Bass Coast Health supports medical workforce of the future

News

Bass Coast Health (BCH) remains a training destination of choice for the next generation of medical professionals.

BCH is now hosting the first round of Medical Interns from Monash Health for 2023. Whilst with us, they will undertake a 10-week term of training in our new Emergency Department at Wonthaggi Hospital.

The interns are Anastasia Stenos, Lauren Wright Hill, Jessica Hinh, Vikram Amara, Dan Zou and Joel Wheatley-Price.

Interns are required to gain training in Emergency Departments and Surgical and Medical wards for a year as part of their mandatory training to become registered as a medical practitioner once they graduate from their medical degrees. This registration is governed by the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency (AHPRA).

Whilst at BCH, the interns will shadow doctors in the Emergency Department and be fully supervised.

BCH Clinical Dean Assoc. Prof. Bruce Waxman said BCH welcomes five groups of interns from Monash Health each year.

“Wonthaggi Hospital is a great hospital for them to gain experience in a rural setting. Our Emergency Department is led by specialist emergency physicians and they are able to closely supervise the interns to ensure they gain maximum experience whilst with us,” he said.

“Past interns have said they feel part of a ‘family’ here and they develop autonomy in decision-making about a patient’s treatment, although the final decision about the path of care is made by their supervisor.

“It is also our experience that by having a positive rural experience at BCH, the interns will return to our health service once they have completed vocational training, further bolstering our senior medical staff.”

Intern Joel Wheatley-Price is looking forward to experiencing rural health.

“This is an exciting opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and practise medicine in a particular environment. Hopefully I will learn a lot and who knows, I may end up working back here,” he said.

The other interns commented they appreciated the warm welcome they had received.