Director's welcome
Welcome to the University of Tasmania Rural Clinical School (RCS).
We teach medical students in the final two years of their Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and coordinate rural placements for future doctors who are progressing through years one to three in Hobart.
We are one of 17 Rural Clinical Schools around Australia supported by the Commonwealth Government's Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program, established to train health professionals in rural and remote Australia to boost the workforces in those areas.
The RCS is one of three University of Tasmania sites that train fourth- and fifth-year Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery students.
Our school is located across two campuses which can be found at the North-West Regional Hospital in Burnie and within the Mersey Community Hospital in Latrobe. In addition to training future doctors, we also support nursing, pharmacy, clinical psychology and other allied health students who are studying here.
Students have the opportunity to work across both sites during their training with us, while also undertaking attachments in the community and at regional general practices.
They are also very active in delivering educational initiatives for local students and community members. Topics include healthy lifestyles and future health careers.
The Rural Clinical School has developed a strong national reputation for excellence in rural medical education. This has been achieved by the enthusiasm of our academic team, and excellent relationships with regional health and community partners.
Our school is strongly committed to improving Indigenous health outcomes, improving the health and wellbeing of the wider region and continuing sustainability initiatives through our involvement in the Global Green and Health Hospitals Network.
Students and medical staff are increasingly choosing to study and work rurally because of the unique training opportunities and experiences rural practice provides.
Community groups and schools which are interested in learning more about our health education activities can visit our Community Engagement page and Facebook page for insight into the programs we offer.
For medical students who are considering studying with us in their clinical years, visit our prospective student page for further details.
If you would like to know more about our school, please take the time to look through our website or contact rural.clinical.school@utas.edu.au with any queries.
Kind regards,
Professor Lizzi Shires
Director of the Rural Clinical School
