A one stop guide to Advanced Paediatric training in Victoria

Sunshine Hospital JKWC - Western Health

Trainee Positions

  • 3 x General Paediatric Advanced Training positions are offered in General Paediatrics each year
    • Most Advanced training positions are offered as paired 12 or 24 month positions with other departments within Western Health, but 6 or 12 month Gen Paeds only positions are also possible. 

 

  • 12 month positions: 
    • Some positions may be linked across 2 different departments at Western Health, or be linked with other Health Services to provide 12 month positions (6 months in each rotation).  The following combinations are possible.  Order of rotation cannot be guaranteed:
      • Sunshine JKWC General Paediatrics / Paediatric Emergency 
      • Sunshine JKWC General Paediatrics / Sunshine JKWC NICU 
      • Sunshine JKWC General Paediatrics  / Bacchus Marsh Community
      • Sunshine JKWC General Paediatrics  / Sunshine Community 
      • Sunshine JKWC General Paediatrics - 12 months

 

  • 2 x Advanced Trainee Registrar positions offered as 24-month positions - Core WestSide BestSide rotations.  These positions allow for the full 2 years of core Advanced General Paediatrics training, completing all mandatory (core) training requirements, without the need to apply to different sites each year.
    • These positions include:
      • 6 months General Paediatrics with perinatal (Rural/Regional training) at Shepparton.  Note that the rural rotation is either first or second rotation of the 2 year contract.  Please see the page for Shepparton for details on this rotation.
      • 6 months Acute (Sunshine Paediatric Emergency or Sunshine NICU - must be determined at the time you accept the position)
      • 6 months core General Paeds at Sunshine JKWC (including ample outpatient exposure)
      • 6 months Developmental/Psychosocial Community

 

  • 1 x Chief Registrar (General Paediatrics Fellow) - 12 months only
    • This role is intended for trainees nearing the end of their training as a transition-to-Fellowship.  AT3+ is preferred
      • AT2 will be considered if the candidate has previously worked at Sunshine Hospital
      • This role is suitable for Peer Review - international medical graduates will be considered
    • Management of JMS on the ward and opportunity to independently perform ward rounds (with supportive consultant back-up) and be first on-call; depending on level of training/experience
    • 2 - 3 clinics per week - 1 General Paediatrics Clinic; 1 Developmental Clinic; 1 further clinic can be negotiated depending on your interests (e.g. Allergy / Endocrinology / Neurology etc)
    • Opportunity to be involved in Medical Student Education, Safety and Quality activities, EMR / Digital Health, Public Health Unit or other areas of interest
    • Oversees the JMS education program, assists with roster queries, and provides support to junior colleagues. 
    • May be offered as part-time 0.8 FTE, but full time is preferred
    • This position requires an additional interview for short-listed candidates

 

  • 1 x Western Community Fellow - 12 months only
    • This position will spend time at Melton Health, IPC Deer Park, and Sunshine Hospital involving experience in assessment and management of behavioural and developmental conditions, including multidisciplinary autism assessment clinics
    • Provides core Developmental training with  Community Child Health ATC or Developmental/Psychosocial core training for Gen Paeds AT
    • This position requires an additional interview for short-listed candidates that is held in conjunction with the RCH Centre for Community Child Health

 

  • NICU Registrars - 6 or 12 months - please see the NICU-Sunshine JKWC page
    • These positions provide well-supported experience in the NICU and SCN.  There are ample opportunities for registrars to do procedures under direct guidance of the consultant staff.  
    • A neonatologist is on-shift from 8am - 11pm, and there is also a neonatologist who sleeps on-site every night to support junior staff.
    • These positions are currently accredited core Acute advanced training in General Paediatrics or in Neonatology/Perinatal training.  These positions are also suitable for continuing basic trainees and unaccredited registrars seeking more NICU experience.

 

Note that Sunshine Paediatric ED and NICU also hold separate recruitment processes for more senior Fellow positions or if seeking Paediatric ED as a standalone position - these are advertised via Western Health e-Mercury.  

 

Trainee Level

  • Advanced trainees preferred (post FRACP exam)
  • Continuing basic trainees and International Medical Graduates will be considered for 6 or 12 months roles
  • Job-share positions are accepted
  • Part-time applicants may be considered for some roles - please contact us to discuss

Contact

  • Dr Alison Pearce:   alison.pearce@wh.org.au   0466 801 565

Wards

  • 24 bed paediatric ward, plus additional day-of-surgery paediatric beds
  • NICU, deliveries, and postnatal wards are staffed separately by Newborn Services (NICU)
  • Extremely busy Paediatric Emergency Department (28,000 paediatric presentations/year) staffed separately by Paediatric Emergency Physicians, Paediatric Registrars and Emergency Registrars.

