Rural General Practice Education
Providing a rural focus to medical education
Our regional and rural teaching and research programs are characterised by collaboration between the Faculty’s School of Rural Health (based in Shepparton, Wangaratta and Ballarat), the Department of Rural Health (Shepparton) and the Department of General Practice’s team of rural GPs located in Geelong, Ballarat, Shepparton, Bendigo and Sale. This collaboration enables us to ensure that adequate support is given to rural GP teachers and rural medical students during clinical placements. Rural academics from all three parties work closely together to foster integrated working relationships with relevant stakeholders throughout Victoria, including the divisions of general practice, regional training networks, local health services and health networks, local government, consumer organizations and secondary schools.
Our Rural Team
Our rural team is a multi-faceted team of GP academics based in key areas around the state. Most are also medical educators and clinical supervisors for the General Practice Education Training program. The team enables students to develop a rural and regional focus to their education and provides a conduit for the Department's influence into the regional areas via locally based GP representatives. The rural team is involved in teaching and supporting undergraduate students on rural placements and has been successful in recruiting rural general practitioner teachers and providing support to them at a regional level. They have also been active in establishing rural secondary school networks to foster and encourage rural students to undertake medical training.
Rural Undergraduate Support and Coordination Program
The rural team is responsible for delivering the Rural Undergraduate Support and Coordination (RUSC) Program, funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing. The program aims to provide links with other education providers to enhance the rural experience for medical students. Rural programs have also been established to increase the amount of quality rural exposure that medical students receive within their training. These include the Rural Early Elective Placement (REEP) program; the Rural Vocational Career Mentoring program; and the 5-week GP clinical placement during the final year of the medical course.
Rural-focus student activities
The Department, through the Rural Undergraduate Support Coordination program funded by the Department of Health & Ageing, provides accommodation, administrative and financial support to OUTLOOK and Moovin’ Health, two student clubs for medical and allied health students. OUTLOOK and Moovin’ Health undertake a variety of activities throughout the year to foster interest amongst students in rural health careers and indigenous health. OUTOOK is located in premises provided by the Department of General Practice at Carlton and Moovin’ Health is located in premises provided by the School of Rural Health at Shepparton.