Beat Medical Blog

Working in Australia as a UK trained GP

Posted by Beat Medical

Working in Australia as a UK trained general practitioner is even easier now with the new RACGP specialist pathway into general practice. In short, as a MRCGP, you can apply for ad eundem fellowship of the Australian college. In most cases, after a twelve month mentoring period, you will be a full fellow of the college.

The Australian Medical Council is responsible for the initial assessment and documentation process to get started as a GP in Australia. There are a number of documents which will need to be provided, as well as a verification process for your academic qualifications. When you start, your head will most likely be swimming with forms and regulations, so it is a good idea to get in contact with a medical recruitment agency to discuss your options. A good recruitment agent can manage the entire application process on your behalf, so you can concentrate on the where and when of starting your new job.

About working conditions in Australia

The Pied Piper - And Other Fairy Tales About Locums And Agencies

Posted by Beat Medical

Fairytale 1: Hospitals own their doctors

We know that there are not enough doctors in Australia- especially so for emergency, critical care, anaesthetics, and general practice jobs. The health system (public and private) relies on casual/locum doctors to hold things together, and keep hospitals going.

In a previous article, we wrote about how one state in Australia seems to be doing everything in its power to actually reduce the amount of locum doctors available to hospitals, and the community. One concerning trend we are seeing is the commodification of medical staff - and the perception from health departments, and individual hospitals that they actually "own" the doctors in their employ.

A number of the locum doctors who work with us have received letters, emails, and threats from their health services regarding 'secondary employment' as a locum. They generally read: "Dear Doctor XYZ.... it has come to our attention that you have taken time off to work at ABC Hospital recently as a locum. I must caution you that you may face disciplinary action if this continues.....etc". They then go on to cite policies, and of course - OH&S risks. There is a valid concern about doctors working too many hours, and all employers ought to be attentive to that fact. However, the message doctors are generally receiving is: "It is dangerous to work so many hours as a locum, but if you do it here, we will turn a blind eye".

Fairytale 2: Pirates and dragons

There is an entrenched idea in health services that locums, and locum agencies are nothing but a ragtag bunch of mercenaries and pirates - selling their services to the highest bidder. Managers are told to discourage use of locums and locum agencies (the dragons) at all costs - for the sake of the system. This is because the cost is prohibitive, locums are dangerous, and all agencies do is take "their" doctors to work someone else.

To those hospitals objecting to doctors on their payroll working in other places in their off time, we have a suggestion. Review every single locum you are employing at your facility - and stop using those who are usually employed somewhere else. You have plenty of well-trained doctors waiting in the wings to take their place - right? No?

Fairy tale 3: Locum agencies are the pied pipers

We sometimes recieve feedback from some employers that they feel locum agencies are some fanciful type of pied pipers for doctors, leading their doctors astray. Hospital managers need to consider that locums are contributing to the healthcare needs of mainly regional and rural communities- locums are without question, highly skilled envoys who should be commended by their home health service for taking time away from family, social life, recreation time to help others.

Fairy tale 4: Locums are money-hungry

Sure, locums are usually on a higher rate than a regular employee. I am no economist, but from what I can remember, where demand outstrips supply, price increases. The point is that the market dictates the economy for locums - it's not as if the locum is going to ask for less than the going rate. However, employers need to consider whether "their" staff are going other places because they want more money, or are they going for another reason? Perhaps it is because the roster they are working is inhuman, they don't have a good relationship with their supervisor, or for a far less sinister reason - do they just want a change?

Fairy tale 5: All hospital administrators are ogres

As a former hospital manager, I must come to the defence of my former colleagues. Being a hospital administrator is a difficult, thankless job - especially when upper management and "The Department" are throwing everything in the way of effective recruitment and rostering. Here is an example - in one state, hospitals are being forced to enter all locum shifts onto an online system in order to attract locums directly (and thereby avoid agencies, and any possible hint of human interaction). So, instead of spending time developing relationships with salaried and locum staff (like good managers do), the new priority is data entry. I can already see the doctors lining up to use the system to organise their shifts, flights, accommodation, rates, medical registration, orientation, and more. The online system does all of that, right?

