The Illawarra Medical Network (IMN) is the newest Basic Physician Training (BPT) Network in New South Wales consisting of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Port Kembla and Bulli hospitals. Wollongong Hospital, with a bed base of more than 500 and accreditation from the RACP as a Level 3 Teaching Hospital, is our major site.
We are closely affiliated with the University of Wollongong and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI). An academic suite located at Wollongong Hospital supports both the Graduate School of Medicine and School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University.
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Health Education Centre (ISHEC) was designed to increase capacity and improve distribution of clinical teaching and training for students, trainees and health professionals for continuing professional development within the Illawarra Shoalhaven region. This new purpose built facility services the existing health professional community of the Illawarra and will support increases in clinical training placements through the provision of teaching and training to students whilst on hospital placements.
Hospitals in the IMN are situated in northern Illawarra, an hour south of Sydney. The IMN has the unique ability in NSW to offer trainees length of training contracts without the need to relocate as all facilities are in close proximity.
The IMN organises your training and ensures that your employment aligns with the RACP and HETI mandated guidelines for achieving certified training. The IMN is supported by the IMN - Network Governance Committee (NGC), which comprises of BPT Unit staff, BPT representatives and Directors of Medical services at the sites. The NDPE is reports to the NGC and the NSW Physician Training Council (PTC) and represents the IMN at the NSW BPT Networks Meeting.
IMN Mission Statement
To be a centre of excellence in medical education for aspiring physicians and supply the leaders of the future for the Illawarra region. Our core values are to perform our role in a supportive and flexible environment whilst upholding the highest standards of medical care.
IMN Overview
The formation of the IMN was endorsed by HETI in November 2014. The ECMN provided workforce support for the IMN for the 2015 and 2016 clinical years, before their withdrawal from THE Wollongong Hospital (TWH) site. There are now 39 FTE BPT positions in the IMN which encompass four sites: The Wollongong Hospital (TWH) has 33 positions, Shellharbour Hospital (SHH, a shared site with ECMN) has 4 positions, Bulli Hospital (BDH) has one position and Port Kembla Hospital (PKDH) has one position (see table below).
| ISLHD Clinical Division | Department | Hospital |
RACP Site Teaching Accreditation |
Number of BPTs per term | Core |
| Aged Care, Rehabilitation & Palliative Care | Geriatrics | BDH | Secondment | 1 | C |
| SHH | 1 | 1 | C | ||
| TWH | 3 | 2 | C | ||
| Rehabilitation | PKH | Secondment | 1 | N-C | |
| Cancer Care Services | Haematology | TWH | 3 | 2 | C |
| Medical Oncology | TWH | 3 | 2 | C | |
| Critical Care | Intensive Care | TWH | 3 | 1 | C |
| Medicine | Cardiology | TWH | 3 | 2 | C |
| Endocrinology | TWH | 3 | 1 | C | |
| Gastroenterology | TWH | 3 | 1 | C | |
| General Medicine | SHH | 1 | 3 | C | |
| General Medicine | TWH | 3 | 4 | C | |
| Infectious Diseases | TWH | 3 | 1 | C | |
| Medical Assessment Unit | TWH | 3 | 2 | C | |
| Neurology | TWH | 3 | 2 | C | |
| Renal | TWH | 3 | 2 | C | |
| Respiratory | TWH | 3 | 2 | C | |
| Relief | TWH | 3 | 9 | N-C |
The IMN acknowledges the vital importance of trainee feedback in improving the working and training environments within our hospitals and network. There is a robust governance process including fortnightly meetings between the IMN trainees and the N-DPE, weekly operational meetings of the IMN BPT Unit Staff, quarterly IMN Network Governance Meetings as well as BPT representation at multiple clinical governance committees within the hospitals including the PACE, General Clinical Training Council and Standards 6 & 8 Committees.
