, community contact and host, and undertake eight weeks of placement over a four year period.
Outreach Student Placement Program (OSPP)
The Outreach Student Placement Program provides medical, nursing and allied health students in NSW/ACT with the opportunity to shadow an Outreach provider in a rural or remote community.
Go Rural
RDN’s Go Rural road trips provide first and second year medical, nursing and allied health students the opportunity to visit rural and remote communities and experience first-hand the benefits of working rural. Students must be studying in NSW/ACT.
NSW Rural Resident Medical Officer Cadetship Program and Indigenous Cadetship Program
Eligible cadets receive up to $15,000 per year for the final two years of their medical degree and, in return, are required to undertake two of the first three years of their hospital training in an eligible rural NSW hospital.
Bush Bursary Country Women’s Association (CWA) Program
RDN facilitates the placement of medical, nursing and midwifery students in a rural town for two weeks during their university holidays. The placement is funded by local councils and the CWA to provide students with a holistic rural experience.
National Rural Health Student Network (NRHSN)
The NRHSN is a multidisciplinary student health network, focused on encouraging the pursuit of rural health careers and providing a voice for students interested in improving health outcomes for rural and remote Australians. NRHSN has more than 9,000 members who belong to 28 university Rural Health Clubs.
NSW Medical Undergraduates Program
RDN administers NSW Undergraduate Funding Grants on behalf of NSW Health to support the travel and accommodation costs for medical students’ short-term rural placements (up to eight weeks).
High school student support
RDN assists high school students to gain an understanding of rural primary health careers and university life through school career expos and information evenings, liaising with parents, conducting interactive workshops at schools and directing students to potential health career contacts.
Information correct as at January 2020.
For more information please contact our future workforce team
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14 Fellowship Support
Admin
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) is committed to supporting doctors on their pathway to Fellowship and can assess individual needs to provide tailored support.
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) is committed to supporting doctors on their pathway to Fellowship and can assess individual needs to provide tailored support.
RDN understands every Non-Vocationally Registered Doctor’s objective is to achieve Fellowship. Exam preparation is key to achieving the best outcome and we want to ensure you have access to the appropriate support and funding to be best prepared.
Support includes:
- considering your individual needs
- connecting you with the appropriate course(s) to maximise your learning outcomes
- providing you with funding through the Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP) to support your development needs (if eligible).
Doctors who can benefit from Fellowship support include:
- doctors enrolled on the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP) and are independently working towards Fellowship
- doctors with temporary residency not enrolled on a 3GA program and are independently working towards Fellowship
- doctors enrolled on the Five-Year Overseas Trained Doctors Scheme.
RDN is a not-for-profit organisation. Its services are delivered in partnership and with support from the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH), the NSW Ministry of Health (MoH) and various community organisations. Recruitment support services are funded and subsequently provided free of charge. Some additional services may attract a fee where necessary.
Information correct as at January 2020.
For more information please contact our recruitment team
This service may benefit
Related Information
15 ICT Advisory and Support
Admin
Technology is essential for any medical practice to operate successfully. NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) is highly experienced in managing data, technological risk, infrastructure and more, and can share this vast knowledge with remote, rural and regional practices.
Technology is essential for any medical practice to operate successfully. NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) is highly experienced in managing data, technological risk, infrastructure and more, and can share this vast knowledge with remote, rural and regional practices.
Whether it be to store clinical records, support e-health initiatives, process Medicare Billings, implement telehealth, plan professional development, manage cases, or access emails and surveys, health staff are increasingly dependent on technology.
Lost data or problems with practice technology can impact a practice’s ability to operate. Health organisations are also being targeted for cyber attacks, meaning technical and data security is critical.
RDN understands that many small and isolated general practices and primary health practices do not have equitable, sufficient and cost-effective access to technical resources to help maintain and improve their technology infrastructure.
RDN can assist remote, rural and regional practices to set up reliable and robust systems and provide advice on best practice in data management.
Contact us to find out how we can support you.
Information correct as at January 2020.
For more information please contact the ICT Support Team
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16 Primary Health Care Workforce Data Service
Admin
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) maintains an extensive rural primary health care workforce database and can support requests for workforce data.
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) maintains an extensive rural primary health care workforce database and can support requests for workforce data.
For more information please contact our Information and Translation team
Understanding the demographics, trends, and nuances of the rural primary health care workforce is integral to the equitable workforce distribution and health of rural communities.
As the designated Rural Workforce Agency (RWA) for NSW, RDN has developed and maintains an extensive rural primary health care workforce database, which includes data on General Practitioners (GPs), general practices, allied health and outreach services.
The database is informed by workforce surveys and through RDN operational workforce activities.
RDN uses workforce data to produce an annual Health Workforce Needs Assessment (HWNA) that informs RDN’s workforce planning activities, and can support data requests for research and publications, workforce planning, policy development and other purposes, subject to privacy, confidentiality and ethics considerations.
RDN also supports collaboration opportunities, contributions of evidence to the sector, and data linkage that contribute to improved rural health outcomes.
Information correct as at January 2020.
For more information please contact our Information and Translation team
This service may benefit
Related Information
17 More Doctors for Rural Australia Program
Admin
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) administers the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP) and facilitates access to Medicare Provider Numbers for doctors to gain experience working as a rural General Practitioner (GP) before joining a Fellowship training program.
NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) administers the More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP) and facilitates access to Medicare Provider Numbers for doctors to gain experience working as a rural General Practitioner (GP) before joining a Fellowship training program.
RDN administers the MDRAP on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH).
It is our responsibility to enrol eligible doctors on the program and support them while they work towards joining a Fellowship training program.
Support for MDRAP doctors includes:
- facilitating access to a Medicare provider number
- working with you to assess your individual needs and identify strategies to support you joining a Fellowship training program
- connecting you to the appropriate course(s) to maximise your learning outcomes
- access to funding through the Health Workforce Scholarship Program (HWSP) to support your development needs (if eligible)
- access to grants for site visits, relocation, education and training and RDN annual conferences for eligible applicants
- guidance on the registration process for International Medical Graduates (IMGs)
- advice and guidance on related workforce programs and legislation
- face-to-face education for doctors new to general practice, through the ‘New GP Orientation Program’
- welcome kits upon starting a new role, connecting you with information, services and networks
- ongoing post-placement support.
RDN is a not-for-profit organisation. Its services are delivered in partnership and with support from the Australian Government Department of Health (DoH), the NSW Ministry of Health (MoH) and various community organisations. Recruitment support services are funded and subsequently provided free of charge. Some additional services may attract a fee where necessary.