Chinese health professionals enjoy Bendigo visit
The Chinese delegation at the Bendigo Regional Clinical School with staff.
A delegation of Chinese health professionals, hosted by Bendigo TAFE, visited the Bendigo Regional Clinical School recently and was particularly intrigued by our training methods and use of facilities such as simulation suites.
The group of 10 health professionals (nine medical specialists and one nurse) is from Lanzhou, Gansu Province, North West China, and is visiting Australia for a study program to improve English language skills and learn about the Australian Healthcare system and culture.
Bendigo staff had the privilege of spending time with the delegates for a morning before the delegates visited the La Trobe Rural School, also situated in the Bendigo Hospital education precinct.
The group will spend three months in Australia with members visiting health services across Bendigo and the Loddon Mallee Region for the first two months, followed by a month in Melbourne. The delegates’ medical specialties are in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Cardiology, Respiratory medicine, Dental, Radiology/Ultrasound and Nursing.
The Chinese delegates were given a tour around the Monash building by Bendigo Regional Manager, Kerrie Thomsen and they enjoyed browsing through the Bendigo Health library.
The favored opportunity was observing students participating in a clinical simulation session run by Cathy Driver in the Monash Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre. The delegates are familiar with clinical skills and simulation suites but were particularly interested to see how they are used them in Australia. They were surprised that only a small group of three students were being taught as well as the relaxed and friendly environment.
They particularly enjoyed seeing the equipment in use during the simulation and asked many questions about the cost of the center and the cost of training a medical student.
After the presentation of a gift to each delegate and a group photo, Monash staff were invited to visit Lanzhou if ever in China. Thank you to Angela Cahill, Director, Health and Human Services at Bendigo TAFE, for inviting Bendigo to participate in a lovely morning.