Intern and Final Year Student

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Intern and Final Year Student

Supporting you in getting the best start to your internship, so you can keep on striving as your career progresses

Personal details

*Given name(s)

*Surname

*Gender

*Date of birth

*Primary email

I would like MDA National to send all Policy documents via email to the address I have provided.

*Address

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Country

*Address line 1

Address line 2

Address line 3

*Suburb

*State/Territory

*Postcode

*Mobile number

Telephone number

Medical qualifications, graduation and internship

Your category of cover will be based on the year and period of your graduation. Please read the important information regarding the applicable categories.

*Name of medical school/university

Please specify

*Type of degree

Please specify

*When did you commence your medical degree?

*In what year will you or did you graduate?

If you have already received your provisional registration with Ahpra, please provide the date of registration

History — including indemnity, claims, complaints, investigations and proceedings

*Have you ever had any claims or complaints made against you arising from your provision of healthcare services, or are your aware of any circumstances which may give rise to a claim or complaint against you? No Yes

*Have you ever been the subject of any investigation, complaint, disciplinary or other proceeding, including but not limited to your medical studies or practice of medicine, your health or fitness to practice, your conduct as a student or medical practitioner? This includes proceedings by a University, registration board or any other academic or professional body. No Yes

*Have you ever been arrested or had criminal charges made against you in any jurisdiction whether or not the arrest or charge relates to your provision of healthcare services? For the purposes of this question, please disregard traffic or minor motor vehicle licensing offences. No Yes

*Do you have or have you ever had any conditions, undertakings, cautions, reprimands or notations on your registration in Australia or elsewhere? No Yes

If you have answered YES to any of the questions in this section, please provide a detailed description of each matter on a separate attachment. Please do not send any original documents with this form.

Declaration and acceptance

Application for Membership

I wish to apply for Membership of MDA National Limited (MDA National). If my Membership application is accepted I agree to be bound by the Constitution of MDA National and I undertake to contribute to the assets of MDA National, such amount as may be required, up to $10, if MDA National is wound up while I am a Member or within one year afterwards.

By submitting this I declare that:

1. I acknowledge that I have been provided with access to the Financial Services Guide (FSG), Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Policy Wording and I agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the policy.

2. I have read and understand the Important Notice and contents of this application and proposal and acknowledge that the information included in, or attached to, this form is accurate and complete.

3. I understand my duty of disclosure exists until the contract of insurance is entered into and that I have a continuing obligation to inform MDA National Insurance of any material alteration of the risk during the period of insurance including any material change in the nature of the professional services provided by me

Authorisation and consent

4. I consent to MDA National Insurance and any companies, firms or individuals who assist them in providing services including its reinsurers, advisers, medical specialists, solicitors and barristers, holding, using and disclosing the information I provide, in accordance with the MDA National Group Privacy Policy.

5. I authorise and request any Medical Board or other registration body to release all information requested by MDA National Insurance in relation to my registration as a medical student or medical practitioner, any conditions placed on my registration and any investigations involving me, whether or not there has been a final resolution.

6. I authorise and request any former insurer or indemnity provider to release all information requested by MDA National Insurance regarding all requests for indemnity assistance including details of claims, complaints, investigations or inquiries involving me, whether or not there has been a final resolution.

Please read the Important Notice before submitting

As a doctor owned organisation, we recognise there is a lot to think about as you enter your internship. To support you in getting the best start, we have created an Intern Transition Pack as part of the MDA National Junior Doctor Keep On Program.

Keep On Program - Intern Transition Pack

Medical handbookComplimentary copy of On Call: Principles & Protocols or The Junior Doctor Survival Guide.

Junior Doctor panel discussionOnline panel discussion where MDA National Members share their internship experience and advice to Final Year Students.

My internship experienceA current resident shares her own intern experience in this podcast with Dr Dana Phang, founder of Junior Doctors Corner.