Are locum agencies the pied piper? Who is really leading the health system off the cliff?

Tell us what you think by posting a comment below.

The Truth About Medical Locum Agencies

Posted by Beat Medical

One of the great benefits of being a locum is that there will most likely be organisations lining up for your services. You might be wondering - is it worth registering with a locum agency?

A medical locum agency can help you sift through all of the offers, and be an advocate in the employment market. They will negotiate on your behalf, and make sure all of the paperwork is done.

However, if you choose the wrong locum agency, it could do more damage than good. If they do not have enough experience or expertise, lack contacts at hospitals (and other organisations), or at worst - act in an unprofessional or dishonest way, it could have a long term detrimental effect on your career.

The good news is that you have a choice of medical locum agencies. There are a number of agencies in Australia offering locum work, and most claim to have the ‘best work’ at the ‘best rates’. Several claim to be the biggest and the best. How do you sort through all of the agencies out there?

Start by asking yourself - what benefits does a doctor want from a locum agency?

Is there a good candidate to recruitment consultant ratio? (i.e. how much attention will you get)

Would you prefer a massive agency with thousands of candidates on their books, or a smaller higher service agency? It is going to make a difference to your bank account. Locum work is very fast moving, and requires a great deal of attention on the part of the recruiter to identify the best shifts for you (right place, right time, right money). If they are overloaded, they just won’t be able to give you the attention you need.

What is the background of the recruitment consultants?

Are they specialist healthcare recruiters? Or do they not know the difference between an intern and a consultant? Do they have experience in the public and/or private healthcare system? When recruitment consultants deal with hospitals, their background, and knowledge is going to show from the first minute of their call. Your recruitment consultant is your public image - you need to be confident that you are dealing with someone who knows their stuff.

Do they have relationships with healthcare providers (public and private) around Australia?

Does the recruiter have an established network of employers around Australia? Without good relationships with employers, you are unlikely to get the best work.

Do they offer additional support such as career planning, help with resumes, interviews, and other training?

A professional medical recruitment company should be able to offer you substantial assistance with your career in general. As experts in recruitment, they have the knowledge to help you fine tune your resume, prepare for interviews, and develop application letters.

Do they have a regular newsletter to keep you up to date?

A high-service medical recruitment agency should send our industry updates, and keep in contact with you on a regular basis.

Do they have an organisational charity program?

Unfortunately, the recruitment industry is one that has had a reputation of questionable ethics and motivations. An organsational charity program is a good indication that the company has a social and moral conscience.

Does the locum agency hold membership of a peak body?

Is the medical locum agency a member of the Recruitment and Consulting Services Association, and/or the Association of Medical Recruiters Australia and New Zealand? Membership of these organisations means that the company is required to adhere to a strict code of conduct, and maintain professional training standards.

Medical Recruitment Secret Weapon #1

Posted by Beat Medical

Everyone is a recruiter

Who is responsible for doctor recruitment in your organisation? For GP clinics, it might be the practice manager, you may have a professional recruitment department, you might outsource to a medical recruitment agency, or the recruiter may be you.

Wrong answer!

We like to say that medical recruitment is the responsibility of every member of your organisation. Obviously, when recruiting it is administratively necessary to have someone taking care of the advertising, interviews, etc., but to what extent are you involving everyone in the organisation in your recruitment efforts?

There are some simple steps you can take to make everyone an owner of the recruitment process:

• Make sure everyone knows when there are vacancies. This can be as easy as a weekly email, or notice stapled to a payslip.
• Train everyone with basic recruitment skills (preparing job descriptions, EEO, advertisements, culling & screening, interviews, reference checks).
• Ensure all team members can answer the question "Do you have any vacancies at the moment", and know where to refer the person to.
• Involve team members you may usually not in the interview process - they may bring a fresh perspective
• Incentivise referrals. If a staff member refers a fantastic GP, emergency doctor, anaesthetist, or other specialist reward them with an appropriate incentive. These can range from a nice thank-you note, lunch, a gift voucher, or even a cash amount. Be as generous as you can! The faster you find someone, the less you will spend on the recruitment process overall.
• Celebrate new staff appointments. Have a morning tea when a new staff member starts, go out for drinks, or just say thank you to the team.

