University of Melbourne medical students are celebrating the end of their first year at the Western Clinical School after the completion of exams.Students come to the Western Clinical School for the last two-and-a-half years of their medical degree. They rotate through all hospital specialties, both medical and surgical, before undertaking their final examinations at the end of the sixth year of their course.
The students celebrated the completion of their first year with a formal dinner and awards ceremony , held at University House. Students and staff were recognised for their hard work, with the student-voted 'Tutor of the Year' announced.
Over the past 21 years, University of Melbourne medical students have trained at Footscray Hospital in conjunction with the Royal Melbourne Hospital. In mid-2009, Western Health welcomed its first 16 students to the Western Clinical School at Footscray Hospital and appointed its first Director of Medical Education, Associate Professor Stephen Lew.
A large number of students have also rotated between Footscray and Sunshine during the past twelve months. In July this year, Western Clinical School will accept 40 new students. The partnership with the Royal Melbourne Hospital Clinical School will formally end with Western Clinical School becoming a stand-alone site.
Associate Professor Stephen Lew says Western Health has a long history of teaching medical students, and is now entering an exciting new era with the Western Clinical School. "What began as a small adjunct to the Royal Melbourne Hospital site has grown to the point where we can now operate on our own," Dr Lew says, "The Western Clinical School will also have a strong presence at the new teaching, training and research centre at Sunshine Hospital once it is completed, while also maintaining our status at Footscray Hospital."
Due for completion later this year, the teaching, training and research centre will provide Western Clinical School students with state-of-the-art facilities for learning. Amenities include a library, auditorium, lecture theatre and clinical skills spaces.