These courses collectively comprise the Phase 3 clinical program. All students will enrol in MFAC3501-3509 and may enrol in additional courses, depending on whether they have undertaken earlier individualised study programs or have been granted any exemptions.
Objectives: By completion of Phase 3, students will be expected to demonstrate an integrated achievement of the eight desired capabilities specified as appropriate for graduates to practice as interns. These include a thorough understanding of the biomedical science mechanisms and bio-social determinants that maintain health, contribute to illness, and underlie appropriate management strategies; application of a scientific approach to clinical medicine and medical practice; excellent communicative, teamwork, psychomotor and cognitive skills to assess health issues and patient problems and develop patient-centred management approaches; and demonstrated abilities to work independently, reflectively and within appropriate ethical and legal frameworks.
Clinical learning in phase 3 will be predominantly located in clinical environments associated with the Faculty of Medicine in a range of metropolitan and rural locations throughout New South Wales. Most modules will be available in a variety of clinical locations and students will be able to select an individualised learning program from a menu offered by clinical teaching units, or they may be able to negotiate their program with their clinical supervisors. Students will generally be able to indicate a preference to do the majority of their clinical training attached to one geographical region, but final allocation will be determined by a number of factors including availability of attachments to particular locations, and is ultimately the responsibility and decision of the Faculty.
Students are required to complete one each of six clinical modules with a specified major focus, these being in the clinical disciplines of Children's Health; Women's Health; Mental Health; Internal Medicine; Surgery; and Chronic & Complex Care, although some choice of the structure, case-mix and location of each of these will generally be possible. In addition to these specified modules, students may choose from a range of other available clinical modules to complete phase 3 requirements. The order and content of work undertaken in these courses will be organised for each student on an individual basis through the relevant Clinical School(s).
In considering their choice of modules in Phase 3, the student's clinical experience must include a minimum of 8 weeks in community or ambulatory settings, as well as 8 weeks experience of emergency or critical care, although these may be spread over one or more individual modules. In addition, a student's combined clinical experiences during phases 2 and 3 must include a minimum of 8 weeks in rural locations, 4 weeks in primary care practice and adequate exposure to various clinical sub-specialities.
All clinical modules in phase 3 adopt the principles of clinical clerkship, in which students learn through experience and participation in the treatment of patients under the care of medical practitioners and/or medical teams to which they are attached. Although structured teaching activities are generally limited to an average of 10 hours per week, which will include teaching of relevant biomedical sciences and social sciences, students are required to work under supervision as part of the health care delivery unit. Students' responsibilities as part of the team will increase gradually as new skills are developed. Each module will have demonstrable links to those aspects of basic biomedical and social sciences relevant to the health issues encountered.
