AMA SA 2025 Intern Guide
Helping you navigate your first weeks as an intern
Congradulations
The AMA and you
Dr John Williams, AMA SA President
On behalf of all your colleagues in the Australian Medical Association, congratulations on taking this huge step. Internship is not the beginning of your journey, but it is the beginning of your ‘career’.
We doctors are in a unique position. We are trusted with the most important moments, details and factors affecting our patients and their lives. In one consultation, we may be clinician, counsellor and advocate. You are now joining the those who have committed to learning what it takes to be a doctor, and to working with your colleagues to provide the best care you can.
The AMA is here to help you do just that. We’re the only membership organisation whose members come together from all medical specialties to guide the development of policy that will improve systems and treatments. Our members are students, interns, registrars and experienced doctors; they’re at university, or working in hospitals or practices in cities, towns and remote areas of South Australia. Together, we work to implement changes that will help our colleagues do their work efficiently and effectively.
I n the end, though, it’s about patients and patient care. Our advocacy ensures Australians have access to quality health care, when and where they need it. It’s important for giving doctors a
strong, united voice in debate about the legislation, policy, funding and services that our patients and communities need. A nd – largely because of the credibility we’ve built over many decades in fighting for our patients and a better health system – our voice is important when we want to explain issues that directly affect our members. From climate change to gender and cultural diversity in medicine; from reproductive rights to appropriate funding of Medicare, the AMA is ready and able to speak out about issues vital to doctors’ futures and the profession itself.
A mplify our voice
As part of the AMA community, you’ll be able to draw on the network that is ready to help you succeed. And when you’re ready, there are many ways you can help us improve our profession and the health care of all Australians. In South Australia, we have an expanding list of committees comprising doctors and other experts that gather feedback about conditions facing working doctors and offer evidence-based guidance to advocate for change.
I hope you will maintain a close relationship with the AMA. Our influence over subsequent generations depends on junior doctors like you. Join us and we’ll be with you, every step of the way.
Thanks to Dr Claudia Haeusler, Dr Kritika Mishra, Dr Amy Langdon and Dr Elizabeth Johnson, photographer Brett Sheridan of Blue Razoo and CALHN MEU for the venue.
A message to new interns
Dr Hayden Cain, Chair AMA SA Doctors in Training Committee
Congratulations on taking a giant step in your medical career.
t’s challenging and may be daunting, but internship can be one of the best years of your life.
This is a time when you’ll meet people who’ll be alongside you and have your back throughout your career. It’s also a time to capitalise on the services the AMA can provide, at state and federal levels, to help you become the doctor you want to be. For decades, the AMA has been one of Australia’s must trusted organisations. This trust comes from a long history of doctors of all specialties making decisions and providing advice to improve both the health and wellbeing of Australians and the capacity of our health system to provide world-class care. When journalists want information about a medical issue, they come to us, because they know our advice is independent, objective and based on evidence.
B ut the AMA is about more than advocacy. As a junior doctor, you’ll benefit from educational opportunities, career guidance, networking and mentoring events. Other functions focus on financial planning and workplace issues.
Have your say
There are many ways a junior doctor can contribute to the AMA’s advocacy
efforts. The South Australian and federal AMA doctors in training committees are among those that welcome and rely on input from junior doctors to ensure that the AMA voice reflects and responds to the issues confronting working doctors today. We advocate for issues ranging from rostering and supervision to bullying reporting pathways and the concerns of international medical graduate, always with the aim of building and supporting a sustainable DiT workforce.
The AMA SA DiT Committee also has a representative on AMA SA Council to ensure the challenges facing junior doctors are front and centre in the minds and decisions of our senior colleagues.
O ne of our most important projects is the production of the annual ‘Hospital Health Check’ (HHC), which highlights the issues affecting junior doctors in the state’s public hospitals. It continues to demonstrate there are many major concerns that affect us from local staffing and resource issues to the toxic cultural and bullying problems in medicine –issues that if not tackled soon will only worsen.
The AMA wants public hospitals to be safe, nurturing environments in which junior doctors learn to practise medicine. Join us and add your voice to our advocacy.
Guiding lights
Peta Beckham, Royal Adelaide Hospital Medical Education Officer - Interns
There are many sources of help for interns within your new working environments in South Australia’s hospitals.
Transitioning from medical student to intern is an exciting milestone in your career. After years of study, sacrifice, you are now a doctor.
W hile colleagues can offer guidance, there may be times when more support is needed. Each Local Health Network (LHN) has medical education units or trainee medical officer units. These teams, including Directors of Clinical Training (DCTs) and Medical Education Officers (MEOs), are ready to help.
