Twenty years of Rural Health
Launch of the 20 year anniversary for the School of Rural Health
The Monash University School of Rural Health is this year celebrating 20 years of its internationally recognised training models, designed to boost rural health workforces.
To mark the occasion and launch the celebration, a ceremony was held at the Gippsland Regional Clinical School in Traralgon on Sunday 18 March.
The school opened in 1992 as the Centre for Rural Health and delivers training for Monash University medical, nursing and allied health students in a rural setting.
Head of the School, Professor Judi Walker, said the launch signalled the start of various celebrations over the year.
“Since 2003, the school has introduced over 7550 students to the challenges and rewards of clinical practice in a rural setting and has been successful in encouraging some of our graduates to live and work in rural Victoria or rural Australia,” Professor Walker said.
“The school also has working partnerships with hospitals, general practices and regional health services from Mildura through to Orbost.
“The concept has proved successful to the point where it is the basis for similar programs in other parts of Australia and the world.”
One of the highlights of the launch was a live video presentation by Professor Roger Strasser from Canada.
Professor Strasser was one of the driving forces behind development of the Centre for Rural Health. He was the inaugural Professor of Rural Health for Monash University and Head of the School of Rural Health.
Other activities are being planned for the rest of the year in Gippsland, East Gippsland, Churchill, Moe, Bendigo and Mildura, all of which are School of Rural Health sites for clinical teaching and research.