Vocational Training
General Paediatrics - Australia 2004/05
NB. These guidelines are for Advanced Training commenced in 2004 or 2005. If you commenced Advanced Training later than 2005, please refer to the following files:
General Paediatrics (Australia 2006)
General Paediatrics (Australia from 2007)

For the Joint Training Program in Community Child Health and General Paediatrics, see separate guidelines.
Supervising Committee
Specialist Advisory Committee (SAC) in General Paediatrics.

Definition of Specialty
General paediatricians have a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience which makes them ideally suited to provide high quality specialist services across a spectrum of health and illness which is not limited by the boundaries of medical subspecialties. These capacities place general paediatricians in an important and responsible position as clinicians, teachers and researchers, particularly where problems are undifferentiated and complex, where there are issues which do not fall within the range of one subspecialty, and where the integration of interdisciplinary expertise may be required.

General Principles of Training

1. Advanced training in general paediatrics will be for three years following satisfactory completion of basic training and the Written and Clinical Examinations in Paediatrics & Child Health.
2. At least two years must consist of structured supervised clinical training (ie no more than one year of research is acceptable during the three years of accredited advanced training).
3. Trainees are strongly encouraged to work in more than one institution or community environment, and in a variety of settings.
4. Trainees must develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the philosophy and knowledge unique to a broad perspective of child health and skills in inpatient care. Understanding of aboriginal health is important in the Australian context.
5. During advanced training there should be particular empahsis on:
   • consultative skills
   • communication and counselling skills
   • continuity of care and care planning
   • preventative strategies for child health
   • ethics and resource planning
   • critical appraisal
   • child advocacy
   • autonomous functioning and leadership
   • teaching
   • continuing medical education
   • acute care general paediatrics
   • resuscitation and acute care of the newborn
   • ambulatory and community paediatrics
   • development, learning and behaviour
   • quality assurance.
6. Advanced training allows flexibility and diversity of opportunity. It is expected that when trainees apply to enter advanced training, the trainee and the supervisor, under the guidance of the Director of Paediatric Physician Training (DPPT) will review any previous training and plan subsequent training according to individual long term goals. Mandatory Developmental & Psychosocial training requirements should be noted at this stage.
7. Trainees will be working towards achieving competencies of the consultant paediatrician. The desired competencies listed below are based on The Royal College of Paediatricians and Surgeons of Canada: Specialty Training Requirements in Paediatrics, 1998.

Medical Expertise

• demonstrate diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge and skills for ethical and effective patient care
• access and apply information relevant to clinical practice
• demonstrate effective consultation services

Communication

• establish therapeutic relationships with patients and their families
• obtain and synthesise relevant history from patients, families and communities
• listen effectively
• discuss appropriate information with patients, families and health-care team members

Teacher and Scholar

• develop, implement and monitor a personal continuing education strategy
• critically appraise sources of medical information
• facilitate learning of patients, trainee medical officers, students and other health professionals
• contribute to the development of new knowledge

Collaborator

• consult effectively with other paediatricians and health care professionals
• contribute to interdisciplinary team activities

Management

• use resources to balance patient-care, learning needs and personal needs
• allocate finite health care resources appropriately
• work effectively and efficiently
• use information technology to optimise patient care and continuing education

Health Advocacy

• identify the important determinants affecting patients
• contribute to improved health of patients and communities
• respond appropriately

Professional Behaviour

• deliver the highest quality care with integrity, honesty and compassion
• exhibit appropriate personal and interpersonal professional behaviours
• practice the ethical obligations of a paediatrician (see Ethics: A Manual for Consultant Physicians, RACP, Sydney 1992).

8. The SAC should be consulted in the first year of advanced training to determine whether any changes to the program are permitted and to prospectively approve non core (“elective”) experience.
9. Advanced training supervisors are responsible for maintaining training standards and it is recommended that a least one training supervisor is always a general paediatrician who has appropriate training as an advanced trainee supervisor.