News Archive

More rural medical graduates than ever before took their professional oath at The University of Western Australia last weekend, and numbers will rise again next year under UWA's successful Rural Student Recruitment Program.

Thirty Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery graduates with rural backgrounds were among more than 180 medical students at a dedication ceremony in UWA's historic Winthrop Hall.

The Head of the Rural Clinical School of WA, Winthrop Professor Geoffrey Riley AM, said the increase in rural graduates was good news for healthcare across country Western Australia.  The graduates will undergo more training before they can practise in regional communities.

"It's very pleasing to see increasing numbers of UWA rural medical students," Professor Riley said.  "Each graduate has a unique story to tell about how they achieved their six-year goal."

The number of UWA medical graduates from country areas has grown from four per cent of the University's overall intake in 2000 - when the Rural Student Recruitment Program was launched - to 25 per cent.

Professor Riley said 43 more rural medical students from UWA would graduate next year.

Rural medical graduates who took the Hippocratic oath last weekend are from:

• Albany
• Boyup Brook
• Broome
• Bunbury
• Burracoppin
• Collie
• Geraldton
• Halls Creek
• Harvey
• Karratha
• Mandurah
• Narrogin
• Newman
• Northam
• Pinjarra

Media references

Sue Pougnault (Student Support Coordinator)  (+61 8)  6488 4851/52  /  (+61 4) 19 174 860
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783