Dr Mirielsa Nufable-Ruiz is one of just 22 general practitioners nationally to be selected for the program’s 2012 intake, which starts this month.

Competition for the limited number of places is always spirited and only the most capable are selected to receive up to four years of support.

The RVTS delivers support to rural doctors so that they don’t have to move to a larger community to access the required professional development.

RVTS chief executive Dr Patrick Giddings said this was community support at its most effective.

“The community gets to keep their doctor and the doctor receives the support they need to be their best,” Dr Giddings said.

Doctors on the RVTS program are exposed to the latest advances in rural general practice and enjoy regular contact with their contemporaries, no matter how remote they are.

“Doctors are no longer isolated; they enjoy support equal to their big city counterparts,” Dr Giddings said.

Participation in the RVTS requires a large commitment from each doctor outside of day-to-day consulting.

“Weekly after-hours teleconferences, regular peer review and travel to practical workshops are all part of the program,” Dr Giddings said.

The RVTS assists doctors practising in some of Australia’s remotest locations, from rural farming communities to remote outstations and everything in between.

The program has benefitted more than 100 rural or remote communities since its inception 12 years ago.