A program that aims to make patients healthier by increasing the health and resilience of doctors-in-training in Queensland public hospitals has won the AMA Best Public Health Initiative from a State or Territory Government Award at the 2018 AMA National Conference.
The Resilience on the Run program was originally developed by AMA Queensland and piloted in 2016 with interns at Rockhampton Base Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, and the Metro South Hospital and Health Service.
In recognition of the strong results achieved for doctors-in-training in the pilot project, the Queensland Government provided funding in the 2017-18 Budget to deliver Resilience on the Run to all medical interns in Queensland from 2017-2019.
Announcing the award, outgoing AMA President Dr Michael Gannon said it was the first consistent program offered to doctors-in-training in Australia to support their mental health as they transition to a career in medicine.
“It is crucial to have healthy doctors – this leads to healthier patients,” Dr Gannon said.
“Doctors need to be well to deliver high-quality health care to their patients and the community, and to experience medicine as a rewarding and satisfying career.
“With Resilience on the Run, the Queensland Government has acknowledged the unique stresses on doctors-in-training as they transition from medical school to the workforce.”
The program involves a two-part workshop focused on developing resilience and mindfulness techniques, managing interpersonal relationships, and strategies for dealing with burnout and fatigue.
“I note that AMA Queensland is now advocating for the State Government to extend funding for Resilience on the Run beyond the intern years to post-graduate years two to five, which would be a very worthy achievement,” Dr Gannon said.
A Queensland Health spokesman told the limbic their full cohort of about 747 medical interns would receive the training each year but more was also planned.
“The delivery of the Resilience on the Run program to medical interns is the first phase of a broader $2 million funding investment being made by Queensland Health to support the mental wellbeing of all medical practitioners – from interns through to senior consultants.”