Programs >> Bonded Medical Program

 

Opportunities and

support   for Bonded

Medical Scholars

The Bonded Medical Program aims to provide more Australian trained doctors where there are workforce shortages, particularly in rural and remote Australia. It provides a Commonwealth Supported Place in a medical course in exchange for participants working in those areas after they graduate.

Further information about the Program can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Rural Health West provides support services for Bonded Medical Program participants to prepare them for rural health work and facilitates placements in rural areas. Bonded Medical Program participants and prospective students can contact Rural Health West for advice and guidance, such as:

  • Information about the Program benefits and obligations
  • Assistance with providing participants options and recruitment support for placement into rural roles that meet their return of service obligation
  • Information about professional development and support to enable participants to be part of a broader rural medical professional network
  • Information about accessing rural medical experiences during undergraduate and early career years
  • Mentoring and networking opportunities for participants
  • Access to existing rural doctors support communication networks
  • Support through student networks, social media, and newsletters; and
  • Assistance with accessing grants.

Bonded Return of Service System (BRoSS)

The Bonded Return of Service System (BRoSS) is an online portal which allows you to plan, monitor and manage your obligations under the Bonded Medical Program. You are required to log in to BroSS to update details, submit work plans and logging return of service.

Please click here for more information and to log in to BroSS.

Medical Career Continuum

Regardless of where you live, study and work in Australia, the network of Rural Workforce Agencies is available to support Bonded Medical Program participants on their career pathway and assist you to complete your return of service obligations (RoSO).

You can view the Career Continuum by clicking on your current level of study or achievement for more information on how to progress your chosen medical career in Western Australia, with options to complete your RoSO.

For more information about this program please contact Rural Health West on 08 6389 4500. If you have a specific query about rural practice please contact [email protected].

Entry to university and studying at medical school

In Western Australia medical degrees are offered at Curtin University, University of Notre Dame – Fremantle and the University of Western Australia. Each university has their own entry requirements and application process to study medicine.

To learn more about entry requirements and opportunities to study medicine in Western Australia you can visit the websites below:

On successful application to medicine, the University may offer you a Commonwealth Supported Place and you will have the option to accept the offer to join the Bonded Medical Program.

To find out more about the Bonded Medical Program, its obligations, and the Commonwealth Supported Place you have been offered or currently undertaking, please find the following links to useful information:

Bonded medical program students have access to the following opportunities that will assist you to explore career options in rural Western Australia:

Logging into BRoSS and keeping your details up to date is a requirement while at university. In your final year you should think about your RoSO and how you may be able to work or do any placements in eligible locations.

Graduated university – intern and pre-vocational opportunities and career pathways

Once you graduate medical school, and if you are working in an eligible location you can start accruing RoSO.  You will need to make sure you log into your BRoSS portal where you can check the eligibility of your work location and submit a workplan for approval prior to commencing your internship.

In most cases, up to 50 per cent of your RoSO may be completed before beginning fellowship training in your chosen specialty.

Post Graduate Year 1 – Internship

Post Graduate Medical Council of Western Australia (PMCWA) manages the PGY1 intern application process in WA.  This includes intern opportunities with the Western Australia Country Health Service (WACHS) where you could begin accruing RoSO.

Post Graduate Year 2+ – Resident Medical Officer (RMO)

From PGY2 is when you will generally decide on a specific training pathway towards becoming a generalist within the hospital system, general practitioner, a rural generalist or other specialist.

WACHS RMO positions are available to PGY2+ doctors for periods of 6-36 months. For updates regarding RMO application process (mid-year) please visit the PMCWA site.

WACHS offers a number of different programs for doctors in training, depending on the area of interest. Find out more about:

More Doctors for Rural Australia Program (MDRAP)

Doctors in training (PGY3 or above) are eligible to join MDRAP to gain experience working as a GP prior to joining a college Fellowship Program.  MDRAP provides support for supervision and training. Doctors participating in the MDRAP must make a minimum of one application to a Fellowship Program each year.

Internships, MDRAP, and WACHS training programs or placements, in eligible locations could contribute towards RoSO. Check the location eligibility and submit your workplan in BRoSS for RoSO to be approved.

Bonded medical program participants have access to the following support to assist your career development in rural Western Australia:

More useful links regarding intern recruitment and opportunities:

Don’t forget to log into BRoSS and update your work plan with any planned work or placements that could count towards your RoSO. Eligible work should be approved in BRoSS before commencement.

Considering general practice or rural generalist fellowship

General practice is a medical speciality that plays a central role in the delivery of health care to the Australian community.  A General Practitioner (GP) is often the first point of call for patients seeking medical care and treatment.

Rural generalists are general practitioners who provide primary care services, emergency medicine and have training in additional skills like obstetrics, anaesthetics, or mental health services.

Once you have completed fellowship as a GP, rural generalist, or other speciality, you are able to complete your remaining RoSO.

There are two GP training colleges in Australia to undertake training to gain fellowship as a specialist of general practice or rural generalist, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

ACRRM offer the following fellowship training programs for Australian graduates:

  • Rural Generalist Training Scheme (RGTS): The Rural Generalist Training Scheme (RGTS) is a fully funded pathway that leads to Fellowship of ACRRM (FACRRM).
  • Australian General Practice Training (AGPT): The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program is a fully funded Commonwealth pathway directly delivered by ACRRM.

The RACGP offers the following fellowship training programs for Australian graduates:

  • Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACGP): on the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program.
  • RACGP Rural Generalist Fellowship: (FRACGP-RG) is awarded in addition to FRACGP to registrars who successfully complete the rural generalist training.

The Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program provides funding for 1,500 Australian medical graduates training places each year for doctors to train towards receiving fellowship through the GP training colleges Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS)

RVTS is a fully funded Commonwealth pathway providing vocational training for medical practitioners in remote and isolated communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Australia.

Doctors undertake remote and supervised training for FACRRM, FRACGP and FRACGP-RG while working in community for the duration of their training.

Congratulations on achieving your fellowship – log into BRoSS to make sure you update your details and update your workplan with any opportunities that meet your RoSO.

Exploring other specialist careers

Depending on your chosen speciality, you may also be able to commence training in a rural location and claim RoSO hours accordingly. To see what specialist training opportunities are available you can visit WACHS Doctors in Training regional opportunities.

For more information on the specialist medical colleges visit the Australian Medical Council (AMC) website. Each college will have their own fellowship training programs.

If you are interested in opportunities to complete your RoSO once you have completed your training, you may be able to work with WACHS, undertake locum placements or provide visiting specialist services.  Visit the WACHS website to view their current vacancies and opportunities for specialist services in eligible locations.

Providing visiting specialist services to rural Western Australia

Many communities in regional, rural and remote Western Australia do not have easy access to medical specialists or allied health professionals who can diagnose and treat a variety of illnesses.

Rural Health West provides funding from the Australian Government Providing to support health professionals to provide specialised medical services reducing patient’s need to travel long distances to attend a consultation or receive treatment.

For more information on the types of specialist services offered, and Rural Health West support available to provide services to rural and remote Western Australia, please visit the outreach program page.

If you are working in an eligible location as a specialist, you may be able to complete hours, days or weeks of work that meet your program obligations. Make sure you log in to BRoSS to submit any work plans to have this counted towards your RoSO.

Education and upskilling

Bonded Scholars can access the Rural Health West “Distance is no obstacle” podcast series aimed at providing medical education and information to rural health professionals.