The Prepared Intern booklets- Coronial Reports and Death Certification
- Confidentiality and Consent
- Writing Medico-legal Reports and Giving Evidence in Court

Access to Health and Wellbeing webinar‘I’m heading towards burnout – what do I do?’ In partnership with AccessEAP.

Guide to choosing the right MDOEverything you need to consider when choosing your Medical Defence Organisation.

Not a Member?

Sign up here for a complimentary Membership & Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy and gain access to your Junior Doctor Keep On Program Intern Transition Pack*. Your Intern Transition Pack will be sent to you via email with 3 business days of signing up.

Have a question or need assistance? Contact your local Business Development representative or our Member Services team on 1800 011 255 from 8:30am to 8pm AEST Monday to Friday.

Already a Member?

Download the MDAN App and sign in with your Member number or email address and password. Learn more. If you do not know your password select 'forgotten password' and reset.
Your Intern Transition Pack will be emailed to you within 3 business days of confirming your membership.
Your medical book voucher code will be sent to you via the MDAN App as a push notification within 3 business days of confirming your membership. Learn how to turn on your MDAN App push notifications. For MDAN App login queries contact peaceofmind@mdanational.com.au.

Downloading the app is easy. Go to the App Store or Google Play and search for MDA National.

*The offer is conditional and only available to the first 2,000 successful applicants. Successful applicants will receive an Intern Transition Pack which includes a choice of either On Call: Principles & Protocols or The Junior Doctor Survival Guide when they confirm Membership. Terms & conditions apply.

Why do you need your own cover?

As a doctor working in a public hospital, you are likely to have access to indemnity through your employer or state government. However, hospital indemnity may not cover you in all situations. Without your own professional indemnity, you could be liable to personally fund certain medico-legal matters not covered under the indemnity provided by your employer. It is crucial that you have access to independent medico-legal advice, or a second opinion, to protect your best interests.

Some matters we commonly assist junior doctors with include:

medical college training disputes;
medico-legal advice, including ethical dilemmas, police statements, confidentiality and privacy queries;
Ahpra health complaints or investigations;
bullying and harassment; and
coronial inquests.

To download MDA National’s Member publication, Defence Update, including the latest medico-legal updates, articles and case studies click here.

Did you know you can be a member and hold insurance with more than one Medical Defence Organisation (MDO)?

As an intern or doctor in training, medical indemnity insurance is complimentary or low cost with most providers. This provides you with the perfect opportunity to explore your options and find out what each MDO has to offer. When a situation arises and you need medico-legal advice, calling MDA National and comparing our expertise and personalised service, will help you make an informed decision. When you have more responsibility as a registrar or consultant and the time comes to commit to one insurer, you will have peace of mind that MDA National will provide you with the unwavering support and the protection you need, so you can focus on providing outstanding patient care.

Reasons why interns called us for advice

47%

Advice/Ethical Dilemma

medical records

12%

Employment Issues

doctor patient relationship

8%

Medical Records

practice management

6%

Clinical Incident

medico-legal report

5%

Legislation/Legal

Why interns choose MDA National?

At MDA National, we understand the challenges you may face in medicine today and in your career ahead. We proactively support more than 60% of the country’s doctors in training* with competitive professional indemnity premiums, education, career development, our Ambassador Program, and regular networking opportunities.

With MDA National you are a click or phone call away from industry-leading doctors, lawyers and medical defence experts – always responsive, always confidential, always on your side. Some of our member benefits include:


Complimentary Professional Indemnity	Expert medico-legal advice	Tailor on-demand education
Have peace of mind that you're covered for medical board proceedings, coronial investigations and hospital enquiries	Our team of medico-legal specialists are here to help you with independent, unbiased advice and support	Explore our webinars, videos, blogs and podcasts on topics relevant to junior doctors, including applying for junior doctor positions, physical contact, patient communication and informed consent.

