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Scholarly Intensive Placements (SIP)

All Monash medical students complete a six-week Scholarly Intensive Placement (also known as a SIP) during the final year of their MD program. Scholarly Intensive Placements allow you to focus on a particular medical or professional practice issue, in-depth, by taking part in scholarly activities, such as analysing relevant literature, collecting data, reviewing policies, or developing new resources.

Why do your Scholarly Intensive Placement with Monash Rural Health?

At Monash Rural Health, the majority of our SIP rotations are embedded within rural health care services. This gives you the opportunity to gain additional clinical time and experience while completing your project - alongside developing important professional skills in research, analysis and communication.

There are other significant benefits to completing a SIP in a rural setting, including:

Be part of a project that matters: Our projects are based within local health services. Your SIP project will contribute to improving their systems and practice and help make a tangible difference to health outcomes within the community.
Grow your professional network: You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary team and work directly with clinicians, researchers, nurses and allied health practitioners, as well as professional and administrative staff, building your future career network.
Build on research experience: You may have the chance to work towards publishing your findings or even continue working on your project beyond your six-week rotation.

Hear from Associate Professor Bernadette Ward, our SIP Coordinator about what’s unique about completing your Scholarly Intensive Placement with Monash Rural Health:

Where can I complete my Scholarly Intensive Placement?

We offer Scholarly Intensive Placements across many of our teaching sites, embedded in health services across the north-west and south-east (Gippsland) regions of Victoria.

In 2021, our students had the opportunity to participate in a range of research and professional practice projects in surgical, palliative care, ED, ICU, psychiatry, rehabilitation, aged care, oncology, women’s health, renal and respiratory units. The 2022 project offerings will be similar. Explore the types of project, learn more about our different sites and hear from previous students about their experiences completing a rural SIP below:

Bairnsdale View

Bendigo View

"Supervising SIPS projects has been very rewarding. I have enjoyed having a longer relationship with students and the opportunity to develop their skills and help them create a meaningful result. A mentored project like this gives a feeling of achievement for the supervisor and student."

Dr Cris Cuthbertson, SIP supervisor - Bendigo Health

“Having students doing SIP projects in Women’s and Children’s Services has been a beneficial experience for both the student and the department. We have been able to provide students with projects that are both challenging and interesting which has developed their knowledge and skills in the audit process. Being embedded in the department has provided not just clinical experience but has also provided an alternative perspective on the provision of healthcare. Being clinically relevant audits the results have directly influenced the clinical practice of the specialty.”

Dr Robin Burr, SIP supervisor - Bendigo Health

“Medical students doing SIPS projects is beneficial for both them and our department. We can help them to learn more about clinical problems in a real sense, and their work can provide data for our department that can help us to audit and adjust practices if necessary. It can also be a good insight for them into certain aspects of our day-to-day clinical work.”

Dr Verity Nicholson, SIP supervisor - Bendigo Health

SIP projects in Bendigo are based at Bendigo Health and its affiliated health services. Projects are embedded in one of the many hospital units including renal, medical, surgical, anaesthetics, theatre and palliative care. These SIPs generally include clinical time. We also offer some research-focused projects with leading researchers at Monash Rural Health Bendigo.

Learn more about Monash Rural Health Bendigo

Mildura View

"Being a SIP supervisor was a fantastic experience for a few reasons: there are always questions that one has or certain anecdotal observations that one takes note of but never had a chance to find out or confirm. SIPS projects can answer these which I find fascinating. Secondly, it is nice to see medical students interested in doing research even over a short period; the findings are significant in their own ways. It was a pleasure to supervise Harrison who was keen to learn and very hard-working!"

Associate Professor Hieu Pham, SIP Supervisor - Mildura Base Public Hospital

SIP rotations in Mildura are in the psychiatric unit and the emergency department of Mildura Base Public Hospital (MBPH), which is located adjacent to Monash Rural Health Mildura. This hospital serves an area of over 22,000 square kilometres including areas of New South Wales and South Australia. You’ll spend time rostered between clinical placements and scholarly intensive activities. Hands-on experience, being part of a small team and regular contact with consultants are all benefits our previous students named as highlights from their time in Mildura.

Learn more about Monash Rural Health Mildura

Sale View

Traralgon View

Warragul View

Wonthaggi View

Contact us

Interested in completing your SIP at Monash Rural Health? To learn more, or ask any questions, contact Associate Professor Bernadette Ward.

Rural Health

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Scholarly Intensive Placements (SIP)

Why do your Scholarly Intensive Placement with Monash Rural Health?