These are just a few options, and the possibilities are almost endless. What do you do to give your team ownership of recruitment?

What Is Your Career IQ?

Posted by Beat Medical

Take our 5 minute quiz to assess your career intelligence

1. Do you have a written career plan (one that includes what you want to do, where you want to be, how much you will make, what skills you will develop, and more?)
2. Have you had training on how to write a resume since high school?
3. Do you know how to almost guarantee getting an interview by using the right application techniques?
4. Do you have highly effective interview skills? Where did you learn them?
5. Do you know what your referees will say about you? Have you asked them?
6. Do you have at least 5 unique points that differentiate you from other job applicants?
7. Do you have a mentor?
8. Do you have professional representation for your career?
9. Are you networking effectively to access the hidden job market?
10. Do you know what you would do if you were knocked back for your dream job (or any job)?

Scoring

The scoring is simple:

Give yourself a "Yes" response for those items you are completely confident you are practicing right now. For each yes, you get 10 points.How did you go? Remember there are no right or wrong answers, and not many people can claim to be effective at all of these items. If you got 100 points, well done, you have a future in recruitment!

10-30 points

Your career IQ needs a little help - the good news is that you can put yourself up a few points easily. Focus on the things you can change right now.

40-60 points

Your career IQ is average - you're doing what most people are doing. Try to add a few more points over the next six months.

70-100 points

You're doing well! Congratulations, you're on the path to a fantastic career.

Doctor's Locum Career Dies on the Table

Posted by Beat Medical

In his third year of being a doctor, Dr. James Jones decided to do some locum work. He had heard stories from collegues about amazing rates, easy shifts, and secretly resented his award pay rate after the years of study he had put in. A locum agency had come to give a talk at his hospital, and made it sound even better. He spent a few days setting up some shifts, and arrived for his first locum shift at Backwater Hospital Emergency Department. When he arrived, there was no accommodation organised, and he didn’t have a clue where to go. It was hard enough to get there in the first place, and the rates really weren’t what he was after. James had thought about signing up with that locum agency, but decided he’d give it a go himself - how hard could it be? Alas, once he called the hospitals, the suave negotiator he imagined himself to be went out the window altogether. He ended up with shifts that he was just happy with, and at rates he was just okay with, and it had taken over a week for the hospital to get back to him. James thought that as a locum, there would be hospitals welcoming him, and eternally grateful for his services. Instead, there was no-one to greet him, and it turned out he was just another locum.

In my business, I hear stories like this every single day. Although many doctors have very positive experiences as locums in the public health system, there is an administrative minefield which most are surprised to find - until they try to wade through it. There are often policies, procedures, and paperwork to contend with just to register with a hospital - and that is before you even start work!

An example of this is the drastic changes NSW Health made recently with regard to locums. There were limitations placed on how much hospitals could pay (some metropolitan hospitals can now only pay award rate), there were new standards for training, and documentation that had to be completed. You may not have heard anything about these changes like these, as they often come unannounced.

Locum work can be of great benefit if you are after more experience, money, a working holiday, or all of these. However, before you get started, it is important to consider your reasons for locuming, and what you want out of it:

