EDUCATORS want to see Tamworth become a highly-sought after training location for medical and health students looking for a regional pathway.
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Local health professions think Tamworth is a genuine chance at becoming a “regional training hub” for students and young medicos.
The University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health (UONDRH) has applied for a federal grant to help create more health career pathways in the region.
“We have put in a grant to the Commonwealth government for a regional training hub, which will provide money to support senior clinicians to mentor and work with the specialist colleges to get more training happening here,” Dr Jenny May said.
The director of the Tamworth department, Dr May said the goal was “providing pathways”, allowing students to complete up to 60 per cent of their specialist training in town.
“Obviously, there are many specialities that are not suited to being ruralised and regionalised to that extent,” she said.
“But, there are many specialities in which we can, with clinicians support and their supervision, increase the amount of training that’s available.”
Dr May said the department should know whether they have secured the grant by late-February.
“The university has gone for that grant in collaboration with the health service,” she said.
“With the express purpose of increasing the amount of training you can get from being a student right through to being a clinician who is retained in our community,”
While it would be a big boost to the educational service provided through the department, Dr May said a lot of the work is done already in Tamworth.
“To be honest, I think it’s our core business full-stop,” she said.
“Many of the clinicians who work in the area, their major interest is succession-planning; making sure there’s a viable service when they retire.”