The University of Western Sydney (UWS) will receive almost $10 million from the Australian Federal Government to establish additional clinical schools at Bathurst and Lismore in regional New South Wales for UWS medical students.

The announcement made recently by the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon. Nicola Roxon is in addition to $17.6 million already earmarked by the Federal Government for the UWS Blacktown Clinical School.

Professor Janice Reid, UWS Vice-Chancellor welcomes the continuing support for the School of Medicine from the Federal Government. “The grants announced by the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing will greatly enhance the University’s capacity to train a new generation of doctors for Western Sydney and rural NSW,” says Professor Reid.

“The funding will provide opportunities for UWS medical students to experience working in major metropolitan hospitals and the unique challenges of providing medical care in regional and rural areas.”

The new funding will allow the University to establish new training sites for UWS medical students in the Lismore and Bathurst regions and is part of a Federal Government initiative to expand the Rural Clinical Schools programme.

The first students will have the opportunity to study from mid 2010 and will spend twelve months in these communities.
Foundation Dean of the UWS School of Medicine, Professor Neville Yeomans says rural clinical placements will have benefits for both students and the local community.

“UWS students will gain, first hand, an understanding of patterns of disease and the more holistic style of medical practice in regional areas. They will also gain an understanding of social issues and values commonly held by close knit and supportive communities.”

For students interested in studying medicine, i-studentadvisor will be launching its first i-MHS (medicine and health science) issue later in the year. Keep checking back to www.i-studentadvisor.com for updates.