Why Study With Us?

There are many reasons to undertake your education and training with us. Some of these include:

Low student to teacher ratio
As a student you get close contact with academics and clinicians

On site clinical facilities
Access to readily accessible clinical facilities (eg: Clinical skills lab)

Patient availabilities
There are opportunities to examine a wide variety of patient presentations and diagnostic treatment outcomes of particular interest in your studies

Rural Electives
There are opportunities to concentrate on community projects with a rural health focus

Rural Opportunities
Experience the lifestyle and rural health issues visiting regional, isolated and Indigenous communities

Interprofessional Learning Modules
All students studying or on placement in Tamworth and Taree are invited to attend these multidisciplinary sessions run by the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health. The aim is that students benefit from learning from and about each other, thus becoming more aware of the whole team approach to patient care and the importance of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork. Topics include stroke management, major trauma, hip fractures, paediatric trauma, and management of low back pain.

Community Projects
Students will be invited to join in community projects aimed at increasing students' awareness of the broader role that health professionals have in rural communities. Examples of community projects include First Aid Officer on the sports field (excellent for MRS students to widen experience in sports injuries), helping with the ArtsHealth program at the Gomeroi Gaanygaal Indigenous mothers and babies program, the After School Learning Centre and the Eat Well to Learn Well Breakfast Club.

Multi-professional Learning approach

There are many reasons for employing multi-professional education (MPE) in the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health programs. Foremost among these is that, although the concept of patient-centred care is dependent upon professionals viewing themselves as a team, teamwork can be severely limited by poor collaborative skills, discord, apathy and ignorance of professionals about the roles of other team members. The University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health provides a forum for interdisciplinary collaboration to occur amongst academic staff, clinical practitioners and the students.

Being linked to the University of Newcastle's multidisciplinary Faculty of Health makes it possible to include a variety of the health professional education programs in MPE initiatives: Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Medical Radiation Science, Nursing and Physiotherapy. In addition, close collaboration with the Faculty of Health, Education and Professional Studies at the University of New England (UNE) presents further opportunities to explore joint multi-professional education initiatives.

A number of rural-focused, multi-professional learning modules (MLMs) have been developed through the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health with the support of UNE and the New England Area Health Service.

Being part of the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health gives you exposure to rural settings where smaller sites can offer a wider range of experiences. It is also more conducive to better learning if you are part of a small team and you can build a rapport with your tutor and supervisor. This will help with your personalised relationship with them and inevitably give you exposure to issues that may not come up every day. Having a good relationship with tutors and supervisors will also help if you need one-on-one assistance with issues that may be challenging for you.

Our team of multi professional employees will make your experience and placement memorable and long lasting. You will no doubt, remember long into your professional career the experiences that you gain from exposure to rural health.

Learning advantages

In January 2003 the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health established a Clinical Skills Laboratory at the Tamworth Campus. With more emphasis on simulation and competency training in health education, a second Clinical Skills Laboratory has since been established at the Taree Campus.

The Clinical Skills Laboratories are designed to allow users to practice their patient care skills as they would in a real situation. Simulation technology has been shown to positively impact patient safety and improve health care quality and outcomes. In light of this, the Clinical Skills Laboratories have been equipped with state of the art manikins including Laerdal's SimMan 3G, SimMan Essential, SimJunior, SimBaby and SimNewB. These high fidelity manikins are prepared to simulate real patients., Health professionals are taught age appropriate interventions for various medical conditions and emergencies in as life-like scenarios as possible. Participating in simulated emergencies has been shown to improve the decision-making skills and team member performance of users and we therefore include time in the Clinical Skills Laboratory as part of the curriculum.

Health professionals studying with us will participate in various educational week long camps and workshops.  Themes include Trauma and Women & Children's Health. For a bit of fun and adventure the staff take the simulation equipment into the field and with the help from some actors put on a show placing students on the spot and helping them develop their clinical decision making and situation management skills.

The laboratories are also equipped to teach health students professional skills such as lumbar puncture, ultrasound, advanced airway skills, obstetric and gynaecological procedures, plastering, intravenous cannulation, chest tube insertion and management and much more by using body part models specifically designed for task training.

The dedicated and experienced staff teaching in this area have had extensive training in the simulation field and are constantly evaluating and updating their teaching. The Clinical Skills Laboratories provide students with a safe environment in which to practice and improve their clinical competence and confidence.

 

 

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