New ANU pathway to medicine for rural and Indigenous students
The Australian National University Medical School will open a new pathway for rural and Indigenous students to become doctors and health professionals.
From 2018, the ANU Medical School will offer a new Bachelor of Health Science program, with designated places for rural and Indigenous students.
The degree is designed to help address the shortage of health professionals in rural and Indigenous communities, and will set a minimum 15 of the 50 domestic places for rural and Indigenous students.
ANU Medical School Associate Dean (Medical Education) Associate Professor David Kramer said the degree aimed to produce graduates who wanted a career in health, health research or health professional education.
“As Australia’s national university, we want to ensure we have a strong representation of graduates from all parts of Australia, including rural areas and Indigenous communities,” Dr Kramer said.
“Our new pathway will make it possible for talented rural and Indigenous students to consider medicine as a career through the ANU Doctor of Medicine and Surgery degree (MChD).”
The degree will draw from ANU strengths in medical education, biomedical science, population health, psychology, social sciences and public policy to prepare graduates for careers in medicine, allied health and health-related professions.
ANU Medical School, through its Rural Clinical School, has been training students in regional NSW for the past 11 years.
The rurally trained students have achieved significant academic success, a number are returning to work rurally.