Medical Officers' Careers Guide: Intensive Care

Description

Intensive care medicine practice includes assessment and management of critically ill patients, admitted usually from ED, wards or operating theatres.

Intensive care medicine meets the needs of doctors seeking not only intellectual satisfaction of practicing cutting edge, advanced clinical medicine that demands diagnostic reasoning and problem solving skills but also provides opportunities to maintain practical procedural skills

• 24 hour on site supervision by advanced trainees and specialists
• Structured education program that caters to all levels of trainees starting with the junior most viz. basic trainee, new to the specialty, to the most senior viz. pre and post fellowship exam candidates.
• Dedicated teaching time every week which includes a simulation session
• Workshops conducted in-house for ICU specific procedures such as basic ultrasound familiarization and ultrasound guided vascular access placement i.e. central and arterial lines, renal replacement therapy (dialysis modes), IABP (intra-aortic balloon pump), basic bronchoscope dexterity.
• Participation in inter-hospital and inter-departmental education sessions e.g. Best of Grand Round series was won by the ICU presenter in 2012.
• Support for trainees sitting for their primary or Fellowship ICU exams in the form of practice exam cases/ vivas etc.
• Exposure not only to the ‘standard’ critically ill medical/ surgical patients but also to complex cardiac and respiratory patients e.g. heart and lung transplants and patients requiring advanced mechanical cardiac/ respiratory support such as ECMO, VADs, etc.
• Research opportunities via CCRG (Critical care research group) which is the research arm of TPCH Adult Intensive Care Service (AICS). CCRG is well represented at the local (hospital) level and also at the wider national and international intensive care level. A couple of the research project winners of the prestigious Felicity Hawker prize, awarded for the best research project by a trainee at the annual scientific meeting of the college (CICM ASM) , have been TPCH ICU trainees.

Entry requirements to Training Program

• General or Limited Registration with AHPRA
• General hospital experience for 12 months post graduation
• Apply to register with the College of Intensive Care Medicine
• Apply for positions through QH RMO Campaign
• Selection is usually by a centralised selection process; however direct contact with the unit director or supervisor of training to present one’s candidacy for prospective jobs may be possible

Overview of Training Program

Six year training program comprising:  36 months of basic training and 36 months of advanced training

An overview of the current CICM (College of Intensive Care Medicine) training requirements is attached below. Modifications to some aspects of the training pathway by the college are anticipated to occur in the near future.  Other relevant details can be obtained from the CICM or QITP (Queensland Intensive Care Training Pathway) websites

Are there accelerated training pathways?

• A specialist degree in intensive care from another country  or
• Another specialty degree e.g. FACEM, FANZCA  or
• Significant training in another specialty.

All above may be taken into account towards basic training. It must be noted that this is entirely at the discretion of the College of Intensive Care Medicine.

What rotations are recommended prior to applying for training

• ICU exposure [preferable]
• Emergency Medicine
• Anaesthetics

How to improve your chances of selection

• BASIC Intensive Care Course
  
• Any other acute medicine related courses e.g. critical care events management course
• Any research related to acute medicine maybe beneficial
• Demonstration of having an open mind, a hardworking attitude and enthusiasm to learn are attributes that will be given consideration