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We must protect DITs
The latest set of advertisements for hospital medical officer positions will recruit a group known in the Australian Medical Association (AMA) as the Doctors in Training (DIT).
Newly graduated medical students entering the public hospital system are exposed to a highly complex environment for which many may not feel fully prepared. The early years are daunting, tough and emotionally and physically draining. The professional and personal rewards that come from what is a true vocation will follow a DIT throughout their working life
DITs gain experience and skills to prepare them for senior roles and key patient care decision making whilst dealing with obvious patient expectation. They work in a time of huge and rapid technological and scientific discovery and progress. Throw into that highly charged emotions, stress and responsibility.
Currently there are many issues confronting this group regarding their choice of specialist training. These include hospital specialities like surgical and physician training, obstetrics and gynaecology as well as anaesthetics and psychiatry (often forgotten as medical crafts!), pathology training and community based general practice.
Issues of medical indemnity are clouding the available choices making previously highly desirable careers in obstetrics less attractive. Flexible workplace training for both male and female doctors is becoming commonplace reflecting community norms.
Doctors have always been clear of the primacy of patient care and this goodwill has been well exploited in the past. The availability of safe training hours, a hospital regime that looks after them, treats them with respect and concern, ensures that they are receiving all their entitlements for all the work that they do that their award expects can no longer be exceptional. Clean and comfortable quarters from which to work and where to seek a sanctuary after the 'storm' of the day, leisure time and opportunity for professional development are also musts.
AMA Victoria has completed extensive consultations within each and every hospital to determine the changes needed to the DIT's Award. This exhaustive process has, at its heart, the catch cry of a 'fair day's pay for a fair day's work'. There is a current enterprise bargaining agreement process underway for all hospital doctors: senior and junior. It has been a process undertaken by the AMAV.
To enhance Victoria’s reputation as a leading place to practice medicine, AMA Victoria is actively lobbying Government to heal the hurt of savage cuts to funding of the hospital sector in previous years and to rectify some of the anomalies of current funding schemes. The attraction of public hospitals as a workplace for doctors is at risk if conditions are not improved.
AMA Victoria assists its members through the challenges that they as individual practitioners will inevitably face. DIT related initiatives are focused on improving the working environment, minimising risk and maximise the quality of patient care.
Medicine is a fulfilling and rewarding career, and is transforming into a more family friendly, socially acceptable vocation.
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