Intern Application Process | Interns (PGY1) | Students | Overseas Trained Doctors | Health Service Personnel
2010 Intern Application Process - Information for Applicants
Royal Perth Hospital
Overview
Working in Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) is a stimulating and rewarding experience for doctors. As Western Australia’s largest teaching hospital, RPH delivers health services of the highest international standard in a friendly and supportive environment.
As a leading teaching hospital and the State Trauma and Burns Centre in WA, Royal Perth Hospital is one of Australia's busiest hospitals. With the second largest trauma workload in the country and one of the busiest Emergency Departments, RPH provides excellent educational and skill development opportunities for junior doctors.
The Hospital offers a broad range of experience in all clinical fields of adult medicine (except Obstetrics and Gynaecology). RPH provides candidates with a challenging and rewarding career where you can "realise your potential."
Royal Perth Hospital aims to provide a work place that is conducive to education and training including high quality undergraduate and postgraduate/specialist programs. The hospital is nationally and internationally recognised for its continuing contribution to the world of health care. RPH has a distinguished international record in patient care, teaching and research, hosting Nobel Prize-winning research and world-leading experts.
The Hospital employs approximately 490 senior and 550 junior medical staff. Areas of excellence include trauma, heart and lung transplantation, burns, bone marrow transplantation, stroke medicine, rehabilitation medicine and the associated Western Australian Institute for Medical Research.
RPH takes patients from across WA. Each year the hospital treats about 71,000 in-patients, has about 380,000 outpatient attendances and 58,000 presentations to the recently refurbished and extended Emergency Department.
Location
Royal Perth is on two sites: the Wellington Street Campus (650 beds), which is in the heart of Perth City with retail shopping, theatres, restaurants and cafes within easy walking distance of the hospital. The Shenton Park Campus (170 beds) is located 6km west of Perth City. Kings Park and the Swan River are close to both campuses. Coastal beaches are 12 kilometres from the City.
Term Rotations
The internship year has 5 terms:- two surgical and two medical placements and all interns have an Emergency Department rotation. The RPH terms are linked in groups to provide a balanced experience and to meet the requirement for registration by the Medical Board.
We encourage good general exposure for interns, regardless of their eventual career choice. RPH Interns can nominate preferences for different combinations of terms over the year. Options comprise a combination of general surgical, specialty surgery, general or specialty medicine, geriatrics or orthopaedics. Offsite placements include Shenton Park Campus, Bentley Hospital, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie or Port Hedland Regional Hospitals. There are also opportunities for interns to gain exposure to a variety of subspecialties. See the RPH website for further rotation details www.rph.wa.gov.au/internstwo.html. Applicants will be asked to indicate a preference for terms when an offer of employment is made.
Orientation
Royal Perth Hospital has a five (5) day paid Intern Orientation Programme. This focuses on small group interactive sessions to address the practical skills required by the intern when they begin on the wards the following week.
Education Program
RPH is well known for its delivery of educational programs across a broad range of specialties. There is protected educational program time for interns. This twice-weekly program is overseen by consultants and senior registrars, and comprises in-depth discussion of clinical problems faced by the interns. There is also an active skills development program for junior doctors, including an on-site level 2 patient simulator. These complement the strong RPH ethos for effective bedside teaching.
Many resident positions are recognised for postgraduate training by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and there are college-approved training posts at registrar level for the specialist Colleges with the exception of Obstetrics and Paediatrics.
The Postgraduate Medical Education Department (PGME) comprises a dedicated and friendly team focused on supporting positive JMO experiences at RPH. A Director of Postgraduate Medical Education, Directors of Clinical Training, Medical Education Officers and Senior Registrars in Medical, Surgical and Emergency Education oversee the Pre-vocational Training Program. The Postgraduate Team are always happy to listen and provide appropriate support to meet the needs of RPH Junior Medical Staff. Basic Physician and Basic Surgical Training programs are also in place and are well supported.
There are weekly Grand Rounds on Wednesdays and Registrar Rounds on Fridays where interesting clinical material is presented. Individual department journals and textbooks complement a well equipped library on site. The hospital has on-line access to Clinical Databases and texts. RPH is very much enveloped in a culture of “willingness to teach and help others”.
Facilities
Interns have access to a doctors’ common room, which has amenities including Foxtel and computer access. The hospital has a well-equipped gymnasium, swimming pool, tennis and squash Courts. The Resident Medical Officers Society organises regular morning teas, Friday night drinks and other social functions as part of the well-established RMO Social Scene.
Royal Perth Hospital is more than a set of buildings; it is a community of committed and highly trained people, working together in many different specialty areas.
Further information
Further enquiries can be addressed to:
Ms Joyce O’Hara
Senior Administrative Assistant
Telephone: (08) 9224 2294
Email: joyce.o'hara@health.wa.gov.au
Prof. Richard Tarala
Director of Post Graduate Medical Education
Telephone: (08) 9224 7091
Email: richard.tarala@health.wa.gov.au
Website: www.rph.wa.gov.au
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