Inland Australia will celebrate the tenth anniversary of Australia’s first university school to offer a number of allied health degrees specifically designed for professionals aiming to work in regional Australia.

 

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Community Health will welcome current and former health leaders from inland Australia and CSU to the celebration, to be held in Albury on Friday 31 August.

 

Former Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Health Studies and head of Albury-Wodonga Campus and current Vice-Chancellor of University of Ballarat, Professor David Battersby will join former Dean Professor Mark Burton and current Dean Professor Nicholas Klomp to recognise the contribution of the school in addressing the shortage of health professionals in regional Australia.

 

“The average life expectancy of people living in rural and remote areas is generally up to five years less than for people living in major cities, but much worse for inland Indigenous Australians. Furthermore, people in rural and remote communities are more likely to die prematurely from avoidable causes,” said Head of School of Community Health, Associate Professor Julia Coyle. 

 

“Our graduates understand that there is more to health than just the absence of disease. They learn through hands-on experience how to help people in inland communities to better manage their health to prevent health disorders.”

 

The CSU School of Community Health commenced in 1997 with enrolments in its occupational therapy degree, the first such degree in inland Australia. Courses offered by the School have since grown to include physiotherapy, speech pathology, podiatry and nursing. “We educate our graduates to work collaboratively with other health workers so they can work well in health teams. This is important in reducing the difficulties faced by people in accessing comprehensive health services,” Professor Coyle said.    

Professor Coyle is also pleased with the growing local, national and international reputation of the school. “Charles Sturt University and the School have extensive links with regional communities and is engaged in teaching and research that is directly related to the needs of our communities,” she said.

 

“From research into early detection of diabetes in small Australian country towns to regular clinical experience for our students in a Vietnamese orphanage, we continue to show how we can improve the health of people living in difficult circumstances. And our efforts are being recognised nationally, with the coordinating team of the Vietnam project recently winning a prestigious Carrick education award for their work.”