Director of Clinical Training
A DCT is a senior clinician within your LHN. DCTs are expert clinical educators, and they train and educate prevocational trainees. They are advocates for trainees and work to ensure excellent educational standards. Your DCT can assist with concerns, career guidance and wellbeing support, along with helping with remediation strategies if you encounter challenges along the way.
Medical Education Officer
M EOs work with DCTs to support interns and trainee medical officers (TMOs) as you progress in your professional career. Their support is tailored to your needs, ranging from simple conversations to
referrals for external services such as those of a GP or psychologist. They also support your wellbeing and career development.
Transfer of Information process
The DCT and MEO can start supporting you before your internship starts, through the Transfer of Information process. This enables medical students to contact the DCT and MEO about any concerns or issues that you believe may have an impact on your forthcoming intern year. It helps set you up for success, by establishing strategies to ensure you have opportunities to learn and develop your clinical skills during the year.
Fo r more information, visit: samet.org.au/reports-and-resources/ resources/transfer-of-information
To contact your DCT or MEO, visit the SAMET (South Australian Medical Education and Training) website: samet.org.au/doctors-in-trainingintro/contacts.
AMA SA offers support and services for every stage of your career.
Join the most trusted doctors’ organisation in Australia and benefit from our professional networks, business tools and the advocacy that helps doctors, patients and the entire health system.
Professional development reimbursement
If you are a public medical professional your AMA SA membership can be fully claimed back through your professional development allowance.
For more information, v isit: ama.com.au/sa/membership-benefits
Advocacy
Leverage the AMA’s powerful advocacy for doctors of all specialties and stages, from doctors in training to hospital doctors, private specialists and general practitioners. AMA SA is your voice.
Resources & support
Access a range of resources like the AMA Fees List , industrial and workplace relations support, a free subscription to the Medical Journal of Australia , and discounts on AMA’s CPD Home .
Mentoring & networking
AMA will help you stay connected. Networking leads to new opportunities, collaborations and knowledge-sharing. It’s not just who you know, it’s who others know. Networking is powerful.
Events & learning
Access educational, business and networking events and webinars on a variety of topics, plus discounted entry to other events and conferences.
Career support
As a member you receive a free AMA career service, including a CV checkup and career consult to support your career.
Business services
Receive 10% discount on accounting services at Hood Sweeney, 5% discount on standard legal services at Norman Waterhouse Lawyers and discounts at Officeworks and more.
Member discounts
Members benefit from discounts on brands like Amex, Endota Spa, winedirect, Qantas & Virgin Lounges, plus offers across car dealerships including BMW, Jarvis Skoda and Audi.
You can also access Blue Light Card discounts on everything from fuel and food to holidays, technology, and fashion at The Iconic, Woolworths, Samsung, Expedia, Hello Fresh and more.
ama.com.au/sa/join-the-ama AMA SA membership is fully tax deductible.
Your career
Our career services help junior doctors assess career options, understand your interests and strengths, enhance your skills and win desired roles.
A MA leadership coaching empowers doctors to inspire, manage and support your teams and communities. The A MA has customised programs and services to support career development for interns including:
Career Consult Call
Resume Check Up
Interview Training 1:1
Career & Specialty Pathways Coaching
Leadership & Performance Coaching Programs
Continuous professional development
For more information about AMA Career Services, go to: ama.com.au/articles/ama-careers-service-0
Your
future
AMA SA has a range of committees in which doctors in specialist areas and nonclinical colleagues advocate for their interests and a better health system. Their input feeds into AMA SA Council policy and decision-making and Federal AMA campaigns.
I nterns are encouraged to keep an eye out for vacancies and apply when relevant opportunities emerge. See vacancies here: ama.com.au/sa/committees/join
Starting internship 20 helpful habits
Dr Tom Gransbury shares top tips from his experience as an intern
Organisational
1. Receive a good rotation handover from the outgoing intern (see page 11).
2. Obtain your pager and page yourself to check it’s working.
3. Make sure you are a member of the team group chat (e.g. WhatsApp, Teams, etc).
4. Ask your team for time to complete your mandatory training during work hours.
5. Claim unrostered overtime if you’ve worked it (and find out how to get it approved). Talk to your team early if you’re regularly needing to stay back for more than an hour and see how you can better distribute the workload.
Clinical
6. Ensure discharge summaries have up-to-date lists of medications on discharge.
7. Find out to whom you should escalate difficult cannulas and how to organise midlines/PICCs.
8. Learn these quick EPAS tricks:
» Save all the COMMON. CORE. ED. GAST. HAEM. NEUR. RESP. and SURG. Pre-Operative order sets to your favourites list. Set this as your default ordering screen.
» Import a list of ‘common discharge diagnoses’ as favourites, along with useful cover acronym expansions from the previous intern.
» Set up an ‘advanced’ EPAS list to display ‘incomplete’ and ‘not started’ discharge summaries for your rotation dates.