• Think about why you want to do locum work? If it is to make more money, do you have an end in mind (for example, a new car); - and will you stop after you have reached your goal? You need to define how long you will do it for, especially if it is in addition to a full time job. Consider the very real effects of burnout and stress.
• Locum work needs to be consistent with your overall professional career plan. Locuming can be an effective networking opportunity. Thinking about applying to a particular hospital next year? Doing some shifts there will develop some invaluable contacts, and a ‘foot in the door’.
• Where do you want to go, and what do you want to do? Do you want to experience a remote area, or prefer to stick to the city? It is fairly certain that the further you go out of metropolitan areas, the more you will be paid - but balance the location with the experience you are seeking.
• What do you want to be paid? Be honest with yourself. If you are a PGY3, are you really worth $200 per hour? If you think so, good on you! Look at what the market is offering, and don’t push the envelope too much. Once you develop a relationship with the facility, you will have a world of opportunities for ‘desperation’ shifts with much higher rates.
• Also, think about additional benefits you would like, such as flights, accommodation, taxi vouchers, meal vouchers, reimbursements, on-call allowances, paid travel time, travelling allowance, milage, and more. Your imagination is limitless, but hospital budgets are not, so be judicious about what you ask for.
• Be shrewd. Consider why there is a vacancy at that hospital. Try to talk to somebody who has worked there before to get the scuttlebutt. Is it filled with mad consultants (or no consultants), does it have terrible accommodation, or poor after-hours services? Do your research first, or make a small commitment to test the waters yourself. If it is not good, move on.
• Take time to prepare for being a locum.Your resume is your sales pitch to the hospital. You will probably need to do a complete revision on your resume to make sure it is presenting the key benefits of employing you as a locum, as there is probably more competition out there than you realise. Resumes are often a testament to what you want, and what you have done. Your emphasis needs to be on what you can offer that hospital. Read through your resume with this story in mind, and take a few hours to do some resume renovation. Every single benefit you present needs to be specific, and backed up by examples, where possible.

When you are ready, you will then need to start making calls to hospitals to see what is available. You should have a list of prospects ready, and look at transport options to each location to see if they are feasible. When speaking to the manager at the hospital, be polite and avoid discussing money until the end of the conversation. However, don’t be afraid to ask for details about accommodation, flights, and other benefits.

You may also wish to consider engaging a locum agency, which is always free for doctors (they charge the hospitals). Locum agencies keep up to date with key industry changes, and will often take away the administrative work from you. Pick your agency carefully, because they are not all the same. They range from professionally run outfits to ‘factories’ with young salespeople with no appreciation of the health industry. Look for experience, credibility, a fast response to you, and a good reputation. Do not leave your career to chance, or in the hands of an inexpert locum agency.

So, what happened to James? He continued doing locum work, but spent too much time trying to find it, negotiate with the hospitals, and keeping up to date with the constant changes in the health department regulations. He gave up after a few months. James wasn’t aware of the secrets to successful locum work:

1. Know why you’re doing it, and how long you’ll do it for
2. Use locuming as an effective networking opportunity, and a chance to try a position ‘before you buy’
3. Have a plan about where you want to go
4. Make sure what you do as a locum is consistent with your career plan
5. Be clear about what you want to be paid, but stay congruent with the market
6. Seek out opportunities for added extras like flights and accommodation.
7. Be shrewd about where you go - speak to those who have been there before.
8. Prepare for being a locum - make sure your resume is in good order, and emphasises the key benefits of
employing you.
9. Make sure you have all of the right documentation ready for the hospital to consider you.
10 .Consider a locum agency - you take your car to a mechanic, and go to an accountant for your tax. Why
should your career be DIY?

Above all, keep evolving. Locum work is an opportunity for growth, and you will develop experience you may never in your day to day job. Heed James’ cautionary tale - follow these secrets, and you will succeed as a locum.

Job Interview skills for Doctors

Posted by Beat Medical

Have you been baffled by a negative result after a job interview you thought you aced?

Before you blame yourself, consider the anatomy of the modern job application process. In healthcare, it is fairly standard - there is an advertisement, you write a letter laying out your interest and claim for the position, you are called for an interview - and if you are on the short list, they speak with your referees. You get the job, or you don’t. Simple as that. There is rarely a second place.

What happens in between those points often remains a mystery to job candidates. If you are unsuccessful, your may get a phone call, or a letter. This call or letter generally says how much they appreciated your application, how high the calibre of applicants was, and how close the selection process was. Very rarely will you receive a letter that says: “You sucked! No, really”, or “The interview panel really wanted to get to lunch, so they didn’t really listen to what you had to say”.

There are so many factors involved in an interview that it is nearly impossible to predict what the outcome will be, despite your ‘gut feeling’ after the interview. Sometimes, the outcome will not be related to your performance in the interview whatsoever. Some of the factors realistically influencing the final decision could be:

• how the interviewers are feeling that day
• whether the interview process is genuine (or is there already a person slated for the job?)
• the time of day, weather, and comfort of the room
• whether the position needs to be filled urgently or not
• prejudices of the interviewers
• how the person before or after you performed

And the list goes on....

