International Medical Graduates Research and Projects

STATE GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
Safe Practice Assessment Process for International Medical Graduates
The contribution IMGs make to our health care system is significant, however they arrive in Australia with a wide range of backgrounds and a wide range of medical skills. These differences in skills and experiences mean that integrating them into our health workforce can be very challenging. By 2003, it was clear that as well as bringing considerable benefits for the Australian community, there were also risks associated with employing IMGs.

In 2003 the Victorian Department of Human Services funded a consortium of people with clinical, educational, operational and policy expertise to develop and implement a Safe Practice Assessment Process for IMGs. The PMCV became the fund-holder for this consortium and a project manager was appointed to work in conjunction with a number of expert working groups.  The safe assessment process was designed to ensure a minimum level of safe practice for IMGs.

This process includes:

• the development of tools to assist with the screening and recruitment of IMGs, including structured behavioural interview training [link to BI page] for HMO managers and other hospital staff involved with recruitment; an internet based test of medical knowledge [link to EMQ page] of IMGs; the employment of Medical Clinical Educators [link to MCE section] to assist IMGs in identifying skills gaps and provide education and training to address the identified gaps; and
• the development and maintenance of clinical skills assessment protocols [link to Clinical Skills section] for public hospitals employing IMGs.

Click here to view the Privacy Statement and Policy governing the collection of personal information relating to the Safe Practice Assessment Process.

The Project Manager can be contacted by email for further information.
Email: projectofficer@pmcv.com.au

AMC candidates in the Victorian public hospital system, 2001
In 2001 the Victorian Department of Human Services, commissioned the PMCV to review the needs of International Medical Graduates working in the Victorian hospital setting. Recommendations were made regarding gaps in the training and support of IMGs and the role and function of the PMCV in filling those gaps. The Report was delivered to the Department in May 2002.
The report can be viewed at the Department of Human Services website:
http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/pdpd/pdfs/otdreport.pdf  

As a result of this analysis the PMCV identified the need for:

• a new standardised pre-registration assessment of medical skills and clinical knowledge, cross-cultural and communication skills
• a communication and cultural training program,
• a comprehensive pre-employment orientation to the Australian and Victorian health system, and
• more rigorous and monitored supervision and ongoing assessment of overseas trained doctors employed in the public hospital system.

In late 2002 the Victorian Department of Human Services announced a number of initiatives to address these recommendations. A consortium was established to develop an assessment process for IMGs. This consortium included. representatives from the two medical faculties with educational expertise, representatives from the two simulation centres, General Practice Education Australia (GPEA), Rural Workforce Agency of Victoria (RWAV), and Victorian Medical Postgraduate Foundation (VMPF).

In May 2003, the Consortia signed an Agreement with the Department to develop and pilot an assessment process. The development of a pilot assessment of safe practice process for International Medical Graduates entering the public hospital system commenced in June 2003 and was completed in September 2003. This pilot process formed the basis of the current Safe Practice Assessment Process (see above).

COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
National Scoping Study on International Medical Graduates
The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing commissioned the Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Councils to undertake a scoping project on overseas trained doctors. Professor Barry McGrath, Chair of the PMCV Committee, chaired the Reference Group.
The project had a number of objectives and was completed in April 2004. The objectives of the national scoping project were to:

• review existing resources relating to education, training, employment opportunities and ongoing support within the workforce available to overseas-trained doctors in Australia in order to gain an understanding of what is available,
• analyse resources to identify gaps, and
• establish a web site for the Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils (CPMEC) with links to state and territory postgraduate medical education councils.

A copy of the final report is available from the PMCV. CLICK HERE to view a copy.