UTAS & Calvary Team up to Teach New Doctors a Lesson
20 Feb 2006
Some 40 medical students from the University of Tasmania will undertake part of their sixth year training and studies at Calvary Health Care Tasmania (CHCT) in Lenah Valley from this year.
Groups of medical students will train at Calvary on a rotational basis, joining doctors on wards rounds, in theatre sessions, and even in private consulting rooms.
Head of the UTAS Hobart Clinical School, Associate Professor Janet Vial, said the new program will make a very welcome addition to the range of practical opportunities on offer to final year UTAS medical students.
"Calvary hospital can provide high quality and extensive experience to our students in a range of areas, and we are confident that this innovative collaboration will bring positive benefits to both the hospital and to our medical education program.
"The new relationship is a significant step in engaging more effectively with the Tasmanian private hospital sector for the clinical training of future doctors," Dr Vial said.
The Chief Executive of Calvary Health Care Tasmania Cindy Shay, said she was delighted that Calvary would be partnering the UTAS School of Medicine in the training of senior medical students.
"In Tasmania, the private sector stands alongside the public sector as a major provider of health services, and through this new program, which has been under discussion for more than six months, medical students will get some important insights into how the private system operates," Ms Shay said.
The Acting Dean of the UTAS Faculty of Health Science, Professor Judi Walker, congratulated the School of Medicine and CHCT on formalising clinical attachment arrangements for medical students.
"This is another important step in building productive relationships between the University and the private hospital sector to the benefit of the future medical workforce," she said.
While at Calvary the students will be studying and training under supervision at Calvary’s Accident and Emergency Department, and in areas such as Critical Care, Medicine, and Surgery. They will accompany Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) on ward rounds, during patient consultations in consulting rooms, and during surgery in theatre. They will also undertake tutorial work while at Calvary.
Dr Gerard Gartlan has been appointed by the School of Medicine to a position of Director of Medical Studies at Calvary. Dr Gartlan will support the orientation, teaching, supervision, and assessment of the medical students.
As part of his role, Dr Gartlan will liaise with VMOs at Calvary Health Care Tasmania who have undertaken to contribute to the student program.
With the addition of Medical students, CHCT now supports placements for undergraduate students in Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Allied Health and Health Information Management.
The first students join Calvary’s Lenah Valley campus this week.
For more information/interviews:
Associate Professor Janet Vial,
Head of the Hobart Clinical School, School of Medicine
Phone 6226 4842 or 0419 396 892
Ms Cindy Shay, Chief Executive Officer,
Calvary Health Care Tasmania
Phone 62785224
Information Released by:
The Media Liaison Office, University of Tasmania
Phone: 6226 2124 Mobile: 0417 517 291
Email: Media.Office@utas.edu.au
Modified 10 Apr 2006
