Charles Sturt University (CSU) Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, announced today that the University had sent its proposal for a new health and medical precinct in rural Australia in Orange to the Prime Minister’s Office.

 

The 70 page submission, titled Growing the Next Generation of Rural Health Practitioners, sets out the University’s plan to construct an Integrated Health Education Precinct in Orange, including a new medical program to grow the rural workforce. The University is seeking funding of $98 million for capital development from the Federal Government, and 80 medical student places per annum. The University will contribute up to $20 million of its own funds to cover the start-up costs of the development.

 

“There are chronic shortages of doctors and other health professionals right across rural Australia,” said Professor Goulter.

 

“Rural Health Workforce Australia tells us that between 1996 and 2006, there was a four per cent decline in the number of Australian-trained doctors in rural practice. This is despite the efforts of a number of medical schools to increase the number of Australian medical graduates in rural practice.

 

“National and international research shows that the only way to significantly increase the number of doctors and health professionals working in rural Australia is to train rural students in rural areas. This is what we are proposing to do.

 

“Seventy per cent of Charles Sturt University’s on-campus students are from rural communities, and more than 70 per cent of our health and human services students return to employment in rural areas after graduation; over 85 per cent in nuclear medicine, dietetics and psychology.  

 

“There is no other approach that has demonstrated Charles Sturt University’s level of success in retaining health professionals in rural areas.”

 

Professor Ian Goulter also announced that the University will work with Canada’s McMaster University in the development of its planned new medical program.

 

“McMaster University is recognised internationally as one of the world’s leading medical programs,” said Professor Goulter.

 

“Charles Sturt University has had a Memorandum of Understanding with McMaster for a number of years and works closely with McMaster through Charles Sturt University’s campus in Canada. 

 

“As part of developing the medical component of our proposal, we have had preliminary discussions around curriculum design and entry selection criteria, areas in which McMaster has considerable expertise.

 

“In addition to working on curriculum, we will explore opportunities for student and staff exchanges.

 

“A key challenge for all medical schools in Australia is to find new ways of delivering clinical training.

 

“Our relationship with McMaster University is viewed as particularly important because of its leadership in the use of technology to support medical education and clinical training for students.

 

“Our aim is to deliver a cutting edge medical education program that is informed by the best international evidence.  Collaboration with McMaster University will bring international academic expertise and support the creation of a globally recognised medical and health program in rural Australia,” Professor Goulter said.

 

McMaster is ranked in the Top 100 medical schools in the world by the respected Academic Ranking of World Universities. In Australia, only Melbourne University, the University of Queensland, and the University of Western Australia are also ranked in the Top 100 programs in the fields of clinical medicine and pharmacy.

 

Over the coming weeks and months Professor Goulter will meet with Government and Opposition members, the Greens and Independents, to put forward this case on behalf of rural and remote Australians.