Our experience through life is defined by the capabilities and potential of our mind and body. Appreciating the interdependence and inter-relationship of both is essential to understanding and improving human health.

That is why ANU is leading the way as the first University in Australia - and one of the first in the world - to integrate the schools of Medicine and Psychology.

The ANU School of Medicine and Psychology came into existence at the start of 2023 with the uniting of the ANU Medical School and Research School of Psychology. Today, the School celebrates its early achievements as it unveils its Strategic Plan, a pivotal step in solidifying its capacity and realising its potential. 

“Combining two historically separate schools and disciplines requires dedication, bravery, and ambition,” says, Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Director of the School of Medicine and Psychology. 

“There are reasons why this hasn’t been done before, why Medicine and Psychology have not been brought together at a school level. Most obviously because it is not necessarily easy. Universities are traditional organisations, and we work in relatively traditional disciplines. It takes effort, courage, and ambition to step out of our comfort zone and to do something as fundamentally new and different as the enterprise we are now undertaking,” Professor Fitzgerald says.

At its core, the new school is dissolving the artificial boundaries between disciplines and leading the development of new knowledge and health solutions through interdisciplinary research, education, and practice.

“The greatest value in the creation of the school lies in what we can learn from each other and the potential to create something that is a much more substantial whole than the sum of its parts,” reflects Fitzgerald.

“If the COVID-19 pandemic did nothing else, it convinced us of the inexplicable link between physical health, psychology, and emotional wellbeing. The psychological, neuropsychological and cognitive consequences of COVID, the societal reactions and counter reactions to medical advice, rumours and conspiracy theories and the widespread impact of the pandemic on mental health, let alone the challenges for our health care workforce, all demonstrate the profound interconnections between medicine, health care systems and numerous sub-disciplines found within psychology.

“With our school we are creating an academically excellent home that can profoundly contribute to society and be a place where people want to work, and students want to study.

“In terms of education, we are well on our way to developing novel educational programs that mould transdisciplinary thinkers and future researchers. Our clinical programs will produce the most well-rounded doctors and psychologists in the country, with our students known for their professionalism and conduct with all people in all settings​.

“Through our distinctive transdisciplinary programs we want all our students, undergraduates through to PhD candidates, to graduate equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing society and workforce over the coming decades. With 129 HDR students we are already making a substantial contribution to the health and policy workforces of the future.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“We are building on our strong reputation in medicine and psychology and the potential for unique transdisciplinary programs of work.

The new, dynamic, and inclusive research streams will bring us together as we aim for innovation and excellence in therapeutics, diagnostics and clinical care, brain, vision, mental processes and health, and society, culture, and health. And together, we will address complex health problems by combining our strengths in experimental, clinical, and social research.”

The Strategic Plan is setting the school on its pathway to achieve these ambitious goals. You can access the Strategic Plan - July 2024.