Director's Welcome

Welcome to the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) and Rural Clinical School (RCS).

The UDRH was established following an agreement between the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and the University of Newcastle in 2002 and in partnership with Hunter New England Health and the University of New England. The UDRH has sites in Tamworth, Armidale, Taree and Moree and provides training opportunities for undergraduate students in nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nutrition and dietetics, radiography and pharmacy. The creation of the UDRH program allows students to experience clinical placements in regional rural and remote settings. In addition to teaching, the UDRH has an active research component, especially in areas related to rural health issues.

The Rural Clinical School was established in July 2006 with the specific aim of guaranteeing that 25% of urban based students at the University of Newcastle would spend one full clinical year in a rural setting. Since it was formed the University of Newcastle and University of New England have established a Joint Medical Program (JMP) with an annual intake of 160 students. The Rural Clinical School in conjunction with the School of Rural Medicine will provide extensive clinical training in a rural setting on a scale that has not been seen before in Australia.

The aim ultimately of both the UDRH and RCS is to provide high quality education for undergraduate students in medicine, nursing and allied health in a rural setting. In achieving this, both programs seek to expose undergraduate students to the career and lifestyle opportunities available outside of metropolitan areas, and start to redress the chronic shortage of healthcare workers in regional, rural and remote Australia.

A/Prof Steve Doherty
Acting Director - University Department of Rural Health / Rural Clinical School