Antarctic Medical Practitioner (AMP)
Medical Practitioner
Are you a doctor looking for a challenge?
Supported by full-time doctors at the AAD's head office in Kingston, Antarctic medical practitioners (AMPs) provide surgical, medical and dental care to our isolated Antarctic communities.
The medical practitioner at each of our four stations is the only doctor for about 12 months, providing health care services for a group of expeditioners that can fluctuate from approximately 12 in winter to around 75 in the summer season (October – March).
Passengers and crew on expedition voyages sometimes call at the station several times during the summer for a few days and this can increase that number.
Every expeditioner must pass stringent pre-departure medical checks so health is generally not a significant problem. However, medical, surgical and dental emergencies do still occur and the doctor is responsible for dealing with these.
As well as supporting Antarctic health care, the AAD's Polar Medicine Unit conducts a research program aimed at increasing our knowledge of how humans interact with the Antarctic environment.
The experience of living and working in this remote region is very different from that of most suburban or rural practices and most doctors look back on their time in this beautiful, harsh and icy environment as stimulating and rewarding.
For more information see:
- Antarctic Medical Practitioner recruitment information [specific position description and application forms]
- Human biology & medicine in Antarctica
- Extreme medicine in Australia's Antarctic programme [magazine article PDF]
