The Rural Clinical School (RCS) is one of the three Clinical Schools for the University of Tasmania's School of Medicine. The undergraduate curriculum is the same for all students but is delivered in a slightly different way at each of the three Clinical Schools. The RCS has a focus on rural medicine, emergency care and integrated primary care, but all students are required to achieve the same learning objectives irrespective of their allocated Clinical School.
During the students' fourth and fith year of study they are required to undertake a series of hospital attachments in various areas of medicine.
A tutorial program is delivered by a team of core clinical academic staff and visiting specialists and includes Case Based Learning (CBL) tutorials. The remainder of students' time is spent in clinical practice.
Students spend time with General Practices from Latrobe to Wynyard, and experience remote medical practice in Smithton, King Island and on Tasmania's West Coast. General practice attachments give students enhanced procedural skills, confidence in medical management and a good understanding of the integrated nature of hospital and community based health care.
The RCS program actively promotes shared clinical learning among peers, and the opportunity to learn alongside interns, junior doctors and with a variety of health professionals.
Our Simulated Learning Environments (SLE's) allow students to gain practical and professional skills in a supervised and safe learning environment to complement clinical learning experiences.
RCS students benefit from:
Exposure to broad and varied clinical experiences available in rural and remote medical practice
Good student to patient ratios and enhanced opportunities for small group teaching and hands on experiences
An excellent preparation for the intern year through the development of a strong foundation in basic clinical skills
Strong involvement in emergency medicine and primary care
Inclusion in the 'health team' of rural areas where there may be a shortage of health professionals. Students gain experiences which may not be as easy to access in larger metropolitan facilities
Clinical skills gained in a range of hospital and community]based settings, and in the well equipped SLE's
Inter-professional learning opportunities
Access to state-of-the-art Simulated Learning Environments (SLE)
A student support program which provides financial assistance to students moving to the region for their studies (which includes high quality accommodation and relocation assistance)
Valuable student scholarships and bursaries unique to RCS students
Excellent modern facilities and links with the nearby Cradle Coast Campus (located a short 15 minute walk from the main RCS facility)