Postgraduate training in tropical and travel medicine in Australasia

Travel Medicine Encounters of Australian General Practice Trainees-A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Travel medicine is a common and challenging area of clinical practice and practitioners need up-to-date knowledge and experience in a range of areas. Australian general practitioners (GPs) play a significant role in the delivery of travel medicine advice. We aimed to describe the rate and nature of travel medicine consultations, including both the clinical and educational aspects of the consultations.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis from an ongoing cohort study of GP trainees' clinical consultations was performed. Trainees contemporaneously recorded demographic, clinical, and educational details of consecutive patient consultations. Proportions of all problems/diagnoses managed in these consultations that were coded "travel-related" and "travel advice" were both calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Associations of a problem/diagnosis being "travel-related" or "travel advice" were tested using simple logistic regression within the generalized estimating equations (GEE) framework.

RESULTS

A total of 856 trainees contributed data on 169,307 problems from 108,759 consultations (2010-2014). Travel-related and travel advice problems were managed at a rate of 1.1 and 0.5 problems per 100 encounters, respectively. Significant positive associations of travel-related problems were younger trainee and patient age; new patient to the trainee and practice; privately billing, larger, urban, and higher socioeconomic status practices; and involvement of the practice nurse. Trainees sought in-consultation information and generated learning goals in 34.7 and 20.8% of travel advice problems, respectively, significantly more than in non-travel advice problems. Significant positive associations of travel advice problems were seeking in-consultation information, generation of learning goals, longer consultation duration, and more problems managed.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reinforce the importance of focused training in travel medicine for GP trainees and adequate exposure to patients in the practice setting. In addition, our findings have implications more broadly for the delivery of travel medicine in general practice.

Professional organisation profile: the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine

The New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine was established in 1995 and its membership has been active in several areas, including networking, scientific meetings, and the development of postgraduate educational courses in travel medicine in New Zealand. Information is given on purpose, membership, and the various activities of the Society.

Professional organisation profile: the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine

A review of the foundation of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine is presented. Information is given on aims, professional grades of membership, and the various activities of the College, including publications and scientific meetings.

Professional organisation profile: Travel Health Advisory Group, Australia

The Australian Travel Health Advisory Group was established in 1997 and its membership has been active in several areas, including networking, policy development, research and education in Australia. Information is given on purpose, membership and the various activities of the group.

Postgraduate training in infectious diseases: investigating the current status in the international community

International collaboration and understanding is becoming increasingly important as we face a soaring number of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Management of these conditions calls for a cohesive international effort, with contributions from many infectious disease specialists. To optimise collaborative efforts, an international understanding of training, capabilities, and skills would be valuable. An investigation of postgraduate training programmes in the infectious disease specialties around the world was done. 33 countries contributed information. 26 of these countries had established training programmes--one of which was changing its duration and research component; three were in the process of setting up programmes, two provided specialist training that had no official recognition, and two had no specialist training. In addition to promoting international understanding and collaboration, this article should catalyse a global assessment of postgraduate training programmes within the field of infectious diseases.

Travel medicine: an Australian perspective

Travel medicine is emerging as a new multidisciplinary specialty area catering for an increasing number of travellers worldwide. Travel health advisers are engaged in the provision of pre-travel health advice, chemoprophylaxis against travel-related diseases, traveller's medical kits, and post-travel assessments and eradication treatment for various travel-related diseases. They are also in a key position to liaise with public health authorities on possible imported disease risks. In terms of risk assessment and provision of preventive measures, vector-borne diseases, in particular malaria and the arboviral diseases, stand out as major concerns for travellers, however, common problems, such as travellers' diarrhoea and respiratory tract infection, also need to be addressed. Travel and aviation medicine have many linkages, especially in terms of fitness to fly and dealing with problems that may arise in travellers due to physiological and psychological stresses of travel. In the face of recent terrorism and conflict, travel advisories have assumed great importance in travellers planning. Travel insurance remains an important safety net for travellers, which provides coverage for medical and dental treatment abroad as well as an emergency assistance service, which may include aeromedical evacuation.

Professional organisation profile: The Australasian Faculty of Travel Medicine

A review of the recent foundation by The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine of the Australasian Faculty of Travel Medicine is presented. Information is given on aims, professional grades of membership, and the various activities of the Faculty, including publications and scientific meetings.