ERC – Extended Rural Cohort

What is the Extended Rural Cohort (ERC)

The Extended Rural Cohort (ERC) has been developed to provide rural training for Doctor of Medicine (MD) students interested in practicing medicine in a rural or regional location.

The ERC is an innovative, year-long program within the medical degree Year 3 of the MD degree where students undertake an equivalent learning experience to their non-ERC peers.

The program is delivered through the Rural Clinical School (RCS) and takes place in rural general practice, community health and country hospital settings. It is centered on long-term relationships built with teachers and patients but is not a general practice program per se.

The ERC was developed according to the philosophy of the extended clerkship programs of Harvard University and Flinders University and a similar experience is available to medical students placed at the metro clinical schools through the University of Melbourne ‘Crescent Program’. Monash University also runs its own ERC program.

ERC Course Overview MD Year 1, Year 2 & Year 4

Students enrolled in the ERC stream will undertake the majority of their clinical education (three years) at clinical training locations in northern Victoria.

Year 1 • Year 1 all students will spend the full year at the UoM Parkville campus.

• Students are invited to attend an open day prior to selecting their Rural Clinical School site, this process is the same as all other UoM Medical Students.

Year 2 • Year 2 is exactly the same for ERC and non-ERC students.

• Students are allocated to the Rural Clinical School at either Bendigo (delivered in collaboration with Monash University), Shepparton, Wangaratta or Ballarat.

• Year 2 students will be invited to attend a 3 day ERC tour to meet the practices for the Year 3 ‘Community Based Year’.

• ERC students undertake a survey to assist the Rural Clinical School in allocating students to practices shortly after the 3 day ERC tour.

Year 4 • Semester 1 - Scholarly Selective & Semester 2 - Transition to Practice

Year 3 “Community Based Year” disciplines (usual block system – longitudinal learning in ERC)

Aged Mental GP Care Health Children’s & Women’s Adolescent Health S Health t u I I d n n e t t n e e t r r C Mental Aged s s o GP e e n Health Care s s f si si e o o r n n e n Children’s & c Women’s e Adolescent Health Health Aged Mental GP Care Health ERC Course Overview Year 3 ‘Community Based Year’

Year 3 • Year 3 students will cover the SAME curriculum as non-ERC medical students: General Practice Aged Care Mental Health Child and Adolescent Health Women’s Health

• The curriculum for Year 3 is the same with the majority of the delivery within a GP / rural hospital environment.

• Prior to commencement in the General Practice students will be provided with 3 weeks orientation in all disciplines.

• Students will have mini-blocks throughout Year 3. Women’s Health - 3 weeks Child & Adolescent Health - 3 weeks Mental Health - 2 weeks Aged Care - 1 week

• The ERC students are placed in a General Practice for 60% of the time during Year 3

• Students will finish Year 3 one week earlier than other students and are provided with one week of revision.

UoM ERC Training Locations

Wangaratta Hub – Wangaratta, Yarrawonga, Cobram, Corowa, Mansfield, Benalla & Mt Beauty

Shepparton Hub – Shepparton

Echuca Hub - Echuca

Cobram Corowa Echuca Yarrawonga Shepparton

Benalla Wangaratta Mt Beauty Mansfield  MELBOURNE 2014 ERC Community Based Year - Hubs & Spokes GP Practices - 22 Students

Shepparton Echuca

UoM Lister House Wyndham Kialla Medical Rich River Health Echuca Moama Family Shepparton Shepparton House Clinic Clinic Group Echuca Medical Practice Medical Centre 3 Students 1 Students 1 Students 1 Students 2 Students 4 Students

Wangaratta Group 3E

Ovens Medical Mt Beauty Corowa Medical Mansfield Cobram Group Medical Centre Centre Medical Clinic Medical Clinic Wangaratta 1 Student 1 Student 1 Student 1 Student 1 Student

Wangaratta Group 3F

Ovens Medical Central Gen Church Street Yarrawonga Mansfield Group Practice Surgery Denis Medical Medical Clinic Wangaratta Mansfield Benalla Group 1 Students 1 Student 1 Student 1 Student 1 Student Shepparton Hub – total 6 students

Shepparton Hub

University of Melbourne RCS Shepparton

Shepparton Spokes

UoM Shepparton Medical Centre Kialla Medical Clinic Wyndham House Clinic Lister House Medical Centre 3 students 1 student 1 student 1 student Echuca Hub – total 6 students

Echuca Education Centre

Echuca Moama Family Medical Practice Rich River Health Group Echuca Echuca Practice - 2 students 2 students Moama Practice - 2 students Wangaratta Hub 10 students in 2 groups

Mount Beauty Medical Centre Benalla Church St Surgery 1 student 1 student

Mansfield Medical Clinic Central General Practice Mansfield 2 students 1 student Wangaratta Hub 10 students in 2 groups

Ovens Medical Group Wangaratta Corowa Medical Centre 1 student 2 students

Cobram Medical Clinic Yarrawonga Denis Medical Group 1 student 1 student Accommodation

Yarrawonga accommodation Benalla accommodation Mansfield accommodation

All accommodation will be furnished for students Echuca accommodation Accommodation - same costs as other RCS students Mt Beauty accommodation The ERC students pay the same amount as all RCS students, accommodation is currently $100 pw in 2014. In recognition that students living in RHAC accommodation receive subsidized rent, students (usually with families & partners) who do not live in the RCS residential accommodation may receive support for their private living. There are eligibility criteria for private living bursaries which provide up to $200 pw during the semester only. Bursaries are awarded based on meeting the eligibility criteria and submission of appropriate supporting documentation. First group of undergraduate ERC students Contacts

Prof Julian Wright RHAC Chair Director of Medical Student Education and Professor of Medicine Phone (03) 5823 4582 Email: [email protected]

Ms. Melissa Seymour Rural Clinical School Manager Phone (03) 5823 4578 Email: [email protected]