Professional Development	Career Development	Health and Wellbeing
Upskill you in the key competencies of Leadership, Clinical Governance, and the 3 C’s of professional development: Communication, Culture & Collaboration	To support you as you plan your career and prepare for medical officer interviews	Provide you with a complimentary series of health and wellbeing webinars and facilitated group sessions, focusing on mental health and wellbeing

Special offers and discounts	Medico-legal blog insights and news	MDA National app
Save money and enjoy exclusive member deals on textbooks, food services and more	Read online and receive email notification of the latest articles on topical medico-legal issues, such as changes to Medicare items, so you are well-informed for study and at work throughout the year	Quickly and easily view your policy information, connect with medico-legal advisers and member services via livechat and check out the latest library resources

What am I covered for?

Your extensive MDA National Professional Indemnity covers you for civil claims, employment disputes, representation at a coronial inquiry and a wide range of medico-legal matters.

The following table is a brief summary of covers and limits. The summary wording should not be relied on as a full description of cover. Please refer to the Policy Wording† for full details of terms and conditions:

We will...

	Aggregate Limit of Cover for all Claims*
Defend you in civil legal proceedings brought by patients Defend you in civil proceedings alleging breach of privacy Defend you in civil proceedings arising from telehealth Defend you in civil proceedings when you have been acting as a good Samaritan Defend you in some civil proceedings whilst practicing overseas for limited time Defend you in civil proceedings arising from clinical trials Defend you against allegations of defamation Defend your practice in civil proceedings Pay the legal costs of defending you in professional negligence and some civil liability matters Pay civil damages you are ordered to pay in professional negligence and civil liability matters Pay costs you are ordered to pay	$20 million
We will...	Aggregate Sub-limits*
Represent you and pay legal costs when you are investigated by Ahpra or a professional services review committee Represent you and pay legal costs in inquiries relating to provision of healthcare services Represent you and pay legal costs when self-referring regarding a health impairment Pay costs you are ordered to pay with respect to covers for investigations and inquiries Represent you and pay legal costs in defending allegations of some sexual misconduct and criminal matters	$2 million
Represent you and pay legal costs in certain employment, credentialing and training disputes	$100,000 but for claims by you for unpaid remuneration we will not pay more than the amount reasonably sought by you
Represent you and pay legal costs when you are defamed	$100,000 (with Excess of $20,000)
Represent you and pay legal costs in obtaining AVOs on your behalf	$100,000
Defend you against imposed fines and penalties for breach of Privacy Act Pay fines and penalties imposed on you for breach of Privacy Act Pay notification costs for breach of Privacy Act	$250,000
Compensate you when you contract certain communicable diseases	$100,000 for Medical Practitioner
Pay you for loss of income in some circumstances	$20,000 (with a maximum of $2,000 per day for up to 10 days)
Cover you for loss of documents	$100,000

^*Provided that the Maximum Limit of Indemnity is not exceeded.
†A copy of the Policy Wording is available at mdanational.com.au/Downloads.

For more information please read our Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy Combined Financial Services Guide (FSG), Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Policy Wording and Supplementary FSG and PDS including Amendments to the Policy Wording from our Download Center.

Webinars and Videos

Common medico-legal challenges for interns

For early career Members – open access

Do you know what constitutes a breach of confidentiality? Do you know how to manage inappropriate requests and maintain appropriate professional boundaries?

In this webinar, you will learn about managing boundaries and issues around confidentiality with patients. We will cover specific case scenarios such as accessing medical records of an ex-partner, senior colleague asking for a script for opioids, sharing videos of resus on social media, as well as answer your questions.

This webinar was recorded on 8 April 2020.

The information in this webinar recording and related resources is provided as a guide only and MDA National accepts no responsibility for how it may apply to your personal situation.

General enquiries or comments relating to this webinar should be emailed to marketing@mdanational.com.au.

If you have a specific medico-legal query freecall 1800 011 255 or complete our Contact us form. This is a service for MDA National Members.

