AMC Review of Internship – we’re proposing some big changes and here’s why

The AMC is proposing some significant changes to improve the quality and relevance of intern training in Australia. This is as a result of its review of the National Framework for Medical Internship, on behalf of the Medical Board of Australia.

The National Framework, implemented in 2014, defines key training, assessment and program requirements for internship. The Framework marked an important milestone in Australia, creating the first national level requirements for internship. Aims included to improve national consistency, particularly in assessment processes, and to improve flexibility in other areas, such as the intern terms.

The AMC conducted an evaluation of the current framework which included consideration of policy initiatives, an evaluation of the framework impact and testing ideas with stakeholders. The review also took into account the Health Ministers’ agreement to changes to internship in response to recommendations of the 2015 COAG Review of Medical Intern Training, including a change to a two-year transition to practice model. The AMC will incorporate the agreed recommendations in its review.

The initial findings of the review highlight improved national consistency and quality, improved focus on junior doctor wellbeing and support for the AMC’s involvement through the National Framework. The AMC recognises many of the observed improvements are due to the significant work undertaken by health services, postgraduate medical councils and those responsible for supervising interns. However, in a rapidly changing healthcare context, with changes to models of care, technology, population health and with increasing capacity constraints, the AMC recognises that some challenges remain. Review findings suggest that significant variation remains in the quality of learning and assessment and the structure of internship is not reflective of community health needs and modern healthcare.

The AMC will commence formal consultation on the scope of the review in October 2019. This will include proposals for change to the teaching and assessment frameworks and the way terms are structured. The proposed changes are aimed at clarifying the expectations of internship, fostering conversations across the training continuum, improving the consistency, quality and relevance of learning and assessment experiences, better aligning these experiences with community health needs and supporting and promoting the innovative work of those delivering and assessing training.