Students wanting to pursue a career in medicine will be able to start and finish a medical degree on the North-West Coast from 2025.
The move will provide greater access and opportunity for people to pursue a medical career and help support future workforce needs across the North-West and West coasts of Tasmania.
“Tasmania is experiencing high demand for expansion of health professional workforce,” Professor Adele Holloway, Acting Head of School for the Tasmanian School of Medicine, said.
“Delivering the entire medical degree on the North-West Coast will increase opportunities for people from local communities to pursue a career in medicine, without having to leave.”
“There is strong evidence that students who come from a rural area and train there, are more likely to stay and work in the communities they serve.”
Previously, students wishing to pursue medicine had to spend three years in Hobart before electing to complete their final two years of study at the Rural Clinical School on the North-West Coast.
From 2025, students will be able to start and finish their medical degree in the region with the Rural Clinical School delivering the full five-year program.
The Rural Clinical School is part of the University’s Tasmanian School of Medicine.
“The Rural Clinical School has been training medicine students in their final two years of study for almost 20 years on the Coast,” Professor Lizzi Shires, Rural Clinical School Director, said.
“We have developed a national reputation for excellence in rural medical education, providing unique training opportunities and experiences rural practice can provide.
“Having the entire medical course on the Coast will also enable medical students to learn alongside other locally delivered health courses including nursing, pharmacy and psychology.”
The delivery of the Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine to the North-West Coast is funded by the Commonwealth Government.
“More doctors living and practising in rural and regional Australia is good for the health of families and good for the health of our regional communities.” Senator Anne Urquhart said.
“This opportunity will provide medical students the ability to study close to home without the added burden and costs of having to travel longer distances.
“Exposure to high quality rural experiences early in the medical training pathway is important for when graduates are considering career options and for rural workforce retention over the longer term.”
Image caption: Senator Anne Urquhart (left) with Professor Lizzi Shires, Rural Clinical School Director.