Local Doctor Prakash Bandgar from Kruger Medical Centre in Harden has been accepted into a national program that allows him to remain in the local community while at the same time, gaining additional knowledge and skills in specialist general practice.
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This is great news for the Harden community, ensuring that much needed medical skills and expertise continue to be available locally.
Funded by the Federal Government Department of Health, the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS) provides fully supported training services for rural and remote doctors wanting to further specialise in general practice.
Dr Bandgar is very happy that he and his family will be able to remain in Harden for at least the next three years.
“My family and I are pleased that we will be able to remain in Harden.” Dr Bandgar said. “As a doctor, you become very invested in your patients, you get to know them personally and build a relationship.It is very sad when you have to move on and leave them – you worry about them and wonder how they are doing.”
“It is also easier for the patients to have the same medical professional all the time, trust is built between doctor and patient and it is hard for the patient when they have to get to know someone knew and learn to trust all over again.” Dr Bandgar said.
The primary focus of the RVTS program is to retain GPs in rural and remote areas.
“Doctors who train with us gain access to the latest advances in rural general practice without having to leave their patients and move to another centre’, Dr Patrick Giddings, RVTS Chief Executive Officer said.
‘Many GPs work as solo practitioners and in locations where the medical services would be substantially compromised if they were required to undertake specialist GP training away from their community. We know that without our support, many doctors may have had to leave to pursue career advancement.”
Around one-third of the Australian population lives in rural, regional and remote areas and it is well recognised that they don’t enjoy the same access to health services and health related infrastructure as those who live in the cities.
Increasing the numbers of health professionals in rural and remote areas remains an ongoing focus at both Federal and State levels.
Doctor Bandgar is one of 32 doctors who have been accepted into the RVTS program this year, joining more than 120 other doctors currently in the program.
He is currently working with a student doctor, Desmond Aranha, who will be here in Harden for the next few weeks.
