In This Section

Rural Coach Program for Surgical Trainees

Since 2011, the Rural Coach Program (RCP) has identified and supported more than eighty trainees interested in a rural surgical career. This has been through ongoing support, advocacy and the opportunity to build their rural connections by offering financial assistance to Trainees who attend the Provincial Surgeons of Australia conference.

On this page

Rural Coach

Dr Damian Fry is the Clinical Director of the Rural Coach Program 2021.

Damian joined the Rural Coach Program in 2015 as a General Surgery SET Trainee in receipt of the RCP GSA Registration Grant. He has attended the Provincial Surgeons of Australia (PSA) regularly since then.  Prior to getting onto the RACS SET program, Damian was in the Defence Force (Communications Intelligence) so brings a wealth of knowledge to his role as Clinical Director RCP. Damian has completed many of his rotations in Queensland and has recently been admitted to Fellowship. He is a Consultant Surgeon at Toowoomba Hospital, Queensland.

Damian was also the RACSTA Representative for Queensland and is very happy to have contact with any Trainees considering a rural surgical career. Trainees are encouraged to contact Damian Rural.Coach@surgeons.org  

 

Rural Coach - General Surgeons Australia -  Rural Surgery Registration Grant

For the past few years, General Surgeons of Australia has generously given a Rural Surgery Grant to Trainees, SIMGs and Junior doctors who have applied to attend the Provincial Surgeons of Australia Conference. These Trainees have found the opportunities for networking invaluable.

Reflections from Trainees and junior doctors on the PSA Virtual Conference
The General Surgeons of Australia with the RACS Rural Coach Program offered 15 Rural Surgery Registration Grants to attend  the 56th Provincial Surgeons of Australia 2021 Annual Scientific Conference in Bega, NSW.
Grant recipients shared their reflections on attending in the reports viewable here.

Registrations and applications for the 2022 grants will be open in the coming months.

 

Conditions of the Grant

A condition of receiving the grant is that the recipient must write a short article (about 250 words) for publication. The grant is paid to the recipients retrospectively.

The Rural Coach Project does not offer training courses but rather offers support for Trainees interested in a rural surgical career.

Contact

Trainees interested in becoming involved with the RACS Rural Coach Program or the Rural Surgery Section should contact:

Rural Coach Program Officer
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Suite 1, Level 26
201 Kent Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Telephone: +61 2 8298 4513
Email: Rural.Coach@surgeons.org