Extension of the Specialist Training Program

Overview

The Specialist Training Program (STP) extends vocational training for non-GP specialist registrars into settings outside traditional metropolitan teaching hospitals, including regional, rural and remote communities and private health facilities. The program aims to improve the quality of the future specialist workforce by providing registrars with exposure to a broader range of healthcare settings known as “expanded settings”. The STP also aims to have a positive influence on future workforce distribution. The STP is the Commonwealth’s main platform for influencing the development of the non-GP specialist workforce supporting up to seven per cent training in Australia. The program improves access to specialist medical services for Australians with funding delivered through the thirteen specialist medical colleges. STP funding supports up to 1057 Full Time Equivalent posts per annum, contributing to increased clinical training capacity, targeting rural and private settings to improve the quality of the future specialist workforce by providing exposure to a broader range of healthcare settings. This grant opportunity has been established as a one-off 12-month grant that extends current funding arrangements for the 2021 calendar year, until longer-term national medical workforce objectives are established. The Department of Health considers that this is an appropriate grant selection process to ensure the continued provision of training posts through the STP.