School of Medicine

Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery

Course overview

Deakin's Medical School is Victoria's first rural and regional medical school and has a mission to train work ready graduates to help reduce the chronic shortage of doctors in rural and regional Australia. The course aims to introduce students to rural and regional medical practice through a range of high quality experiences in rural locations during the course.

Some of these experiences are:

  • All students will undertake a week long Inter-Professional Learning placement at a rural location
  • Approximately one third of the student cohort will be placed in one of our Rural Clinical Schools based in a regional hospital for the clinical component of the course in Years 3 and 4
  • A further 20 students will undertake their Year 3 attached to a regional general practice where they will also interact with the local hospital

The School is moving to a course model where all students will undertake at least 4 weeks in a rural placement. In the short term these placements will be mainly for the General Practice (GP) rotation. However we are seeking further opportunities to expand rural experiences so that students may be able to select the type and location of their rural placement.

The Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS) course is a four-year program. Four themes are visible throughout the course.

  • Knowledge of Health and Illness - the biological and behavioural sciences underpinning the practice of medicine;
  • Doctor and Patient - the clinical skills required to practice medicine;
  • Doctors, Peoples Cultures and Institutions - a broad theme which includes biostatistics and epidemiology, population and public health, health systems and the effect of culture on health, particularly Indigenous health;
  • Ethics, Law and Professional Development - the ethical, professional and legal basis of medical practice.

Problem-based learning is the predominant learning method in years one and two while years three and four will focus on learning as part of health teams in clinical sites.

Years 1 and 2

Students are based at the University's Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds for the first two years. Problem-based learning is the predominant learning method supplemented by lectures, practical classes and clinical experience in clinical skills laboratories, hospitals and other health services in the Geelong region. Clinical placements commence early in year one. At the end of year two clinical skills will be consolidated by a 'Transition to Clinical Practice' rotation in preparation for years three and four.

Year 3

During year three most students will undergo intensive clinical training within health services attached to one of three Clinical Schools in Western Victoria: Greater Green Triangle Rural Clinical School (Warrnambool area), Grampians Rural Clinical School (Ballarat area), Greater Geelong Regional Clinical School and Eastern Health Clinical School (Box Hill). Clinical education will be coordinated through a series of placements in hospitals, health services and ambulatory settings, including general practices. Online delivery of most curriculum materials will ensure that students working away from major centres are well supported.

A cohort of students will spend all of third year attached to a regional general practice where they will complete a 'parallel rural community curriculum'. There students will complete the same curriculum and will sit the same assessment as those studying in hospital settings.

Year 4

In the first half of Year 4, students rotate through rotations in Emergency Medicine; Aged Care, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care; General Practice; and Critical Care (Intensive care and Anaesthetics). The major exit exam is conducted in the middle of the year, followed by a pre-internship 'selective' in a regional hospital, a 'selective' in an ambulatory setting and an elective which can be taken in Australia or overseas.

Postgraduate training

On completion of an Australian medical degree, all graduates are required to undertake one year of pre-registration training as interns at accredited hospitals. Graduates who satisfactorily complete the intern year are registered to practice in Australia and New Zealand. The Medical School is collaborating with regional hospitals and the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria to expand the number of accredited intern and resident training posts in Western Victoria. The School will also work with Specialty Colleges to expand specialty training in the region.

Deakin University acknowledges the traditional land owners of present campus sites.

1st August 2013