international resident elective

[indytravl]

I would like to do an elective in Australia. Currently am doing residency/postgrad training in America & wanted to do an international elective in Pain Medicine or Rural/Remote Rehabilitation Medicine. Have gotten some positive response from University of Sydney.

1. Does anyone have any insight on the University or the 2 fields in Australia?
2. Is there any other location that anyone can suggest would be worth trying?
3. When is the best time, climate-wise, to come over?
4. Any suggestions for housing for a month-long rotation?

thanks,
[email protected]

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[BrissieMD]

Were you thinking of getting paid during your elective? That would make it more tricky.

Otherwise, I would think it fairly easy to do an elective at any Australian hospital.

You could try the Gold Coast Hospital - I'm currently there on rotation. There's many international medical students & doctors at this hospital. Probably as it's a holiday destination with beach, surf, other touristy things, and close to the Great Barrier Reef. There is very cheap on-campus accommodation at the old nurses quarters, usually reserved for medical students. You get your own room, shared bathroom & kitchen & lounge. Being Queensland, it's a great climate all year round - though it's been a little chilly lately. Still, sunshine pretty much every day.

The Gold Coast is a 'regional' hospital - though not particularly rural. Pain medicine would be done in association with the anaesthetics department. There is also a rehab department esp for the elderly at a nearby facility in Robina.

 

[C.P.]

check with the university of sydney. They've recently started offering one month elective courses available as continuing medical education training for docs. They've got a variety of different electives available and are taylored towards cramming an elective into a months time to fit a working professional's schedule. This could be a good venue for you. As far as housing. Sydney's got tons. Best thing to do is figure out where and what you want to do first. Housing is an easy option.
I'm not up on the situation in Brisbane, but I'm sure there's lots of options there too.
As far as sydney hospitals, I"d recommend Royal north shore, Royal prince alfred as two choices to start with.
Good luck.

 

[indytravl]

Thanks BrissieMD & C.P. Nope, wasn't thinking of getting paid by the facility I rotate at. On discussion with some of the attendings here, am more interested in doing a Pain Medicine rotation.

I would like to contact the hospitals you have noted. Can you give me any email addresses?

Would you suggest Univ of Sydney over Univ of Melbourne? Would housing be easier to obtain in Melbourne? Is safety any issue at either city?

Any thoughts about best time of year to rotate in Australia? I can tentatively put in a request for a slot between this september-january. But, really want to go when the climate is the most moderate.

thanks, [email protected]

 

[aussiellie]

If you're keen on doing rural or remote medicine you really want to get out of the major centres - Charles Darwin Hospital in Darwin, NT is a good base - or Alice Springs Hospital in central oz- then you're really getting into remote and indigenous health. Alternately, there are lots of smaller towns (speaking from an SA perspective as that's where I'm living) - Mt Gambier (SA), Hamilton (Vic) that would give you good experience in rural medicine. I'm based at Flinders in Adelaide and these are some of the hospitals that we (at the med school) have links with.
Plus, living in SA is fairly easy on the pocket!

 

[Retinamark]

Hi, I'm in Melbourne at the moment & have worked in Brisbane. Safety is definintely not an issue in either city. Like any city, you probably shouldn't walk alone late at night, but the risk of anything happening is very low.

I'm sure you'd be able to do electives at Royal Brisbane Hospital or Princess Alexandra Hospital. Prof Tess Cramond (if she hasn't retired) is a bit of an authority on Pain management.

There are plenty of hospitals in Melbourne you could try too - Royal Melb, The Alfred, St Vincent's, Royal Childrens.

Let me know if you need any more specific advice, I'd be happy to help.