Claudia Doman
8 July 2015: A University of Canberra-led project, in collaboration with The Australian National University (ANU), has received $17 million to build new clinical training facilities and student accommodation in rural southeast NSW.
The funding, originally awarded through the Australian Government's Health and Hospitals Fund Regional Priority round, will support integrated and collaborative professional training opportunities for a range of health students.
The project will establish medium-scale training facilities on existing
hospital sites, as well as student accommodation in the regional towns of Bega,
Cooma and Moruya.
These facilities will provide clinical training opportunities for
medical, nursing, midwifery and allied health students, which will support the
rural and regional health workforce capacity in this area of NSW.
The project also includes funding to construct and purchase
accommodation for students and visiting clinical staff.
Dean of the University of Canberra's Faculty of Health, Diane Gibson,
welcomed the announcement, saying it would further training opportunities for
students by providing valuable hands-on experience in rural and regional
settings.
"We are committed to serving the southern NSW region and this project
allows us to build on this commitment. One in five students at the University
of Canberra comes from rural and regional NSW – UC is very much a university of
and for the region," Professor Gibson said.
Professor Gibson added that "the project will also support regional
workforce development in the longer term as university-trained students who
undergo a rural clinical placement are more likely to seek work in rural and
regional areas after graduating."
Head of the ANU Medical School's Rural Clinical School, Amanda Barnard, said
ANU is excited to be collaborating with the University of Canberra in this
initiative.
"The project will enhance the successful Rural Clinical School program
at ANU, which has provided medical student training in southeast NSW for 10
years, with a number of graduates returning to work as rural GPs and
specialists," Professor Barnard said.
Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash said she was proud to see this
sort of investment in rural doctor training.
"Having health professionals train in rural areas greatly increases the
likelihood of them practicing in rural areas once they're qualified," Minister
Nash said.
"As a rural NSW resident myself, I'm extremely pleased with this
investment in southeast NSW."
The building stage will commence in 2016.