title: Challenges to rural medical education: a student perspective.
abstract: The key feature of the Greater Murray Clinical School model is the attachment of students to patients. Students follow their patients through the health care system, in contrast to the standard approach where students are attached to doctors or specialty based clinical units. The patient/student coupling occurs at the primary care level, which mostly but not exclusively will occur in the GP's office. Students anchor their knowledge by seeing the natural progression of common illnesses, the impact of behavioural aspects on health and disease, and by experiencing continuity of care. Along their path they develop good problem solving skills and learn to understand the health care system they will become part of. The main obstacle in teaching a medical undergraduate curriculum in a rural setting is that large geographical distances separate students, teachers and resources. Consequently, information technology will play an important role in terms of delivery of the GMCS curriculum. Moreover, there is potential for flow-on benefits to the community following integration of new information technology into the local health infrastructure.
authors.affiliation: Greater Murray Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delaney
authors.forename: Siv Eing
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sar
authors.forename: Shu Ching
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Joachim P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sturmberg
authors.forename: Mohammed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Khadra
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003154:Community Medicine / Q000193:education*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000193:education; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D017145:Models, Educational; D009517:New South Wales; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012423:Rural Health; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*