The Australian Medical Association (WA) offers industrial and professional guidance, support and representation for all doctors in training (DiTs).
The AMA (WA) Doctors in Training Practice Group places DiTs at the heart of AMA (WA) policy-making and political advocacy. Combined with our workplace advocacy, member benefits and professional services, the AMA (WA) is here to promote your professional interests and support your journey to specialisation.
As with the whole medical profession in Western Australia, 2020 has seen DiTs adapt and rise to the challenge of COVID-19. Training and career progression for DiTs have been impacted, with many opportunities delayed, postponed or cancelled.
Workforce planning and access to leave continue to be major challenges for our workforce, challenges that have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Workforce planning is of increasing importance due to the current migration challenges for overseas trained doctors and the return home of DiT colleagues.
In addition to our COVID-19 response, the AMA (WA) continues to address systemic issues facing the DiT workforce, including: jobs that do not meet college training pathways; a lack of ‘nominal length of training’ appointments; reliance on employment pools; and workforce shortages. Parental leave in particular has become a new focus, with many DiTs facing difficulties when making requests for parental leave. This leave cannot be denied by your employer due to staffing shortages as was recently attempted by WA Health.
The AMA (WA) Industrial Team has been assisting DiTs and fighting on behalf of members when these unacceptable issues arise, and is in frequent conversations with the Chief Medical Officer and WA Health on wide range of topics.