The first step to a successful interview is realising that there are factors you cannot readily control. If that is the case, is there any use even trying? Of course there is!

At Beat Medical, we train our candidates to use a three step process to answer interview questions, and to ensure they get the message across in the interview that they intend to.

Before we discuss those, let’s cover some basic tips:

• gather as much information as possible about the employer, job, and interviewers before the interview
• wear a suit (and tie for men)
• arrive at the location 30 minutes early, and register at reception 10 minutes before the interview
• shake hands with each interviewer (even if they don’t get up, extend your hand)
• employ active listening techniques
• be mindful of nerves (don’t try to fight them), and do some relaxation (e.g. deep breathing) exercises whilst you are waiting for the interview

The three step process

We call this the interview three-step, because like a dance, a good interview show flow seamlessly from one point to the next. Our focus is on bringing the ownership of the interview to you.

The three steps are:

1. Situation

2. Action

3. Outcome

Let’s start with an example. Say the interview question is: “Bill, tell us about a time you had to break bad news to a patient or their family”. Bill could take this question at face value, and provide a one-dimensional answer:

“There was a time when I had to let a patient know that they needed a difficult surgical procedure.” Usually, the interviewer will ask a follow up (probing) question to clarify what Bill did, and what happened next.

Using the three step approach, we seize every single question as an opportunity to showcase our talents, skills, experience, and ability. An alternative way of answering the question is:

1. Situation

“In my current job, I am faced with situations where I need to break bad news to their patients and families every day. I realise what I perceive as minor may have a different level of importance for patients and their families....”

2. Action

“In these situations, I try to understand the perspective of the patient, and focus on what will help them the most in the given situation, even if it is breaking bad news. Recently, I had a patient present with an acute abdomen, which highlighted a more sinister condition which required surgery. I ensured I understood the condition, and the procedure before discussing it with the patient and their family. I knew that the family was very distressed, and organised some further social support for them...”

3. Outcome

“In this case, I felt that I handled the situation well. I received feedback from the family that they felt well informed during their mother’s procedure, and her recovery. The patient gave similar feedback. I recently completed a course on breaking bad news, and feel that I will develop my skills in this area over time.

One obvious point of note is how much longer the three-step response is compared to the original answer. In the second response, we have highlighted far more than the question asked, whilst still respecting the intent of the question.

One common question we are asked is how to answer the dreaded interview favourite: “What would you say are your weaknesses?”.

This is a tricky one, and with one foot wrong you can blow it. However, the three step process applies equally to this question as any other. The key is to take a weakness you had previously, and changed for the better. Here is an example:

1. Situation

“When I first started in my current job, I was uncomfortable with delegation. I soon understood that I needed to delegate in order to get everything done...”

2. Action

“I spoke with my mentor during one of our regular meetings, and let her know about the situation. I came to realise that I did not understand how to delegate effectively, and got some tips on how to do it - such as holding a quick daily meeting, giving people ownership for key tasks, and following up to make sure they are completed...”

3. Outcome

“Having been in the position for 11 months now, I am far more effective at delegation. I feel that I have a high-performing team, with the motivation and ownership to get things done.”

No matter how tempting, avoid the usual cliches of “I work too hard”, or “I am a perfectionist”. Be honest, and show that you are a fallible human being. The interviewers are looking for insight, and an ability to change.

Of course, you cannot answer every single question with a three-step answer, but it can apply to most situations. It is critical that you practice the technique before your interview, so you are comfortable, and start to develop an interview script before the big day.

One of the best ways to practice is to try to work out what types of questions you would ask in the interview. There are clues in the job description, or ask previous applicants for the questions they were asked.

After you have developed some mock questions, either practice with your partner or a friend, or even record yourself on a webcam (or both) and play it back to yourself. A medical locum/recruitment agency can help you with the process too. Beat Medical provides one-on-one, or group training to our candidates free of charge for interview preparation.

