QRME Education Program Info

Learning Plans

A learning plan is defined in GPET’s Policies and Guidelines as:  A plan setting out the Registrar’s proposed learning activities for a specified period. The GP Supervisor/Trainer must assist the Registrar in the development of a learning plan by week four of each six months of training.  The Registrar should discuss this with the QRME Medical Educator and submit a copy to QRME.

Mandatory Learning Activities

All education release workshops are mandatory for Term Registrars in their GP terms.

Workshops missed must be made up through an agreed plan of action.

Courses external to QRME may be counted towards Registrar training.  However, approval must be obtained from QRME prior to attending. The remaining six days are to be arranged by the Registrar.  QRME Medical Educators take a broad view of what is educationally relevant and appropriate for Registrar initiated educational release activities.  Some examples may be courses in EMST or APLS, Acupuncture, Emergency Medicine etc. or attendance at RDAQ or WONCA conferences.  Registrar participation in regional CME activity will be actively encouraged and supported.  QRME aims for the integration of education and streamlining CME and Registrar training.

External Clinical Teaching Visits (ECT Visits)

An ECT Visit involves an experienced GP from outside the Registrar’s current practice, observing the Registrar during his/her consultations over a three – four hour session and providing feedback on aspects of those consultations.  ECT visits constitute part of the Registrar’s formative assessment and are utilised as a teaching opportunity.  Although rather confronting at first, they are universally rated by Registrars as extremely valuable learning experiences. ECT visits are arranged in advance at a time convenient to the Registrar, the GP Supervisor and the ECT Visitor. A report is compiled by the ECT Visitor highlighting areas where the Registrar has achieved the required level of competence and also where further development is required.

Rural Medicine Advanced

This group based learning focuses on the recognition and understanding of the critical steps required in resolving a clinical problem. During the second semester of a Registrar’s first year in private general practice, registrars will design four key feature problems (KFPs) based on cases encountered during their placement. Supervisors offer feedback to the registrar before presenting to their allocated group. This group is facilitated by a QRME Medical Educators in Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg and online. At the end of the program, all KFPs are distributed to registrars to aid in their exam preparation.

The final semester in 2011 focused on rural general practice internal medicine in the fields of gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, neurology and nephrology.

GP Supervisors/Trainers, Teachers and Medical Educators

GP Supervisors/Trainers from private practices and accredited GP rural hospitals are QRME’s key teaching staff.  They are experienced General Practitioners/rural doctors in QRME’s accredited teaching practices.

External Clinical Teachers

In addition, QRME utilises experienced General Practitioners/rural doctors as external clinical teachers (ECTs) who visit Registrars in Training Practices to supplement the teaching provided by the practice.

Medical Educators

Medical Educators (ME’s) are experienced General Practitioners with educational expertise.  Medical educators provide educational programs, Registrar support and teacher training and are involved in the implementation of the training program.  Medical Educators act as training advisors, and help Registrars develop learning goals and plans to meet their needs.

Liaison Officers

The Registrar Liaison Officers are appointed by the Registrars for a two year term. The RLOs facilitate Registrar input into the development, implementation and evaluation of the QRME Training program and represents QRME Registrars with the General Practice Registrars Association (GPRA).

The Supervisor Liaison Officer role is to act as a local reference person for all GP Supervisors for issues of concern, for support, and to encourage development of the significant role of the Supervisor/Trainer in the Registrars educational experience.

The Training Liaison Officer’s primary role is the representation of clinical training and research opportunities for Supervisors and Registrars.

The Family Liaison Officer is to assist Registrars and their families before, during and on settling into a new area. Coordination of financial assistance and provision of a contact to local Registrars in the area. As well as a Partner’s/Movers pack to anyone requesting it.

Supervisor Liaison Officers

Tim Lloyd-Morgan

Jim McConochie

Registrar Liaison Officers

Charles Mudimu – South (email RLOS@qrme.org.au)

Kit Haydock – North Coast (email RLONC@qrme.org.au)

Chris Barry – Central Qld (email RLOCQ@qrme.org.au)