Future students

During the two years that the Deakin University proposal has been in development, there have been a number of ‘Frequently asked Questions’. The answers to these questions are presented below for information.

Where will the students come from? Will there be enough?

Our research indicates that a place in a medical program in a publicly funded university in Australia is highly prized and highly competitive. Deakin will recruit students from the region, from the rest of Victoria, and from all over Australia. There is every indication that Deakin will have high quality applicants to choose from.
How will students be selected to ensure a longer-term rural and regional commitment?

Deakin will give preference to students who have a regional and rural background, provided that they meet the other selection criteria. The ‘procedural’ emphasis in the curriculum will ensure that students have the confidence as well as the capacity to take up country practice. Students will reside in the region throughout their four-year program.
Where will the teaching staff come from? Will there be enough?

Many of the potential teaching staff are already in private and public practice in the region, working as both specialists and general practitioners. New staff will be recruited to the region because of quality of life concerns in big cities, the advantages the region offers in its schools and lifestyle, and the research reputation of the University. Further staff will be appointed sequentially as students progress through their course. Most of these will be clinical staff appointed through joint appointments with healthcare agencies in the region, thus improving the breadth and quality of health care.
What arrangements will there be for University of Melbourne students studying in the region to continue their studies?

Negotiations have commenced with health services and the University of Melbourne. The overriding objective will be to achieve what is best for medical education in Victoria and for the development of health services. In many cases, joint arrangements may be best.
Is there sufficient capacity at Deakin to manage and deliver the program?

Deakin University is a large, well-managed university with five faculties. When fully operational, the Medical School will be a separate school totalling around 600 students at various stages of study within the 4,000 student-strong Health and Behavioural Sciences Faculty.
Does Deakin have the necessary facilities and buildings for the campus-based teaching?

Deakin University will refurbish the Science building at Waurn Ponds (Geelong) for the ‘hub’ of the medical school. The University has extensive library holdings and modern research facilities for staff. It has research groups in health fields such as obesity and diabetes, mental health, ageing, and chronic illness that new staff can join. The University has fully equipped laboratories, student residential accommodation and extensive recreational facilities.
Is there sufficient support from health services to provide enough clinical placements in the region?

The health service agencies in the region have been very supportive. Long communication lines to Melbourne are limiting the local capacity to respond creatively to local needs. There is an opportunity to link the investment in local health needs with local and regional development. The region has three large and many smaller hospitals. Clinical placements in these and in smaller health service agencies will all be part of the Deakin program. Deakin has already entered discussions with private hospitals in the region, particularly St John of God.
Will the health services have the necessary facilities and buildings for clinical placements in the region?

In some cases, new clinical facilities will have to be built or refurbished at some of the planned clinical locations. Deakin sees this as an opportunity to invest in new capital as well as new expertise through the appointment of new clinical staff. This is one of the major strengths of the Deakin model.
Will there be sufficient accommodation for students?

The University has some accommodation for students in Geelong and Warrnambool and, through the Greater Green Triangle University Department of Rural Health, in Hamilton and Horsham. More student accommodation will be needed in Geelong, Warrnambool, and Ballarat and in some of the smaller towns where clinical students will be based. This will be provided by the University through leasing arrangements, and by the local health services through capital funding from the Victorian Government.
Will the program be financially viable?

The University has developed a fully costed Business Plan and it would not embark on the program unless it was financially viable. Provision of the necessary start-up funds and a sufficient number of places is critical to ensuring a balanced budget.
How will the needs of local communities be addressed as the program develops?

Community Advisory boards will be set up for each of the three Clinical Schools centred on Geelong, Ballarat, and Warrnambool. As the program develops, the University hopes that each of these Clinical Schools will develop their own character and specialisations. For example, the Greater Geelong School could focus on the health needs of ‘blue collar’ people in a major manufacturing centre, the Grampians School could focus on the health needs of people in the agricultural sector, and the Greater Green Triangle School could focus on the health needs of people with chronic disease or mental illness.
How will the curriculum be developed?

A curriculum licensing agreement with Flinders University Medical School means that Deakin will be able to use the Flinders curriculum materials and benefit from its many years of experience in medical education. Deakin will appoint new staff to work on customising the curriculum as soon as the Medical School is approved.
Will the medical graduates be of the same standard as other University programs?

As with other medical programs accredited by the AMC, the Deakin medical graduates will be broadly educated, capable of further training in any branch of medicine, and competent to practise safely under supervision as interns in hospitals in Australia and New Zealand.
What special emphasis will be given to rural and regional medicine in the teaching?

Apart from the emphasis on procedural skills and a general ‘hands-on’ approach to medicine, the Deakin students will become familiar with the role of other health professionals in the region. During their course, they will develop networks in regional areas and they will be familiar with the ways in which business and medicine is practised in the country.
Will the private sector contribute to the program?

Deakin plans to forge close teaching partnerships with private hospitals in the region, many of which already have a relationship with the University. Discussions to date have been very positive. There are also some very large manufacturing, agricultural and resource-based companies in the region. The University is working on proposals for these companies to endow facilities and named positions in the medical school.
How will inter-professional teamwork be encouraged?

Part of the rationale for the inter-professional teamwork module is understanding ways in which quality, safety, and effective use of resources can be improved in modern health care. This includes a better understanding of the roles of the various health professionals and the skills they bring to patient care. Such an understanding is important in any medical setting, but particularly in rural and regional areas where expertise is often widely dispersed.
How will the students stay connected and learn from each other if they are disbursed across a large geographical area?

Students within each Clinical school will be brought together at least every two weeks. However, on a day-to-day basis, the University is planning to use the extensive broadband capabilities that are now being installed throughout the region. This will not only ensure that students are well connected and informed, but will prepare them for the way that medicine will be conducted in the future.