A Guide to Working Abroad for Australian Medical Students and Junior Doctors

Global health training and postgraduate medical education in Australia: the case for greater integration

“…Among colleges, mechanisms for determining if overseas rotations can be accredited towards fellowship are variable 15 . Some have relatively well defined pathways — the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, for instance, has created a specific option for trainees to undertake accredited training in a resource‐poor environment with arrangements for remote supervision 20 .…”

“…In the absence of formal arrangements, access to GH experiences is limited by a number of factors, including a lack of recognition from educational providers, suboptimal supervision arrangements, limited access to cultural competency training, competing training commitments, family responsibilities, loss of income and safety concerns 2 , 14 , 15 . As a result, vocational trainees interested in working abroad tend to do so outside formal training programs and often through non‐governmental organisations or volunteer placement agencies.…”

“…Several published examples illustrate how GH rotations can work in practice 15 , 22 , 23 . Characteristically, these include service delivery and education components based on mutually agreed learning and development objectives.…”

“…Trainees are increasingly accessing GH learning and networking activities, including Global Health Gateway (an online resource: http://www.globalhealthgateway.org.au), the Global Ideas Forum (a conference for early career health professionals:http://www.globalideasforum.org) and Global Health Drinks (an informal experience‐sharing forum in Sydney:http://www.globalhealthdrinks.org). The development of A guide to working abroad for Australian medical students and junior doctors , published as an eSupplement to this Journal, is also indicative of the interest in the area 15 …”

“…Fortunately, there is no shortage of guidance to inform the process 3 . ‐ 5 , 9 , 15 , 24 , 29 Particularly relevant are previously defined competencies for Australian health professionals working in international health, including in technical, cultural and interpersonal domains 29 . Ethical principles for Australian junior doctors practising in overseas settings have also been published and provide a platform for more substantive guidelines 18…”