RACS continues to push for more Indigenous surgeons

Wednesday 16 September 2015
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) continues its efforts to increase the number of Indigenous medical graduates training as surgeons as it prepares for the 2015 Australian Indigenous Doctors Association’s (AIDA) annual conference in Adelaide this week.

RACS is a major sponsor of the conference, which will run from 16 -19 September.

RACS Dean of Education, Associate Professor Stephen Tobin, said he looked forward to being part of the event, and despite the many disadvantages faced by Indigenous Australians, he said RACS was well poised to help grow a specialist Indigenous workforce.

“While there has been an increase in the number of Indigenous medical students when you compare the Indigenous population of Australia to the proportional number of Indigenous workers in our health system, Indigenous Australians are under-represented more broadly in the health workforce,” A/Prof Tobin said.

“That is why the opportunity to get involved with events like the AIDA 2015 Conference is so important to us.

“It allows us to engage directly with hundreds of talented young Indigenous people and hopefully convince them to seriously consider surgery as a potential career.”

A/Prof Tobin said the conference would allow RACS to build new relationships and provide information on what a career in surgery could look like.

“Throughout the conference we will be running a series of presentations and workshops informing attendees on how our College can assist them if they are contemplating a career in surgery.

“We will also have a simulation unit at the event, which works by giving attendees the opportunity to practice surgical techniques in a virtual environment,” A/Prof Tobin said.

“We will also have staff on hand to answer questions and discuss our junior doctors or JDocs framework, which describes the many tasks, skills and behaviours that the junior doctor should achieve at defined levels during postgraduate years as well as supporting pathways into surgery or other procedural careers.

“The JDocs competency framework is relevant for all junior doctors,” A/Prof Tobin said.

“Our involvement in the conference helps build the momentum already created by the College to increase Indigenous representation, and to work towards the goals we have outlined in the RACS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Action Plan 2014-2016.”

“We are committed to promoting a more inclusive workforce, and greater Indigenous representation in surgery will continue to be at the forefront of RACS advocacy efforts going forward,” he said.

ENDS

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