» Know the different ways to recover a ward round note on EPAS (including a drop-down box called ‘document recovery’ when entering a new document).
» You can also add a column for ‘Physio/Social Work/etc.’ assessment status that tells you if they have been referred.
Networks
9. Meet and get to know your allied health staff! They will be incredibly helpful with navigating complex systems.
10. Get to know your TMO (Trainee Medical Officers) Unit/Post-gradual Medical Education Unit as a helpful ‘first port of call’ with internship issues.
11. Remember your medical students and organise teaching for them if you can. You are best placed to know what is useful for them.
12. Think about who you’d like to act as your referee and update your CV and approach them while on rotation.
Wellbeing
13. Try and take lunch breaks away from your computer. Ideally prepare the meal ahead of time and take the time to eat well.
14. Consider a meal prep delivery service or cooking in bulk and freeze meals. Decision fatigue in your first weeks of working is very real and not having to decide what to cook makes it easier to maintain a health diet over fast-food.
15. Give your resident your pager during your protected teaching time.
16. If you are sick, take a sick day. Your team can manage without you. Your patients also don’t need your infection!
17. If you receive a call about your patients on a rostered day off, interrupt the person and redirect them to whoever is working that day (or don’t answer the call).
18. Ask another intern to co-certify with you for your first death.
19. Ask to debrief about distressing cases. Registrars may forget that you could need debriefing after an incident with an aggressive patient or after your first patient death. Seek outside help if you think you may need it, from your GP, Hand-n-Hand, Employee Assistance Program or Doctor’s Health SA.
20. Exercise and socialise. Organise a regular social catch-up with your best mates. Having a chance to debrief and enjoy life outside of work is crucial. Try to find an exercise regime you enjoy that can be flexible around shift work. It is extremely important to maintain good health and wellbeing.
Your health
Dr Roger Sexton, medical director, Doctors’ Health SA
There are many stressful points that test doctors’ skills and threaten our work-life balance – especially in the early years.
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B ut there are steps you can take to minimise the impact of anxiety and pressure on your health.
Have a regular GP. Use your GP. You’ll live significantly longer if you do! GPs can be a sounding board in a safe environment in which you can share your physical psychological concerns, as well as connecting you to relevant referral networks.
Take the time to find a GP in a practice you can access and who meets your expectations. Be helpful, polite and considerate in your appointments. Book longer appointments and don’t expect everything to be sorted out in one visit.
Attend to the basics. You need sleep, fresh water, regular meals (take them to work) and exercise (build it into everything you do). Go outside in breaks and grab fresh air and sunshine. It can be difficult when you’re busy, but prioritise sleep.
I f you know a high-stress period is looming, plan ahead and make sure you ‘stock up’ on good food, fresh air and rest.
Maintain interests outside medicine – art, music, reading, team sport, volunteering, coaching, etc.
Maintain non-medical friendships. Make time for and remain connected with family and friends. Try not to talk about your work!
P ractise relaxation at work through mindfulness and meditation, listening to music and taking breaks.
E stablish a group of advisors – your GP, an accountant, psychologist, etc.
Manage your time effectively. Don’t procrastinate. Use the 3D approach to tasks:
• Do it (now)
• Ditch it (say ‘no’)
• Delegate it.
P lan holidays well ahead and find restorative value in short breaks such as an overnight stay.
Have an annual check-up so your preventative checks are done.
I t may take some time to find a GP who suits you. Doctors’ Health SA can help –we can provide an initial comprehensive health assessment and help you find a GP for your future care.
We are here to support doctors and medical students to care for themselves, their colleagues and their patients.
hour mental health support line - 08 8366 0250
Dr Emma Gregory Avant member
Intern handover checklist
Checklist for SA Public Hospitals
This checklist helps you identify key information at the start of each rotation. You can also seek advice from previous interns or consult your rotation supervisor.
Patient information
Request the OACIS/EMR sheet with all current inpatients.
D iscuss with each patient:
Patient name/location
Current diagnosis
Key preceding/current events
Past medical history/current problem list
Expected length of stay (e.g. 24 hours, days, weeks, months).
Daily rounds
Arrive early to prepare for the ward round/day ahead (e.g., printing notes).
Familiarise yourself with the timing of:
Ward rounds
Consultant rounds
Huddles
Pre-admission clinics
OPDs
Theatre sessions
Allied health meetings
Understand your roles during ward rounds.
Check if there are any weekend ward rounds you must do alone or without direct oversight.
Rosters and timetables
Identify who organises the roster and when it is sent out.
Understand your general weekly hours and weekend/after-hours requirements.
Learn how to arrange shift swaps if needed.
Understand the process for applying for overtime approval.
Note the schedule for MDT/unit meetings. Know where and when to drop off medical admin-specific timesheets and who to email.
