Our Background

The University Department of Rural Health Northern NSW

The University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) - Northern New South Wales was established in 2002 and is designed to improve the health and well being of regional, rural and Indigenous communities within the New England, North West Slopes and Plains, areas of the Hunter Valley and Manning Rivers regions, through programs that:

• Ensure all academic and clinical training opportunities within the region for undergraduate and postgraduate students from all health disciplines are identified and utilised
• Enhance health professional education and development across the region;
• Enhance the professional standing of health care professionals working in the region
• Improve the standard of health care received in the region's Indigenous population
• And promote inter-disciplinary health research and development across the region

The UDRH has offices and staff located in Armidale, Moree, Tamworth and Taree that support placements from the disciplines of Medical Radiation Science, Medicine, Nutrition and Dietetics, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy with Podiatry and Oral Health placements expected to commence in 2008.

The Rural Clinical School Northern NSW

The Rural Clinical School (RCS) Northern New South Wales was established in July 2006. Though many resources are co-located with the UDRH, the RCS is a separately funded program specifically designed for students studying medicine.

The aim of the RCS is to have 25% of the graduating class of the University of Newcastle’s Medical School spending a minimum of one year of their clinical training in rural settings.

After only eighteen months of operation, the RCS Northern NSW was able to meet this target and is on track to continue doing so even when the projected increase in student numbers in coming years is taken into consideration.

Students of the University of Newcastle’s Medical School have the opportunity to complete the last half of their undergraduate studies in a rural setting. The RCS has recruited clinical academic staff in key areas and has obtained additional funding from the Commonwealth Government to ensure that students who choose to study in a rural setting receive the highest quality experience that is possible.