Overview
The Specialist Training Program (STP) applies to Australian health settings only. STP is a Department of Health (Australia) initiative designed to extend vocational training to settings other than public metropolitan teaching hospitals. For this reason, there is an importance on training in regional, rural, remote areas and private settings.
As identified by the Australian Government Department of Health, Colleges have STP Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that require them to fill a specified number of rural and private training positions. The aims of the STP are to:
- enhance the capacity of the health care sector to provide trainee specialists with opportunities for high quality educational experiences;
- support training posts that build the system’s capacity by extending specialist training into new “expanded” healthcare settings; and
- contribute to improving medical workforce distribution.
STP funding is intended to support medical administration registrar positions, rather than substantive (e.g. Deputy DMS) roles. Candidates cannot apply to RACMA for STP funding and should speak to their health setting if they wish to participate in the program. Specialist International Medical Graduate (SIMG) trainees may occupy STP-funded settings if they are applying for permanent residency in Australia.