Employment and Training
General Practice Registrar Training – where you can learn, grow and thrive as a GP
Wodonga West Medical Clinic is a well-established, community-focused general practice providing comprehensive, patient-centred care to the people of Wodonga and the surrounding North East Victorian region.
We believe great general practice is built on relationships, continuity and a genuine commitment to our patients and our team. Our philosophy is to treat every patient with respect, dignity and compassion while providing high-quality care across all stages of life.
Just as importantly, we believe that registrars learn best when they feel welcomed, supported and valued as part of the practice team.
We describe ourselves as a “practice family”. From the moment a registrar joins us, we aim to provide a friendly and inclusive environment where they can ask questions, discuss challenging cases, learn from experienced GPs and gradually develop confidence and independence. We recognise that every registrar arrives with different experiences, strengths and learning needs, and we tailor our support accordingly.
A Great Place to Start Your GP Career
Training at Wodonga West Medical Clinic offers the opportunity to experience the breadth and variety of Australian general practice within a supportive regional environment.
Registrars are encouraged to become an integral part of the practice rather than simply working alongside it. You will have the opportunity to build your own patient relationships, develop continuity of care and become familiar with the many aspects of general practice that make it such a rewarding specialty.
Our experienced supervisors are passionate about teaching and are committed to helping registrars transition from supervised clinical practice towards confident, capable and independent general practitioners.
We provide structured supervision while encouraging appropriate clinical autonomy, allowing registrars to progressively take ownership of their patients and clinical decision-making as their skills and confidence develop.
A Strong Focus on Learning and Development
Wodonga West Medical Clinic actively supports GP registrars, interns and medical students and is committed to providing a safe, structured and engaging learning environment consistent with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for General Practice.
Our training program provides opportunities to learn through a combination of formal teaching, clinical experience, case discussion, observation, procedural training and day-to-day interaction with experienced GPs.
Registrar learning opportunities include:
- Weekly clinical meetings and case-based discussions
- Regular opportunities to discuss clinical cases and management plans with supervisors
- Hands-on procedural training appropriate to the registrar’s experience and interests
- Family medicine and comprehensive primary care
- Chronic disease management and preventive health
- Women’s and men’s health
- Child and adolescent health
- Aged care and complex patients
- Occupational health and workplace medicine
- Skin cancer assessment and management
- Minor surgical procedures and wound management
- Exposure to a broad range of presentations encountered in general practice
- Opportunities to participate in quality improvement and practice-based projects
- Multidisciplinary care through our onsite and visiting health professionals
- Development of practical skills in practice management, clinical systems and the business of general practice
Supportive Supervision
We understand that starting a GP registrar term can be both exciting and challenging.
Our supervisors are approachable, experienced and committed to creating an environment where registrars feel comfortable seeking advice. There are no “silly questions” and asking for help is seen as a strength, not a weakness.
Registrars receive regular supervision and feedback, with teaching incorporated naturally into clinical practice. As confidence and competence develop, registrars are encouraged to become increasingly independent while knowing that experienced support is readily available when needed.
We value open communication and encourage registrars to actively participate in discussions about their learning goals, workload, wellbeing and professional development.
Modern Facilities and Resources
In 2013, Wodonga West Medical Clinic underwent significant renovations and extensions to expand and modernise our facilities.
Our purpose-built environment provides patients, doctors and registrars with access to modern consulting and clinical spaces, contemporary technology, diagnostic resources and facilities designed to support high-quality patient care and medical education.
The practice also has onsite pathology and visiting allied health services, providing registrars with valuable exposure to coordinated, multidisciplinary care and the broader healthcare needs of our community.
Why Wodonga?
Wodonga provides the best of both worlds – the professional opportunities and patient diversity of a regional centre combined with the welcoming atmosphere and lifestyle of a close-knit community.
Located in North East Victoria on the Victorian–New South Wales border, Wodonga is a growing regional city with a diverse population and a broad range of clinical presentations.
For registrars, this provides an excellent opportunity to experience high-quality regional general practice, caring for patients across the lifespan and managing everything from everyday acute presentations through to complex chronic disease and preventative health.
The region also offers an outstanding lifestyle, with easy access to the surrounding countryside, mountains, wineries, rivers and outdoor activities, while still providing the services and amenities of a regional centre.
More Than a Training Placement
At Wodonga West Medical Clinic, we want your registrar term to be more than simply a placement.
We want it to be an opportunity to develop clinically, grow professionally and discover what you enjoy about general practice.
You will be encouraged to develop your own clinical interests, build meaningful relationships with patients and become an active member of our practice team. We aim to provide the right balance of support and independence, so that by the end of your term you feel more confident, capable and prepared for your future career in General Practice.
We are proud of our teaching culture and the role we play in developing the next generation of GPs.
Come and be part of our practice family – At Wodonga West Medical Clinic, we’re committed to helping our registrars become the kind of GP they want to be.
If you would like to know more about the training opportunities at WWMC, please phone our Practice Manager – Rechelle on (02) 6056 2447 or email rechelles@wwmc.com.au for a confidential discussion.
UNSW Medical Students at Wodonga West Medical Clinic
Wodonga West Medical Clinic is proud to support the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Clinical School by providing medical students with supervised clinical learning opportunities in general practice.
Teaching future doctors is an important part of our commitment to the local community. General practice provides medical students with valuable experience in caring for people of all ages and learning about the importance of ongoing, comprehensive and patient-centred care.
From time to time, you may notice a UNSW medical student attending the practice and, where appropriate, observing or participating in a consultation with one of our doctors.
What does this mean for you?
Medical students attend consultations under the supervision of our experienced GPs. Their involvement forms part of their medical education and helps them develop important clinical skills, communication skills and an understanding of the role of general practice.
Students may observe consultations, take a medical history, assist with clinical assessments or discuss the patient’s care with the supervising doctor. Their level of involvement will depend on their stage of training and the nature of the consultation.
Your privacy, comfort and confidentiality remain our priority at all times.
You will always be asked for your consent before a medical student is involved in your consultation. You are completely entitled to decline or ask the student to leave at any time, and your decision will not affect the care you receive from your doctor.
Why do we teach medical students?
General practice plays an important role in training doctors. By learning in a community-based practice, students develop an understanding of:
- The importance of continuity of care
- Managing patients across all stages of life
- Preventive health and early intervention
- Acute and chronic health conditions
- Caring for patients with complex and multiple health needs
- Communication and shared decision-making
- Working with patients, families and the wider healthcare team
- The important role general practice plays within our community
We are proud to contribute to the education of future doctors and to help ensure the next generation of medical professionals understands the importance of compassionate, respectful and patient-centred care.
Thank you for supporting medical education
We greatly appreciate the many patients who are happy to allow our medical students to observe and learn during their consultations.
Your participation provides students with invaluable real-world experience and helps shape the doctors of the future.
Thank you for helping Wodonga West Medical Clinic support the next generation of healthcare professionals.
https://www.unsw.edu.au/medicine-health/our-schools/clinical-medicine/about-us/campuses/rural/border-regional-training-hub
