Overview
Providing care for people experiencing pain can be complex, requiring the input of multiple disciplines to address the physical, social and psychological aspects of the whole person. In rural areas, communities are disproportionately impacted due to the travel required, limited access to pain medicine services, and delayed treatment.
We are committed to supporting rural specialist pain medicine, to grow our workforce and specialist pain medicine service provision in the regions.
We are guided by ANZCA’s rural workforce strategy and are committed to improving health outcomes for our rural communities.
Flexible accreditation pathways for pain medicine training in rural settings
Over the last two years, the faculty undertook extensive consultation and research to develop flexible accreditation pathways to pilot across regional settings, building their capacity to provide pain medicine training locally. The faculty has concluded this project, which commenced in early 2024, when the faculty received funding to explore flexible accreditation pathways for pain medicine in rural areas through the Flexible Approach to Training in Expanded Settings (FATES) grant.
Through this project, two regional settings were accredited, in Ballarat Victoria and Mackay Queensland. The project has demonstrated success, attracting further funding to support trainees and improve access to rural training.
Through the project, two regional settings were accredited, in Ballarat, Victoria, and Mackay, Queensland. The project has demonstrated success, attracting further funding to support trainees and improve access to rural training, as detailed in the project’s evaluation report.
The pathways developed through the project consider flexibility around training locations, supervision arrangements, telehealth input and tailoring the scope of practice of pain medicine to the local context.
More details of the options can be found below.
Collectively, a training network is linked to the outcomes of the specialist medical training program. Units applying as part of the pilot may comprise of:
- Individual hospital/health service (one site).
- Network of hospitals/health services (up to four sites).
Considering blended remote supervision or remote supervision models, which are more applicable to PDS accreditation. Examples may include but are not limited to:
- FPM fellow onsite supplemented by senior medical staff or consultants of a related specialty, e.g. rehabilitation, anaesthetics per training network.
- FPM fellow onsite supplemented by remote supervision.
- FPM fellow supervision provided as part of the training network but not based locally. A placement supervisor provides day to day clinical supervision.
Supplementing the available onsite multidisciplinary team with telehealth options where required:
- Onsite.
- A blend of onsite and telehealth.
- Telehealth option.
Flexing training opportunities around trainees – resources (infrastructure, supervision and supporting health professionals) are identified and drawn in to facilitate a training experience tailored to the individual trainee. This may be time-limited to the specific trainee. Examples include:
- Exposure to all aspects of pain medicine at one site.
- Exposure to all aspects of pain medicine across a group of sites collectively.
- Optional rotations/placements in major tertiary teaching hospitals to tailor the training experience around trainee interests.
- Rotations/placements in major tertiary teaching hospitals as part of the regional unit’s training program to supplement exposure to areas of pain medicine not seen in the rural setting.
Communities across our regions need specialist pain care. Will you be the one who brings it closer to home?
Explore the FPM training programExplore how you can grow pain medicine training in your regional setting
Regional and rural settings considering how they can grow their capacity to provide training locally are encouraged to contact us to discuss how the flexible accreditation options may be incorporated in their settings.
Rural training and practice can provide unique opportunities for pain specialists and doctors considering training and help meet the local demand for services. Hear from some of our specialists what life as a specialist pain medicine physician looks like in the regions.
This work and the faculty’s ongoing commitment to addressing the gaps in rural and regional pain medicine will help build a sustainable pain specialist workforce outside our major cities “and promote equity of access across regional, rural and remote communities.”
Discover our FPM regional and rural series
Access the evaluation report
Other pages you might be interested in
We've accredited more than 40 multidisciplinary pain management units (training units) in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore to provide approved pain medicine training.
Pain medicine is a dynamic and rewarding career choice for specialists looking for a new challenge. Find out what it involves; where it can take you; and how to get started.
Bring specialist care to communities that need it most. Explore what a career in rural and regional pain medicine offers.