This course is not currently offered, please contact the school.

Course description

This course provides a unique opportunity for medical students to understand and contribute to multi-dimensional, transdisciplinary care in medicine and understand and experience the rewards and challenges of practice in clinical settings and/or in communities that experience challenges associated with care. Such challenges can be attributed to a range of contextual factors including disability, chronic and life-limiting illness, stage-of-life, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and/or difficult life circumstances. Clinical practice within such a contextual framework requires distinctively generalist knowledge, skills and attitudes. The core values underpinning care in these contexts include: the dignity and empowerment of the patient, their caregiver/s and family; compassionate care fostering equity to health care, access and allocation of resources; providing advocacy on behalf of patients, families and communities and striving for excellence in the provision of care. Whilst the contexts differ, clinical practice is governed by common parameters including whole person care, challenging patient interactions and team-based case management. An important focus of this course is the patient's health journey and the doctor-patient relationship, understanding social determinants of health and encouraging students to be reflective and compassionate practitioners. Students will have the opportunity to engage in contemplative, reflective and narrative learning to deepen their understanding of the core values of medical practice. They will also explore how feelings and thoughts can impact on the therapeutic relationship and expand their capacity and repertoire for handling difficult situations. At the centre of each student's learning experience will be a structured clinical placement where students will work closely with a clinical preceptor who will guide and support students as they provide health care in context and continue to develop their general medical skills.

Archived offerings