Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP)
The Prevocational General Practice Placements Program (PGPPP) allows doctors in postgraduate years one to three (PGY 1-3) to ‘taste’ a variety of specialities, including General Practice.
Under the SGPT-administered program in Gippsland, hospital based, postgraduate years PGY 1, 2 and 3 doctors are able to gain experience in general practice during their hospital time. This is through a 10, 12, 20 or 22 week placement for PGY 1 doctors and a 13 week placement for PGY 2/3 doctors.
The program is funded under a grant from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, in Gippsland a number of organisations work together to deliver the PGPPP. SGPT is the program provider (fund holder) who administers PGPPP in Gippsland on behalf of GPET.
The General Practice placement should provide you with an opportunity to manage a variety of patients in a highly supportive clinical setting. A Junior Doctor should anticipate a patient case load of 40 to 70 patients per week, with a booking of one or two patients per hour.
For interns a ‘Parallel’ consultation model (also known as WAVE or Confluence), will normally be used in which;
• Patients will make appointments to see the PGPPP doctor and a space will be left vacant in the supervising GP’s appointment book.
• When the junior doctor has formulated their diagnosis and management, the supervisor will then see the doctor and patient in a joint review, where the diagnosis and management is discussed with input from the supervising doctor.
• Time is available at the end of each session for the junior doctor and the supervisor to provide feedback and identify learning needs.
At the moment SGPT supports five General Practice Training Sites. These organisations are;
Feeder Hospitals |
Training Hospital |
Practice |
Placement Description |
Year Level |
Length |
N/A |
|
PGY 2/3 |
13 Weeks |
||
N/A |
Heyfield Medical Centre |
|
PGY 1 |
10/12 Weeks |
|
N/A |
Heyfield Medical Centre |
|
PGY 1 |
10/12 Weeks |
|
N/A |
Trafalgar Medical Centre |
|
PGY 1 |
10/12 Weeks |
|
|
PGY 1 |
10/12 Weeks |
|||
|
PGY 1 |
10/20/22 Weeks |
The PGPPP began in 2005 as a pilot program that trialled the supervision and training of junior doctors in general practice.
It has become a popular training option for prevocational doctors, particularly so in Gippsland. This is because it offers junior doctors an opportunity to have hands on rural general practice experience.
These experiences can include procedural medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, anaesthetics and obstetrics. As well doctors have the opportunity to work as a GP does, being directly involved with their patients and in the continuity of their care.
All these experiences are provided in a supervised and highly supportive training environment where there is always the opportunity to receive immediate feedback and assistance and to be mentored by experienced General Practitioners.
All training is based on the Royal Australian College of General Practice (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) curricula and this has been scoped and tailored to meet the requirements of the Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors.
For further information on the PGPPP, please contact
Karen Alexander
at SGPT.
For information on how to apply for a PGPPP placement, please click here.
PGPPP Testimonials
Wonthaggi Medical Group/Bass Coast Regional Health
"My PGPPP placement has been a highlight of my Intern year and was spent with time in General Practice, ED and Anaesthetics. The broad spectrum of presentations I saw working within the Wonthaggi Medical Group has been invaluable and the focus on education in both the GP and Hospital settings was outstanding. I was able to understand the essential role a General Practitioner plays as the primary medical carer, and learn key aspects of preventative medicine and the management of chronic disease. Through working in a regional Emergency Department and with time focused solely on Anaesthetics, opportunities to practice essential practical skills were endless. I would recommend this rotation to any Intern or HMO."
Dr Stephanie White
PGPPP Intern, 2009
Cunninghame Arm Medical Centre
Imagine practicing medicine in a place, where 5 minutes from your practice was the 90 mile beach, where you are not a slave to your pagers, you get an actual lunch break, and where work is a 2 minute drive with no peak hour traffic – this is – the PGPPP position at Cunninghame Arm Medical Centre in Lakes Entrance. I had the privilege of taking part in this rotation as a PGY2 from Eastern Health. After practicing there for 12 weeks, I was a converted. I enjoyed the autonomy of seeing and managing my own patients as well as the assurance of knowing that help was only a door-knock away. I enjoyed the lunch time meetings where teaching was a part of the culture of this practice. I loved being a part of the rural community. Although it was 4 hours from Melbourne this became my second home for the 3 months. As if all this wasn’t enough, I am sure CAMC had the best tea room view in the whole of Victoria.
Imagine practicing medicine in a place, where 5 minutes from your practice was the 90 mile beach, where you are not a slave to your pagers, you get an actual lunch break, and where work is a 2 minute drive with no peak hour traffic – this is – the PGPPP position at Cunninghame Arm Medical Centre in Lakes Entrance. I had privilege of taking part in this rotation as a PGY2 from Eastern Health. After practicing there for 12 weeks, I was a convert. I enjoyed the autonomy of seeing and managing my own patients as well as the assurance of knowing that help was only a door-knock away. I enjoyed the lunch time meetings where teaching was a part of the culture of this practice. I loved been a part of the rural community. Although it was 4 hours from Melbourne this became my second home for the 3 months. As if all this wasn’t enough I am sure CAMC had the best tea room view in the whole of Victoria.
Dr Niroshe Amarasekera
PGPPP PGY2, 2009
My mornings began with anaesthetics and assisting in surgery at Leongatha. For anyone wanting surgical experience, this is PGY1’s best kept secret. I assisted with surgical lists including ophthalmology, ENT, general surgery, urology, scopes, orthopaedics & O&G with one-on-one teaching across the board. Airway management skills including drug administration, ETT & LMA placement were practiced every morning under supervision of the anaesthetist.
Afternoons were spent in General Practice in Korumburra. Within a small community it was wonderful to follow a patient through my rotation and manage many generations of family members. I saw patients across the lifespan from newborn to palliation, assisted with minor procedures and managed both chronic and acute disease.
Evenings were spent at the gym attending boxing or circuit classes with local nurses & patients and then watching the sunset followed by the most spectacular star gazing imaginable.
Weekends were spent exploring South Gippsland and the surrounds including the breathtaking spit at Venus Bay, camping at 90 mile beach, a jog along the beach at Inverloch, local wineries and learning Korumburra’s history at Coal Creek.
No traffic, no pager, minimal paperwork and fabulous support. I cannot imagine any other rotation could provide such a broad range of experiences and such a solid foundation on which to base the rest of my Intern year.
Dr Eleanor Bott
PGPPP Intern, 2010