Annual Report - ntgpe

Rural Undergraduate Support and Coordination Program(RUSC) – the Medical Student ProgramInter-professional Learning (IPL)Hubs and Spokes ProjectIn June and July 2010 NTGPE collaborated in partnershipwith the Australian National University and theUniversity of South Australia to host 6 week ruralclinical placements at Danila Dilba Health Service inDarwin for 5 health students from occupational therapy,physiotherapy and nursing backgrounds.The focus of the Health ‘Hubs and Spokes’ Project is onincreasing access to higher education opportunities forstudents from a wide range of economic and culturalbackgrounds, including Indigenous students and thosefrom rural and remote areas.One of the Project’s major aims is to increaseopportunities for medical and allied health studentsto participate in interdisciplinary practical/clinicalplacements in rural and remote areas. This program isintended to offer students an ideal opportunity to learnabout the roles of other health professionals, shareexpertise, develop communication and teamworkskills, and actively participate in patient-centred interprofessionalteam environments.Students were supported in taking an inter-professionallearning approach to patient and community care bytheir clinical supervisors and were released from theirclinical learning activities to meet as an IPL team oncea week.This project was a huge success and Danila Dilbaare happy to host students again in 2011. Meetingsbetween NTGPE, ANU/Uni of South Australia andthe team at Danila Dilba are underway to makearrangements for the coming year.In closing NTGPE wishes to acknowledge the valuableprior service of RUSC Program Coordinator MargaretVigants. Margaret left NTGPE in October having held theprogram coordinator role since September 2005. EmmaTothill has now been appointed to the position.Emma TothillRUSC Program Co-ordinator30 Northern Territory General Practice Education