Course Spotlight: RESP High Risk Emergencies Program

Emergency medicine in Australia

Over the past two decades, emergency medicine in Australia has undergone significant transformations in response to evolving healthcare demands, technology advancements, data collection and systemic challenges. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) reported a substantial increase in emergency department (ED) presentations, reaching 8.8 million in 2020–21, unfortunately the highest number ever recorded . This surge is attributed to factors such as an aging population, increased prevalence of chronic diseases, and limited access to primary care services, but there are many more variables at play. Consequently, EDs are managing more complex cases, often under staffing constraints and in circumstances where care and response is usually delayed due to high demands and low resources. In response, the Australian government has implemented initiatives like the establishment of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs), the “Ummmergency” campaign promoting Healthdirect, and other triage systems to alleviate ED pressures by providing alternative care pathways for non-life-threatening conditions.

Despite these efforts, the emergency medicine workforce faces significant challenges, particularly in regional, rural, and remote (RRR) areas. ACEM’s 2024 report highlights that while demand for emergency care per capita is 27% higher in RRR areas compared to metropolitan regions, the availability of emergency medicine specialists is 22% lower. This disparity contributes to longer wait times and increased reliance on locum staff, impacting continuity of care long term. Additionally, systemic issues such as administrative governance structures have led to clinician dissatisfaction and burnout, with reports of a disconnect between hospital management and medical professionals. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive workforce planning (and not an overnight overhaul of the system), as well as investment in training, and policies that support clinician engagement and leadership in emergency medicine.

The future of education

Clinicians can take the first steps toward upskilling by shifting their mindset from survival to adaptability, seeing change not as a threat but as a professional and industry evolution. Reframing upskilling as a form of empowerment, not obligation, helps put patients first when it matters  most. Recognising that being current isn’t about mastering every new tool, but rather understanding how innovation can improve patient care, allows clinicians to set achievable, relevant goals. 

Equally important is institutional support, because mental readiness for upskilling is difficult to sustain in isolation. When healthcare systems create space both structurally and emotionally for learning, clinicians are more likely to thrive. This means offering protected time for education, integrating tech fluency into everyday clinical practice, and celebrating examples of practical innovation. Being at the forefront of community care means staying informed not only about medical knowledge, but also about what patients need in an evolving health landscape: culturally safe care, digital literacy, and accessibility. 

About LearnEM

LearnEM Partnership is an Australian-owned and lead dedicated training team of Emergency Physicians, Rural Practitioners, Emergency Nurses, Paramedics, and other Health Professionals. Their goal is to provide access to high quality, enjoyable training relevant to clinical practice for a range of health professionals and students working in acute areas.

With over 30 online courses available, 10 hands-on skill and simulation workshops, and a recently released eighth edition of the widely popular textbook ABCDs of Emergency Medicine – LearnEM are meeting clinician needs ahead of the curve. Like all education in 2025, the learning resources are peer-reviewed and CPD accredited for medical and nursing clinical practice.

RESP Emergency Medicine Course

The RESP–high risk emergency program is a comprehensive professional development course designed for general practitioners, rural practitioners, emergency department registrars, training medical officers, and clinicians working in acute care or emergency settings. It focuses on building clinical confidence in managing patients who may not appear critically unwell at triage but are at risk of serious or life-threatening illness ongoing. Unlike other RESP programs that address triage category one emergencies, this course turns its attention to the more nuanced presentations, patients who are triaged as category two, three, or even four – where early recognition of red flags can be crucial in preventing clinical deterioration. This makes the course perfectly positioned for RRR clinicians and care settings, offering patient-centred tools which mediate the demand and resource gaps.

The curriculum is structured around eight in-depth modules: critical thinking in high risk emergencies, acute chest pain, acute headache, fever and sepsis, acute abdominal pain, severe dyspnoea, syncope and collapse, and severe agitation. Each module incorporates video-based case studies, interactive simulations, and clinical management summaries that reflect real-world scenarios faced in emergency care. Learners can track their progress through graded quizzes and delve deeper with written summaries and recommended readings. With a flexible learning schedule, the course can be completed over approximately eight weeks at just two hours per week, or adjusted to fit personal and professional commitments. LearnEM knows that education time doesn’t always go to plan, which is why enrolment provides access for 24 months, offering clinicians the freedom to revisit content as needed. Whether you’re practicing in a high-volume ED or providing frontline rural care, this course equips you with the skills to identify high-risk presentations early, intervene decisively, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

For more information or to enrol, visit https://app.medcpd.com/courses/2668