Junior Staff

  • 6 x HMO rotating from the General HMO stream - provide 24 hour cover to wards
  • 1 x Chief Registrar in last year of Advanced Training
  • 9 x General Paediatric Registrars:
    • 3 x Advanced Trainees
    • 4 x Victorian Basic Paediatric Training Consortium Registrars (not appointed through this process)
    • 2 x RCH Rotating Registrar Basic Trainees (not appointed through this process)  
  • 1 x Community Fellow 
  • 1 x Community Registrar (Sunshine)
  • 2 further community positions are on offer at Western Health - please see separate page

Senior Staff

  • 9 x Paediatric Consultants cover both wards and outpatients
  • 4 x additional Consultants work only within outpatients
  • 10 x Subspecialty Consultant VMO"s in Endocrinology, Allergy, Cardiology, Neurology, Dermatology

Clinics 

  • All outpatient clinics have direct consultant supervision
  • Daily Gen Paeds clinics with 3 x Registrars attending per day
  • Weekly Paed Endo clinic attended by 1 x Registrar
  • Fortnightly Paed Allergy clinic attended by 1 x Registrar
  • Monthly Paed Dermatology clinic attended by 1 x Registrar
  • Weekly Behavioural and Developmental clinics attended by Chief Registrar and Community Registrars
  • Other clinics are available to attend as observers (in paid training time):
    • Paed Cardiology - daily
    • Paed Neurology - weekly
    • Paed Immunisation - approx monthly
    • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry / Psychology - weekly

Education and Teaching

  • Daily Education program includes:
    • Weekly grand round - consultant guest speakers or local case discussions
    • Fortnightly journal club alternates with fortnightly consultant teaching
    • Weekly combined teaching with Paed ED trainees
    • Weekly combined teaching with NICU trainees
    • Weekly Registrar-led teaching for HMO's
    • Weekly radiology meeting - combined with Paeds ED
    • Weekly MDT meeting for inpatients and complex-care outpatients
    • Monthly ward safety and quality forum
    • Monthly M&M meeting
    • Monthly simulation program - ward and outpatients
    • Monthly outreach Neurology teaching program from Sydney Children's Hospital 
  • 3- monthly GRIPPS simulation full-day or half-day program 
  • RCH CCCH tutorial videoconference program for Community trainees
  • APLS attendance is facilitated by conference leave and we prioritise leave for these courses
  • Child protection training is facilitate by conference leave and we prioritise leave for these courses

Roster and on-call

  • Dependent on each position
    • For details on Rural/Regional rotations see specific pages within this website
    • NICU / Paeds ED both have a 24 hour rotational roster
    • General Paediatrics at Sunshine JKWC has 9 registrars rotating through children's ward (including evenings and nights), outpatients, and relief (covers planned leave, or provides research/project time).  Sick-leave on-call is part of the roster.  Most weeks of the roster are 43 hours as per the AMA Doctors in Training award. 

Pay

  • As per current AMA Victorian Doctors in Training award
  • Linked positions will be provided as separate contracts from each health service

Accessibility

  • Joan Kirner Women's and Children's at Sunshine Hospital is located approx 20km from Melbourne CBD in western Melbourne (St Albans).  
  • There is (paid) staff parking available on-site
  • The hospital is a 5 minute walk from Ginifer Train Station and complementary shuttle bus operates between the hospital and station during after-hours
  • Note that Western Health Bacchus Marsh and Melton sites are approx 58km from the CBD.  A car is required.

    Western Health services a diverse multicultural community of over 1 million people, with a rapidly growing population.  Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s (JKWC) opened in 2019 and has a 24-bed paediatric ward and a Level 6 NICU.  There are over 6,500 births per year at JKWC.  The Sunshine Paediatric Emergency Department is one of the busiest in the state, and assesses approx 30,000 children each year.   

    General Paediatrics at JKWC comprises inpatient care and a busy, varied outpatient service.  There are ample opportunities for clinics in General Paediatrics, Behavioural and Developmental medicine, and Sub-specialty clinics including Endocrinology, Allergy, and Dermatology. There are other sub-specialty clinics trainees may attend in their training time, such as Cardiology and Neurology. There is opportunity to be involved in research, audit, and teaching and trainees are supported to complete AT projects.  

    The paediatric team values its trainees, prioritises work-life balance, and is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for clinical education and training.  Do you have a special-interest?  Our consultants love working with passionate trainees who are keen to learn and offer suggestions to continually improve our services for the population in Western Melbourne.