Advanced Clinical Placements Electives

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Advanced Clinical Placements (Electives)

• A/Prof Wilma Beswick
• Clinical Dean
• SVH/GH Clinical School

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What I will cover

• University requirements for your elective
• Objectives of your elective
• How to get information
• Safety
• Insurance

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University requirements

• Advanced Clinical Placement
• Following semester 10 and prior to semester 11
• 4-week elective clinical placement must be
  undertaken.
• Pre-requisites and/or Co-requisites
• Successful completion of Semester 10.
• Contact
• A minimum of four weeks devoted to an approved
  program of study. Attachments may begin during
  the long vacation and the timing can be varied
  but the placement must be completed prior to the
  beginning of Semester 11 clinical rotations.
  Students must be enrolled at the time of their
  elective.
• Special requirements
• Students must make their own arrangements for the
  clinical placements, which should be planned
  during Semesters 8 to 10. A proposal stipulating
  the duration of attachment, nature of the work
  and its location, and a proposed supervisor
  contact details must be submitted through the
  Clinical Dean for approval by the faculty.
  Students should seek advice from the Clinical
  Dean of their teaching hospital.
• Students who have been identified "at risk" (ie.
  performance in any semester 8-10 subject of less
  than 60, or less than 60 on any clinical
  hurdle), or who have failed a rotation within a
  subject, or have taken leave of absence during
  semesters 8-10, will be required to undertake a
  clinical placement in general medicine and
  surgery as recommended by their Clinical Dean.

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University requirements

• Description
• The elective should be undertaken in a different
  clinical environment away from the hospitals
  associated with the students clinical school.
• Generic Skills
• self reliance
• diplomacy (as ambassadors of The University of
  Melbourne)
• interacting with patients from different cultural
  and educational backgrounds.
• Assessment
• The elective is graded pass/fail. The completion
  of the elective is a hurdle requirement for
  proceeding to semester 11. The Clinical Dean will
  obtain reports from both student and supervisor.

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Objectives of your elective

• To examine in greater depth some aspect of
  medicine, either through supervised work on a
  project or by close contact in clinical
  activities.
• To work in situations giving greater
  responsibility in the care of patients than
  ordinarily applies in the undergraduate course.
• To sample medical practice in the community.
• To travel away from the parent hospital and
  experience health care in rural areas or in
  interstate or overseas hospitals.
• To study in an academic or professional field not
  taught within the course but which could be of
  value in later professional life.
• To experience possible fields of future
  specialization so as to facilitate career choice.

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How to find elective places

• Ask students from the previous year
• Look at the student reports from previous years
• Talk to your clinical school
• Talk to doctors and other health professionals
• Talk to friends and family
• Attend this AMA sponsored
• symposium
• Search the web

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Safety

• The university, your supervisor and yourself have
  responsibility for your safety
• Please prepare yourself for your elective by
  being well informed about where you are going and
  the potential risks that might arise there
• The university reserves the right to refuse an
  elective placement if it is considered unsafe

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Safety

• Physical safety
• The University will not approve electives in
  countries with Department of Foreign Affairs and
  Trade (DFAT) warnings 6 and 7 (http//www.smartrav
  eller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/)
• Travel to countries may be considered at warning
  level 5 only in special circumstances
• Travel to countries with warning levels 1-4 will
  generally be approved

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DFAT advice

• To exercise good personal security awareness.
• To be alert to your own security.
• To exercise caution and be aware of developments
  that might affect your safety.
• To exercise a high degree of (or extreme)
  caution. If the Australian Government judges that
  the overall threat environment in a country is
  high, we will - at a minimum - advise Australians
  to exercise a high degree of caution.
• To defer non-essential travel (in some cases, we
  may only encourage Australians to "consider"
  deferring non-essential travel). We may also
  advise Australians in the country to consider
  leaving unless they have compelling reasons to
  stay.
• To defer (or avoid) all travel. We may also
  advise Australians in the country to depart as
  soon as possible using available commercial
  means.
• Not to travel and, for Australians in the
  country, to depart immediately by whatever means
  available. In some situations, such as ongoing or
  imminent conflict, we may alternatively tell
  Australians in the country to remain indoors in
  as safe a place as is possible.

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SAFETY

• Students must follow Occupational Health and
  Safety Guidelines at all times.
• www.intranet.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au and follow the
  link to "Environmental Health and Safety" then
  "Student Safety Off-Campus". Download the
  information and complete the risk assessment
  forms.
• If travelling overseas read carefully item 4
  considerations for travelling overseas.

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Safety

• Health
• Infectious disease if travelling outside
  Australia you must seek advice regarding your
  personal requirements for vaccinations.
• If travelling to countries with high HIV
  prevalence you must complete a risk analysis
  which is described under student infectious
  diseases guide and take the "transmission
  information" with you.
• Must take a starter pack of medications which you
  must purchase before travel.

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Insurance

• We strongly recommend that you have health
  insurance while travelling outside Australia
  (best purchased with your ticket).
• Accident insurance is provided by the University.
• Medical indemnity insurance is supplied by the
  University www.unimelb.edu.au/insurance/
• (letter available from Clinical School)

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If there is a problem

• Your supervisor is your first point of contact
  depending on the nature of the problem
• The University, including your clinical school
  will always assist if local measures fail
• In more extreme cases DFAT and local Australian
  embassies will assist

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Your ambassadorial role

• Remember that you are an ambassador for your
  University, Country, Family etc
• Be gracious
• Be grateful
• Be enthusiastic

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