What is the Extended Specialist Program (ESTP)?

The Expanded Specialist Training Program (ESTP) is a Council of Australian Governments initiative to help ensure the organisation of medical specialist training reflects the reality of contemporary specialist practice. Funding under ESTP enables medical specialist trainees to undertake training rotations in an expanded range of settings beyond traditional public teaching hospitals.

Eligible specialist training settings under the Expanded Specialist Training program include: private hospitals, specialists’ rooms, clinics, day surgeries, Aboriginal Medical Services, publicly funded health care facilities which can provide training opportunities not available in major public teaching hospitals (such as regional, rural and community health settings), as well as non-clinical settings (such as simulated learning environments).

SGIS, in collaboration with the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) and Repatriation General Hospital (RGH) was granted a ESTP position for 2009-10. The ESTP position is for a registrar (a trainee who has passed his/her FRACP examination) who is undertaking their first year of gastroenterology training. There are 2 trainees who rotate for 6 months between SGIS and RGH.

The position has been accredited by the RACP for training in gastroenterology, with representatives of the Specialist Advisory Committee (SAC) for Gastroenterology reviewing the position in 2008.

SGIS is the only private gastroenterology practice in Australia that has been successful in an ESTP application, and acknowledges the assistance and support given to the position by FMC, RGH and Drs Mounkley and Craig from Noarlunga Hospital.

What does the ESTP Trainee do?

The ESTP registrar performs a daily ward round of inpatients in Flinders Private Hospital, and attends endoscopy lists at a number of the SGIS locations (Flinders Private, Wakefield and Tennyson). Approximately 1 in 6 lists may have a registrar present, where they observe the endoscopic procedures and assist where required. Your specialist will still do your procedure. If you do not wish to have the registrar present then you are at perfect liberty to request this.

The ESTP registrar also attends some public training lists at Noarlunga Hospital and FMC. The training also attends public clinics which are run by SGIS to assist in the FMC workload. If you have been seen in this clinic, you will still be reviewed by one of the specialists and you will be bulk-billed for the consultation.

What is the Advantage of the ESTP to SGIS and you?

The Australian Government funds the ESTP position – the money received is directed towards the RGH which employs both the trainees on behalf of the Southern Adelaide Health Service of the SA Dept of Health. SGIS does not receive any of these funds.

The ESTP registrar improves inpatient care as they are able to see patients at Flinders Private Hospital early in the morning – when often your specialist may not be able to get to the hospital until later in the day. This makes the inpatient stay more efficient for the patient.

It is well documented that practices which spend time training have a higher level of clinical care as the ongoing training responsibility obliges the specialists involved to maintain their knowledge and practice at a high standard. The presence of a trainee means that SGIS is externally reviewed by the SAC of the RACP – a unique requirement for private practice which again ensures that SGIS keeps its clinical practice up to date.

The ESTP trainee is also required, in their 6 month period, to audit an aspect of SGIS practice. This requirement for audit is again unique for private practice and encourages SGIS to review and improve aspects of its clinical practice.

Further Information

The designated supervisors for the trainees are listed below and are happy to answer any questions about the trainees and the SGIS ESTP rotation:

A/Prof Peter Bampton ph 08 82044964

Head of Luminal Gastroenterology
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Flinders Medical Centre, SA 5042

Dr Laurie Chitti ph 08 8240 4964

Head of Undergraduate Teaching and Post-Graduate Education
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Flinders Medical Centre, SA 5042

www.health.gov.au/ExpandedSpecialistTraining

To know more about Expanded Specialist Training Program (ESTP) click on the below link

What does it mean when my specialist asks "will you see a registrar?"