Rural GPs will brush up on their emergency medicine skills to enable them to better serve the health needs of their communities.
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With greater demand on rural GPs the further they practice away from large centres, the Royal Australasian College of GPs will run a workshop in Hepburn this month to focus on emergency medicine.
"We need our rural GPs to keep abreast of a wide variety of day to day conditions," said RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements.
"It's not just about mental health, blood pressure, diabetes or sexual health it's also about emergency care, particularly in rural communities you never know what is going to walk in the door - a heart attack, stroke or life-changing arrhythmia," he said.
"And many rural GPs find themselves stopping on the side of the road to help with car accidents, trauma and the ED roster at the local hospital."
The workshop will see rural GPs work through six hands-on scenarios that reflect real life emergencies. The scenarios have been written by rural GPs, based on actual cases, and include patient role players.
GPs will learn how to manage common rural emergencies, including head injuries, fractures and labour complications, prepare patients for retrieval teams, as well as debriefing and self-care after the emergency.
Dr Clements said the number of rural generalists, doctors providing care in the community and in hospitals, was increasing with more than 150 signing on to train as generalists this year - the largest number ever.
"Rural generalists might be treating blood pressure, giving childhood immunisations or treating asthma in the morning, and in the afternoon assisting in hospital with everything from traumas, car accidents, birthing and palliative care. One of the things we love most about being rural doctors is the fact you can have this variety."
He said another benefit of the workshop was the camaraderie and connection doctors develop while learning new skills and during breaks.
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"Many rural doctors feel burned out, worn down, isolated and sometimes what they learn from the session is as important as the connection they make during breaks."
Dr Clements encouraged rural Victorian GPs to apply for the training.
"Having a local GP with emergency medicine skills makes a real difference for rural and remote communities," he said.
"Rural communities tend to rely on their local GPs for most of their health needs, as it's often a long drive to the nearest hospital or specialist. If the local GP has skills in emergency medicine, then people can get the care they need close to home, they don't need to make a long drive or wait for an ambulance. It can be the difference between life and death."
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