Five trainee physicians at Ballarat Health Services achieved a 100 per cent pass for their Royal Australasian College of Physicians clinical exam, clear above the national pass score of 69.6 per cent.

The result, they said, was exciting for the one hospital, especially a regional hospital, to make such a statement on such a gruelling and important exam.

Jun Beng Kong, who plans to specialist in oncology, said patients were a big part of this and did not seem to show the same "patient fatigue" often in bigger hospitals.

"Ballarat is a big enough regional centre that we get lots of patient variability," Dr Kong said.

"Apart from the hospital and senior staff, patients were really keen to help training doctors to pass exams and welcome us."

RACP's clinical exam is the final, major test for physician trainees wanting to move into a specialty area. To be eligible trainees must have completed at least three years of physician training and have passed the written exam. The clinical exam assesses clinical and interpersonal skills on a case study on which candidates have no prior knowledge.

The best way to study is extra tutorials to be prepared for anything. For many trainee physicians, this is a lot of extra unpaid hours on top of their hospital work.

Failing means having to wait another year to re-sit the exam.

Ridzuan Moshin, who plans to specialise in respiratory medicine, said BHS also offered a flexibility often missing in bigger metropolitan hospitals. Dr Moshin said having a couple of extra of junior registrars on staff willing to step in, often voluntarily, to help cover shifts to allow extra study time or trips to Melbourne for classes.

"We have all worked in Melbourne hospitals and they are often short-staffed and don't give much time. In a regional hospital too, we are all close and all study together and help support each other," Dr Moshin said. "Because we're all still working we often stay back after work and do extra tutes."

Most of the five junior doctors hope to stay in Ballarat for their sub-specialty training. Dr Moshin will likely have to move back to a capital city for his specialty but said he could seem himself back in a regional hospital in the long-term.

BHS' internal medicine services team developed the trainee physician program. This was led by Dr Stephen Brown, Dr Edward Ritchie (physical education directors), Dr Jaycen Cruickshank (clinical director of medicine and sub-specialty medicine) and medical education officer Zoe Swain.

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