Remember to be energetic, enthusiastic, and thorough in your answers. There is no magic formula to conquering interviews, but with the Interview 3-step you will have a strategy at your disposal to be the best on the day.

Career Planning for Health Professionals

Posted by Beat Medical

Is your career at a critical point of change? Just starting out? Shaun Hughston talks about how to navigate your career crossroads.

Do I really need to floss?
A dentist routinely asks her patients whether they have been flossing. They think carefully, and say “Yes, of course”, knowing that the last time they flossed, Happy Days was the most popular show on television. It’s something we should all do, in order to avoid an ultimate negative outcome - but for some reason, most of us don’t.
Career planning tends to fall into that category, and is often on the list of things you do once in your life, like knit a scarf, take salsa lessons, or hit a hole in one. Like most things worth doing, though, career planning is a process - not an event.

Who will be at your funeral?
Before you start, do this exercise - imagine you have been lived a long life and you passed away at the age of 101. Write a eulogy for yourself based on the way your life is going now. Be honest - it has to have the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now, write another eulogy based on how you want people to remember you - what they will say you did, how you carried yourself, and what you achieved.

What is the point?
The point of this exercise is to get you thinking about a day other than today, tomorrow, or next week. Even though your plans will change, you have shifting goals, and you will change your mind over time. Now is the time to start planning how you’re going to get to that ultimate destination.

Writing a career plan
A good career plan needs to come from the heart - nothing more than one handwritten A4 page. It can have words, flowcharts, timelines, pictures - really anything that makes it clear for you what you really want out of your career, and how that relates to your life. We don’t suggest any particular format or template, but it should at a minimum contain the following elements.

Your unique points
List as many unique points about yourself as you can think of - be positive, and specific. You might even use a mind-map to do this. For example, if you are a good communicator - partition that particular skill into subsets, and keywords, such as “Superb presentation skills”, or “Excellent bedside manner”.
The purpose of this activity is to find at least ten areas you excel at - this should give you a picture of where you should be heading. Take time to think about the feedback others have given you, and consider the activities you are most passionate about. You should use these points (and your own personal values) as a guide to where you are going. They can also be used as keywords to build your resume, application letters, and interview scripts (we’ll discuss interviews in more depth in a later article).

Your team
Consider two doctors. They both aspire to be neurosurgeons, specialising in a particular paediatric neurological disorder only found in Venezuela.  One has a mentor who already does that job. The other does not.  Which would you assume would be the most successful?
Having a mentor means support, guidance, a role model, and accountability.     You may even wish to have a few different mentors to give you a balanced view - and feedback on how you are going. It can be confronting, and a bit embarrassing to ‘ask’ someone to be a mentor - but most mentoring relationships are informal - and the word ‘mentor’ is never even mentioned.
Being a mentor can be just as rewarding - there may be a junior doctor, a medical student, or even an international medical graduate who would appreciate the opportunity to have guidance from someone who has “been there and done that”.

So, write on your career plan at least three names of potential mentors, and a plan for how to arrange a time to meet one on one. Also think about the type of person you would like to be a mentor to.

Another very important part of your team is your referees (who may well be your mentors). All too often I hear the phrase “so and so didn’t even mention they wanted me to be a referee”. Any reference following this statement is usually less than ideal!

Think very carefully about who your ‘verbal’ referees are. By asking them for a written reference as well, you will get an indication of what they will say to a potential employer, or recruiter. If the written reference states “Bill worked here for one term in 1987. His performance was satisfactory, he was well liked by his peers”, you are in trouble. You need postitive, glowing, incredibly enthusiastic references. Keep looking until you find people who can help you in this way. They are your slam-dunk after an excellent interview.

The final part of your team is professional representation. Sportspeople, actors, and other professionals have agents- so why shouldn’t you? Professional healthcare career planning and recruitment organisations can add a new dimension to the breadth and scope of your career by helping to open up the ‘hidden’ employment market - and helping you keep on track with the basics of resumes, interview planning, and contract negotiation.  

Networking is for losers
As I write this section on networking, I can feel the psychic cringe from our readers. Networking does not need to involve specific events, anything related to pyramid schemes, or handing out business cards. Rather, networking is consciously considering how you can help others, and how they can help you.

