Fitness to study on placement – Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences - my.UQ

As a student of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, you will be required to provide care and services to patients and clients from a diverse range of backgrounds as part of your practical placements.

It is the University's duty to provide you with the necessary support to become a safe practitioner who is able to offer a professional level of care and service to your clients. This includes being both physically and psychologically able to undertake the demands of your intended profession, as well as being able to demonstrate you have the necessary knowledge, skills and professional behaviours expected of a professional-in-training.

The University's Supporting Students' Fitness to Study Policy, Guideline and Procedure aim to provide a framework designed to encourage a coordinated and responsive educational environment by focusing on early intervention, remediation and support for students.

This framework considers a broad range of factors when categorising fitness to study concerns including:

Type of issue
Frequency of issue
Length of experience of the student
Intent of the student
Impact, or potential impact, of the issue(s) including risk to the student and to others

Professional behaviour

As well as possessing the appropriate skills and knowledge, the University has standards for behaviour and conduct while studying a professional program and undertaking practical placements. You are expected to conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the University’s Student Code of Conduct as well as any relevant codes or guidelines issued by the Faculty, discipline professional body, registering authority or placement providers.

Please see the video below for information on Professional Values and Behaviour on Placement:

Do you have a temporary or permanent condition which could impact upon your fitness to study?

If you are concerned that you may have difficulty fulfilling the requirements of your placement you are encouraged to contact your school to discuss what reasonable adjustments may be possible by completing a Student Access Plan (SAP).

Any agreed adjustments must be made in consultation with UQ Student Support and Wellbeing Services – Disability and must not compromise the safety and well-being of the student or client, nor prevent you from demonstrating the necessary knowledge and skills for independent professional practice.

It is important to note that if your performance, behaviour or condition poses a serious concern for the welfare of yourself or others, or is unreasonably disruptive to the community in which you are learning, or results in an inability to meet the requirements of a placement, the University may require that your studies be interrupted or, in cases where remediation is impracticable, discontinued.

UQ Medical School students

The Medical School is dedicated to delivering a rigorous and accredited medical program, ensuring that its graduates can safely and competently serve as supervised medical interns. Acting in the best interests of the community and the medical field, the Medical School mandates its graduates demonstrate their readiness to practice medicine.

This requirement extends beyond technical proficiency, encompassing the display of professional attitudes and behaviour aligned with the medical profession’s standards. This includes a commitment to the notion that both the medical program and medical professionalism demand unwavering dedication.

In pursuit of fostering professionalism, the Medical School intentionally nurtures specific personal and professional attributes within its students, by a planned curriculum of learning opportunities and system of assessment. Furthermore, it encourages them to gain insights into their own strengths and weaknesses while understanding the uncertainty involved in training for, and the practice of medicine.

UQ Medical School students must:

abide by the UQ Student Code of Conduct
abide by the Medical Student Code of Professional Conduct
abide by the MD program attendance guidelines
complete the UQ Student Integrity and Misconduct Modules
abide by Queensland Health’s clinical placement requirements and code of conduct for health professional students and any equivalent requirements pertaining to other clinical settings, including offshore clinical schools (Ochsner) and private hospital or health facilities.

Medical students are also encouraged to reach out to their Clinical Unit and/or Learning Community for further support and Academic Guidance. The Medical School Student Support Team also provides dedicated support to Medical School students for all wellbeing needs and refers to other services as required.