Deakin Medical School celebrates first anniversary

Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews visited Deakin's Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds today (Tuesday 19 May) to celebrate the Deakin Medical School's one-year anniversary.

After cutting a celebratory cake, Mr Andrews met with staff and students and toured the Medical School facilities.

The Dean of the Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences, Professor John Catford, said it was an honour to have Mr Andrews on campus to mark the first year of the Medical School.

"I would like to thank Mr Andrews for being with us today to celebrate this important milestone," Professor Catford said.

"With the funding support of the State and Federal governments and our strong partnerships with the health sector in south-west Victoria, the Deakin Medical School is well on the way to providing the next generation of doctors to help address the shortage of medical practitioners, particularly in rural and regional communities."

The Head of the Deakin Medical School, Professor Brendan Crotty, said it was exciting to reflect on what had been achieved since the school was officially opened by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in May last year.

"We welcomed our second cohort of students this year and preparations are well underway for the clinical placement component of the program that will see students spending the final two years of the course in hospitals, general practices and healthcare facilities throughout south-west Victoria."

Mr Andrews said Deakin University, in partnership with regional health services, was creating a sustainable local workforce by training tomorrow's healthcare workers.

"I look forward to watching the Medical School's ongoing development, which will be a great asset for the state in training our future medical workforce, particularly for the south-west region," he said.

The Deakin Medical School was officially opened by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in May 2008. As Victoria's first rural and regional medical school, it aims to train new doctors who are skilled and motivated to pursue a career in rural and regional areas, either as specialists or general practitioners. Deakin Medical School students spend the first two years of the program in a purpose-built, state of the art building at Deakin's Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds. The last two years of the course are completed in a range hospitals, general practices and healthcare facilities attached to Deakin's Clinical Schools in Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat and Box Hill.