One key to good networking is collecting information - phone numbers, email addresses, and details about the people you meet. When you meet other  professionals, show genuine interest in what they do, where they work, and what they are saying.
Imagine you meet someone at a conference who mentions a need for specific training at their hospital. Later on, you realise you have a colleague who carries out that training on a regular basis. By connecting those two people, you have created positive energy which helps to build a consistently positive perception of you.

In you career plan, think about people you would like to set out to meet at conferences, or social occasions in order to build your network. It is simply about collecting information that may help others, or you at a later stage. Keep in touch with these people - with a note from time to time, visit when you are in town, or a Christmas email.

Knockbacks and failure
Knockbacks and failure are reality. There is no silver bullet we can suggest to make it feel better.
You may be rejected for your dream job - perhaps repeatedly. This means they don’t want you, or you don’t want it enough.
If they don’t want you, find out why. Make a time to go see the interview convenor to discuss it. Instead of asking them for feedback on how you went - which will invariably make them defensive and uncomfortable - ask them “what did the successful candidate do to get the job?”.
On your career plan, you need to have some go-to actions to turn to when you are facing difficulty in following your plan. These alternate paths and back doors will be there to help you evaluate the situation more effectively, and to take the right action in that moment. For example, your crisis action  points might be:     1. Talk to mentor
2.    Come up with 10 options in this situation
3.    Take a day with no action to think

Plan for the speed humps now, and you will see the difficult times with more clarity.

The path to enlightenment
Here is where we depart from typical career planning. We do not encourage a career goal, or ultimate job. Your career plan simply needs to be consistent with your unique points, values, and the advice of your team.  So, on your career plan, write at least five ultimate career options (i.e. the job you want to retire in). Pick one of these, and run with it for now.
You may choose twenty potential careers, and end up in none of them. One person’s options might be:
-Emergency physician
-GP
-Farmer
-Mother
-Philanthropist
-Writer

For now, choose the path you are most passionate about, explore it, test it - then accept or reject it. The good news is that you might be able to follow more than one path at a time.

The rules
The final section of the career plan should be ‘your career rules’. These should be based on your principles, beliefs, and values. For example, you might write “I will never let others’ perception of me guide my career choices”, or “I will always work in a position that benefits others”. These may change over time, but set the ultimate direction now.

Share and be accountable
As soon as you have written your draft career plan, take it to one of your team (mentor, partner, friend), and discuss it with them. Encourage them to be positively critical - and to challenge you on why you have chosen the paths you have. In considering the feedback and perception of others, take it into account, think upon it, and let it pass.

Working in Australia as a Canadian trained Family Physician

Posted by Beat Medical

Australia and Canada have many things in common - very large land mass, ethnically diverse population, and of course the English language (in our own unique forms!). The 2006 Australian census recorded over 27,000 Canadian-born people in Australia.

As a Canadian trained family physician seeking a general practitioner job in Australia, the options for you to consider in terms of location, work, and lifestyle are incredibly diverse.

We recommend looking through the Lonely Planet Australia guide for more information on Australia as a destination - and don't despair - we have ample supplies of maple syrup and Canadian products here.

About college membership and professional registration

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners recognises Canadian trained family physicians as being fully comparable to the Australian-trained equivalent, provided you hold the Certificate in Family Medicine from College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and evidence of Canadian Qualifying Examinations Part 1 + 2 post 1992.

To initiate the professional recognition process, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) website is the first place to visit. The AMC processes applications from all international medical graduates, however does not grant medical registration. In Australia, medical registration is governed at the State (province) level - as such, each state/territory has its own medical board.

As a Canadian graduate, there are several options for medical registration - the recommended approach is the Specialist Pathway. This pathway allows for you to work unsupervised as a general practitioner in many areas of Australia.

There are some restrictions as to location for overseas trained doctors, for example you will most likely not be permitted to work in a major metropolitan area - however will be eligible to work in many fantastic regional and rural areas of Australia.

