In a remarkable display of dedication and expertise, a number of medical trainees at Northern Hospital Epping have achieved a significant milestone in their careers.
Seven trainees have successfully passed the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) primary exam.
This is the first hurdle for emergency medicine trainees to advance in their training.
The exam has a written primary examination in August and an oral examination in November each year, and it tests student’s knowledge and understanding of the four basic sciences relating to emergency medicine; anatomy, pathology, physiology and pharmacology.
Emergency medicine physician and co-director of emergency medicine training Dr Raj Kathirgamanathan said students normally start studying six months in advance.
“It is not an easy exam. It requires a lot of commitment and sacrifice. Students need to put their personal and social lives on hold and focus entirely on their studies,” Dr Kathirgamanathan said.
“I sit with every single trainee and go through their commitments, their medical rotations, whether they have a supportive family network and other aspects of their daily routine before they actually start studying.”
Dr Kathirgamanathan has been actively involved in the training of students for more than eight years. Students trained by Dr Kathirgamanathan have an incredible 100 per cent pass rate in the last five years.
“Seeing these trainees progressing in their training and eventually becoming consultants, is a really nice feeling to be able to experience,” said Dr Kathirgamanathan.
“Even though I provide them with the guidance, they are the ones doing the hard work.”
Dr David O’Connell is an emergency medicine registrar/trainee from Ireland, who has been living in Melbourne for the past four years.
“The Northern Hospital has a really excellent track record of people passing, especially in the last five years, so it’s a testament of the supportive environment and the excellent work that Dr Raj and the other ED Directors are doing,“ Dr O’Connell said.
As they embark on the next phase of their journey, these seven trainees will commence four-years of advanced training, before sitting their final exams and fulfilling the requirements to becoming emergency specialists.
Gerald Lynch
