Support projects

The RANZCP has received Australian Government funding under the Specialist Training Program (STP) to deliver the following support projects during 2022:

Supporting Regional, Rural and Remote Training

The 2020 Specialist Training Program (STP) Scoping Project led to the creation of the Rural Psychiatry Roadmap 2021–31: A pathway to equitable and sustainable rural mental health services, the purpose of which is to deliver the RANZCP Fellowship Program in rural locations, with an emphasis on generalist psychiatry and an intention to maximise training opportunities and consequently increase the availability of psychiatrists in rural areas.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathway Project

Deliverables to support the recruitment and retention of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychiatry workforce include:

November 2022 facilitated a Trainee Forum for trainees who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, to gain input on how to better attract and support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce in psychiatry.
Delivered a short course workshop on exploring the various aspects of psychiatry, aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students and junior doctors in October 2022.
Continuing the RANZCP’s collaborative partnership with the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA) with a significant presence at the annual AIDA conference.

Rural Trainee Forums 2022

Funded by the STP, the RANZCP strengthened their commitment to supporting trainees in regional, rural and remote STP funded posts (including IRTP, Tasmanian Project posts and Psychiatry Workforce Program posts) by hosting two Rural Trainee Forums in 2022.
The Rural Trainee Forums were held virtually and provided an opportunity for trainees to come together, network and discuss the challenges of rural training.
The first Rural Trainee Forum was held on Wednesday 13 July 2022 and the second on Wednesday 23 November 2022.

Navigating Research Resources Webinar

Developed for rurally based trainees in an STP or Psychiatry Workforce Program (PWP) funded post, the Navigating Research Resources Webinar assists trainees in completing their Scholarly Project assessment by enhancing their online research skills.
Trainees are guided on how to conduct effective online research by using appropriate search terminology, in combination with Boolean operators and symbols, and sorting the relevance of numerous journal articles and reviews.
The Navigating Research Resources Webinar was held via Zoom on Friday 16 December 2022, 11 am – 2 pm AEDT.

In Conversation: on the rural pathway to Fellowship

Developed with Australian Government funding, ‘In Conversation: on the rural pathway to Fellowship’ is a five-episode podcast series encapsulating the experiences of STP trainees and Fellows undertaking psychiatry training in regional, rural, or remote locations.
The podcast series, launched in January 2023 with releases through to March, focuses on first-hand stories of STP trainees and Fellows living and working in country Australia, with the aim of providing information to trainees considering undertaking part of their psychiatry training in a rural community.
Accessible on the Psyche Matters podcast page from 6 January 2023 City vs Rural Experience in Training, 20 January 2023 Rural Training Journey, 7 February 2023 Aspirations for Rural Psychiatry – Journey to Private Rural Practice, 17 February 2023 Case study and 3 March 2023 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health.

Ongoing Activities

Orientation Sessions for Trainees

The STP Orientation Booklet [PDF; 1.8 MB] has been developed for trainees in STP funded posts and extended to trainees in Psychiatry Workforce Program (PWP) funded posts. The booklet contains information on rotations, placement opportunities, rural loading, and STP funded supports available.
Orientation webinars at the commencement of each rotation to provide support to trainees entering an STP funded post (which includes, IRTP and Tasmanian Project posts) and PWP posts. The orientation sessions aim to increase the understanding and awareness of STP and the numerous support projects available.

Contact

STP Team
stp@ranzcp.org.