Year 5 Integrated Rural Program
Graduating Rural Cohort
The Year 5 rural program curriculum was developed through the collaborative efforts of The University of Adelaide academics, specialists and clinicians, and experienced rural general practitioners and rural specialists. The curriculum recognises the value of individual supervision and mentoring, access to high quality learning material, and the value of hands-on practical learning that is available in rural settings. Medicine is practiced differently in rural areas, and therefore it is taught differently. The major differences are that training will not be provided in discipline oriented blocks, rather the curriculum will be covered in an integrated manner more in line with the development of competence in generalist or multi-skilled practice. The RCS Year 5 program has the same philosophical basis as the University of Adelaide Medical School Year 5 program of integration of the scientific basis of medicine, clinical skills and medical personal and professional development. We are sure you will find this approach stimulating and challenging.
Placement Sites
Program Delivery and Structure
The Year 5 rural program is delivered through a number of learning centres chosen on the basis of excellence of clinical teaching and access to clinical practice opportunities. Students are allocated to sites in small groups on the basis of availability of teaching resources and compatibility of students within each group. Rotations are kept to a minimum and timing of rotations varies between students and sites. The Rural Clinical School shares education programs with Flinders University in the Barossa PRCC program and with Universities of Sydney and Wollongong in Broken Hill.
Paediatrics Program
The Paediatric teaching program will be delivered to home communities and will be integrated with their other programs. Students will learn clinical paediatrics within their home communities with visiting paediatricians, general practitioners and community agencies that assist children and families. The Paediatric program is based on the model delivered by the Women's and Children's Hospital to the city based students. Core curriculum lectures will be available on line and cover essential topics. Students will also receive a series of interactive tutorials via video conference over the year which all rural sites will have access to. In addition to this students will participate a rural specialist intensive fortnight in Poirt Augusta as well as local tutorials with GPs and a specialist workshop in midyear. Students will be assessed in an OSCE examination in Port Augusta and a written / short answer paper in child and adolescent psychiatry. Rural specialist intensive fortnight in Port Agusta
Human Reproductive Health Program
The HRH program will be delivered in home communities either by rural based specialists in Obstetrics and Gynaecology or GP Obstetricians, depending on which community students are placed. Currently there are specialists in Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie. The HRH program is delivered by a combination of web based lectures, and interactive tutorials within the students home community. The HRH program is the same as the program delivered to city based students however rural students will have longer to learn and practice their Obstetric skills. Students will participate in an intensive HRH workshop at midyear to enhance their learning. Students will also have oral exams and presentations in their home community. Further details are available in the HRH handbook.
Geriatrics (Acute and Chronic Care II)
The course will be based in home communities and runs in Semester 1 and Semester 2. Students will see Geriatric cases regularly in General Practice and will be able to practice the skills they learn throughout the Geriatric program. The course will consist of:
Topic tutorials by videoconference: Tutorials will be interactive, based on themes of self-directed learning and the clinical sciences program. Handouts will be provided on MyUni. Students are encouraged to seek other resources and references Medical case history: Preparation and oral presentation of a Medical Case involving history, examination and case discussion Rehabilitation case: Preparation and oral presentation of a Rehabilitation Case. The case should be followed over several weeks, where possible, from time of presentation to hospital, through rehabilitation and monitoring progress on discharge. See the Rehab Case guidelines provided Midyear workshop: Interactive workshops on Capacity, Consent and Parkinson's disease Geriatric outpatient clinic: Attendance at Outpatient Clinic with Dr Mykyta (Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Barossa) or Dr Prowse (Port Augusta) Residential care visits: Visits to a nursing home (high level care) or hostel (low level care) accompanying the general practitioner Domiciliary care and ACAT: Exposure to Domiciliary Care and the Aged Care Assessment Teams Psycho-geriatric services: Clare and Kadina only when available
Anaesthetics and Pain Management
The program is divided into two separate one week blocks in week 1 and 19. The curriculum covers Acute and Chronic pain management, Resuscitation and Emergency medicine, and Anaesthetics. The first week includes tutorials, lectures and simulated scenarios. The second week covers pain management and anaesthetic CBLs. Assessment is based on performance in these 2 sessions. Many rural learning centres provide anaesthetics and students will have the opportunity to participate in anaesthetic management on a regular basis. All centres provide emergency after hours care and students will also participate in after hours care with their supervisors.
Inter-professional Learning
Much of patient care in rural sites is multidisciplinary and students will work and live with Nursing and Allied health students and professionals. Students participate in a regular IPL tutorials and CBLs as part of their community based attachment
For students travelling to the RCS Learning Centres, the following is provided:
- Free Accommodation
- IT access at accommodation
- Rural Clinical School Student Coordinator - onsite staff member to assist in general support issues and orientation to the location.
- Video Conference facilities (Zoom)
- All placement related travel reimbursed
- Academic support
- Living allowance/subsistence payment
Support given to students depends on a number of variables. It is best to check with the Student Placement Administration Officer to confirm the information above as some terms and conditions apply.
We are seeking well-rounded, motivated, mature students who have a genuine interest in learning medicine in the context of rural and remote communities.
To apply for the Year 5 Rural Cohort, students are required to complete an online application form and submit this along with a written statement detailing why you wish to spend a year in the country. A notification will be placed on MyUni when applications open.
Questions
If you have any further questions or would like more information on the Year 5 rural program, please contact the Rural Medical Program Coordinator.
