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Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Students from rural and remote Western Australia will comprise a quarter of the intake into The University of Western Australia's undergraduate medicine program this year.

From Albany, Broome, Bunbury, Carnarvon, Denmark, Esperance, Geraldton, Greenbushes Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Laverton, Mandurah, Manjimup, Moorine Rock, Newdegate, Narrogin, Point Denison and Yallingup, 45 students were offered a place to study medicine at UWA.  Ten have deferred their place to commence their studies in 2011.

Student Support Coordinator in UWA's Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Sue Pougnault, said in the 10 years since the program started, it had enjoyed significant success in promoting medicine as a career choice for rural WA students.

"For rural students to successfully study medicine at a metropolitan university, they must overcome enormous obstacles to fulfil their dreams," Ms Pougnault said.

"The tyranny of distance, competitive entry processes, heavy workloads and often limited support leave students feeling especially isolated."

The program aims to raise the awareness of medicine as an achievable career choice, offering workshops for Year 10 to12 students in a rural setting and provides information, support and mentoring.

"When the program first started, the rural student intake into medicine was four per cent and in the last six academic years has achieved 25 per cent," Ms Pougnault said.

It is hoped that many of these students, when they qualify, will return to rural areas to practise, addressing the shortage of health professionals in the bush.

Media references

Sue Pougnault (+ 61 8) 9346 7323  /  (+61 4) 19 174 860
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

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