The RFDS in SA/NT

Health Education

RFDS SA/NT offers a number of programs aimed at helping medical professionals and people living in remote areas to be prepared for medical emergencies.

This includes training programs to help doctors, nurses and health professionals keep their emergency medicine skills up to date, and a first aid program for people living in rural and remote communities.

R3 training

Central Australian Retrieval Training (CART) 

CART provides retrieval training specific to the requirements of remote locations where rapid access to tertiary hospitals in not possible. The CART course is provided by senior retrieval and ED physicians from Alice Springs Hospital in collaboration with senior staff from RFDS SA/NT and is delivered at the RFDS Alice Springs Base.

Rural & Remote Retrieval (R3) program

The aim of the R3 program is to provide an inter-professional experiential learning opportunity to clinicians who work in the rural and remote retrieval services. This course has a multi-faceted approach to learning, including lectures, simulations, workshops and skill stations.

First Aid (with CPR)

The RFDS provides First Aid training courses for residents living in remote SA. First Aid training is suitable for people who require the skills and knowledge to provide First Aid in an emergency. It is also suitable for those who require accredited First Aid training to comply with the Approved Code of Practice Occupational Health and First Aid in the Workplace and for those who require recertification for Provide First Aid. The courses offered are Provide First Aid (PFA), Basic Emergency Life Support and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

R3 training

Training and Clinical Placements

RFDS SA/NT offers opportunities to medical and nursing students to experience what it's like to work for the RFDS.

Midwifery Scholarship
Nursing graduates can apply for a limited number of Midwifery Scholarships with RFDS.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Rural Generalist Registrar Program
The Rural Generalist (RG) Registrar position is based with the Port Augusta RFDS Primary Care team and has been in place since 2003. The RG Registrar must be in their PGY3 or advanced trainee term and can undertake either a six- or 12-month attachment. The RG Registrar also works on the remote fly-in clinic and 24/7 telehealth roster under the supervision of the RFDS Port Augusta medical practitioners. For more information, please visit the RACGP website.

Medical Student Electives
Medical students are eligible for a four- or six-week placements with the RFDS Primary Care team in Port Augusta, with the opportunity to take part in remote fly-in clinic visits, and routine and emergency aeromedical evacuations and transfers.

Please contact the RFDS People & Culture team for further information about any of the above opportunities.