You will need to provide the AMC with:

• Evidence of English language proficiency (if English is not your first language, you will need to show English competency by by Completing the IELTS examination -with a minimum score of 7 in each element), or the alternative Occupational English Test.
• Evidence of current medical registration in your jurisdiction
• Verification of medical qualifications

About working conditions in Australia

All Australian citizens and most permanent residents are covered by the Medicare system, a taxpayer funded public healthcare program.

• General practitioners bill per consultation on a “fee for service” basis, and many bill according to the fee set by the government (this is called “Bulk Billing”). However, GPs are permitted to charge above the mandated rate - with their patients responsible for the gap payment.
• GP/Family Physician salaries in Australia range between 50-75% of their billings, and it is usually paid to you as an independent contractor. There are some arrangements where you are a retained employee of the clinic on a fixed salary.
• The actual annual income ranges from location to location, but a good guide would be between AUD $150,000 and $300,000 per annum.
• As an contractor, you will be responsible for your own annual leave (vacation time), which is generally four weeks per year, taxation, and superannuation (retirement fund). The practice you work with will often assist you with these consideration, as well as managing the administrative aspects of the medical clinic.
• The working hours for a general practitioner are between eight and twelve hours per day, three to five days per week. You may be on call after hours, or on weekends in turn with other doctors in the practice.
• As a general practitioner, you may also have the opportunity to provide services to local hospitals in specialist areas such as anaesthetics, obstetrics and gynaecology. This will depend on your skills, experience, and qualifications.

About getting started

There is no particular time of year that is best to start a GP position in Australia. There are generally positions available in a number of places at any one time, and you will find that you have a good selection of locations and jobs.

We advertise general practitioner vacancies on our website, but encourage you to contact us as we do not advertise all positions. After registering on our website, we will be in contact within 24 hours to discuss your needs, and get the process started.
 

What we do for you

First things first - all of our services are free to you. We take an all-encompassing approach to help you move seamlessly from
your current role to a new one in Australia. We will start with an initial consultation (about an hour)  to discuss your individual requirements, and give you a briefing on the process ahead of you, particularly:

• Location preferences - (what type of lifestyle do you want?)
• Ideal position
• Remuneration requirements
• Your family situation
• Length of stay

Depending on your individual needs and those of your employer, we can work with you to manage:

• Identifying employment options
• Specialist college recognition
• Relocation
• Resume and interview training
• Airport meet and greet
• Working visas
• Medical registration
• Contract and salary negotiation

Why work with a recruitment agency?

There are many reasons to work with professional recruiters - but here are a few reasons not to take the do-it-yourself approach to finding a position from some of our candidates:

• I wish I knew where to start looking for positions
• If only I hadn’t taken the first job I saw
• There was so much paperwork and time involved with the Australian Medical Council, speciality colleges, medical boards, immigration, and Medicare. I wish somebody was there to help me along the way.
• The town I liked looked good in the photos, but when I got there it was nothing like they [employer] told me
• I wish I had more than the couple of job options I saw in the ads
• I thought the package I was offered was excellent - until I found out what everyone else was on!
• My resume was not consistent with what is expected in Australia - I had no idea
• I felt pressured to take the contract the employer was offering
• I didn’t understand the complexities around specialist recognition, and gaining medical registration. Lesson learnt!

 

Industry Update - NSW Health Locums

Posted by Beat Medical

We advised in a previous edition of Evolve that there were changes to the NSW Health policy on the employment of locum doctors in pubic hospitals.

Essentially, the process covers non-specialist doctors employed on a casual basis, and focuses on two key areas:

1. Limitation of salaries and condition; and
2. Regulation of medical locum agencies

Since our previous article, there have been a few changes to the policy, which can be downloaded here.

One of the key changes is that there may be a provision for individual health services to invite you to work outside of the auspices of your registered locum agency. Although this is your decision, we do encourage any of our candidates who might be considering a change to discuss it with us in the first instance to help us understand how we may improve our service to you.

We have unfortunately heard reports of some individual health services putting pressure on candidates, or coercing them to work directly for the service rather than a locum agency. These practices are rare, but we do encourage you to report any such instances to the NSW Health Department on 02 9391 9523 , or by emailing them.