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 Flinders University
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Year 4: Rural Rotations

Streaky Bay Wudinna Wallaroo Mt Gambier

In Year 4 of the Graduate Entry Medical Program, all students are required to undertake one Rural Rotation as one of their 8 six week terms.

General Rural Rotation Information

Students have the opportunity to undertake numerous rural placements throughout their 4th year. The rotations are varied and range from General Medicine, Surgery or Anaesthetics terms at rural based hospitals to Aboriginal Health Care or Rural General Practice. Further examples of Rural Rotations are shown in the list below.

Informal teaching is provided through participation at clinical meetings, visits to relevant agencies and observation of experienced practitioners. There is some structured teaching provided by senior residents, consultant staff and other health professionals. Telemedicine and information technology are utilised to support the teaching program in the rural setting wherever possible..

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Rural Rotation Educational Aims

Domain 1: The Doctor and Patient
  • To refine clinical skills in history taking and physical examination.
  • To refine skills in preparing a comprehensive patient management plan that is appropriate for a rural context.
  • To be able to perform basic clinical procedures appropriate to practising medicine in a rural or remote area.
Domain 2: The Doctor and Knowledge of Health and Illness
  • To consolidate skills in integrating the basic biomedical and clinical sciences, particularly as they apply to dealing with relevant clinical problems that arise in the ambulatory care setting.
  • To gain an understanding of medical issues associated with the evacuation or retrieval of patients from rural or remote settings.
Domain 3: The Doctor, Community and Society
  • To develop an understanding of the importance of the impact of a social and community determinants which influence health and illness of clients within a rural community.
  • To become adept at care coordination requirements and arrangements for relevant hospital and ambulatory care services and for demonstrating ability to liaise and communicate with relevant health care professionals.
  • To further develop an understanding of the delivery of health services to indigenous populations.
Domain 4: The Doctor and Personal/Professional Development
  • To demonstrate an ability to be able to work in an environment with limited rapid access to a full range of referral services.
  • To demonstrate a commitment to on-going self-directed learning and continuing medical education.
  • To demonstrate an ability to tolerate uncertainty.
  • To gain insight into the issue of recruitment and retention of doctors in rural areas.

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Accommodation, Feedback and Attendance Log

Accommodation

Basic accommodation is provided for students at all rural locations. In South Australia and Hamilton VIC, Rural Hospitals and General Practitioners are reimbursed for accommodation expenses by the Flinders University Rural Clinical School and the School of Medicine (administered by the Rural Placements Coordinator). Students with specific accommodation requirements (eg family needs) may need to find their own alternative accommodation in their rotation location and may negotiate to be reimbursed for a portion of their expenses.

Students undertaking rural rotations in the NT should contact the Student Support Officer at the NT Clinical School on 08 8922 7959.

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Evaluation of Rural Rotation

All students are asked to complete an evaluation of their rural rotation and Supervisors.
The evaluations are invaluable to us determining the success or otherwise of our placements so we ask you to return them promptly.
Two downloadable versions of the form are available:

* Evaluation of Yr 4 Rural Rotation (PDF)
* Evaluation of Yr 4 Rural Rotation (Word doc) Please use this form if you want to email the completed form to kathryn.sylvia@flinders.edu.au

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Rural GP Attendance Log sheet

For those students completing a rural GP placement you will be required to completed the attached Rural GP attendance log sheet. GPs participating in the Rural GP student placement program are entitled to Practice Incentive Payments (PIP). A list of all student attendances in General Practices is required to be sent to the GP Branch, Department of Health and Ageing every three months. To assist this process, a copy of your Rural GP Attendance Log sheet needs to be forwarded to the rural placement staff.

* Rural GP Attendance Log Sheet (PDF)
* Rural GP Attendance Log Sheet (Word doc) Please use this version if you want to email the completed form to kathryn.sylvia@flinders.edu.au

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Updated June 22, 2011

All Contents Copyright Flinders University ©2002 | Contact: kathryn.sylvia@flinders.edu.au