RVTS provides a comprehensive education and support program for doctors working towards Fellowship, working in remote locations.
RVTS has a 21-year track record of successfully supporting participants to obtain Fellowship, with experienced, supportive supervisors and excellent opportunities for participants and their families to engage with other participants.
Program delivery
The RVTS program makes use of a range of educational delivery mechanisms to ensure participants receive the best possible educational experience within the context of professional isolation.
Some of the key features of the structured teaching and learning activities provided are outlined below:
Twice each year, program participants (registrars, supervisors, medical educators and families) meet for intensive five-day education workshops. The workshops are a highly-anticipated and much-enjoyed feature of the RVTS education program.
The workshops deliver procedural skills education that is difficult to provide online, with participants moving through a range of topics over the duration of the training program. The topics covered in the three years of training include procedural skills relating to:
- ENT
- Dermatology
- Obstetrics
- Paediatrics
- Emergency medicine
- Orthopaedics
- POC ultrasound
There are also face to face case-based learning opportunities for public health, sexual health, exam practice and communications skills.
Remote supervision is the hallmark of RVTS training. Most RVTS registrars are supervised at a distance, though each year there are a few exceptions. Remote supervision is provided by phone, email, practice visits and clinical teaching visits. The supervisor is carefully selected, orientated to their new role and offered support and guidance throughout. Supervisor registrar contact time is as follows:
- First six months – one hour per week
- Second six months – one hour per fortnight
- Thereafter – one hour per month, excluding advanced skills training.
Registrar contact with the supervisor has a range of purposes including:
- Assistance with case review (emergencies and common presentations)
- Mentorship
- Assistance with the development of the registrar learning plan
- Review of general problems
- Discussion and assistance with completion of RVTS Online modules and assignments
- Clinical audit and patient / nurse / community feedback processes
Clinical Teaching Visits (CTVs) are generally half day visits to registrars by supervisors or other experienced GPs. The visit involves direct observation of the registrar in clinical practice. The visit is typically held at the registrar's practice, but may also occur in other settings such as the local hospital or remote clinic.
Tele-CTVs may also be held using videoconferencing technology, and might be used to complement the face to face visits.