The Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) provides acute and community services to northern metropolitan Adelaide and tertiary services to a wider catchment area. NALHN population has increased to over 420,000 being catchment is the fastest growing metropolitan population and currently represents 33% of the metro population. Hospitals and services within the NALHN include the Lyell McEwin Hospital (LMH), Modbury Hospital, a range of sub-acute and primary health care services and a number of state-wide services.
To find out more about NALHN services and how to access them click here.
NALHN comprises over 700 inpatient beds, with more than 500 of these at LMH and approximately 200 at MH. Both Lyell McEwin Hospital and Modbury Hospital offer on-site parking, with LMH providing the safety of a high-rise locked compound for secure parking. Modbury Hospital also offers secure parking with gated parking lots for those rostered on afternoon, night & weekend shifts. Both sites have local security officers patrolling the parking areas and monitoring the hospital for the safety and security of all employees, patients, and visitors. Both sites offer cafeteria facilities and a TMO lounge.
Both hospitals operate a broad range of services across acute and sub-acute Medical, Surgical and Psychiatry inpatient and outpatient services.
The Lyell McEwin Hospital is the major hospital for emergency, complex and multi-day Surgery and Medicine. Residents of the North and Northeast of Adelaide have access to a comprehensive 24/7 Emergency Medicine service that includes an Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit, Orthopaedic Trauma Service, and support for other medical emergencies including a Cardiovascular Intervention Suite (CVIS) and interventional radiology services provided by Radiology SA. Both Lyell McEwin and Modbury Emergency Departments have extended care units to support brief inpatient stays in the Emergency Department to help manage demand on the hospital service.
Lyell McEwin Hospital supports all the major medical subspecialties including General Medicine, Respiratory, Renal, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Haematology, Endocrinology and Cardiology. Surgical specialties include General Surgery, Upper GI, Colorectal, Breast/Endocrine, ENT, Urology and Orthopaedics who are supported by an Anaesthetics department which also provides an acute pain service. Paediatrics and Women’s Health are also catered for with areas of expertise in Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Modbury Hospital is a major same day elective surgery and rehabilitation hub for the North and North Eastern areas of Adelaide in addition to providing medical services including Short Stay General Medicine and Rheumatology; it provides a specialised sub-acute service for Rehabilitation, Geriatrics and Palliative Care. The state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre at Modbury Hospital has eighteen treatment rooms, a gym, hydrotherapy pool, a laboratory for analysing patient mobility, prosthesis services and a kitchen where clients can re-learn and practice everyday tasks.
Psychiatry services run across NALHN providing both inpatient and outpatient support for Emergency Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatry and Older Persons Mental Health.
NALHN is proud to be the first LHN in Australia to provide intern rotations in the Aboriginal Primary Health Division supporting cultural competence within professional practice.
NALHN also provides regional opportunities at Port Pirie Hospital and General Practice rotations at Crystal Brook, Gumeracha, Clare, and Kapunda-Eudunda for those interested in Rural, Regional and Remote Medicine.
Internship
Interns based at the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN) will find their internship to be both personally and professionally rewarding.
Internship will offer a range of diverse opportunities to consolidate and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes as interns make the transition from Medical Student to Medical Officer.
Interns appointed to NALHN will be assigned to rotations which may encompass terms at either Lyell McEwin Hospital (LMH), Modbury Hospital (MH) or one of our rural rotations, allowing them to experience a wide range of clinical settings and patient demographics. These rotations provide invaluable exposure to various medical specialties, which will help interns build a strong, well-rounded foundation for their medical careers.
NALHN has a strategic focus to make your intern experience enjoyable, educational, and supportive while challenging you to meet your own personal objectives. This is measured by a high percentage of interns wanting to stay at NALHN to embark on their TMO rotations.
NALHN hospitals provide a comprehensive educational program based on the on the National Framework for Prevocational (PGY1 and PGY2) medical Training. Both Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospital sites offer library services, to support your development, with staff librarians who are always willing to assist. The library can also be accessed after hours and used as a quiet area to study.
All interns receive a comprehensive Orientation and Induction Program at the commencement of their internship. Interns are supported throughout the year at each site by the Medical Education Unit (MEU).
- Weekly tutorials are held at both sites and are streamed and recorded via videoconferencing. The Microsoft Teams environment is utilised to support decentralised education when interns are rostered off, or on night shift, allowing for flexibility.
- Weekly ‘Medical Grand Round’ sessions at each site with guest speakers presenting various topics.
- Clinical skills training sessions are scheduled throughout the year and utilise our medium fidelity Simulation Suite to ensure that medical practitioners gain vital practical skills and experience in a safe, controlled environment.
- Lunchtime on Thursday is protected time for interns, enabling you to attend weekly teaching sessions without clinical disruption. Additional education events throughout the hospital to further your learning.
- Specific teaching will occur in each term/division to supplement the work experience. This may include tutorials, bedside teaching, demonstrations, case studies, journal clubs and morbidity and mortality conferences.
- The MEU teaching activities are routinely evaluated by interns. This information is used to enhance the education offered and ensure it remains relevant and high quality.
- Opportunities exist for research participation and recognition, including an Ellen Price Annual award and Trainee Medical Officer Project Award.
- Opportunities exist for involvement in Quality Improvement activities, teaching, journal club presentations, and representative roles.
