ANU Rural Clinical School

Since its inception, the ANU Medical school has had a strong commitment to the surrounding rural region, and has established an integrated rural training program in south east New South Wales. The ANU Rural Clinical School endeavours to enhance the health of this region through the provision of an integrated rural educational program for students from Years 1-4.

This program requires all students to spend a minimum of eight weeks in a structured residential rural placement. This includes one week in the first year of study, one week in the second year and a six week placement in the third year. Up to 25% of the students admitted to the ANU Medical School each year will enter a rural stream that provides rural education experiences in south east New South Wales throughout the four-year course. The focal point of these experiences is in the third year of the course when students spend the entire year attached to a general practice in a rural town. Throughout the year students follow an integrated, patient based, longitudinal study program, combining medicine, surgery and community & child health. While students will be attached to specific general practices, and they will also work under supervision at the local hospitals. Local academic mentors will closely monitor the students to ensure they have had clinical exposure to the important cases/problems identified by the relevant disciplines, and that all coursework requirements are met.