2023 Medical Training Survey now open – keeping track of training

14 Aug 2023

The Medical Training Survey (MTS) is now open - giving trainees the chance to improve medical training.

MTS data from past years is being used across the health sector to drive improvements in medical training. Survey questions are consistent year on year because comparisons are important. We streamline the format and layout each year to make the MTS quicker and easier to do. 

After three years, we are retiring questions about the pandemic and asking more about flexible working and training arrangements. 

Evidence links flexible work and training with a boost to equal opportunity, increase in workforce diversity and high-quality patient care and medical training. 

Given the serious challenges MTS results have exposed in the culture of medicine, we’re keen to generate data that can be used in future to support positive cultural change. 

The MTS is a longitudinal study that tracks the quality of medical training over time. Stringent privacy controls make it safe and confidential for trainees to take part. The MTS is run by the Medical Board of Australia.

Medical Board of Australia Chair, Dr Anne Tonkin AO, urged doctors in training to do the MTS and use their voice to keep improving training.

‘You can pay it forward to future trainees – just by doing the 2023 MTS and sharing your feedback about training’, Dr Tonkin said.

MTS results are collated, published online and can be accessed by anyone. There are strict controls in place to assure the privacy of doctors in training. They form a robust evidence base being used by educators, employers and other health sector agencies to continuously improve training. Case studies showing how MTS results are being used to improve training are published on the MTS website.

‘It’s great to see that results of past Medical Training Surveys are driving changes in training that help make sure that Australia’s doctors stay among the best in the world,’ Dr Tonkin said.

Results from past surveys are available online at www.MedicalTrainingSurvey.gov.au. Results are detailed in reports by specialty and geography, or accessible via the online data-dashboard that enables users to create their own tailored reports.

Year on year MTS results show that while medical training in Australia is in good shape, there are serious cultural problems in medicine, including bullying, harassment, racism and discrimination.

‘The health sector is on notice that the culture of medicine is harming trainees. Now is the time for collaborations that support cultural change,’ Dr Tonkin said.

All doctors in training in Australia can do the MTS. This includes interns, hospital medical officers, resident medical officers, non-accredited trainees, postgraduate trainees, principal house officers, registrars, specialist trainees and international medical graduates (with provisional or limited registration). Career medical officers who intend to undertake further postgraduate training in medicine can also participate.

There are five versions of the survey, tailored to different groups of trainees: interns, prevocational and unaccredited trainees, international medical graduates (with provisional or limited registration), specialist GP trainees and specialist non-GP trainees.

About the MTS

The MTS is a national, annual, profession-wide survey of all doctors in training in Australia. It is safe and confidential for doctors in training to take part.

The MTS is run by the Medical Board of Australia and Aphra and was developed collaboratively with doctors in training, specialist medical colleges, jurisdictions, postgraduate medical councils, Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association, Australian Medical Council, Australian Medical Association, NSW Medical Council, Doctors' Health Services and other stakeholders.

For more information

• Visit https://medicaltrainingsurvey.gov.au/ for access to the 2023 MTS questions and articles on how stakeholders are using the MTS results.
• Visit www.medicalboard.gov.au under 'Contact us' to lodge an online enquiry form.
• For registration enquiries: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) +61 3 8708 9001 (overseas callers).
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200.