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Medical studentsYear 3 - Riverland PRCC
About - 2009The Parallel Rural Community Curriculum was established in 1997 as a means of contributing to Flinders Medical Schools' emphasis on providing educationally significant and rewarding experiences in rural medicine with students spending a whole year of their studies in rural General Practice through this Parallel Rural Community Curriculum (PRCC). All students improved their academic performance over their peers in Adelaide. This result has helped to engender a sense of broad ownership of the program amongst the Adelaide based faculty, and much of the credit deserves to be given to the Riverland doctors. The Riverland region lies within the central-eastern section of South Australia, approximately three hours drive from Adelaide and encompasses an area of 24,090 square kilometres. The population is approximately 40,000 persons and is steadily increasing. The five main towns in the area are Barmera, Berri, Loxton, Renmark and Waikerie. Each town has a hospital and a medical centre. Third Year at Flinders Medical Centre consists of distinct rotations in Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Women's and Children's Health and General Practice. In contrast the PRCC students have an integrated curriculum. Their clinical learning is prompted by the health needs of the patients who enter the clinic each day. The PRCC students are learning in rural general practice, but are not learning merely about rural general practice. Background reading Further insights into the PRCC program are provided in these articles and papers Community InvolvementCommunity involvement in the PRCC has grown enormously over the past 6 years. Initially community involvement was through patient contact for the students. Students would visit the Gerard Aboriginal Community with their supervisors, meet with groups such as Women´s Health Group, Men's Health Group, work with the Allied Health professionals and of course through following patients at their surgery. This involvement grew as students started to give health prevention talks to service clubs and work with the community in running the Primary Health Network pavilion at the annual Riverland Field Days. The community has taken an active decision making role through the establishment of the Community Liaison Committee (CLC) The CLC is responsible for the developing the selection criteria for the PRCC Sub Quota and the selection of the PRCC Sub Quota students. These rural origin students spend time in the Riverland in years 1 & 2 prior to spending their entire 3rd year in the Riverland. The CLC is responsible for the programming of these visits to the Riverland. Further community involvement has been through local government which has contributed funds for fuel to the PRCC students to assist with the ever-increasing cost of travel in rural South Australia. Huge assistance has been forthcoming through partnerships with the South Australian Housing Trust, The Riverland Health Authority and the PRCC program through access to student housing. The health authority subsidises the costs for all students. In 2008 a Community Contacts Program was established to provide PRCC students with support from members of the rural communities in which they are based. FundingThe primary funding for the PRCC program is from the Australian Department of Heath and Aged Care. Significant further support and funding is provided by the Riverland Health Authority and the Riverland Division of General Practice.
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Updated November 18, 2008 |