Each term of internship has an allocated Term Supervisor as well as senior team members from each team who will directly or indirectly support you during your transition into the intern role. The Trainee Medical Officer Unit (TMOU) onsite will support your administration requirements as you embark on your intern year.
The Medical Education Unit (MEU) staff at NALHN are available to provide support, guidance and education throughout your internship. They are actively available for your welfare/wellbeing support and a debrief whenever you require support. The MEU also has a range of written resources that are invaluable to support transition to internship.
A peer mentoring program has been running successfully for many years that provides those interns interested in this form of support a mentor for the year in the form of a PGY2+ TMO/Registrar.
The NALHN RMO Society regularly welcome new members (including interns) and hold regular social activities to encourage a positive working culture amongst Junior Medical Officers in NALHN. Ask the MEU about joining.
Once interns are allocated to NALHN they will be asked for their indicative preference of rotations across the network via the SA MET application system.
Intern rotation preferences and annual leave requests will be taken into consideration along with the number of available positions and the service needs of the hospital. NALHN supports a system that is fair and equitable. All clinical terms are accredited for intern training and every effort is made to ensure that an intern’s allocated rotations reflect their preferences, interest, and career direction. In common with all intern placements in South Australia, some rotations are highly competitive and NALHN is not able to guarantee that an intern will receive all their preferred rotations.
Interns will also participate in the relieving and/or nights (medical or surgical) roster. You will only be allocated one service term in your intern year. Interns will participate in an on-call roster (after-hours, weekends, and public holidays) during some ward-based terms.
As a PGY1 you will be required to complete rotations in terms accredited in four areas of clinical care: acute and critical care, perioperative and procedural care, chronic illness, and undifferentiated care. All rotations offered at NALHN have been accredited for one or two of these areas of clinical care.
NALHN currently offer a range of rotations across all divisions including:
Medicine:
- Short Stay General Medicine Unit
- General Medicine
- Acute Medical Unit
- Respiratory Unit
- Renal Unit
- Neurology/Stroke Unit
- Gastroenterology
- Cardiology
Surgery:
- Upper Gastrointestinal
- Acute Surgical Unit
- Colorectal
- Breast Endocrine Surgery
- Urology/ ENT
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Gynaecology (Surgery)
Sub-acute:
- Rehabilitation
- Geriatric Rehabilitation
- Palliative Care
- Geriatric Evaluation & Management
- Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE)
Emergency:
- Emergency Medicine – LMH/MH
- Emergency Medicine – PORT PIRIE HOSPITAL
- Emergency Medicine – CLARE HOSPITAL
Psychiatry:
- Psychiatry Acute 1G
- Psychogeriatric Acute 1H
GP/Regional/Rural:
- Crystal Brook General Practice
- Kapunda/Eudunda General Practice
- Gumeracha General Practice
- Clare General Practice
- Port Pirie General Practice
Aboriginal Primary Health:
- Watto Purrunna Aboriginal Primary Health Service
Service Terms:
- Relieving
- Medical Nights
- Surgical Nights
PGY2+
All TMOs receive a comprehensive orientation and induction program at the commencement of employment with NALHN. TMOs are supported throughout the year at each site by a medical education team from the MSD, comprised of the Director of Clinical Training (DCT) Medical Education Officers (MEO) and Medical Education Registrars (MER).
Education opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Weekly tutorials covering a broad range of medical and surgical topics of interest held at the Lyell McEwin Hospital and video conferenced across sites. These teaching activities are evaluated. This information is used to improve the sessions presented and for quality assurance.
- Weekly Medical Grand Round at both sites with guest speakers presenting various topics Clinical skills training sessions are scheduled throughout the year.
- Teaching that is more relevant to specific TMO positions will occur in each term/division to supplement the work experience. This may include tutorials, demonstrations, journal clubs, and morbidity and mortality conferences.
- MET Training simulation sessions as part of combined sessions with ICU Registrars and TMOs. TMOs can participate in simulation sessions, often in collaboration with ICU Registrars and other medical staff. These sessions focus on improving practical skills in emergency scenarios, enhancing the ability to respond to critical situations in a controlled, simulated environment.
- NALHN provides several platforms for TMOs to engage in research and gain recognition for their academic efforts, including the Ellen Price Award at Modbury Hospital for a trainee presenting original research, and Research Day at Lyell McEwin Hospital, where trainees with original research have an opportunity to present to the NALHN community are held yearly.
Supervision will be provided by Registrars and Consultant staff from the respective Divisions and Units. The MSD provides support to the Units and Divisions and are involved in formal assessment procedures.
Each TMO role will have an allocated Term Supervisor as well as other senior team members who will directly or indirectly support you.
The Medical Education Unit (MEU) staff at each site are available to provide support, guidance, and education throughout your TMO terms. They are available for your welfare/wellbeing support and debriefing whenever required.
The Trainee Medical Officer Unit (TMOU) on site will support your administration requirements.
Both the TMOU and the MEU are useful sources of information.
NALHN prides itself on promoting staff wellness. By investing in the junior medical officers that choose to work in the North and by constantly striving to ensure quality in the rotations, education and support they receive, NALHN hopes these junior doctors will become their consultants of the future.
For information about the intern application process, please refer to the SA Health Careers website.
Last updated: March 2025