Common questions for interns

Can I have membership and insurance with more than one MDO?

Yes, you can! Most MDO’s provide complimentary membership and insurance cover for medical students, interns and doctors in training. We believe it is important that you have the option of signing up with multiple providers to experience the service and benefits offered. This will help you decide which MDO you prefer to remain with for your future medico-legal and professional indemnity needs.

I’ve had a medico-legal incident – can I choose which MDO to receive advice from?

Yes. If you hold membership and insurance with multiple providers you can choose which MDO you obtain medico legal advice from in each instance.

Can I receive advice from more than one MDO?

You can contact multiple MDO’s to obtain medico legal advice. If you have obtained advice from one MDO and the matter progresses to a claim or investigation, it is recommended that you continue to allow that MDO to continue to manage that matter.

Can I claim from more than one MDO?

If you hold insurance policies with more than one MDO to cover your medical practice, you can claim indemnity from whichever MDO you choose. However you cannot claim from more than one MDO’s for the same matter. The concept of ‘dual insurance’ is covered under legislation in the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) (Act). Dual insurance occurs when a person is insured against the same risk with two different insurers.

Insurance policies also include ‘other insurance’ clauses that exclude or limit an insurer's liability if the policy holder has cover available under another policy. While this is a standard exclusion under professional indemnity policies, it can only be applied to the extent allowed under law and as outlined in the Act. If both policies exclude cover through ‘other insurance’ provisions, the clauses cancel each other out, and both policies can respond.

This means the MDO who handles and incurs the costs of the claim can seek contribution from the other MDO. The contribution is negotiated between the two insurers and should not have any impact on you as the member or policy holder.

Why do I need medical indemnity when my hospital provides me with indemnity?

As an intern, you will have access to cover through your employer or the State Government however, hospital indemnity may not provide the broad cover you need. Without your own indemnity cover, you could be liable to personally fund some medico-legal matters.

It is important you have access to independent legal advice or a second opinion to protect your best interests. Focus on your internship knowing that MDA National will support you in the moments that matter, so you can keep on striving as your career progresses.

Read more about the importance of medical indemnity

What kind of issues can I contact MDA National for during my internship?

As a new doctor, you're still learning and as an intern, you're likely to experience a number of first-time experiences such as:

• your first coroners request or death certificate

• providing your first police statement

• bullying from a colleague, harassment from a patient or a dispute with your employer

• a medical board complaint or investigation

These scenarios are just a few examples of the many situations where you may find yourself unsure how to proceed or where to go for help. MDA National’s priority is to support you in these moments. We’re here to guide you through your journey as a medical professional, 24/7. To find out more about when you should call MDA National, read our “Don’t sweat the small stuff” article here.

MDA National will be there for you in the moments that matter, so that you can keep on excelling as your career progresses.

Download the latest edition of Defence Update

Resources

MDA National provides timely education to help our Members minimise their medico-legal risk and continually improve their communication and non-clinical skills.

We’ve put together a handful of our resources particularly relevant to interns below. You will also find a series of Podcasts on Apple Music and Spotify.

Articles and case studies

Medical records: the only source of truth

Training program dilemmas

Tips for surviving internship and beyond

The brilliant Intern who didn’t make the grade

Top 10 tips for interns

T hings I wish I’d known as an intern

Videos / webinar recordings

Diplomacy in hierarchy webinar recording

Surviving nightshift video

e-Learning activities

Informed consent challenges

Medico-legal CPD quizzes

The challenging emotions of difficult news

Noteworthy: the how, what, where and why of medical documentation

Other resources

Head over to the MDA National library to see our full suite of articles, blog posts, webinars and podcasts.

Stay connected with medico-legal updates sent to your inbox

Subscribe to our medico-legal blog at the bottom of this page so you can stay up to date with the latest medico-legal updates and best practice advice, relevant to the medical profession.

Keep on striving