A one stop guide to Advanced Paediatric training in Victoria

NICU - Mercy Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Positions available

  • 6 x full-time specialist neonatal medical officer (registrar) positions
    • 6 or 12 month roles available.  6 month roles commence either February or August
    • Job-share applications are welcome
  • 1 x position shared with Austin paediatrics (6 months Austin linked to 6 months MHW NICU) - please contact Austin General Paediatrics to enquire about this position
  • 2 x positions shared with Werribee Mercy paediatrics (6 months Werribee Mercy linked to 6 months MHW NICU) - please contact Werribee General Paediatrics to enquire about this position
  • Note that Neonatology Fellow positions are not recruited via VPAT process currently - please apply directly to Mercy for these roles when advertised.

Trainee Levels

  • Advanced trainees preferred (post FRACP exam) 
    • MHW NICU is an accredited training site with the RACP and trainees can receive advanced training accreditation for core Acute (General Paediatrics AT) or core Neonatology advanced training (6 months maximum accredited in registrar position towards neonatology).
  • Continuing basic trainees and International Medical Graduates with tertiary neonatal experience (6 months preferred; minimum 3 months) will be considered for 6 or 12 month roles.

Contact

  • For further enquiries on these positions, please contact either
    • Dr Katie van Schilfgaarde, KVanSchilfgaarde@mercy.com.au   or
    • Dr Ajit Aiyappan, AAiyappan@mercy.com.au

Staffing in the Unit

  • 14 FTE Registrars, job sharing able to be accommodated and discussion of how to split rosters encouraged
  • 8 FTE Neonatal Fellows, job sharing able to be accommodated and discussion of how to split rosters encouraged
  • 12 FTE Neonatal Consultants
  • Each Registrar will have a Consultant Neonatologist nominated to be their mentor/educational supervisor during their employment.  

Roster and on-call

  • Registrars and HMO's work as part of a multidisciplinary team within the Neonatal Intensive and Special Care Nursery, with close involvement of consultants and fellows.
  • Registrars rotate through a variety of roles, including neonatal intensive care, special care, deliveries, post-natal ward, evenings and nights.
  • Neonatal consultants are on site 24 hours per day to provide support and clinical assistance.
  • 76 hours per fortnight, with minimal rostered overtime, training time paid in addition.

Education and Teaching

  • Protected teaching time is built in to rosters with a variety of teaching opportunities available. These include but are not limited to:

    -        Registrar and fellow teaching sessions

    -        Case discussions

    -        Morbidity and mortality meetings

    -        Clinical radiology and genetics meetings 

Pay

  • Classification and salary will be dependent on experience and will be in accordance with the AMA Victoria - Victorian Public Health Sector - Doctors in Training Enterprise Agreement (the "award")

Accessibility

  • The Mercy Hospital for Women is located in Heidelberg and is approximately 15km from Melbourne CBD and is well connected by road and train. Heidelberg train station is located immediately outside the hospital and there is paid staff car parking available.

    Mercy Hospital for Women in Heidelberg is a busy tertiary unit caring for more than 1500 babies in our nursery annually. As a training position we are known for being a supportive and nurturing learning environment as well as providing excellent learning opportunities. Trainees will gain exposure to high risk deliveries, caring for extreme preterm neonates as well as complex neonatal conditions. There is the opportunity to work closely with fellows and consultants on a day to day basis. The variety of roles registrars gain exposure to within our roster is highly valuable for neonatal, general paediatric, as well as subspecialty training.