Our first enrolment was in 2004. The program is a four year graduate medical degree, being thematic in concept and uses problem based learning as the principal method of instruction.
The themes we have chosen include:
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Medical Sciences
- Clinical Skills
- Population Health
- Professionalism and Leadership
These themes were selected as being important knowledge and professional domains that medical graduates will need in the 21st century. Quite clearly there is a need to have an understanding of the scientific basis of medicine. The Australian National University is justifiably proud of its record in medical sciences and these will be strong in the Medical School program.
We recognise that the knowledge base in medical sciences is growing very rapidly and nobody can ever be expected to carry all this knowledge. Emphasis will be placed on the understanding of general principles and the development of skills to access the literature when needed.
Doctors require competency in defined clinical skills. Anything less is unacceptable for modern medical practice. This includes communicating with patients and their relatives, being able to elicit a history, examine a patient and use the principles of evidence based practice. Population health grows in importance as the world’s population grows. Doctors must appreciate there is perspective different from their individual patients and that great health gains are really only made at the population level. Finally, we recognise that doctors require an understanding of health, law and ethics and an ability to reflect on their own performance and capacity. We intend to place particular importance on the role of human rights in underpinning our ideas about medical ethics and law.
Teaching is on the ANU campus, particularly in the first two years. Patient contact is from early in the course with much of the last two years taught in the health sector, both in the ACT and in surrounding NSW. In the ACT the principle teaching hospital is The Canberra Hospital, students will also go to Calvary Hospital, to facilities of ACT Community Care and selected general practices. In surrounding NSW we have established a Rural Clinical School. A select group of students will be invited to spend the third year of the course in a rural curriculum that will run parallel to the urban based curriculum.
At ANU, a very research strong university, we have developed a series of options some of which involve research as well as combine degree programs that allow high flying students to incorporate a PhD or MPh into their studies for the MBBS.
To conclude, the MBBS (ANU) makes full use of ANU as a major research university with an international focus and reputation and at the same time exploit Canberra’s role as a regional city in the centre of a rural area of great diversity and interest.
Join us for medical studies at The Australian National University.
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