Clinical responsibilities
Know if you’re required in pre-admission clinics and post-operative reviews. Confirm if you need to participate in MET shifts.
Find out where to drop off forms for morning bloods.
Handover preparation
Learn how to handover for cover and nights. Know where to find the handover documents and term descriptions.
Unit structure
Identify the term supervisor and obtain contact details for:
Consultants
Registrars
Residents
Specialty nurses
(outline their roles).
Understand how the team communicates (e.g. WhatsApp) and ask to be added where applicable. Know the name of the nurse clinic unit manager.
Introduce yourself to the team before starting the rotation.
Unit-specific requirements
Confirm if the unit prefers to use EMR/ OACIS sheets for handover and if there is any specific information needed. If unfamiliar with setting up lists, ask your predecessor to show you.
Check if you are required to give any presentations at meetings during the rotation.
Locate the morning bloods tray and know the timing of the bloods round, including weekends.
Do a walk-through to find the team office, meeting rooms, and ward round meeting points.
Administrative responsibilities
Understand your roles in discharge planning.
Determine if you need to chase any results for recently discharged patients.
Learn how to book outpatient appointments for patients being discharged, both for your unit and other specialties.
Check if you are required to organise or book rooms for any meetings.
Ensure all outstanding discharge summaries are completed. Know the expectations regarding discharge summaries (e.g., patient leaves with summary in hand or within 24 or 48 hours).
Find out if the unit has a specific template for discharge summaries.
Important!
Know who your supervisor is.
Take note of anything you feel is important.
Find out the team’s favourite coffee spot.
Check if food is provided at unit meetings.
Be aware of common patient problems/ calls specific to the unit.
Learn the acronym expansions (for Sunrise users).
Your registration
By Pat Maher, Ahpra State Manager SA
Ahpra has a range of information about the obligations of registration to help interns be ready to work as practising doctors.
Congratulations on starting your journey as a registered medical practitioner!
I hope the introductory information below will help guide you in the initial stages of your career.
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) works with the Medical Board of Australia to help protect the public and ensure Australia’s medical practitioners are suitably trained. Public safety is always our number one priority; our decisions in South Australia are guided by the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (the National Law) as it applies in this state.
What we do
The Medical Board and Ahpra have five core functions:
P rofessional standards – We publish registration standards, codes and guidelines to ensure doctors know what’s required to practise safely
R egistration – We manage the registration and renewal processes for local and overseas qualified medical practitioners and manage student registration to ensure that only medical practitioners with the skills and qualifications to provide competent and ethical care are registered to practise.
For more information, please visit the Medical Board website: https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/
N otifications - We manage complaints and concerns raised about the health, performance and conduct of individual doctors; in South Australia, we work with SA Health and the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner to make sure concerns are managed appropriately.
C ompliance - We monitor and audit registered doctors to make sure they comply with Board requirements.
Accreditation - We work with accreditation authorities and committees to ensure graduating students have the suitable qualifications and skills to register as medical practitioners.
W hen registering as a doctor, there are five core registration standards you should be aware of and declare:
1. Continuing Professional Development
2. English language skills
3. Recency of practice
4. Professional indemnity insurance
5. Criminal history
Your money
By Helen Hadjisavva of Hood Sweeney, Health Team Manager in Accounting & Business Advisory
Starting your career as a Resident Medical Officer (RMO) means managing your income wisely. There are many things you will want to consider but of course it’s different for every intern, so we always suggest you ask your accountant for guidance specific to your situation.
H ere are some key things you will need to understand.
Income Tax Return: Lodge your tax return by 31 October each year. If a registered tax agent does it, you might have more time.
Taxable Income: This includes your salary, any other income, dividends, interest and rental income.
Deductions: You can claim expenses like membership fees, uniforms, insurance, asset purchases, phone, internet, home office costs, donations, and self-education.
Record Keeping: Keep records of all deductible expenses.
Tax Brackets: The more you earn, the more tax you pay.
HELP Debt: Depending on your income, you might need to start repaying your Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt.
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Income Protection: Consider insurance to protect your income if you can’t work due to illness or injury.
myGov Account: Create a myGov account and link it to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to manage your tax affairs.
Private Health Insurance: Without it, you might pay the Medicare Levy Surcharge, as much as 1.5% of your income.
For personalised advice, consult an accountant. Hood Sweeney offers a complimentary tax return and consultation for AMA members.
C ontact: sara.bradshaw@hoodsweeney. com.au or 1300 764 200.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is factual information and is not financial advice or taxation advice. The information is objectively ascertainable information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances. You should consider obtaining financial advice and taxation advice before making a decision in relation to this information. *Liability Limited by A Scheme Approved Under Professional Standards Legislation.
