The Chancellor of Federation University related his experience in working in rural health to Year A students on 14 March at Churchill as a guest speaker for their Theme II studies.

Dr. Paul Hemming was born in the UK and began his career as a Junior Resident Medical Officer in Coventry before becoming Unit Medical Officer in the RAF. Later he was a partner in a three person rural general practice. Dr. Hemming migrated to Australia with his family in 1977 and settled in Ballarat working in general practice.

He has been a member of many professional bodies and in particular President of the AMA, Inaugural Chair of the General Practice Divisions in Victoria and Founding Director of beyondblue . In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal (Commonwealth of Australia) for services to the medical profession and the community. In 2013 the Rural Workforce Agency Victoria presented him with the award for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Communities in recognition of his work in rural health over many years.

Fahad Hanna and his wife Elsie along with Keipha are thrilled to announce the safe arrival of daughter, Teebel Nahomi. Congratulations!

Elaine was part of the beginning of the School of Rural Health

FAREWELL, ADIEU, AU REVOIR, ADIOS

Dear everyone

I would like to take this opportunity to farewell to all my colleagues  at the School of Rural Health and a big thank you for the morning tea, dinner, gifts and good wishes.

The School has been a major part of my life for the last nearly 21 years (good English). I have seen so many changes. I have met some fantastic people, whether they were staff, students, international visitors or stakeholders.  The passion and commitment of staff to the cause of Rural Health never ceases to amaze me. Times have not always been easy, lots of belt tightening, uncertainty about continued funding and other external factors but this still hasn’t deterred people from their continued support of the School.

I think it will take a little while to realise that I am not just on holidays but will keep in touch as I have made many friends during my tenure. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, mentored me, guided me, laughed and cried with me and enjoyed me sharing my stories of my family (or at least been polite enough to pretend they have enjoyed them).  I honestly never thought that I would still be here all this time later, let alone in the position of a School Manager.

I wish the everyone at the School of Rural Health, no matter which site you are on,  every success in the future. You all are truly exceptional people.

Elaine

Elaine Evans

Follow your dreams: 2013 academic award winners Matthew Howard (left) and Bree Morris (right) with guest speaker and past Olympic rower, Richard Hamilton.

After being delayed by the Gippsland bushfires in February, the School of Rural Health – Latrobe Valley and West Gippsland finally sat down to dinner to welcome the 2014 cohort of students. Fifty-five people gathered including students from Years 3B, 4C and 5D, School of Rural Health staff, tutors and general practice staff.

Past British Olympic rower, Richard Hamilton, was guest speaker. Now a farm management consultant based in Maffra, Richard started life in Plymouth. He talked about having the conviction to follow your dreams relating that he always knew he wanted to be a rower and compete at the Olympics. With such a strong vision, he was prepared to do whatever it took to get there.

Local GP and senior lecturer at Traralgon, Dr Paul Brougham, was MC for the night.

Awards for academic achievement in 2013 were presented at the dinner. Matthew Howard received the award for Year 3B and Bree Morris for Year 4C.

Final year medical and nursing students based in Gippsland are able to meet one of their hurdle requirements in Traralgon rather than having to travel to Melbourne.

The School of Rural Health – Latrobe Valley runs three interprofessional delirium workshops throughout the year and has already facilitated two this year.

The workshop trains student doctors and nurses in classes together using didactic learning, case studies and opportunities to practice on a simulated patient who is simulating a delirious episode. The interprofessional approach is designed to teach students from different health professions to work together to improve the care of patients.

Each workshop runs for three hours with half the workshop spent in tutorial and half in simulation. Student groups comprise around three medical and seven nursing students, with four workshops conducted in a day.

The program is based on the PhD studies of Debra Kielgadie and developed by the Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Wendy Cross and Director of Geriatric Medicine at Eastern Health Professor Peteris Darzins.

The 'Sven's Swim' scenario

New MBBS students learned personal and professional strategies at the MBBS Year 1 Transition Program to help them make the change from secondary school to tertiary study.

The program was run on 27 and 28 February at Clayton and the School of Rural Health actively participated in the program again. Professor Judi Walker provided an introduction to rural health and a rural Problem Based Learning (PBL) session provided the new-to-course students with their first such experience. Year 5 tutors facilitated a scenario called ‘Sven’s Swim’ (a near-drowning event in Mildura) and the visiting staff added a rural perspective and assisted with the clinical skills component.

Staff from the School of Rural Health units including Deborah Hewetson (Bairnsdale), Alda Dunlop (Sale), Claire Akers (Latrobe Valley), Jenny Timmis (Mildura) and Geoff Solarsh (Bendigo) kindly gave their time and actively participated in group sessions.

Geoff Solarsh also presented a ‘Welcome to Extended Rural Cohort (ERC) session at lunch to our new ERC students. Some previous students attended this session and shared some great stories. This was followed by a lovely lunch for all our ERC students and helpers.

Charlotte at work in her 'office'

The youngest member of staff at Bairnsdale has just celebrated her first birthday. Charlotte has her own office/change room that she sometimes shares with mum, Eleanor Mitchell. Somewhat overwhelmed by all the fuss, she shared a large cake with Eleanor, Angelo (now back from parental leave) and the rest of the staff.

The new part task trainers will help both students and hospital trainees

The School of Rural Health – Mildura’s new simulation centre now has over 25 new Somso anatomy models thanks to its close collaboration with the Emergency Department of the Mildura Base Hospital.

The Clinical Skills and Simulation Laboratory is used by hospital trainees as well as Monash students and tutors and the models will help in learning and preparation for exams.

Following the success of the original Koorie Men’s Health Day in January 2012, the Elders of the Morwell Aboriginal community have organised a program where they will run similar health days twice a year. The first in the new program was conducted on 20 March 2014.

The Elders are supported by the Gippsland Medicare Local. Dr Anton Isaacs from MUDRIH, who was instrumental in developing the original concept, was invited to undertake the medical examinations. Fourteen Aboriginal men from the local community participated in the program and the organisers received very positive feedback.

The Australian Council for Education Research (ACER) has selected Dr Julie Willems’s book – Global Challenges and Perspectives in Blended and Distance Learning – for inclusion on its list of publications recommended as exemplary resources for students. Published in 2013, the book is one of twin volumes looking at best practice in distance education with contributions from around the globe. Dr Willems was lead editor and author or co-author of three chapters.

The resources are chosen from three research banks and databases managed by ACER. ACER is an independent educational research organisation based in Camberwell, Victoria, with offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Dubai and India. ACER provides learning tools for students, develops and manages a range of testing and assessment services for the Australian education community and conducts research and analysis in the education sector.