Performance results validate rural program
One of the most common questions asked at Open Day is: will I be disadvantaged educationally by studying outside Melbourne? Students are concerned they will miss out on resources and support provided to their Clayton-based counterparts. An analysis of Year 4 MBBS assessment results for 2011 has clearly demonstrated this is not the case.
The MBBS is split into four streams: the central stream is based in Clayton with some opportunities for rural placements; Gippsland Medical School, based at Churchill in Gippsland; the Malaysia medical school based at Monash’s Sunway campus; and the Extended Rural Cohort delivered as part of Northern Victoria Rural Medical Education Network (NVRMEN) program.
Across the whole year for all Year 4 streams, NVRMEN students fared just as well as their counterparts elsewhere with a mean total mark of 73.2 % compared to 73.5 %. In Women’s Health and Children’s Health, they did slightly better with a mean of 74.5% compared to 74.3%
The results show that the quality of education provided through the NVRMEN Year 4 program is just as high as the metropolitan program and feedback from the students reflects this. In a study conducted by Dr Natalie Radomski of the School of Rural Health’s, North West Rural Medical Education Unit, students particularly commented on the high quality of teaching and the commitment of NVRMEN tutors and practice staff to the program. “The opportunities to participate in patient care and to see patients with different presentations were also highly regarded,” said Dr Radomski.
While the clinical educators who teach the NVRMEN program were always confident of its quality, the student assessment results now provides evidence validating their enthusiasm. Prospective students wondering about the rural MBBS program at Open Day will get even more positive answers this year.