Dean's welcome

Welcome to the Bachelor of Medicine - Joint Medical Program offered by the University of Newcastle and the University of New England.

The Joint Medical Program (JMP) is an expansion of the University of Newcastle's Bachelor of Medicine program, established in 1978, and recognised internationally for excellence and innovation.

The JMP was established by the two Universities, in partnership with the Hunter New England and Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Services, with the specific aim of addressing the chronic health workforce shortage that exists in remote, rural and regional communities. The Program aims to attract students from regional and rural backgrounds who will choose to work in rural and regional areas after completing their undergraduate medical training. While the program delivery and assessment at Newcastle and New England will be identical, the predominant medical experience will be metropolitan for students at Newcastle and rural for students at New England. All students will complete placements in both rural/remote and metropolitan settings.

The Joint Medical Program owes much to partnerships with health organisations and individual practitioners. The partnership with Hunter New England Health was pivotal in securing the Joint Medical Program and in the education of our students. The partnership with Northern Sydney Central Coast Health provides our students with an excellent breadth of clinical placements. Further partnerships include the Divisions of General Practice of the Central Coast, Hunter and New England regions and the GP Training Schemes (Valley-to-Coast and NEATS). We look forward to opportunities in the private sector for our students with institutions and private practitioners.

The Joint Medical Program is an Australian first - it enables an established and acclaimed Medical Program to be offered across two institutions both of which have long traditions of excellence and achievement.

As Dean of Medicine - Joint Medical Program, I welcome all students enrolling at both Universities to the Program and wish you well in your studies.

Professor Michael Hensley
Head, School of Medicine and Public Health
Dean, Bachelor of Medicine - Joint Medical Program