Doctors for the Bush

Charles Sturt University has proposed to the Federal Government to build an Integrated Primary Health Education Precinct in rural NSW in Orange that will offer medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, clinical science, physiotherapy, advanced practice nursing, nutrition and dietetics, occupational therapy and social work.

• this development will enable the University to double the number of health related programs offered to students living in rural Australia, and design a new curriculum that integrates learning across health, medical and human service disciplines.
• In December 2010, CSU submitted a detailed proposal to the Federal Government seeking funding support of $98 million to construct the required facilities and 80 new medical student places (the University only needs to apply to offer medical student places).
• the total capital cost is a fraction of the estimated $2 billion that is under-spent each year on rural health services, and would lead to a significant increase in the number of medical and health graduates practising in rural Australia.
• the University has also asked the NSW Government and Opposition to commit to supporting the program by guaranteeing equal access to NSW public hospitals and resources on the same terms as all other medical programs in the State.
• CSU has publicly stated it will commit up to $20 million from its own funds to the start up costs for this initiative.
• national and international research comprehensively proves that when rural students are trained in a rural area, they are significantly more likely to remain in a rural area for employment.
• this is particularly true for medical and health professionals.
• for example, more than 70% of Charles Sturt University's health and human service students who attend a rural campus are from a rural area.
• more than 70% of these graduates commence employment in a rural or regional area in Australia, up to 90% in some courses.
• the courses that retain the highest proportion of rural and regional students in initial employment in a rural and regional area were: Psychology (91.7%); Nutrition and Dietetics (90.5%); Podiatry (88.9%); Nuclear Medicine Technology (85.7%); Pharmacy (83.1%); and Social Work (80%).
• CSU offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of health science programs in the country including dentistry, pharmacy, medical science, radiography, nuclear medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and paramedics.
• it has proven expertise in attracting the right staff and delivering complex disciplines such as veterinary science, dentistry, pharmacy and nuclear medicine.  Graduates of its pre-med program in Orange are accepted into medical programs around Australia.
• CSU has proven that expanding health education in rural areas directly results in higher numbers of rural students going to University, and significantly higher retention of graduates in employment in rural areas.
• then please register your support for Charles Sturt University proposed Health and Medical Education Precinct