Academic Training
Academic Posts - next round closes 19th September
Vocational training in general practice offers the opportunity to undertake salaried training for a period of six months in an academic term as a special skills post or as optional extra training. The purpose of the term is to enable registrars to develop skills in research, teaching, project work and critical evaluation of research relevant to the discipline of general practice that will be of use throughout their careers and that will contribute to knowledge exchange and development. The term must provide an experience relevant to general practice and/or primary care. Registrars are expected to develop understandings of research and teaching environments and the processes and benefits of cross-disciplinary research.
Academic Posts - Information Guide
Academic Post - Application Form 2008
Acadmic Post Frequently Asked Questions
Short version of academic resources
A common fault in academic post applications received by GPET has been a lack of detail in the university supervisor's declaration. It is strongly recommended that university supervisors look at the following proforma as a template for their declaration:
University Supervisor Declaration Proforma
The next round of applications will open on the 4 August 2008 and close on 19 September.
Academic Posts - examples
Here are some examples of published research that has evolved from an academic post (presented with the permission of the registrars involved).
Geoff Spurling - Delayed antibiotics for symptoms and complications of respiratory infections - a Cochrane review.
Paul Burgess - Healthy country: healthy people? Exploring the health benefits of indigenous natural resource management - a literature review published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. Paul Burgess was the 2004 Registrar Research Prize winner, for this research project.
Daisy Tan - Weight management in general practice: what do patients want? - a waiting-room questionnaire survey, published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
RSRF Grants - Next round closes 19th September 2008
AGPT maintains a funding pool called the 'Registrar Scholarship and Research Fund' (RSRF). Despite its name, this no longer funds scholarships. However, applications for research project funding are welcomed.
There are currently two rounds of intake per year for RSRF grants, although this process is under review.
Please note that most RSRF grants are limited to $10,000 as there is a limited funding pool.
RSRF grants - examples
Here are some examples of research that has been performed by RSRF grant recipients with RSRF grant money (presented with the permission of the doctors involved).
Clare Heal - Screening for chlamydia in general practice - a cross-sectional survey of young adults, published in Australian Family Physician.
Christos Pavlidis - Water as a fast acting wax softening agent before ear syringing - a randomised controlled trial, published in Australian Family Physician.
RSRF Registrar Research Prize - closes 31st July
There is an annual Registrar Research Prize which provides funding for the sucessful registrar to attend a conference in Australia or overseas to present their research.
Registrar Research Prize Information
Registrar Research Prize Application Form
Congratulations to Marlene Tham the 2007 Registrar Research Prize Winner. Her project was entitled "Patients' perception of body shape and size - a study in general practice".
Registrar Research Workshop 29-31 May Melbourne 2008
The Registrar Research Workshop is an annual, three day, intensive workshop that aims to introduce interested registrars to all stages of the research process. Academic GPs from around the country guide participants from refining a question all the way through to dissemination of results. Each year 25 registrars are funded to attend the event.
2008 Registrar Research Workshop Information
2008 Registrar Research Workshop Application Form
The 2008 workshop was a great success. Watch this space for registrars interested in the 2009 workshop.
The 2006 Registrar Research Workshop was held on 25-27 May in Brisbane, and was evaluated highly by participants. See Australian Family Physician Vol 36, (1/2) 1–96 for an article following the 2006 workshop: Sex, pain and cranberries - Ideas from the 2006 Registrar Research Workshop
Further information
Please contact us for further information regarding academic terms and other opportunities or with questions about your application. Our contacts are:
Rachel Lee, the Registrar Research and Development Officer (RRADO), phone 0427 284 927
Or Joanne Clayton Manager of Medical Education, phone 02 6263 6724.