MOGA National Trainee Report

September 2025

Thank you all for your support during my time as MOGA’s National Trainee representative. Over this period, it has become clear that while trainees are the future of medical oncology in Australia, there are significant concerns regarding future employment, workload and burnout. While these are not unique to trainees (or likely even to our speciality), there appears to be declining interest in pursuing medical oncology as a speciality due to this.

My focus over my term was to build networks with trainees nationally and better understand state-specific issues, introduce formal orientation material for first year trainees, run the trainee-programs at the MOGA Annual Scientific Meetings (ASM) and support national initiatives (particularly regarding burnout and the National Oncology Mentorship Program).

Summary of activities

1. Creation of national orientation manual for new trainees - Advanced Trainee Guide.

   • The national orientation e-booklet provided to new trainees upon joining MOGA. It offers a comprehensive introduction to the medical oncology specialty, including general information, useful resources, practical tips, and an overview of key educational activities and conferences. Designed to support trainees as they begin their advanced training, the guide is updated annually to ensure it remains current and relevant.

2. Burnout statement

   • MOGA’s position statement on burnout based on results from the National Oncology Mentorship Program as well as trainee feedback 

3. ASM Trainee-programs

   • At the 2024 MOGA ASM, the trainee program focused on “Emerging Fields”. Trainees learned about the landscape of clinical trials from Dr Jenny Liu and cardio-oncology from Prof Aaron Sverdlov

   • This year, the trainee program was developed with Victorian Medical Oncology Trainees’ Group (VMOTG). We had excellent engagement with a large number of trainees attending the session on “Things I wish I knew”, covering management of immunotherapy toxicities with Dr Sagun Parakh and interpreting genomic reports with Dr Damien Kee.  

4. Regular check-ins with trainee representatives (see below)

Ongoing trainee issues

1. Workforce concerns – concerns regarding future employment

2. Wellbeing concerns – strongly driven by the above and concerns about registrar ‘service jobs’, but also due to increasing administrative loads

3. Protected teaching patchy across certain sites in states

   • Plan for trainees to raise these as RACP feedback (which can be anonymous)

In general, trainees have provided very positive feedback on MOGA run courses including the Breast Preceptorship and ACORD Workshop. For those in states with less face-to-face educational opportunities, subsidized flights for attending these has been appreciated.

Ongoing plans

The recently formed MOGA Workforce, Workload and Wellbeing Committee will help address many of these concerns.

1. We will invite the state representatives (one rep in the case of Victoria/Tasmania and New South Sales) to be a part of this committee to help with both trainee and state representation.

2. Based on feedback from trainees, particularly in states with less formal Advanced Trainee committees (Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland), a MOGA orientation day or session for trainees is being planned. 

Overall, there are many developments which I am hopeful will address key trainee issues. Thank you once again to the MOGA Executive Committee and all the state trainee representatives who have prioritised the above and assisted me in my role. I look forward to seeing the progress made.

Dr Gowri Shivasabesan

MOGA National Trainee Representative (Outgoing)