Valuable experience

‘It’s important to encourage doctors to ask tough questions prior to making a decision about coming out here.’

Dr Paul Allin understands better than most employers the experience of an overseas trained doctor (OTD) in Australia. Migrating from South Africa in 2000 to work as a GP in Queensland, Paul is now Director of Medical Services at Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital in Nowra, NSW.

Paul says that the Medicare system is one of the most confusing things for an OTD to learn. They need a lot of guidance on things such as how to fill out prescriptions properly with appropriate PBS and MPN numbers, etc. Orientation to the Australian healthcare system, as well as to the local community, is very important.

The Shoalhaven Hospital has recognised that one of the big detractors in attracting doctors to rural practice is the lack of, or limited, interaction with peers, as well as access to further training and maintenance of skills. To address this, the hospital provides regular training time for staff according to a doctor’s needs (to attend seminars, for example). The hospital also pay for this training. Paul says it is worth the expense to keep doctors enthusiastic and up-to-date in their respective fields.

While Paul laments the current lack of centralisation in both registration processes and in the medical administration of things such as Area of Need approvals, he believes that being able to provide much needed medical services for the community makes it worthwhile persevering. Shoalhaven Hospital couldn’t exist without their OTDs!