Roles and Functions
On this page:
Education
PMCT employs staff in each of the four main public hospitals in Tasmania, whose role is to develop, coordinate and evaluate the delivery of dedicated teaching to JMOs in the hospital. They are also responsible for ensuring that JMOs receive appropriate orientation to the workplace, regular dedicated teaching sessions, high quality clinical supervision and structured assessment and feedback about their performance.
These staff are Directors of Clinical Training (DCTs) and Medical Education Advisors (MEAs), supported by Administration staff. Additional mandatory clinical skills training is undertaken by Clinical Skills Educators.
Accreditation
PMCT is responsible for undertaking accreditation of the prevocational medical terms in public hospitals and some general practices in Tasmania. Accreditation ensures that each hospital provides appropriate high quality education, training, supervision, assessment and support for the JMOs employed there, in accordance with standards agreed between PMCT and the Tasmanian Board of the Medical Board of Australia. Prevocational doctors are those who have not yet commenced vocational training with a college (usually doctors in their first one to three years post qualification).
PMCT is responsible for ensuring PMCT undertakes regular structured assessment visits to each site to ensure that these standards are being met.
International Medical Graduates
As a response to the significant shortage of skilled medical staff in Australia, there has been a large increase in the recruitment of International Medical Graduates (IMGs) in all states and territories over the last ten years – as junior medical staff, specialists and general practitioners. Many of these overseas-trained doctors experience difficulties adjusting to Australian Healthcare system and Australian culture. As a percentage of the medical workforce, Tasmania is more reliant upon IMGs than any other state or territory, with up to 40% of the workforce being composed of IMGs.
PMCT provides significant support to IMGs working in Tasmanian public hospitals. This support includes orientation to the Australian Healthcare system, linkages to bodies such as the Migrant Resource Centre, dedicated teaching for IMGs in the hospitals and occasional courses to improve both clinical and communication skills.
