Completing the RANZCP scholarly project in a rural/regional setting: a practical example

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Medical Education
• Rural Health

Background:

• The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) scholarly project (SP) presents a significant challenge for psychiatric trainees.
• This hurdle is amplified for trainees in rural and remote geographical locations.
• Successful implementation strategies for completing the SP in these settings are sparsely documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the successful completion of a RANZCP SP by a trainee in a regional setting.
• To highlight the role of remote supervision and support from an academic psychiatrist based in a metropolitan research centre.

Main Methods:

• Utilisation of expert supervision from an academic psychiatrist.
• Support from both the trainee's and supervisor's employers.
• Employment of diverse supervision modalities.
• Establishment of a clear, pragmatic memorandum of understanding between supervisor and trainee.

Main Results:

• Successful completion of the RANZCP SP by a trainee in a regional setting.
• Demonstration of a feasible model for remote scholarly project supervision.
• Widespread benefits extending beyond SP completion for all involved parties.

Conclusions:

• Trainees in remote locations can successfully complete the SP with expert supervision from academic psychiatrists.
• Employer support, varied supervision methods, and a clear memorandum of understanding are crucial for success.
• This initiative yielded benefits beyond the scholarly project for trainees, supervisors, and institutions.