Supporting the next generation of rural surgeons

RACS surgical Trainees share their impressions of the Provincial Surgeons of Australia (PSA) 2022 conference

Held on the sunny grounds of Mackay, Queensland, 15 rural aspiring surgeons were supported to attend the 57th Provincial Surgeons of Australia (PSA) conference through the Rural Coach - General Surgeons Australia - Rural Surgery Registration Grant. These Trainees and junior doctors share their thoughts on how enriching this experience was and the lasting positive impact it has had on their training. Featured below are highlights from the reports provided by some of the recipients. The full report by all the recipients can be read on bit.ly/3g0TPg7 Dr Lash Wickramasuriya SET 5 Queensland PSA 2022 brought with it a return to Mackay, where I had been posted for my first year of surgical training. As a firstyear registrar in a regional setting you are thrust into the spotlight that comes with suddenly being responsible for managing your clinical team, residents and consultants. I was glad to see old friends, colleagues, and mentors while enjoying an educational scientific program filled with domestic and international speakers that highlighted the ongoing importance and challenges faced by rural and regional surgeons in Australia. Dr Andrew FitzDowse SET 5 Victoria The conference provided an ideal mix of practical surgical information, and a reminder of the friendly nature of rural surgeons. The talks imparted pearls of information that I wish I had received before sitting the Fellowship exam. Of note were the talks given by Dr Todd Heniford—a world leader in hernia surgery research. It was amazing to meet the developer of the CeDAR App I’ve been using on my phone for some years! The get practical tips and tricks for complex hernia management from such an inspiring surgeon, was unrivalled. The social events showed the community that the PSA fosters and offers an opportunity to develop a rural support network for my future practice. Dr Brianne (Bree) Lauritz SET 4 Victoria It was a great opportunity for metropolitan, regional, and rural surgeons to gather in person after the last two years. Regional and rural speakers spoke about their subspecialty interests, with sessions focusing on colorectal, hepatobiliary, and breast surgeries. The RACS Rural Coach Dr Damian Fry gave a special talk detailing his career pathway from the military to becoming a surgeon. He emphasised his enjoyment of rural rotations during his training and the variety of experiences encountered being a rural surgeon. I look forward to next year’s PSA! Dr Tzu-Yi (Arron) Chuang SET 2 Queensland Early in the year I was in Mackay as a general surgical registrar and there was a sense of pride in seeing the PSA being held to such a high standard. It was a great learning experience as many of the presentations focused on managing surgical emergencies in the rural setting, which is one of the main aims of the PSA! It was wonderful listening to Associate Professor Kellee Slater, one of Australia’s pioneer hernia specialists, on her experience in complex abdominal wall reconstruction and hernia repair. Dr Pranavan Palamuthusingam from Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital presented on updates to the Barcelona guideline for hepatocellular carcinoma management. Dr Scott Whiting from Townsville discussed how to manage bariatric surgical complications in regional and rural setting. Dr William McSweeney SET 1 Queensland Attending the PSA was invaluable to continue to develop my understanding of the place rural surgery plays in surgical care. I found the sessions particularly engaging—both in terms of relatable surgical content that I can apply in practice, and in hearing from metropolitan-based experts in these fields. It was these talks by surgical subspecialists from larger centres that were so appealing and gave an impression of connection between the regional practice, and the referral centres we are so often speaking with. The social events were a highlight and impressed upon me a sense of community and mentorship, which is key in moulding how I think about future practice. The presentation by Dr Fry was a meaningful and grounding insight into the challenges and opportunities of training. I strongly recommend the PSA to other junior doctors and would like to continue to attend as I progress through training. Dr David Toro Tolle JDoc Northern Territory I’m incredibly grateful to the GSA Rural Coach Grant for supporting me in making the trip to the PSA conference. I live and work in Darwin, and the journey to Mackay is certainly not a short one. As someone who is interested in rural general surgery and surgical research in rural and remote Australia, I knew this trip would be an excellent opportunity to learn and connect. I was given the opportunity to present on real-time research I’m conducting with Dr Richard Bradbury. We are exploring optimal (and evidence-based) surgical techniques to treat carbuncles—a condition disproportionately affecting rural and remote Australians. I really appreciated feedback and insight from attendees, and the overwhelmingly positive response to our study. I left Mackay feeling enriched with both new ideas and knowledge, as well as colleagues.