Fed: Trainee surgeons to practice in cyberspace

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2006
Fed: Trainee surgeons to practice in cyberspace

Australia's apprentice surgeons will receive more training on virtual patients .. under
a proposal to address workforce shortages.

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons president RUSSELL STITZ says they're looking
at ways to accelerate training .. so doctors can become fully qualified surgeons in six
years .. without compromising patient safety.

Dr STITZ says under the proposal .. surgical trainees would spend more time in cyber-training
.. practising on virtual simulators similar to those used by pilots.

He says the simulators aren't as good as the real thing .. but are pretty close.

At the moment .. some doctors take up to a decade to qualify in surgery after completing
their medical degrees .. and a year's internship at a public hospital.

AAP RTV jhm/wf/bart

KEYWORD: SURGEONS (BRISBANE)

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